Provo Library Children's Book Blog

  Papa’s Backpack By James Christopher Carroll Sleeping Bear Press, 2015. Picture book. The subtitle describes this book as “a tribute to the bond between a child and a military parent.” A little bear knows his father has to go away sometimes to be a soldier, but imagines what it would be like if he could go along with him in a backpack and offer support as they faced adversity together. The text is gentle and poetic but has a wonderful rhythmic rhyming that makes for an enjoyable read-aloud. The idea of war is represented in a very general and symbolic sense, suitable for young children. Although designed to be about a parent’s deployment, the subject is ambiguous enough, and the feelings of love and longing universal enough, to cover any and all separations. The illustrations alone would make this book extraordinary. Earthy tones, semi-abstract textures, stark contrasts, and swirling colors beautifully amplify the emotions of this sweet but deeply felt tale.

Painting for Peace in Ferguson By Carol Swartout Klein Treehouse Publishing Group, 2015. Nonfiction. When the city of Ferguson was overrun with so much hate and despair that homes and businesses had to be boarded up to protect property, citizens of the community decided to bring a message of hope by painting the boarded windows. Klein’s rhyming text supports the photographs of the hundreds of artists and volunteers and their artwork as they bring the messages of peace, hope, love, and that by being united they can make a difference. A great book to show children how a community rallied to make a positive change and that even a small gesture can make a huge difference. A great discussion opener on how we should treat each other.

Leo: A Ghost Story Written by Mac Barnett Illustrated by Christian Robinson Chronicle Books, 2015. Picture Book Mac Barnett has done it again with this charming story about a lonely ghost. Leo the ghost is excited when his abandoned home is finally purchased by a new family. He is pleased to have some company. But when he tries to be helpful around the house, the new family doesn't seem to appreciate his efforts. (Not that I blame them, I'd probably be a little freaked out by objects randomly floating around my house too. ) Being the kind and polite ghost that he is, Leo decides to leave the new owners in peace and find another place to live. And that is when his real adventures begin. This is the perfect ghost story for younger readers who might need their ghosts just a little gentler and sweeter than some of the more frightening tales available this time of year.

Christina’s Ghost By Betty Ren Wright Christina's summer in a spooky, isolated Victorian house with her grumpy uncle turns into a ghostly adventure. The Dollhouse Murders By Betty Ren Wright A dollhouse filled with a ghostly light in the middle of the night and dolls that have moved from where she last left them lead Amy and her retarded sister to unravel the mystery surrounding grisly murders that took place years ago. The Dollhouse Murders (DVD) While staying at her Aunt Clare's country home, Amy Treloar discovers a doll-house with a secret only the dolls know. A Ghost in the Family By Betty Ren Wright While visiting his friend Jeannie's eccentric Aunt Rosebud in a boarding house that may be haunted, ten-year-old Chad comes across a mystery involving a missing diamond bracelet. The Ghost of Popcorn Hill By Betty Ren Wright Martin and Peter acquire a mischievous new dog and two lonely ghosts. Haunted Summer By Betty Ren Wright Shy, nine-year-old Abby surprises ...

The Little Shop of Monsters by R.L. Stine Illustrated by Marc Brown Little, Brown. Picture Book. 2015. The Little Shop of Monsters begins with a warning: "Are you afraid of monsters?" If the reader is brave enough to turn the page, she gets to visit the titular shop, which promises all sorts of big, scary creatures. This book comes from the minds R.L. Stine ( Goosebumps ) and Marc Brown ( Arthur ) in their first collaboration. It is a field guide of sorts, showing off many types of monsters, be they smelly, scaly or even sneezy. The book has a twist, though -- this store is not for children to pick a monster, but the opposite! This surprise may scare some readers, and the monsters themselves, while playfully designed, could induce some nightmares (or gross-outs). Stine's dry humor neutralizes anything too scary, with numerous asides that will surely earn laughs. If a reader dares to open this book, she'll likely fall in love with this combination of silly ...

