Provo Library Children's Book Blog

The Abominables By Eva Ibbotson Amulet Books, 2013. Fiction (272 p) When Lady Agatha is just a child, her father takes her on a trip to the Himalayas.  While there, she is captured by a Yeti who wants her to raise his poor motherless children.  Lady Agatha teaches the Yeti to speak English and have proper manners.  After many years, the Yeti's secluded mountain home is discovered and the the Yeti must flea.  Two human children, Con and Ellen, decide to smuggle the Yeti to Lady Agatha's ancestral home in England. The trip is not easy and the kindly Yeti have no idea what evil is waiting for them when they arrive.  Ibbotson is a charming storyteller and it is refreshing to read a story where the children are both innocent and resourceful.  This is a good choice as a read aloud for younger children, or for a younger middle grader who is an advanced reader.

Bob's Hungry Ghost by Genevi éve Côté Tundra Books, 2014. Picture Book Bob wants a dog or cat for his birthday, but instead he gets a ghost.  He names the ghost Fluffy and wants him to act like a dog.  Fluffy doesn't want to "sit" or "fetch". He wants to do what ghosts do, like hiding and flying. Finally out of boredom, Fluffy starts eating things.  As he eats he gets bigger and bigger until he finally eats Bob.   From inside the Fluffy, Bob finally comes to understand the ghost and later, when he comes out again, the two become best friends. Côté's text is clever and accessible, but Bob's story is largely told through lighthearted and expressive watercolor and pastel drawings. This is a fun new book for Halloween, with a great lesson about accepting people as they are.

Stanley the Builder by William Bee Peachtree, 2014. Picture Book Stanley the hamster is going to build a house for his friend, Myrtle Mouse.  Stanley clears the site, digs the foundation, stacks the bricks and adds the windows. Step by step Stanley builds the house until it all done and Stanley has earned a good night's sleep. Bee tells the simple sequential story with only one sentence a page, printed in large font.  The computer drawn illustrations are also simple but appealing and age appropriate. This is a good early literacy title that promotes narrative skills and supplies simple information about a child's world. Other Stanley titles include Stanley's Garage , and Stanley the Farmer .

  There's a Pig in My Class! by Johanna Thydell illustrated by Charlotte Ramel Holiday House, Swedish Edition, 2012 English Edition, 2014, Picture Book The "loneliest pig in the world" watches the children at the school across the way.  He longs to join them, so he digs under the fence and heads toward the playground.  The children instantly accept him and help him devise a disguise so he can go with them into school.  Pig has a wonderful time hearing stories and singing songs, but at last he is discovered.  He sadly returns to his pen, but soon his new friends come to visit him.  Thydell's story about uncomplicated friendship is illustrated with stylized ink and pastels cartoons. Little details make the characters endearing, like the flies buzzing around Pig when he is sad, and the pig noses the students wear when they come to visit him.  This is a fun import from a talented Swedish author.

Ever After High Yearbook Various Authors Scholastic, 2014,  Fiction, 93 p. This is a companion book to the popular Ever After High online video series by Matel and its companion book series by Shannon Hale. It is formatted like a school yearbook, with snap shots and articles about students and school activities. Fans can see "photographs" of the school, classes, teachers, dances and other activities.  There are pages for each of the Ever After High characters, listing their special interests and extracurricular activities. The high gloss color artwork mirrors the style of the Ever After High online video series. "Hand written" notes added by the "students" in the end pages and margins look amazingly authentic.  This is a fun offering for the many fans of Matel's successful franchise.

  The Qwikpick Papers: Poop Fountain By Tom Angleberger Amulet Books, 2014. Fiction 134 p. When Dave, Lyle and Marilla discover that they all have nothing to do on Christmas day they decide to find an adventure.  After much research and debate, they decide to go and see the soon to be torn down  "poop fountain" at the town's waste processing plant.  As they set out on their quest they get more adventure than they bargained for during an afternoon none of them will ever forget. Angleberger is a master at portraying junior high personalities and relationships.  The situations the kids get into are both utterly believable, and totally hilarious. This book was actually written before the Origami Yoda series (but recently republished with new formatting), and the reader can see some of the themes and techniques that would later make the OY a smash hit. This is one even reluctant readers won't be able to resist.

