Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Happy Halloween! In honor of this holiday that is known for goblins, monsters, and a good dose of horror and scary things I have put together a list of my five favorite books that have great potential to scare a few readers. And since not all readers are able to handle all sorts of levels of “scary” stories…I have put them in order of moderately scary stories to “wozer that one just creeped me out!” I’m Not Afraid of This Haunted House  By Laurie Friedman Illustrated by Teresa Murfin Carolrhoda Books, 2005. This is probably my all-time favorite (not so scary) scary picture book. Simon Lester Henry Strauss goes through the book showing how bold and brave he is when being confronted with a plethora of monsters. Ghosts, goblins, vampires, werewolves—no problem! He is also not afraid of the gross things that also come with said monsters such as spider webs or blood. “Simon Lester Henry Strauss is not afraid of this haunted house!” (This is the refrain that readers will be ab...

Playtime? By Jeff Mack Philomel Books, 2016. Picture Book. A boy tries to put his gorilla to bed telling him it’s bedtime, but the gorilla responds by telling him its playtime. After trying everything the boy finally lets the gorilla play until he is exhausted and goes to sleep…or does he? Using very few words and watercolor illustrations, Jeff Mack brings a humorous look into the struggles of going to bed. Kids and adults will appreciate and relate to this funny bedtime story.

Belmont and the Dragon: The Forest of Doom and Gloom By Mike Zarb and Robin Gold Intermediate, 48 pages. Random House Australia, 2008.  Belmont is a young orphan living in Old York, the best city in the world. Everyday he watches the king's knights ride across the drawbridge to accompany Princess Libby on her daily ride in Centaur Park. Belmont dreams of being a knight, but all the other children laugh and point out that Belmont is hardly knight material... or knight height. With taunts ringing in his ears, Belmont uses a tree to jump the orphanage fence. He dashes through Once Upon a Times Square and into the Forest of Doom and Gloom. Once in the forest, Belmont meets a dragon who isn't really into eating people. Together, in the most unlikely way, they will save Princess Libby who's been captured by the evil pink pixies.  This is a fun little read and reminds me of the Princess in Black series. 

Little Bot and Sparrow By Jake Parker Roaring Brook Press, 2016. Picture Book. Little Bot is no longer needed so he is thrown out. Being out on his own is a new experience for Little Bot and he has much to learn. Luckily, he makes friends with Sparrow who teaches him about the world, friendship, loss, and dreams. Local author/illustrator Jake Parker has created a wonderfully moving story with beautiful illustrations. Kids will fall in love with the endearing Little Bot. A great choice to discuss some of life’s lessons such as friendship and when loved ones move away.

Maybe a Fox By Kathi Appelt Antheneum Books for Young Readers, 2016. Fiction. 272 p. Sylvie is one year older than her sister Jules. Their mother died a number of years before but they live pretty happily with their father on a big piece of wooded land in Vermont. One day there is a accident and Sylvie is gone.  As Jules and her father cope with another crushing loss in their family, a baby fox is born in the woods near their house.  The fox is a "kennen" and is mystically connected with Sylvie and Jules. As Jules tries desperately to navigate the "after Sylvie" time, the fox's and Jules' fates irresistibly intertwine. This is a heart wrenching story about dealing with loss. With stunning prose, Appelt brings the reader right into the heart of a young girl in deep mourning, but also gives hope and comfort that there are unseen forces that watch over children.  This book will likely be on a lot of potential Newbery short lists, and is available from t...

Hammer and Nails By Josh Bledsoe Flashlight Press, 2016. Picture book. When Darcy’s friend gets sick and her great plans for girly fun are ruined, her dad suggests that they have a Darcy-Daddy Day where they take turns choosing what to do. Skeptical but willing, Darcy agrees. She helps Daddy mow the lawn and then Daddy (wearing a tutu) helps Darcy style themselves some new hairdos. Both agree to try new things even if they seem boring or scary at first. This is a sweet and realistic story that effortlessly communicates compromise, imagination, hard work, quality time, and the special love between a father and a daughter.