Elwood Bigfoot: Wanted: Birdie Friends!  Written by Jill Esbaum Illustrated by Nate Wragg Sterling Children’s Books, 2015. Picture Book. Elwood Bigfoot lives in the forest and does everything alone. The only part of his life that allows him to survive such loneliness is his love of birdies. Although they always keep their distance, Elwood feels less lonely every time he sees one. One day he decides that he wants to become friends with the birdies. Thus begins a series of attempts to win over the birdies. His attempts range from throwing a party to building Birdieland! This fun book follows the loveable Elwood and has textured, cartoon-style illustrations that highlight the variety of emotions that Elwood experiences throughout his endeavor. 

There Was an Old Mummy Who Swallowed a Spider by Jennifer Ward Illustrated by Steve Gray Two Lions, 2015. Picture Book Jennifer Ward and Steve Gray have collaborated to bring children several wacky stories about people who swallow interesting things.  This latest comes just in time for Halloween.  The hungry Mummy swallows a spider, a rat, and a crow.  Each time he has to "open wider" as progressively larger Halloween characters distend the mummy's growing belly. Where will it end?  Gray's colorful cartoonish illustrations add even more fun to the already silly story.  The lively illustrations and short repetitive text makes this a great choice for a group read-aloud.

Mother/Daughter Book Club Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library By Chris Grabenstein Twelve-year-old Kyle gets to stay overnight in the new town library, designed by his hero (the famous gamemaker Luigi Lemoncello), with other students but finds that come morning he must work with friends to solve puzzles in order to escape. Mother/Son Book Club Swindle By Gordon Korman After unscrupulous collector S. Wendell Palamino cons him out of a valuable baseball card, sixth-grader Griffin Bing puts together a band of misfits to break into Palomino's heavily guarded store and steal the card back, planning to use the money to finance his father's failing invention, the SmartPick fruit picker.

Horrible Jobs in Ancient Egypt By Robyn Hardyman What could be worse than embalming a dead body? Being buried with it! Some pharaohs and wealthy Egyptians insisted their servants be buried with them to serve in the afterlife. Other jobs of the time were less deadly, but smellier! Readers learn a lot about ancient Egyptian society as they're introduced to the unsavory tasks of slaves, peasants, and others. Ancient Egypt By George Hart Presents a photo essay on ancient Egypt and the people who lived there, documented through the mummies, pottery, weapons, and other objects they left behind. A Kid's Life in Ancient Egypt By Sarah Machajewski Describes the life of children growing up in Ancient Egypt including their home, education, and working life. The Pyramids of Giza By Don Nardo Describes the struggles and accomplishments in building the Pyramids of Giza. Amulet Keepers By Michael Northrop Investigating a string of disappearances amid supernatural occurren...

  My Pet Human By Yasmine Surovec Roaring Brook Press, 2015. Intermediate fiction. 112p. This short and sweet chapter book is a hybrid of text and comic. A very independent cat looks down on his friends’ dependence on humans, preferring his hardscrabble street life. But when a little girl moves into the abandoned house near his favorite haunt, he decides to try his hand at training humans. Just temporarily, of course. This is a funny and sweet look at life from a cat’s eye view. A great choice for readers transitioning from easy readers to chapter books and for all pet lovers.

Whose Tail Is This? By Kris Hirschmann Illustrated by Daniel Howarth Flying Frog Publishing, 2012. Board Book. This colorful lift a flap board book is a fun interactive way for children to learn about eight different animals. Each page gives clues to whose tail pictured and then is answered by lifting the flap. For example, the picture of a pig’s tail says “Who has a curly tail, rolls in mud, and says ‘oink’?” Lifting the flap reveals the answer: “A pig,” with an illustration of a pig playing in the mud. One of my favorite board books to come across this year.

The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate By Jacqueline Kelly Henry Holt and Co, 2015. Fiction. 312 p Calpurnia Tate is back in her second adventure as a early 20th century girl with a scientific mind. A hurricane has devastated distant Galveston and has brought two refugee's to Calpurnia's town, an older female cousin, and a veterinarian. Calpurnia's relationships with both new residents are complicated, and made even more so as Calpurnia gets sucked into the clandestine care of her favorite brother's unusual, and forbidden, pets. As Calpurnia begins to develop a grudging respect for her prickly cousin's independence and initiative, and the veterinarian develops a grudging respect for her, Calpurnia starts to see a possible path toward her own aspirations. As in the award winning first book ( The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate , 2009) there is plenty here to laugh about and to think about.  Fans will be pleased that this is probably not the last we will see of the p...

