Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Let's Dance Grandma By Nigel McMullen HarperCollins Children's Books, Picture Book, 30 pg. Lucy loves to dance, so when mom leaves her with grandma for a few hours, she ask grandma to dance with her. Grandma entertains her and they do all this activities together, but at the end we see grandma giving in and having a good time with Lucy. This endearing book, will warm your heart. Grandmas do dance, but only with very special people!

Mi Libro de Ballet By Nicola Baxter, Illustrated by Samantha Chaffey Libros de Atril S. L., 12 pg. Picture Book The ballet class is having a performance, everyone is very excited except Emma, she does not like to perform in front of hundreds of people. Teacher find a way to keep her involved, I bet you can find her in several pages in the book. This very artistic book, has only 12 pages, but is full of figures and a 3-D vignette in every page. La clase de ballet va a tener una presentación, toda la clase esta contenta de participar ecepto Emma, a ella no le gusta estar enfrente de cientos de personas. La maestra encuentra maneras en la que Emma pueda participar, a ver si la encuentras en varias páginas. Este libro es muy lindo, solamente tiene 12 páginas, pero estan llenas de figuras en viñetes de forma de 3D en cada página.

  Princesses are Not Just Pretty by Kate Lum Illustrated by Sue Hellard Bloomsbury, 2014. unpaged picture book Princesses Mellie, Libby and Allie are pretty, but which is the prettiest?  They decide to have a beauty contest to settle the question once and for all. For days they prepare; choosing clothes, doing their hair, even brightening their freckles.  When the day of the competition arrives each starts out with the highest hopes, but on the way each princess finds someone in need.  One by one they stop and help, ruining their beautiful clothes and hair in the process. The judges decide that none is the prettiest, but all are the best princesses in the land. This is the newest addition to our new Princess section of the Picture Book collection.  These princesses have everything a little princess lover could want; good looks, beautiful clothes and kind hearts.  Hellard's watercolor and ink illustrations are a frilly as one could hope for in a princess book. Especially fu

The Islands of Chaldea by Diana Wynne Jones, completed by Ursula Jones HarperCollins, 2014.  356 pages.  Fantasy      Diana Wynne Jones died three years ago, leaving The Islands of Chaldea unfinished, and not leaving any outline or notes as to how the book should conclude.  But her sister Ursula took up the challenge and completed the book to make a fine, last story in the Jones' canon.  Aileen lives with her Aunt Beck, the greatest magicworker in the land of Skarr.  Aileen is expected to follow in her aunt's footsteps, but when she has her first initiation experience, she thinks nothing happens, and she thinks she's a failure.  But soon she and Aunt Beck are summoned by the High King to go on a quest to penetrate the veil that has fallen over the Chaldean island of Logra where Aileen's father disappeared years ago.  The expedition leaves with much fanfare but before long Aunt Beck runs afoul of a truly disagreeable sorceress and has her brains addled to the

Whale Shines Fiona Robinson Abrams Books for Young Readers, 30 pg. Picture Book Whale goes around telling all her friends in the ocean to get ready for the Art Exhibit. They all have something they are working on, but not whale. "I have no talent" she says, but her friends, the plankton, help her figure something out. You have to see the things they do together! This book is great for kids that are not so sure about their talents or special things they can share.

  Wake Up, Rupert! By Mike Twohy Simon and Schuster, 2014, unpaged picture book Rupert the rooster is tired of always having to get up early to crow and wake up the farm  His friend, Sherman the Sheep helpfully volunteers to take care of his job for him. Delighted, Rupert is all set to sleep in, but Sherman is so worried about oversleeping that he ends up waking everyone in the middle of the night. Chaos ensues, and Rupert realizes how important his job really is.  With lively illustrations and simple text, Twohy teaches the satisfaction to be gained from a job well done.

  Tyrannosaurus Wrecks! Written by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen Illustrated by Zachariah Ohora Abrams, 2014. unpaged picture book Apatosaurus, Pteranodon and Velociraptor are all doing crafts quietly at the table when Tyrannosaurus comes and wrecks everything.  It can be fun to wreck things, but it doesn't win Tyrannosaurus any friends.  Lonely and sad, Tyrannosaurus decides he will try playing nice. It isn't easy for him, but it is worth it. This bright and colorful picture book is just perfect for preschoolers who are just learning to think about the feelings of others.  Simple rhyming text and bold, cartoon dinosaurs will charm both boys and girls.

Count on the Subway Written by Paul DuBois Jacobs and Jennifer Swender Illustrated by Dan Yaccarino On a busy day in New York City, a girl and her mother begin their journey with 1 MetroCard. They count as they go, tallying everything from empty seats to train stops. They count up to 10, and when they transfer to another train, they count back to 1. Their ride ends at 1 station, central and grand! This is a vibrant counting book that features the equally lively sights and characters of Manhattan. The authors' use of rhyming goes well with the rhythm of the subway, and Yaccarino's colorful, unique style of illustration is delightful.