Haunted Caves by Natalie Lunis Profiles eleven supposedly haunted caves, from one where Spanish conquistadors are supposed to have hidden treasure over 350 years ago, to another where a thirteen-year-old boy discovered the largest underground lake in the United States. Cave Sleuths by Laurie Lindop Discusses the science of speleology and what scientists have learned about caves, how they are formed, and what lives in them. Caves by Anna Claybourne An introduction to cave exploring, including information on travel preparations and safety, cave formations, wildlife, famous explorers, and conservation efforts. Caves: Mysteries Beneath Our Feet by David L. Harrison A basic examination of how caves are formed. Cave Crawlers by Pam Rosenberg Teaches readers all about caves, and the scientists who go to extremes to study them! Caves and Crevices by Sharon Katz Cooper This book explores the slimy and gross creatures that call caves and crevices their homes. Me Pregunt...

Forget Me Not By Nancy Van Laan Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin Schwartz & Wade, 2014. Julia can remember when her grandma was her sweet old self, but lately she has become forgetful.  At first she would just get Julia mixed up with her cousin, but later she couldn't remember things they had done together.  As her grandmother's dementia increases, Julia misses her old grandma, but she tries hard to do things to make her grandmother happy.  She visits her in the care center, and brings her forget-me-nots in the spring. Dealing with a grandparent with dementia is difficult for adults and children. This book, illustrated with soft pastels, helps children understand what is going on, and gently lets them know that even though things are not going to get better, there are still ways to show their grandparent that they love them.

A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel Adapted and Illustrated by Hope Larson Farrar Straus Giroux, 2012. 392 pages. As part of the 50th anniversary of the 1962 Newbery winner A Wrinkle in Time , Hope Larson created this brilliant graphic novel version of the story. I like Madeleine L'Engle's original book and I enjoyed what this version has to offer. Larson's illustrations are beautiful interpretations of the original. Because of the nature of graphic novels, we don't get into Meg's head as much and the story progresses quicker. While this version doesn't have the same literary quality, it offers a high quality visual experience. There are mixed feelings about making a classic into a graphic novel. For kids who enjoy science fiction, I would give them the original book first and then let them read this one after (just like reading the book before seeing the movie). For kids who wouldn't be willing to give the original a chance but love graphic novels...

  Half a Chance By Cynthia Lord Scholastic, 2014. Realistic Fiction, 218 p. Lucy has moved to a new town on a lake in New Hampshire.  She quickly becomes friend with the boy next door, Nate, who is visiting his grandmother for the summer.  Together they get involved in helping Nate's grandmother keep track of the loons for a bird preservation group.  Lucy is also a photographer, like her father, and decides to secretly enter a contest for which her father is the judge.  As Lucy and Nate search for good pictures, and keep track of the loons, Lucy takes a great photograph that is offensive to Nate. Lucy has to decide if winning the photography contest is worth risking her friendship with Nate. Lord has created rich characters that deal with heart-wrenching questions about being willing to face both the beauty and the pain of life. This is a good title for kids interested in photography or who just like a good story about friendship.

  Breathe by Scott Magoon Simon and Schuster, 2014. picture book From the time the baby beluga takes his first breath, his life is filled with joy.  He swims, plays, dives and explores in the ocean depths with his mother close by.  There are dangers but the baby beluga knows how to stay safe and find "another way up."   Magoon's text is very simple, with only two or three words per page, but the writing is lyrical, like a free verse poem. The depiction of the beluga's undersea world is full of contrasts; the dark sea, the beluga's white body, and the shimmering silver bubbles.  This is a lovely STEM book for the youngest readers that encourages not only an appreciation for nature but a sense of wonder and well being.

Goose the Bear by Katja Gehrmann Translated by Connie Strandling Morby Sky Pony Press, 2014. Picture Book Fox finds a delicious looking egg but before he can eat it he bumps into Bear and drops the egg.  Bear picks it up just as a baby goose pops out of the shell. The gosling thinks the bear is its mother, and starts following him around. Bear is impressed that the gosling can scale a tree and swim as well as he can and decides that the gosling is just like him. But the fox has not forgotten the egg. Is the gosling enough like Bear to take care of the fox? This book is another story about an unlikely friendship built on respect. The light-hearted acrylic and crayon illustrations suggest Gehrmann's native Germany. This one would work great as a read a loud, or for a child to read on his/her own.

Amazing Visual Math by Dorling Kindersley Publishing Dorling Kindersley, 2014. 18 pages. If you want to help your child get excited about math, look no further. As the title suggests, this interactive book uses visuals to teach math concepts including basic number lines, addition, subtraction, geometry, and fractions. There is even an interactive quiz at the end that kids will enjoy and parents will appreciate checking their child's understanding. This book does require adult supervision as there are many flaps and pop-outs that could easily be destroyed and be a choking hazard. It makes a great read and discover together book. Appropriate for kindergarten and older. (Please don't let children tear it apart!)

Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue: An Origami Yoda Book (#5) By Tom Angleberger Amulet Books, 2014, Fiction, 194p The kids at McQuarrie Middle School are back, suffering through the incredibly boring and inane FunTime test prep program. To fight the evil FunTime empire, they have formed a "Rebel Alliance."  Kids that used to be opponents are now united, each with their own origami puppet based on a Star Wars character. Will their combined force be enough to triumph over the powerful Principal Rabbski, or is she, as Yoda suggests, secretly sympathetic of the rebel cause?  This is the 5th installment in the hilarious Origami Yoda series. As in the others in the series the book is formatted as a "case file" written by the kids, and illustrated with doodles and cartoons by the students. The library also has a recorded book version, performed by a full cast of voice actors. Either format works well. This series is a great choice for those who liked the Diary of a...

  Five Nice Mice and the Great Car Race by Chisato Tashiro Michael Neugebauer Publishing, 2014, Picture Book The five nice mice are excited when they see a poster announcing and upcoming car race.  Each of  the mice have their own skills, and they combine efforts to create a homemade, battery operated car to enter into the race.  Their main competition is a snazzy, store-bought, remote controlled car. Does  their home made jalopy have any chance to win the race? Originally published in Hong Kong, there is much here to delight young readers.  Each of the little mice has their own personality and appearance.  The illustrations are detailed and interesting and the story, though longer than some picture books, is fast paced and exciting. In many picture books about mice, the mice are never seen by the humans, but in this one the mouse cars are out in the open, zig zagging through crowds of humans, trying not to get stepped on. Tashiro's tale will a...

Sick at Sea? Cure It or Cut It Off! by Anna Claybourne Would you dare be the surgeon on board a sailing ship in the 1700s? You'll need to know where to find dragon's blood, how to drill into a skull without anesthetic, how to stop rotting limbs from falling off! Learn all of the curious cures you'll need to treat dreadful diseases at sea. Flesh & Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy by Albert Marrin Describes the conditions in the textile industry in the early 20th century behind the fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company that led to the death of many young women, and explains its impact on the labor movement and on society. Blizzard of Glass: The Halifax Explosion of 1917 by Sally M. Walker When two ships collided in Halifax Harbour, on December 6, 1917, one of them was full of munitions for World War I. The ensuing explosion, aftershocks, and tsunami wrecked unbelievable devastation. It was the largest explosion in the world until the atomic b...

  Goldie Takes a Stand: Golda Meir's First Crusade by Barbara Krasner illustrated by Kelsey Garrity-Riley Kar Ben Publishing, 2014. Picture Book Biography Golda Meir was Prime Minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974, but when she was a girl she went to school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Even as a child, she got involved with social causes.  This little picture book biography tells the story of how she organized the children in her school to raise money for text books.  The story is written in first person, and the simple text conveys the strength of Meir's personality.  Garrity-Riley's gouache and collage illustrations use historically appropriate patterns for back ground and clothing that suggest the time period of the story.  This is an inspirational tale that gives incite into the origins of a amazing world leader.

I Love You Night and Day  by Smriti Prasadam-Halls illustrated by Alison Brown Bloomsbury, 2014. picture book Every child needs an affirmation of love from their parent or caregiver.  This simple rhyming picture book assures a child that they are loved in many different ways and in different situations. "I love you huge, I love you vast,/For the fun to come and the fun that's passed." Brown's acrylic and pastel illustrations show a stylized bear and rabbit enjoying a variety of activities together.  The gentle pictures done in rich colors reinforce the supportive message of the text. This is a great story for bedtime or any time a child needs to feel loved.

West of the Moon by Margi Preus Amulet Books, 2014. Fiction, 213 p When Astri is 13, she is sold by her aunt to a harsh goat herder.  Astri decides to escape and, along with her little sister, Greta, travel from Norway to where her father lives in America.  As the two girls set out, Astri tells her sister traditional Norwegian stories that give both girls courage to face the difficulties of their journey.  Strangely, the events in their journey seem to parallel the challenges the heroes face in the stories. Astri is a strong and complicated character.  She knows what is right and wrong, but is repeatedly faced with situations that make her choose between obeying convention and accomplishing her goal. She ultimately does what she must to get her and her sister to America. The story reads like a well written action/adventure story, but an author note at the end of the book explains that many of the events and even some of the the dialog in the book are based on ...