Duck on a Tractor  By David Shannon Blue Sky Press, Scholastic Inc., 2016. This is the sequel that many Duck on a Bike fans have been waiting for! (And I should know, I am one of those fans that LOVED Duck and wanted him to have more adventures!) At the end of Duck on a Bike Duck’s eyes go wide when he sees the big, red tractor. In this particular story Duck decides to take the tractor for a spin. Of course all of the other animals that enjoyed riding bicycles decide to join Duck. As they go down the street riding a tractor the opposite of what happened in Duck on a Bike happens—the people all stop and stare and have reactions to what they see (or what they think they see). This funny story will not only make those that loved Duck already smile, but those that love farm animals and tractors will also be pleased.

Goodnight, Little Monster By Helen Ketteman Illustrated by Bonnie Leick Marshall Cavendish, 2010. Picture Book. Little monster gets ready for bed in this rhyming picture book by doing all the typical things that little boys and girls do to get ready—taking a bath, brushing his teeth, reading a bedtime story, howling at the moon. (Okay, maybe not that last bit.) But a little monster also has to make sure that there are no children hiding under his bed at night. As he snuggles in with his soft toy slug he knows everything will be alright because his mom is just down the hall. The cute, quirky illustrations add humor to the story. Great read alike for fans of I Loathe You and My Monster Mama Loves Me So .

READ IN BOOK BABIES Good Morning to Me! By Lita Judge Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2015.  Picture Book. It's morning, and Beatrix the parrot is WIDE awake!  Even though she knows she should be quiet, she just can't contain herself and shares her (loud) joy with each of her animal friends.  And while they love Beatrix, her morning energy is a bit much for them.  Beatrix manages to get into all kinds of mischief, but in the end, they all settle down for a nice morning nap.  This is a great story for high energy early risers! READ IN TODDLER TIME Once There Was a Bull...(Frog) Written by Rick Walton Illustrated by Greg Hally Gibbs Smith, 1995.  Picture Book. This read aloud is a great introduction to compound words.  Bullfrog has lost his hop and takes off on an adventure to find it.  During his search, he comes across other compound words such as toadstool, doghouse, hedgehog, boxcar, and more.  Th...

We Are Growing! By Laurie Keller With Forward and Afterword by Mo Willems Hyperion Books for Children, 2016. Easy Reader. As eight blades of grass experience new growth spurts, they each find that they are each an –est such as the tallest or curliest. All except Walt that is. Walt and his friends hilariously try to determine what Walt is. In this first book of the new series called Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie Like Reading, the two beloved characters introduce a new easy reader book and make a final comment about the book. We Are Growing! is a very funny and loveable book driven by dialogue between the blades of grass much like the Elephant and Piggie books. Fans of Mo Willems, Gerald and Piggie will enjoy seeing their friends and will love the feel of the book. However, this is a great book that stands on its own and is a great choice for anyone looking for their next easy reader.

Ghost by Jason Reynolds Antheneum Books for Young Readers, 2016. Fiction. 181 p. Castle Crenshaw (nickname, Ghost) lives in a rough neighborhood.  His dad is serving time and his mom barely makes enough to put food on the table.  Ghost can't seem to stay out of trouble at school, but when he gets a chance to be on an elite track team he is motivated to keep in step both on the field and in class.  For the first time he feels like he is a part of something, but when his past and his poor decisions catch up with him, he is at risk of losing it all. This is a feel-good sports story is about how a mentor, a little talent, and lot of hard work can change a life. Reynolds has created some endearing characters and readers will find themselves cheering for Castle, hoping he can rise about his tough circumstances.  This book is available from the library in print, as an e-book and as an audiobook download.

Beard in a Box By Bill Cotter Knopf Books, 2016. Picture book. A young boy has discovered the source of his dad’s awesomeness: his beard. Determined to get one for himself, he orders Scam-O’s “Beard in a Box” and dreams about what style of beard he will choose. Once he receives his package, he eagerly puts the beard seeds on his face and waits for them to grow. Will he ever get his beard and become as cool as his dad? This clever book is hilarious for both kids and adults and has a sweet father/son message.