Ultra by David Carroll Scholastic Canada, 2013.  192 pgs.  Fiction      Ultra came seemingly out of nowhere to take the Cybils' award for best middle grade fiction this year.  Actually, it came from Canada and is difficult to find in the United States, but it is worth the effort.  Quinn is a runner, but not just any kind of runner.  His unusually large heart and his body's "inefficiency" at making lactic acid allow him to run much longer than others without tiring, somethine he discovered while running with his father, a seasoned runner whom he left in the dust.  Now he is running an ultramarathon--a hundred mile race that must be completed in 24 hours.  For some reason his father is no longer with the family, so his mother, his little brother Ollie, and his best friend Kneecap see him off at the starting line.  Framed with a television interview that takes place after the race, Quinn's story takes him from start to finish through bear scares, blistered fe

The Night before Preschool Natasha Wing, illustrated by Amy Wummer Grosset & Dunlap, 28 pg. Picture Book Billy is going to preschool the next day. Everything is ready, but that night he worries so much about preschool and the friends he will make. The next day he finds out that even when things look scary, he is able to make friends. This is a good book that will ease the jitters for some preschoolers.

Snow Dog, Sand Dog  Written by Linda Joy Singleton Illustrated by Jess Golden Albert Whitman and Co, 2014. unpaged picture book Ally wants a dog more than anything in the world, but she cannot have one because of allergies. So Ally decides to make a dog for herself.  In the winter she makes a dog out of snow, and when she is done it follows her home and plays with her.  When spring comes the snow dog melts, but she makes one of flowers.  She makes a sand dog in the summer, and a leaf dog in the fall.  Finally she draws pictures of all her dogs, and then starts the cycle again with the first snow.  Singleton's lively illustrations match the whimsical mood to the text. Children will enjoy this confident little heroine who uses her imagination to deal with her challenges.

Pocoyo Series: Vocales, Colores, Números Editorial Planeta S. A., 12 pg. Board Books Vocales / Vowels, Colores / Colors, Números / Numbers This series of books are great to introduce these subjects to little children. The illustrations are bight and and they puff out of the page, so children can touch and feel. Esta Serie de libritos son buenos para introducir estos conceptos a los pequeñitos. Las ilustraciones son de colores brillantes y tambien sobresalen de la página, de manera que los niños pueden tocar y sentir los objetos en el libro.

  The Hueys in "It Wasn't Me" Written and Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers Philomel Books, 2014. unpaged picture book The Hueys usually get along, but sometimes they fight. They are so busy placing blame that they have forgotten what they are fighting about.  How can their friend get them to stop? A little distraction is all it takes to reestablish harmony. It is amazing how Jeffers is able to create characters with only a few basic shapes, and a story with only a few simple words.  Because the text and illustrations are so simple, they communicate their important message about getting along without being preachy.

Ferry Tail Written by Katharine Kenah Illustrated by Nicole Wong Sleeping Bear Press, 2014. unpaged picture book Walter is a dog who lives on a ferry boat. He helps the cook by tasting the bacon. He helps the engineer by listening to the engine.  He is an important member of the crew, but one day he gets annoyed by the captain's cat, Cupcake, and decides to run away.  Life on land is not what he hoped, but when he tries to come back to the ferry, he cannot find his way.  Luckily, someone--whom he wouldn't have expected--comes to find him. One thing picture books can do is broaden a child's life experience.  Not all children have the chance to ride a ferry, but this book gives a pretty good picture of what a ferry is like. The watercolor and ink illustrations subtly capture the ferry boat experience while helping to tell the story.  This is also a gentle read-aloud about the value of friendship and belonging.

La ladrona de Lagrimas By Carol Ann Duffy, illustrations by Nicoletta Ceccoli Barefoot Books, Intermón Oxfan, 32 pg. Picture Book The Tear Thief comes in the night and listens for children that cry. She collects tears, but you can't see her, she is invisible but, oh, she is there. All those tears of anger, fear, jealousy, hurt, envy, compassion.......... Where do they go?  This beautifully illustrated book show us that and much more. You'll really like the Tear Thief! La Ladrona de Lágrimas viene por la noche y escucha hasta que encuentra niños que estan llorando. Ella colecciona las lágrimas, pero no puedes verla, es invisible, ¡oh!, pero ahi esta. Todas esas lagrimas de enojo, miedo, celos, dolor, envidia, compasión........... Donde van? Este libro con sus ilustraciones tan lindas nos muestra eso y mucho mas. ¡Les va a encantar la Ladrona de Lagrimas!

Caribou Song Written by Tomson Highway Illustrated by John Rombough Fifth House, 2013. Unpaged picture book Joe and Cody live in the far north of Canada.  Their papa drives a dog sled as the family follows the caribou herds.  Cody and Joe sing and dance to call the caribou, but one magical night their song is so powerful it calls an entire heard of the great animals.  As the beasts rush by, the boys' parents are afraid that the boys have been trampled. They are relieved to find them safe, standing on a giant rock, and singing their caribou song. Some picture books have the ability to transport the reader into a different world.  This bilingual book, written in English and Cree, offers children a glimpse into the life of the native peoples of northern Canada. Rombough's stylized illustrations invite careful inspection and reflect the stark complexity of the northern landscape and lifestyle.