Stork's Landing by Tami Lehman-Wilzig illustrated by Anna Shuttlewood Kar Ben Publishing When a stork gets tangled in a fisherman's net and breaks her wing, Maya knows what to do. Maya's father contacts a veterinarian, but the wing cannot be fixed.  Maya and her father make a nest for the bird and try to help it lead a full life.  Later, when another stork abandons its nest, Maya and her father help the wounded stork become an adopted mother to the abandoned chicks. With simple text Lehman-Wilzig introduces several interesting concepts in an accessible way, from wildlife rescue to adopted parenthood and living with disabilities. Shuttlewood's painterly illustrations are skillfully done in translucent watercolors.

Midnight Magic by Avi In Italy in 1491, Mangus the magician and his apprentice are summoned to the castle of Duke Claudio to determine if his daughter is indeed being haunted by a ghost. The Seer of Shadows by Avi In New York City in 1872, fourteen-year-old Horace, a photographer's apprentice, becomes entangled in a plot to create fraudulent spirit photographs, but when Horace accidentally frees the real ghost of a dead girl bent on revenge, his life takes a frightening turn. Peeled by Joan Bauer In an upstate New York farming community, high school reporter Hildy Biddle investigates a series of strange occurrences at a house rumored to be haunted. Doll Bones by Holly Black Zach, Alice, and Poppy, friends from a Pennsylvania middle school who have long enjoyed acting out imaginary adventures with dolls and action figures, embark on a real-life quest to Ohio to bury a doll made from the ashes of a dead girl. The Dead Boys by Royce Buckingham Timid twelve-year-old...

Digging Up Dinosaurs by Aliki Briefly introduces various types of dinosaurs, explaining how scientists find, preserve, and reassemble the giant dinosaur skeletons seen in museums. Weird But True Rocks by Carmen Bredeson Read about different types of rocks like lava bombs, geodes, hoodoos, and moon rocks. Explore Rocks and Minerals! by Cynthia Light Brown Through an engaging array of hands-on activities, this helpful handbook guides children through testing minerals, creating crystals, sculpting edible models of the planet, and even baking volcanic meringue cookies. Buster Hunts for Dinosaurs by Marc Brown When his father takes him to visit a national park about dinosaurs, Buster sends postcards to his friends back home telling them what he is learning. Is There a Dinosaur in Your Backyard? by Spencer Christian Text, illustrations, photographs, maps, and activities present information about rocks, minerals, fossils, and rock collecting. How to Be a Rock Collector ...

Acting Out: Six One-Act Plays! by Justin Chanda Six original one-act plays for middle graders written by six Newbery winning authors. Being a Makeup Artist by Mary Colson Investigates the many aspects of being a makeup artist and features step-by-step instructions on how to create a show-stopping smokey-eyed look. Make Your Own Masks by Anna-Marie D’Cruz Provides step-by-step instructions on how to make masks using easily obtained materials. Show Time at the Polk Street School: Plays You Can Do Yourself or in the Classroom by Patricia Reilly Giff Three plays featuring the students in Ms. Rooney's class: "The Candy Corn Contest," "The Secret at Polk Street School," and "Fancy Feet." Costume for Plays and Playing by Gail E. Haley A guide to making costumes for plays, Halloween, parties, or make-believe with instructions for many types of accessories, ideas for finding and remaking old clothes, and tips on getting into character. Pa...

Greenglass House by Kate Milford Clarion, 2014.  376 pgs.  Mystery      Milo Pine is looking forward to a long, quiet, Christmas break at his family's inn (which caters to smugglers). But suddenly the guest bell rings and Milo and his mom have to set the old tram car into motion that will bring a customer up the hill.  One is bad enough, thinks Milo, but soon the old inn is housing a whole flock of eccentric guests who seem to be looking for something, while they are stealing things from each other. Milo and Meddy, the cook's daughter, decide to investigate under the guise of playing a fantasy game, and they soon have more mysteries than they can quite handle.   Greenglass House  seems like a cold and mysterious version of the board game Clue  with multiple unusual characters spying on one another, and Milo and Meddy (but mostly Milo) trying to figure out who did what and why.  A startling discovery towards the end of the book tu...

Leroy Ninker Saddles Up by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen Candlewick Press, 2014.  90 pages.  Intermediate      Leroy Ninker sells popcorn at the movies, but what he really wants to be is a cowboy. All this remains a dream until Beatrice Leapaleoni, ticket-taker at the Bijou, tells him to take his fate in his hands and wrestle it to the ground. She shows him an ad for an exceptionally cheap horse for sale. He is hoping for a fast, strong horse he will name Tornado, but the horse he gets is a bag of bones named Maybelline. Maybelline responds not to reins and spurs, but to loving, flattering speech. Maybelline won't fit through the door of Leroy's apartment, but other than that, they get on swimmingly until Maybelline runs away on a stormy night and Leroy can't find her.  But no worries!  Maybelline is found on Deckawoo drive and Mrs. Watson and Mercy invite all in for a buttery toast breakfast.  Kate DiCamillo has done it ...