The Hollow Boy by Jonathan Stroud Disney-Hyperion, 2015. Fiction. 385 p. Our three brave ghost hunters are at it again in this third installment of the fabulous Lockwood & Co. series. Author, Johnathan Stroud has created an exciting fantasy world where deadly ghosts invade London's homes and streets each night after the sun goes down. Because adults don't have the ability to see ghosts, the companies that hunt and eradicate the dead, must hire teens to do the job. In previous volumes, fearless Lucy, charming Lockwood, and clever George, decide to go into business for themselves. But without adult supervision--hilarity, confusion, and non-stop action follow the trio on every haunted case their company takes on. The Hollow Boy, can get pretty intense and creepy at times--but the scariest moments are also where the reader will find themselves laughing the hardest. The Hollow Boy ups the ante for the series--solving some past mysteries--while giving us all new ones to ...

Nobody’s Perfect By David Elliott Illustrated by Sam Zuppardi Candlewick Press, 2015. Picture Book. Nobody’s Perfect shares a young boy’s thoughts as he sits on the stairs for a time out. During the time out, he thinks about the people he knows, including his mom, sister, friend, and even himself, realizing that nobody’s perfect. In the end he realizes it’s okay to be yourself. I usually pick up a picture book because of its illustrations and at first glance passed this one by because it of it. Though Zupparidi’s illustrations break from the norm of clean lines his illustrations are a perfect fit for the text. Zuppardi uses loose pencil drawings that at times look more like childish scribbles to demonstrate to message the book relates. Children will easily relate to both the text and illustrations.

  Good Night Yoga: A Pose-by-Pose Bedtime Story By Mariam Gates Sounds True, 2015. Picture book. A simple story about the natural world preparing for sleep is accompanied by easy instructions for a yoga pose on each page. Children and parents breathe deeply as they reach towards the stars, bend like the crescent moon, stand still like a tree, and arch like a cat. A great way to wind down and find calm on the journey to dreamland.

If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur By Linda Bailey A humorous survey of the practical things dinosaurs can do explains how otherwise unused dinosaurs can offer a perfect excuse for forgetting homework while also making good nutcrackers, kites, and burglar alarms. The Great Big Dinosaur Treasury: Tales of Adventure and Discovery By Carol Carrick Collects eight dinosaur picture books and provides online access to dinosaur-themed accessories. First Big Book of Dinosaurs By Catherine D. Hughes This book provides pictures and brief facts about a variety of different kinds of dinosaurs. Origami Dinosaurs By Lisa Miles Dinosaur origami patterns for Allosaurus, Stegosaurus, T. Rex and more. Tyrannosaurus Rex: The King of the Dinosaurs By Anna Obiols The little boy in this story has a very vivid imagination and a lot of interest in dinosaurs. In this whimsical tale, he makes friends with a Tyrannosaurus Rex. As the story progresses, he discovers facts about his dinosaur frie...

Little Big By Jonathan Bentley Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2015. Picture Book. For anyone who has even felt bad about being small, Little Big is a sweet little picture about a little boy who imagines he has legs as long as a giraffe’s and hands as big as a gorilla’s. Although he sets out to highlight the benefits of being big, he discovers the benefits of being “perfectly little” along the way. With few words on each page and colorful illustrations, this book is ideal for toddlers and small children who “try to big but it never works.”

Miss Hazeltine's Home for Shy and Fearful Cats by Alicia Potter   illustrated by Birgitta Sif Knopf, 2015.  Unpaged.  Picture Book      Some cats are chickens. That is, they are shy or fearful. Lucky for them Miss Hazeltine has a home for such cats and gives them lessons on Climbing Up followed by Climbing Down, classes on Bird Basics and, at night, Scary Noises. The cats are timid at first, but learn their lessons well. So many cats arrived one Monday that Miss Hazeltine had to go out for milk. Only Crumb knew where she had gone. On her way home, Miss Hazeltine fell into a ditch and hurt her ankles. At home, the cats were worried - but were they worried enough to go out in the dark to look for her, not yet having had the lesson on What to Do When the Lady You Love Goes Missing? Read this delightful picture book to find out if Crumb and his friends will be brave enough to save Miss Hazeltine!

