Provo Library Children's Book Blog

How They Choked: Failures, Flops, and Flaws of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley Walker Books for Young Readers, 2014. 208 pages. From the same author-illustrator team that brought us How They Croaked comes this book that focuses on the mistakes and mishaps of "awfully famous" people. The introduction warns "Nobody's perfect; get used to it". That warning is relevant as some of our favorite famous people, including Amelia Earhart and Charles Dickens, are portrayed in a more negative light than we are used to. While the negativity is somewhat depressing, I think it's valuable to realize that everyone makes mistakes and has flaws or shortcomings, sometimes within their control and sometimes not. The writing is absolutely captivating and the illustrations are delightfully macabre. There are gross details of death and sickness akin to How They Croaked , so this is not the book for the squeamish. Overall a fascinating ...

Go: A Kidd's guide to graphic design by Chip Kidd Workman Publishing, 2013. 160 pages. For kids 10 and up who have an interest in art and/or graphic design, this is the perfect book. Chip Kidd (a brilliant graphic designer) explains the power and why behind graphic design, then shows how to use good form, typography, content, and concept as a designer. The last chapter gives 10 design projects that are doable, fun, and useful. The book itself has great design elements and the pages are filled with visual examples. Even though it is 160 pages, the writing is engaging and doesn't feel long or textbookish at all. I love books that empowers kids to start developing skills that can help them with future careers, and Go does that without a doubt. 

The Prince and the Potty by Wendy Cheyette illustrated by Keiko Motoyama Simon and Schuster, 2006, picture book The young prince is lacking motivation to use his royal potty, so his parents, the King and Queen, consult the Royal Wise Man.  He advises that they get the prince a puppy.  As the prince patiently works with the queen to paper train the puppy, he finds his own resolve.  This is a cute companion book to the very popular The Princess and the Potty by the same author. Although this is not a new publication, it is new to the library and a great addition to our "Hot Topics: Potty Training" section.

Fly Away by Patricia MacLachlan Margaret K McElderry Books, 2014. Fiction 108p Lucy and her family are visiting North Dakota to help their Aunt whose house is threatened by the rising flood waters of a nearby river. Lucy is very close to her little brother, Teddy.  He doesn't mind that she cannot carry a tune, even though the rest of the family is very musical, even Teddy.  No one knows that he comes into her room every night and sings a nursery song to her. It is their little secret until the little boy disappears at the peak of a storm and Lucy has to use her embarrassing singing voice to try to find him. Ms MacLachlan is a lyric writer. This isn't a long book, but, with a economy of words, the author paints very real a vivid characters and settings.  The relationships between Lucy and Teddy, and between Lucy's parents and Aunt Frankie are warm and sweet. This is a lovely new offering from a Newbery winning author.

  Green is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colors by Roseanne Greenfield Thong Illustrated by John Parra Chronicle Books, 2014, Picture Book Here is a new book in our "Colors" picture book section that teaches the names of colors in English and Spanish. The text is all in rhyme and features objects that one might find in a Hispanic community. Beside the names of the colors, there are other words in Spanish like "platos" on the orange page, and "faroles" on the yellow page. There is a glossary in the back of the book, but the meaning of most of the Spanish words is clear from context and from the illustrations. Parra's illustrations are painted with rich contrasting colors on a textured canvas, and capture the feel of Hispanic folk art. This title is available as physical book or as a downloadable ebook .

Lizzy Bennet's Diary: Inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice by Maria Williams Candlewick Press, 2014. Fiction 112 p. Readers have loved the story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darci for more than a century.  This is a way to share this tale with a younger audience.  Ms Williams has recounted Lizzy's story in a diary form complete with colored illustrations and attached mementos.  Readers can see what Lizzy thought when first meeting Mr. Darci, or finding out about Lydia's elopement. Readers can see the invitation to the ball and the note to Jane from Ms Bingley telling her the Mr. Bingley is going to London. There are also sketches of the arrival of the regiment and other events from the story. Some of the passages contain snippets of original book's language, but the book is mostly new fictionalization. The illustrations are light hearted as are Lizzy's ruminations. This is a fun selection for Austen fans, young and old.