One Dead Spy: The Life, Times, and Last Words of Nathan Hale, America's Most Famous Spy By Nathan Hale Nathan Hale, the author's historical namesake, was America's first spy, a Revolutionary War hero who famously said, "I regret that I have but one life to give for my country," before being hanged by the British. In the Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series, author Nathan Hale channels his namesake to present history's roughest, toughest, and craziest stories in the graphic novel format.  Big Bad Ironclad: A Civil War Steamship Showdown By Nathan Hale Big Bad Ironclad! covers the history of the amazing ironclad steam warships used in the Civil War. From the ship's inventor, who had a history of blowing things up and only 100 days to complete his project, to the mischievous William Cushing, who pranked his way through the whole war, this book is filled with surprisingly true facts and funny, brave characters that modern readers w

The Short Giraffe Written by Neil Flory Illustrated by Mark Cleary Albert Whitman and Company, 2014. Unpaged picture book. When Boba the baboon comes to take a picture of the world's tallest animals, the giraffes, he runs into a bit of a problem. All the giraffes look perfect, except for Geri. Geri is the shortest giraffe who ever lived, and he doesn't fit in the shot. The group tries to make the shot work, from tying stilts to Geri's legs to hanging him from branches, but nothing works. Then, a tiny caterpillar who is observing the giraffes' shenanigans, proposes an easy solution: why not bend down to Geri's level? Of course, the resulting picture is perfect. This is a very funny, clever picture book. Neil Flory's story is fresh, and Mark Cleary's illustrations are hilarious! Also, the simple text makes this a great picture book for new readers.

Chasing Cheetahs:  The Race to Save Africa's Fastest Cats by Sy Montgomery, photographs by Nic Bishop Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014.  77 pgs.  Nonfiction     Hands down cheetahs are the large cat of choice for school reports at the library.  So everyone should enjoy this latest offering from the boffo wildlife team of Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop, who tell here the story of the Cheetah Conservation Fund and its leader, Laurie Marker. Marker and her colleagues, with the support of Namibia's government, have helped stave off extinction for the most endangered of the big cats in Africa. So much good information here about the cheetah, the fastest land animal, endangered not only by farmers killing them as predators, though they don't like livestock and rarely eat it, but by their own genetic weaknesses resulting from inbreeding. Montgomery and Bishop share the workings of the CCF, explaining the methods for healing injured and abandoned cheetahs and teaching them to retu

The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel Simon & Schuster, 2014.  332 pgs.  Fiction      Like the train his book describes, Kenneth Oppel's The Boundless  takes a while to chug out of the station, but when it does, the ride is wild. We first meet Will Everett as he waits for his father, an engineer and laborer for the transcontinental railroad in Canada, just as the rails have all been laid. An avalanche interrupts the driving of the last spike, a robbery is attempted, a sasquatch is killed and another one injured and captured. Three years later the Canadian Pacific Railway sends the most amazing train ever built west from Vancouver towards the East coast.  The Boundless is six miles long, is comprised of 987 cars, and carries 6,495 passengers.  It is a Titanic of the rails, and almost shares the Titanic's fate as wicked men try to steal the train's treasures and Will and his friend Maren, a circus performer, must try to save the day.  The Boundless is a fantastical train,

The Griffin and the Dinosaur:  How Adrienne Mayor Discovered a Fascinating Link Between Myth and Science by Mark Aronson with Adrienne Mayor, illustrated by Chris Muller National Geographic, 2014.  48 pgs.  Nonfiction      Apparently grownups knew this information some time ago, but Aronson and Mayor's fascinating book for children tells the story of how Mayor went looking for a link between Greek mythology and dinosaur fossils and found it.  When she read ancient texts, Mayor thought the Greeks writing about griffins, for example, spoke as though it were a beast they had actually seen. Her researches in Greece led to dinosaur remains, but none that fit the description of any mythical creatures of Greek mythology. But when she branched out into the domain of the ancient and mysterious Scythians, with whom the Greeks traded along what would become known as the Silk Road.  By matching fossil sites with gold deposits, Adrienne found her griffin - the fossilized remains of the

Founding Mothers:  Remembering the Ladies by Cokie Roberts, illustrated by Diane Goode HarperCollins, 2014.  37 pages.  Nonfiction      Cokie Roberts, perhaps best known as a political commentator for ABC News and for NPR, has combined with children's illustrator Diane Goode to adapt her bestselling adult nonfiction work, Founding Mothers , for a younger audience.  In this volume, Roberts tells the stories of famous female Revolutionary figures, such as Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, and Dolley Madison, but also of less well known women of that time such as Eliza Pinckney who at age sixteen took over the management of three plantations, established indigo as the premier cash crop of South Carolina, and then gave her sons to fight for the new republic. Deborah Read Franklin, Benjamin's wife, was every ounce the patriot he was, and though he was named postmaster general of the United States, she was the one who saw that the mail got through.  Many other stars of our ea