Go, Otto, Go! By David Milgrim Ready-to-Read, Simon Spotlight, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, 2016. In this newest edition of the “Adventures of Otto” easy readers series, Otto builds a rocket ship so he can go “home” to where his family is. Of course things don’t necessarily go as planned for poor Otto. Young beginning readers will enjoy not only the story of a memorable robot but also the fact that there are few words on each page. For example, there are two pages that have seven words on them (all the others tend to have between three and six words per page); however, one page with seven words has “up” constituting four of the words the other has “down” being four of the words. Young readers who love robots and easier stories will enjoy this new book—especially since they will most likely be able to read it on their own.

Unlike Other Monsters By Audrey Vernick Illustrated by Colin Jack Disney-Hyperion, 2016. Picture Book. Since Zander is a monster, he doesn’t have any friends. Monsters don’t do friends. His sister, who is a fairy, has lots of friends. Then one day while surfing, Zander notices a bird watching him. The bird comes back the next day, and soon they are hanging out. When other monsters notice Zander and Bird hanging out, they ask him if they are friends. He says no because monsters don’t have friends. But he begins to wonder if he and Bird are friends so he asks his sister what friends do. She tells him they talk, eat, hang out, share secrets, and give kids who have lost their teeth money. Zander realizes that he and Bird do most of those things but until they find children with lost teeth to give money to, they will just have to hang out. A cute story about friendship and breaking the mold to be yourself and be friends with those who you think might be different from you on the s...

The Jumbies By Tracey Baptiste Eleven-year-old Corinne must call on her courage and an ancient magic to stop an evil spirit and save her island home. The War That Saved My Life By Kimberly Brubaker Bradley A young disabled girl and her brother are evacuated from London to the English countryside during World War II, where they find life to be much sweeter away from their abusive mother. Grk and the Pelotti Gang By Joshua Doder Tim and his dog Grk face kidnapping, a plane crash in the jungles of Brazil, and more as they pursue a gang of escaped bank robbers--the infamous Pelotti brothers--who were originally captured by the Raffifi children's father. Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates By Mary Mapes Dodge A tale of young honor set in the early nineteenth-century Netherlands. A Girl Named Disaster By Nancy Farmer While journeying to Zimbabwe, eleven-year-old Nhamo struggles to escape drowning and starvation and in so doing comes close to the luminous world of the A...

READ IN BOOK BABIES I Am Yoga Written by Susan Verde Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2015.  Picture Book. A young girl feels small in our big world, and things around her seem to move too fast.  But she realizes that she can still her body, quiet her mind, and slow her breath.  Her imagination takes flight as she practices a series of different yoga poses.  Spare text and delicate watercolor illustrations provide a beautiful introduction to yoga basics and dealing with common childhood stress. READ IN TODDLER TIME Little Elliot, Big Fun By Mike Curato Henry Holt and Company, 2016.  Picture Book. Elliot and Mouse take a trip to the big city for a day at the boardwalk.  Mouse loves the boardwalk, but for Elliot, the rides are too fast, the fun house is too frightening, and a seagull flies away with his ice cream.  Mouse and Elliot take a little break, and then find games and rides they ca...

The Great Turkey Walk by Kathleen Karr Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998. Fiction. 199pgs. This hysterical historical fiction is a exaggerated retelling of actual "turkey walks" that took place before the turn of the century. Simon Green, a brawny 15-yr-old third-grader, decides to give up school to make his fortune. Miss Rogers, Simon's teacher who believes he can make something of himself even if she doesn't believe he can make it to fourth grade, invest $250 in his venture, and he buys a 1000 turkeys at a quarter a piece to make the long walk from Eastern Missouri to Denver where he'll sell them for five dollars a head. With a beat up wagon, beat up mules, and a beat up mule skinner, Simon is in for the adventure of a lifetime.

This Book Is Not About Dragons Written by Shelley Moore Thomas Illustrated by Fred Koehler Boyds Mills Press, 2016. Picture Book. A mouse in a bow-tie tries to convince us that there are no dragons in this book. However, the illustrations behind him tell us otherwise--dragons are all over this book and they are causing devastation everywhere they go! You can try to convince the mouse that the dragons are there but I’m not sure he’ll listen. You’ll have to try it to find out!  This is a fun and colorful book that breaks the fourth wall with hilarious results. Although the dragons are not prominently displayed throughout most of the book, dragon lovers will still get their fill of the winged beasts. A good choice for PreK and older who want a funny picture book.