Ribbit! by Rodrigo Folgueira Illustrated by Poly Bernatene Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2013. 32 pages. As a group of frogs are minding their own business, a pig joins them. The pig says "Ribbit!" The frogs are aghast. Is this pig trying to mock them? Other woodland creatures come by to observe as the pig continues to say "Ribbit!" They talk amongst themselves about the pig who isn't doing what he ought to. Finally, they seek out the wise old beetle to tell them how they should deal with this pig. The beetle helps them realize that maybe the pig is just looking for new friends. At this point, the pig has disappeared. Is it too late for a new friendship to begin? Folgueira's sweet and lightly humorous book deals with judgement and gossiping in a way young children can understand without being too emotional or heavy. The pig who goes out of his way to make new friends is a great role model. I love that despite the rejection he receives, ...

That is NOT a Good Idea! by Mo Willems Harper Collins, 2013. 48 pages.  Portrayed in the style of silent films, Goose meets Fox, Fox invites Goose over to dinner, and Goose happily accepts. Between each scene, goslings warn of the danger with the title phrase "That is NOT a good idea!" The suspense builds... and the ending is laugh out loud amazing. I can not get enough of Mo Willems. His books are brilliant, and this is no exception. Willems is a master of expressions. The visual storytelling is brilliant. The text is perfect. The silent film format is fun. This is a hilarious read-aloud that the whole family will enjoy.

The Soda Bottle School by Se ño Laura Kutner and Suzanne Slade illustrated by Aileen Darragh Tilbury House, 2014, nonfiction, unpaged What do you do when your school is too small and surrounded by garbage? Turn the garbage into a new school! That is exactly what a group of teachers and students in Guatemala did. They filled discarded two-liter bottles with garbage, covered them with cement and made them into bricks to build the walls of new classrooms.  This amazing story is told in picture book format and is illustrated with simple cartoon drawings. In the back of the book the author includes photographs of the actual school, teachers, and students who made the pop bottle school and cleaned up their community.

Lulu and the Witch Baby  by Jane O'Connor illustrated by Bella Sinclair Harper, 2014. unpaged easy reader Everyone is excited to have a new little Witch Baby in the house, everyone except Lulu. She is not happy that her Mama Witch and Papa Witch don't have as much time to spend with her. She is amazed that Witch Baby can cause so many problems without getting in trouble. Lulu wishes her Witch Baby would just disappear.  Then one day, Mama leaves Lulu alone with the baby.  Will Lulu try her magic disappearing spell on Witch Baby? The simple story is illustrated with cartoons that are reminiscent of the style of popular children's TV shows. As Halloween approaches this is a great book by the author of Fancy Nancy for an early reader who might be having trouble getting used to having a younger sibling.

Sky Jumpers Peggy Eddleman Random House, 275 pages, Juvenile Fiction Twelve-year-old Hope lives in post World War III America. Most of the world had been destroyed by bombs. While there are surviving towns, they are still plagued by lingering air from the deadly bombs, known to everyone as bomb's breath. Breathing it in is fatal, so everyone in White Rock is terrified of it. Everyone, that is, except Hope and her friends when they discover that jumping in the deadly gas slows gravity's pull and allows them to float to the ground from high places safely.  World War III's bombs also destroyed most of the technology in the world. Inventing is a valuable skill in White Rock, but unfortunately one that Hope does not excel at. Medicine is especially valuable, and trouble starts when bandits attack the town for it's medicine. Hope takes on the deadly mission of saving her town, using her bravery and knowledge of the bomb's breath. Eddleman spends a lot of time sh...

Zombie Makers: True Stories of Nature's Undead   by Rebecca L. Johnson Millbrook Press, 2012 Nonfiction, 48p. Be warned: this book is high on the gross-out scale. A clever and fascinating collection of scientific anecdotes about parasites that take over the bodies of other insects or animals, keeping them alive long enough to ensure the survival of their own offspring. Examples include a fungus that can take over an ant's brain, a protozoan that can turn off a rat’s fear of cats, and a worm that can force crickets to throw themselves into the water and drown. The text is a nice mix of dramatic storytelling and well-researched scientific fact, and the close-up photographs are great. A good bet for school-age readers interested in nonfiction, zombies, or deliciously icky topics.

Soy un Hermano Mayor By Joanna Cole HarperCollins Children's Books, Picture Book This book is excellent for children that have a new baby in the home. The boy in the story deals with a new baby that is very needy but he learns quickly to love and take care of him. The new baby makes big brother feel needed and wanted. Este libro es exelente para niños que tienen un nuevo bebe en casa. El niño en este cuento tiene que confrontar el reto que presenta a veces de tratar con un nuevo bebe. El bebe a veces necesita mucha atencion y el hermano aprende rapidamente a cuidarlo y darle cariño.