Journey by Aaron Becker Using a red marker, a young girl draws a door on her bedroom wall and through it enters another world where she experiences many adventures, including being captured by an evil emperor. A wordless picture book. Flashlight by Lizi Boyd In this story without words, a boy explores the woods after dark with a flashlight. Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole In this wordless picture book, a young Southern farm girl discovers a runaway slave hiding behind the corn crib in the barn and decides to help him. Hank Finds an Egg by Rebecca Dudley Hank finds an egg on the ground while walking in the woods, discovers the nest from which it fell, and tries his best to return it. Un-Brella by Scott E. Franson In this wordless book, a little girl uses her magic umbrella to give her the weather she wants, regardless of what the conditions really are outside. Jim Curious: A Voyage to the Heart of the Sea by Matthias Picard Follows a...

So You Want to Catch a Bigfoot? by Jamie Michalak Learn everything you need to know about Bigfoot, the furry fugitive, including tips on trapping and releasing your specimen. The Loch Ness Monster: The Unsolved Mystery by Connie Colwell Miller Presents the legend of the Loch Ness monster, including current theories and famous sightings. UFOs by Gail B. Stewart Describes different types of UFOs, the Roswell Incident, eye-witness accounts, stories of alien abduction, and investigations of these experiences. Bigfoot Caught on Film and Other Monster Sightings! by Michael Teitelbaum Discusses Sasquatch, the Loch Ness monster and other monstrous creatures that may or may not exist. The Legend of the Loch Ness Monster by Thomas Kingsley Troupe Its a big, long necked monster that lives in the waters of Loch Ness. Stories of the Loch Ness Monster are told all around the world. Is it possible the legends are true? The Legend of UFOs by Thomas Kingsley Troupe Discusses UFO...

  Miss Brooks' Story Nook by Barbara Bottner illustrated by Michael Emberley Alfred A. Knopf, 2014. picture book When the lights suddenly go off during Miss Brooks' story time, she invites the children to make up their own story.  Missy has been having trouble with a bully on her street, so she suggests the story be about an ogre with a big snake.  Miss Brooks walks her and the other children through the steps of creating a story with a plot, characters, and a satisfying ending. The final story in which the ogre's snake frightens away the bully helps Missy take care of her own bully problem. This is a companion book to the popular Miss Brooks Loves Books with the same quirky style illustrations and lively format.  Kids will enjoy the fun and silly tale while they learn a little about how to create a story of their own.

The Tooth Fairy Wars  by Kate Coombs illustrated by Jake Parker Antheneum Books, 2014, Picture Book When Nathan loses his first tooth, he decides he doesn't want to leave it for the Tooth Fairy.  He wants to keep it forever.  The Tooth Fairy finds it anyway and leaves a dollar in its place. When he loses another tooth, he tries to find a more clever place to hide it, but the Tooth Fairy finds it again. The contest between the Tooth Fairy and Nathan escalates with more and more elaborate hiding places, and more outrageous retrieval methods. Finally the two opposing sides come to a happy compromise. This is a book that can be enjoyed on many levels.  Children will enjoy the funny story and nicely crafted, humorous illustrations.  Parents will chuckle at the tongue in cheek depiction of the fairy world bureaucracy. This is a great book for kids and parents to share together.

Shark Wars by E. J. Altbacker With the ocean on the brink of chaos, a young shark Gray and his best friend Barkley, exiled from the safety of their peaceful reef home, will have to battle ferocious shivers, or join them, to survive. Swordbird by Nancy Yi Fan Warring factions of blue jays and cardinals call on Swordbird, the heroic bird of peace, to rescue them from the evil machinations of Turnatt, the tyrant hawk lord who plans to enslave them. The Empty City by Erin Hunter After the Big Growl strikes, golden-haired loner mutt Lucky is trapped in a strange and desolate new world with no food, foul water, and enemies at every turn. Relying on other dogs--and having them depend on him--brings new dangers that Lucky isn't prepared for, but he may not be able to survive on his own. The Quest Begins by Erin Hunter Three young bears of different species--one black, one polar, and one grizzly--travel on a perilous quest to the Northern Lights, escorting a shape-shifting g...