Where Are You Going, Baby Lincoln? by Kate DiCamillo Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen Candlewick Press, 2016. Intermediate. 88 p. Baby Lincoln is not really a baby.  She is an old woman who has spent her life living in the shadow of her bossy older sister, Eugenia.  One night Baby Lincoln has a dream that she takes a "Necessary Journey" on a train and when she wakes up she decides to make the dream come true.  Although she rarely does things on her own, she bravely packs a bag, goes to the train station and buys a ticket.  Once on the train she meets three people who help her see herself in a new way. As the trip comes to a close, Baby Lincoln wonders how--and if--she will ever get home. This is the third installment of the Tales from Deckawoo Drive by Newbery winner, Kate DiCamillo.  Like the first two, Leroy Ninker Saddles Up and Francine Poulet Meets the Ghost Racoon , this one is about an adult on a journey of self-discovery. The story is acc...

Rabbit & Robot and Ribbit By Cece Bell Candlewick, 2016. Easy Reader. 48p. Rabbit and Robot are back with a new adventure in friendship. This time Rabbit heads over to Robot’s house to surprise him. But upon arriving, Rabbit finds that Robot already has a new friend, Ribbit, over. Everything Ribbit says makes Robot laugh, but all Rabbit can hear is “ribbit.” Robot’s Good Manners Meter informs him that he should make food his guest will enjoy, and so Rabbit has to suffer through popcorn with flies in it while they watch TV. And worst of all, both Rabbit and Ribbit want to play Cowboy Jack Rabbit in their game. Can Robot’s two friends ever learn to like each other? This simple beginning chapter book is a lot of fun with its zany humor, lively illustrations, and realistic emotions about the struggles and joys of making new friends.

Dragon Was Terrible By Kelly DiPucchio Pictures by Greg Pizzoli Farrar Straus Giroux, 2016. There is a terrible dragon that is causing trouble in the land. After a bad streak of dragon terribleness the King had enough (the dragon TP’d the castle for heaven’s sake!). The King sent out a proclamation announcing a reward for the person who can tame the dragon. A lot of knights try to tame the dragon, but with no luck. So the people in the village decide to ask for more help. Still nothing works. Finally a boy with a feather cap decides to do something—only it isn’t what everyone else tried. And soon the village (and the dragon) finds something that they all can agree is quite the opposite of terrible. This is a clever story that talks about the power of action and stories. And with the fact that the dragon is “terrible” in ways that are somewhat modern (“[H]e burped in church. Loudly. Honestly, that’s terrible and rude”) adults will chuckle along with all the kiddos that they rea...

Are You the Pirate Captain? By Gareth P. Jones and Garry Parsons Andersen Press, 2016. Picture Book. First Mate Hugh and crew have gotten their ship ready to take to the sea. There is just one problem: they don’t have a captain since Scurvy Sea Dog Sid was eaten by a giant squid. As Hugh looks through his spy glass, he asks all who approach the ship if they are the new captain. When a guy who looks like the perfect sea captain with two gold teeth and a silver blade approaches, Hugh asks if he is the new captain. The man explains he is going to a dress-up party but he knows who would make best captain—the one who got the crew ready. Pirate fans will love this rhyming picture book which includes two sea shanties on the end pages.

READ IN BOOK BABIES My Dad! Written by Steve Smallman Illustrated by Sean Julian Good Books, 2012.  Picture Book. Little bear's dad does lots of things -- some he's great at (building sandcastles, helping him feel safe) and some not so much (camping, cooking).  But bear realizes there is nobody else like his dad and that he wants to be just like him when he gets big!  Little ones will enjoy the soft and cozy illustrations and rhyming text. READ IN MONDAY NIGHT STORY TIME Daredevil Duck By Charlie Alder Running Press Kids, 2015.  Picture Book. Daredevil Duck is brave!  Except when he's not.  Because Daredevil Duck wants to be brave, but he's actually afraid of just about everything, and the other ducks tease him.  When his friend mole is desperate for help (his balloon is stuck in a tree!), Daredevil Duck comes to the rescue and discovers that he's braver than he thinks.  This is a great story to help kids f...