                                                                         Nuts to You by Lynne Rae Perkins Greenwillow, 2014.   272 pgs.  Fantasy      Usually the expression "nuts to you" is an old-timey brush-off or insult.  But when you're a squirrel, it's just a kind wish. Kind wishes and deadly perils abound in Perkins' delightful lower to middle grade novel about Jed the Squirrel who is snatched up by a hawk but who, against all odds, escapes and is dropped into another area of squirreldom.  Luckily his friends TsTs and Chia see him fall, and follow after him along the singing wires that hang between the silver towers. Jed has fallen among a group of reddish-coated, hick-talking squirrels whom he comes to enjoy, but he really wants to get back home so...

La Selva By Albert Asensio Editorial Juventud, 14 pg. Board Book This small picture book has pictures of some of the animals that live in the savanna. It is a great book for little preschoolers. They will enjoy the pictures of the parent as well as the baby animals. See if your little one can answer the question on the last page. Este pequeño libro de cartón tiene fotos de animales que viven en la selva. Es un libro excelente para los pequeñitos que todavía no van a la escuela. Les encantará las fotos tanto de los papas como los cachorros de los animales de la selva. Hay una pregunta al final, a ver si su niño la puede contestar.

  Flashlight by Lizi Boyd Chronicle Books, 2014 Picture book A young boy is camping in the woods where it’s too dark to see what is surrounding his tent. But with the help of his trusty flashlight, he illuminates the night and discovers all kinds of interesting nature and friendly night animals! But what will happen when he eventually drops his flashlight? The wordless nature of this picture book allows children to practice their narrative skills as they decide how to tell the story. A great book for bedtime, for discussing fears of the dark, or for practicing animal identification and sparking an interest in nature.

Edgar Gets Ready for Bed By Jennifer Adams Illustrated by Ron Stucki Gibbs Smith, 2014. Picture Book "Once upon a midnight dreary" Edgar the raven doesn't want to go to bed.  Whenever his mother asks him to finish his vegetables, or take a bath, his answer is always "nevermore!"  His patient mother finally gets him to calm down by reading his favorite bedtime story...you guessed it... The Raven by E.A. Poe.  Jennifer Adams, the author of the popular BabyLit board book series, has here created another fun foray into classical literature.  Stucki's primarily black and gray stylized illustrations make use of classic Victorian floral patterns to give the book a child-friendly Gothic feel. The many references to Poe's poem, both in the text and in the illustrations will make parents chuckle, and prepare children for later exposure to the great classic.

¡Tiburón al Ataque! By Gail Tuchman Scholastic INC, 30 pg. Non Fiction Sharks are amazing, and this book shows many interesting facts about these great animals of the ocean. The pictures are great and really give the feel of being in the ocean.Third and fourth graders will really enjoy all the facts and amazing pictures. Los tiburones son increíbles, este libro muestra muchas facetas interesantes acerca de estos animales del océano. Las fotos son regias y dan la sensación de estar en el océano. A los niños del tercer y cuarto grado les encantará todos los datos y las fotos en este libro.

  You Can't Have Too Many Friends By Mordicai Gerstein Holiday House, 2014. Picture Book The King has "borrowed" Duck's jelly beans, and Duck is on a mission to get them back.  On the way to the castle he meets a variety of friends and invites them to join his quest.  Magically friend Dog, friend Babbling Brook, friend Ladder and others shrink themselves and hide on Duck's person. When Duck gets to the castle, the guilty king tries to do away with Duck, but Duck's friends pop out and save him whenever he is in peril.  In the end the friends are able to share the reward of Duck's efforts. This story feels like an old time folktale, but the illustrations are done in a contemporary cartoon style that will appeal to modern kids.

  When Elephant Met Giraffe by Paul Gude Disney Hyperion, 2014. Picture Book Giraffe doesn't talk much so it is tricky for Elephant to negotiate a friendship with him. It is hard for the animals to learn to share and be tolerant when they can't communicate easily but with a little effort and a little compromise Elephant and Giraffe become the best of friends.  This is a great book about how to make a friendship work.  The text is very simple, with only a few sentences per page.  The illustrations are simple too, basic line drawings filled in with solid color, but they help convey the story and the feelings of the characters.  This is a great choice for Elephant and Piggie fans, or for someone looking for a way to help a pre-schooler navigate their first attempt at relationships with other children.

