Provo Library Children's Book Blog

If You Liked Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park: Ivy and Bean By Annie Barrows When seven-year-old Bean plays a mean trick on her sister, she finds unexpected support for her antics from Ivy, the new neighbor, who is less boring than Bean first suspected. Annabel the Actress Starring in Gorilla My Dreams By Ellen Conford Though a little disappointed that her first acting part is to be a gorilla at a birthday party, Annabel determines to really get into the role. Owen Foote, Second Grade Strongman By Stephanie Greene Owen, a second grader who is being teased for his small size, discovers that his friend Joseph is just as concerned about being overweight, and they share their fear of being humiliated by the school nurse. Ruby Lu, Brave and True By Lenore Look Almost-eight-year-old Ruby Lu spends time with her baby brother, goes to Chinese school, performs magic tricks and learns to drive, and has adventures with both old and new friends. Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth By Ja...

Ready for School, Murphy? By Brendan Murphy Disney Hyperion, 2015. Picture Book. Reminiscent of Shel Silverstein’s poem “Sick”, Ready for School, Murphy shares the story of a boy who is worried about all the things that could go wrong at school and therefore tries to convince his father he should not attend because he is unwell. When his father suggests that they should go to the doctor's to get a shot or trade him in for a better model, Murphy gives up and decides to get ready to go to school--only to find out that it is Saturday. The relatable storyline and humorous illustrations will have children wanting to have the story read repeatedly. The author/illustrator departs from the standard picture book format by having the story start from the inside cover and continue all the way to the back cover, leaving no white space. Aside from its entertainment value, the illustrated depictions of Murphy's concerns make this a great discussion opener for talking with a child ab...

  The Stranded Whale by Jane Yolen illustrated by Melanie Cataldo Candlewick Press, 2015. Picture Book. Autumn has arrived in coastal Maine, and Sally and her brothers are walking home from school along the beach. As they worry whether they will make it home in time for supper, Sally discovers a beached whale struggling for life. She instantly takes action, soaking her sweater and sponging it against the giant creature. A crowd from town arrives to help push the whale back to sea, but their challenge is only amplified by the receding tide. The whale dies, with Sally caressing and comforting it during its final moments. Sally is heartbroken and frustrated by this seeming injustice, and her parents' consoling is little help. She falls asleep angry and hurt, but dreams of her whale friend, alive and happy. The Stranded Whale is a deeply melancholic book that doesn't offer easy answers about loss and ensuing grief. It is beautiful, almost impressionistic in its illustratio...

Friday the Scaredy Cat: Playdates are not Scary! Written by Kara McMahon Simon Spotlight, 2015. Easy Reader. Friday is about to have his first ever playdate. He is scared. He tries to prevent the orange cat, Mushy from coming in.   When that doesn’t work he hides from Mushy. Mushy brings a basket of toys to share. Will this help Friday overcome his fear of playdates? This is a great Easy Reader for kids experiencing something new. Making new friends can be hard, but Friday’s silly antics will help kids see that new friends can be fun!

Freckleface Strawberry: Lunch, or What’s That? Written by Julianne Moore Doubleday Books, 2015. Easy Reader. Freckleface Strawberry and Windy Pants Patrick love to eat lunch. They love sandwiches and hot dogs and noodles. But they do not love school lunch. Freckleface Strawberry is having school lunch, but what is it? All her friends ask what the mysterious green food is on her lunch tray. She does not know, but when she tries it will she like it? Trying new things is what growing up is all about. Freckleface Strawberry and her friends learn that even if a food looks different and maybe a little strange, it may turn out to be delicious!

  Freckleface Strawberry: Backpacks! Written by Julianne Moore Illustrated by LeUyen Pham Doubleday Books, 2015. Easy Reader. Freckleface Strawberry and her best friend Windy Pants Patrick have lots in common. They have loving families, ride the bus to school and keep homework, pencils and sticky treats in their backpacks. When a colored map is assigned for homework how will they get out of this sticky situation? Teaching that honesty is the best policy and that everyone makes mistakes makes this Easy Reader a good story for kids. The bright illustrations will delight and entertain all.

The Good Little Book Written by Kyo Maclear Illustrated by Marion Arbona Tundra Books, 2015. Picture Book. The Good Little Book chronicles the relationship between a boy and a book. Bored and in trouble, the boy is sent to the study where he picks up the good little book and begins to read. After hours of reading it he develops a love and appreciation for this good little book. He takes it everywhere he goes and reads it over and over again. However, tragedy strikes and the boy loses the book. When he finally finds the book in the hands of a girl, he realizes that he is ready to pass the book on to someone else because, “You see, a good little book never completely goes away.” Lively illustrations using lots of shades of red support this ode to the role that a good book can play in our lives. A fun book to read aloud to children ages 3 and up.