Up with Birds! by John Yeoman and Quentin Blake Andersen Press, 2013. Unpaged. Picture Book      Far from being a mere cheery salute to avian life, Up with Birds  is meant to be taken literally. As our story begins, the Fflyte family is going nuts over birds everywhere. In those days, birds walked, and they were very curious, so if you left the door open even a crack, in they came. Mrs. Fflyte's vacuum cleaner nozzle kept getting clogged up with little birds, and if Mr. Fflyte got caught behind a brace of penguins while trying to drive to work, forget about it.  Might as well go back home. The Fflyte's mostly stayed at home until they decided that if the birds were going to monopolize the ground, the people better take to the air. So they did.  But the birds were so curious . . . .  You will have to read this charming tale, with even charming-er illustrations to find out how birds got to where they were supposed to be and the people did, too.

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club by Phillip Hoose Farrar Straus Giroux, 2015.  198 pgs.  History      When Germany invaded Denmark in April of 1940, the Danes were given the choice of fighting back or becoming an occupied "protectorate" of Germany. They chose discretion over valor and submitted without a fight. Knud Pedersen, a 15 year old student, was deeply ashamed that Denmark hadn't resisted like neighboring Norway. So he, his brother, and some of his schoolmates formed the Churchill Club, a resistance unit designed to sabotage Nazi operations. At first their only weapons were their bicycles and their strong young legs for pedaling. They began by misdirecting Nazi troops by swiveling road signs in the wrong direction or beating the signs to the ground with rocks. The destructiveness of their activities escalated until they were setting explosives and stealing guns to be used when the British came to liberat...

Interstellar Cinderella By Deborah Underwood Illustrated by Meg Hunt Chronicle Books, 2015. Picture Book. This retelling of Cinderella shows a confident girl who dreams of fixing rocket ships and spends her free time learning and practicing the trade. When the Prince’s Royal Space Parade arrives in town, Cinderella is stranded with a broken spaceship and with no tools. Along comes her fairy godrobot who gives her brand new tools to fix her spaceship—but they only work until midnight. At the parade, Cinderella repairs the Prince’s broken spaceship, thereby saving the days and is invited to his ball, but as the clock reads midnight, she flies away leaving behind her socket wrench. The Prince searches for the girl who is the mechanic and when she is discovered he asks her to be his bride. You’ll have to read the book to hear her response. A great Cinderella retelling in rhyming text about an independent girl who works out her own problems and doesn’t wait around for someone to m...

The Specific Ocean by Kyo Maclear Illustrations by Katty Maurey Kids Can Press, 2015. Picture Book.  A little girl objects to her family’s summer vacation to the beach, much preferring she get to stay with her friends. Despite her protests, she is dragged along to the Pacific coast. The girl is miserable, and finds every flaw she can in the beach, the ocean, and their vacation home. She even stays in the house, claiming “I’d rather do nothing.” But upon actually visiting the beach, the girl has a change of heart and falls in love with what she calls the “Specific Ocean.” She wishes to keep some of the ocean for herself, and imagines the ways she could smuggle it home. Her brother tells her that it would be selfish to steal away with any of the ocean, and so she returns home with only her fond memories. With autumn arriving, this book is a perfect choice for those readers who want to hold onto their memories of summer. Maclear’s poetic voice is lovely when paired with Maur...

The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden  By Emma Trevayne Simon & Schuster, 2015. Fiction. 256 p. Thomas and his father spend their nights digging up London graves, trying to find a few coins that will keep their family fed. On the night of Thomas’s 12th birthday, they uncover a body that looks exactly like Thomas, even down to the birth-mark on his cheek. But this is just the beginning of the strange things that start to happen to Thomas as he searches for answers about his “twin” and discovers a group of faeries who are held captive in this world of iron by a greedy spiritualist who uses the faeries to speak to the dead. This story combines faery legends with Victorian England’s fascination with spiritualism. It is mildly dark and creepy (the grave-digging scene is the scariest bit). Thomas has to confront his origins, decide if he will put himself in danger for the sake of others, and if he will treat others better than they have treated him. Most of all, he has ...