A Gift for Mama by Linda Ravin Lodding illustrated by Alison Jay Alfred A. Knopf, 2014. picture book Oskar walks down a cobblestone street in Vienna looking for a birthday gift for his mama.  He chooses a yellow flower from a vendor, but then an artist wants it for a painting he is doing.  The artist gives the boy a paint brush in exchange.  Then an orchestra conductor asks for the paint brush in exchange for some music. The boy keeps meeting people who want to exchange what they have for what he has.  The goodhearted boy is willing to make the trades and ends up with the perfect gift for his mother at last. The author concludes the book with a note that explains that the people the boy meets in the story represent real historical figures from 19th century Vienna. Jay's crackled and light-filled illustrations suggest the optimism of Vienna in its gold age.  As always Jay's illustrations include little details that will delight young readers.

If You Were a Dog by Clare Hibbert Smart Apple Press, 2014. Nonfiction If you were a dog your hearing and night vision would be better than a human's. Your sense of smell would be 40 times that of a human. You would feel loyalty to your "pack" and communicate with a combination of sounds and body language.  Hibbert includes these and many other interesting facts in this new nonfiction book.  The book explores dog behavior and characteristics, and contains tips that can help humans be better dog owners. Every page is illustrated with photographs of dogs doing the things discussed in the book.  The text is printed in large font and there are only two or three short paragraphs per page. Hibbert uses some terminology that might be unfamiliar to a younger audience, but includes a helpful glossary at then end of the book. This is a good choice for a new or perspective dog owner who wants to better understand their pet.

Jim Curious: A Voyage to the Heart of the Sea by Matthias Picard Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2014. 3-D picture book Jim Curious sets out in his diving suit and jumps into the ocean.  He finds fish, a sunken ship and ruins of a deserted underwater city.  When he makes it back to his home, he finds that everything has magically changed.  This is a wordless book that comes with 3-D glasses.  They can be found in a pouch at the back of the book. With the glasses on the reader can see the mostly two color pictures on each page in multiple layers.  The fish and shark pop out and the ruined city sinks into the background. The effect is impressive and will delight young and old alike. This is one to try, but be sure to return the glasses with the book so the next person can enjoy it too.

Bella Lost and Found by Ryan O'Rourke Harper, 2014. picture book Bella's ancestors had been sea cats, but Bella has spent her whole life in a light house.  Then one day she finds herself in a boat blown across the waves by the wind.  She has anxious moments but meets friendly sea creatures that help her find her way back home. This little adventure has just the right amount of excitement for preschool and kindergarten age listeners.  The cat is in uncharted territory, but the soft pastel illustrations and the happy faces on the sea creatures the cat meets help reassure the reader that everything will be alright in the end.

  Lately Lily: The Adventures of a Traveling Girl by Micah Player Chronicle Books, 2014. picture book Lily is a traveling girl.  She travels with her parents and her stuffed animal, Zeborah, all over the world.  Wherever she goes she likes to explore and make new friends.  When she gets home, she likes to write about her adventures. Lily's travels are depicted with energetic stylized illustrations in complementary colors. Lily exudes enthusiasm about traveling and this book would be a good choice for a young child who might be a little worried about their first major traveling experience. The book is associated with a website where children can track Lily's latest travels and see other of her notebooks.

Fix This Mess! by Ted Arnold Holiday House, 2014. picture book Tedd Arnold is a beloved picture book author/illustrator of Parts and More Parts .  In his newest picture book a kid has a new cleaning robot.  The child orders the robot to clean the couch, but the mess just gets moved to the end table.  The child orders the robot to clean that, and the mess is moved again.  Each time the mess is moved it gets bigger.  Finally the robot figures out where the real mess is.  This book is formatted as a picture book, but the text is simple enough it would work well as a very early beginning reader.  In fact, the entire story is told with less than 40 different words, most of which are high frequency words. Arnold's humorous illustrations in his signature style add a lot of fun to the story. This is a great title to build a new reader's confidence.

Los Animales Marinos al Dedillo Combel Editorial, 15 pg. Board Book This board book is amazing! Touch-and-feel areas allow your child will be able to experience how marine animals feel. Most of the vocabulary is appropriate for the small children but it also contains fun descriptive words for more advanced readers. This book has the names of parts of the body and some of the habitats of creatures that live in the ocean. The touch and feel textures of animals from the sea and the interesting animal facts make this book perfect for children. Este pequeño libro de páginas gruesas es excelente. Esta lleno de figuras que los pequeños pueden tocar y sentir la textura de la piel de los animales marinos. Tiene extenso vocabulario, con palabras simples que se pueden usar con los mas pequeñitos y también palabras descriptivas, mas avanzadas que se pueden usar con las mas grandes. Este libro da nombres de las partes del cuerpo de los animales que viven en el océano. Da a los niños l...