Little Robot By Ben Hatke First Second, 2015. Graphic Novel, 132 p. Ben Hatke, the author/illustrator of the acclaimed Zita the Spacegirl trilogy, has created another wonderful graphic novel with a likable and strong female protagonist. Little Robot is about a young girl in a nightshirt who spends her days exploring without any supervision and using her trusty tools to work on things that she finds in the junkyard. One day she finds a box containing a small robot who quickly becomes her best friend. They play together and the girl teaches the robot about life, friendship, beauty and death. Meanwhile, the robot has been identified as missing from a top secret factory and they want the robot back. With minimal dialogue, this beautifully illustrated graphic novel full of robots and heart will appeal to children of all ages. It recently received a Starred Review from Booklist Reviews. Whether you are new to the genre of graphic novels or an expert of panel-based literature Little Ro...

Ick! Yuck! Eew! Our Gross American History by Lois Miner Huey Milbrook Press, 2014. Informational. 48 p. Modern movies, and even many books, idealize early American life.  The people wear beautiful gowns, or elegant suits, and live in luxurious mansions.  This book endeavors to show that life in early America was a lot more smelly and gross than most people think.  Huey talks about the lack of sanitation, the abundance of vermin and the poor hygiene practices of the late 1770's.  Huey's informal text is illustrated with historical paintings or modern photos, arranged in busy, engaging, collage style.  Amid all the "Yuck" and "Eew" are great facts that help readers have a more balanced, realistic view of history.  This is a good choice for reluctant readers or anyone who enjoys the "gross out" element.

Amulet Keepers (TombQuest #2) by Michael Northrop Scholastic, 2015. Fiction. 190 p. This is the second in the successful TombQuest series. After his encounter with the Egyptian un-dead in book #1, Alex is on his way to London to meet with Dr Aditi at the British Museum and hopefully find Alex's mother. London has been terrorized by another Death Walker, and Alex senses that the only way to find his mother is to send this Death Walker back to the beyond. To do that he must discover who the Death Walker was in life, and which of the spells in the Book of the Dead will be able to defeat it. With the help of his best friend, Ren, and his athletic cousin Luke, Alex faces his most thrilling, and dangerous, adventure yet. This is a good choice for those who like Rick Riordan's books, especially The Kane Chronicles . There is no better time to read the book because Mr. Northrop will be visiting the Provo Library on October 5, 2015 to talk about the TombQuest series. This book ...

The Luck Uglies by Paul Durham Harper Collins, 2014. Fiction. 387 p. Rye and her mother Abigail live outside the protection of the city walls, and near the dark and dangerous forest. Abigail promises Rye will always be safe from the fearsome Bog Noblins, and the dangerous Luck Uglies as long as she lives by the five house rules. Rye tries to be obedient most of the time, but when she "accidentally" takes a forbidden book, it triggers a sequence of thrilling and terrifying events that cause Rye to question all that she ever thought about her mother, the house rules, and who she really is. This is a fun and exciting new fantasy featuring a gutsy girl in a whimsical world.  Durham has a clever imagination, a good sense of pacing, and a knack for getting just the right balance between plot and action. Luckily the second in the series is already available. This book is available in print and as a recorded book on CD.

  If I Built a Car By Chris Van Dusen Dutton Children’s Books, 2005. Picture Book. Jack has decided that his dad’s car “is not bad” but that Jack has planned an even better car. His car is futuristic and made of a “polymer gel.” It comes complete with snacks, a robot driver and pool. It can turn into a boat, submarine or a jet. The reader will fall in love with Jack’s cool car and may even think of some ideas for an even cooler car. Winner of the E. B. White Read Aloud Award, If I Built a Car is a great book to read to kids of all ages. With its rhyme structure and sleek cartoon-style illustrations adults and children will enjoy reading about Jack's fantastic car together.  

  First Grade Dropout By Audrey Vernick Clarion Books, 2015. Picture book. The first grade narrator of this book has decided he cannot go back to school because he made a mistake so big that he can never recover from the embarrassment of it. After briefly considering time travel and elaborate disguises, clearly his only real choice is to drop out of school in the first grade, never see any of his friends again, and stay home and work on his jump shot for the next decade or so. With great comic timing, the terrible incident is eventually revealed. Anyone who has survived an embarrassing situation will relate to this first grader’s agony and appreciate the idea that things are not usually as bad as they seem and can even be incredibly funny.