Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Stars Written by Mary Lyn Ray Illustrated by Marla Frazee Beach Lane Books, c2011. Picture Book. "Explores the wonder of stars, whether they are in the night sky, on a plant as a promise of fruit to come, or in one's pocket for those days when one does not feel shiny." Genuine Sweet by Faith Harkey Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015. Fiction,  277 pgs. 12-yr-old Genuine Sweet finds out that she has a gift passed down through the women in her family. She can call a wish down from the stars for everyone but herself. She uses her gift to improve lives in her small Georgia town until the day she can't help but try and make her own troubles go away through a wish. Fancy Nancy Sees Stars Written by Jane O'Connor Illustrated by Robin Preiss-Glasser HarperCollinsPublishers, 2008. Easy reader, 32 pgs. "When a rainstorm prevents Nancy and her best friend, Robert, from getting to the planetarium the night of a class field trip, she...

The Octopus Scientists:  Exploring the Mind of a Mollusk Written by Sy Montgomery Photographs by Keith Ellengoben Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015.  Informational. Prepare to be amazed by the remarkable characteristics of the octopus, one of the most bizarre creatures of the sea.  Four scientists of varying research backgrounds join up in search of the elusive and highly intelligent Octopus cyanea.  As the team searches for viable research sites, their days are filled with encouraging clues and frustrating setbacks.  Montgomery skillfully grabs and  maintains reader attention throughout a two-week adventure in the exotic South Pacific. Surprising facts are interspersed throughout that will appeal both to tweens who love science, as well as those who are new to the genre.  Who knew that octopuses have blue blood and can recognize human faces?  Detailed descriptions of daily dives and encounters with alien-like creatures are captivat...

Penguins Love Colors By Sarah Aspinall The Blue Sky Press, 2016. Picture Book. Mama Penguin has six little penguins, each “named after a brightly colored flower.” They and their mama love colors! The little penguins decide to create a beautiful and colorful surprise for Mama Penguin. “Would she like her surprise?” Of course she loves it but not as much as she loves her messy little penguins! Penguins Love Colors is a cute concept picture book about colors that is perfect for winter. The penguins are adorable and cuddly, each with a unique colored beret distinguishing them from their siblings. The series of questions posed to the reader throughout will help engage children in this simple yet bright book. Younger children learning colors or who love penguins or art will surely enjoy this picture book.

  Juana & Lucas By Juana Medina Candlewick Press, 2016. Intermediate. 88 p. Juana lives in Columbia and her best friend is her dog Lucas. She loves her mother, she loves her school friend, and she even likes her teacher. She is a pretty good student, until they start learning English at school. English is just too crazy, and the "th" sound tickles her tongue. Juana wonders why she even needs to learn English. Here is an intermediate book that is on some of the potential Newbery lists and deservedly so.  The writing is fun and full of energy.  There are a lot of Spanish words inserted into the text, but their meanings are clear from context. Medina is both author and illustrator, and the pictures on every page have plenty of kid appeal. Non-native English speakers will love this book, but native English speakers will, too, and it will help them understand, at least a little, the challenge of learning our wacky language.

Lizbeth Lou Got a Rock in Her Shoe By Troy Howell Ripple Grove Press, 2016. Picture book. One day Lizbeth Lou finds a pebble in her shoe and throws it away, whereupon it lands in a cricket’s canoe. The cricket, afraid of sinking, dumps the boulder overboard and a trout tries to eat it. The rock makes it way from creature to creature, both big and small, until it once again comes back to the place it started from. This rhyming circular tale is fun and whimsical, but it is the lovely illustrations that make this book truly special. Kathryn Carr’s dioramas are hand-cut paper silhouettes, arranged, backlit, and then photographed. The warm sepia tones and delicate details invite exploration and make this a great story to share cozily one-on-one.

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea!  By Ben Clanton Tundra Books, 2016. 65 p. In this first of a new graphic novel series (Narwhal and Jelly) readers are introduced to a narwhal and a jellyfish (appropriately named Narwhal and Jelly). Narwhal is fun and happy with life. Jelly is a little more cautious and skeptical (after all this crazy Narwhal claims he is a unicorn of the sea and everyone knows unicorns aren’t real). But soon Jelly and Narwhal become good friends. And like all good friendships, it is tested when Narwhal starts inviting people to be in his “pod” but forgets to “invite” Jelly to be part of the group. This book has humor and a wee bit of drama all rolled up into a fun story based on two fantastic new characters. I hope that Clanton will come up with many more adventures for this swimming duo.

Shmelf the Hanukkah Elf By Greg Wolfe Illustrated by Howard McWilliam Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2016. Picture Book. Shmelf, while working in the List Checking Department for Santa, noticed that there were many good children missing from Santa’s list. When he brings it to Santa’s attention he explains to Shmelf that those children celebrate Hanukkah. Shmelf then investigates what Hanukkah is and in the end gets a special assignment from Santa. This is a simple introduction of Hanukkah for very young children not of the Jewish faith who might wonder why not everyone gets presents on Christmas. Though crossing Santa into Hanukkah may seem offensive to some, I think what the author is trying to do is bridge a gap between the two celebrations to show how alike they are, building on the concept that we are more alike than different, which I think he does well.

Dinosoaring Written by Deb Lund Illustrated by Howard Fine Harcourt Children's Books, 2012. Picture Book. You'll find this book in our "special topics" row of the picture book section under "Dinosaurs." A crew of aeronautical dinosaurs squeeze onto an airplane to set off on an adventure that might not end as smoothly as it takes off. There's a Stegosaurus pilot, a Brachiosaurus navigator, and, of course, a Tyrannosaurus Rex security guard, among others. Join the Dino-riffic crew as they sail through the skies with brightly colored illustrations and rhyming text that will keep kids engaged.

Booked By Kwame Alexander Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt, 2016. Fiction. Tweleve-year old Nick loves playing soccer and hates reading - especially when he's forced to read his dad's big dictionary of weird words. Nick would much rather daydream about soccer, his big upcoming tournament, and April - the girl he likes. As Nick's life begins to unravel, though, he starts to appreciate the power that the books and words around him can hold while he faces changes at home, at school, and on the field. Booked is a readable and enjoyable, and somewhat more introspective, follow-up to Kwame Alexander's 2015 Newbery Award winner The Crossover. Nick's story is told almost entirely in free verse which makes for a quick read with some of the vivid wordplay readers have come to expect from Alexander. Nick is a clever and very bright central character, and logophiles will love his malapropisms and the interesting vocabulary words he introduces. This book is getting a ...

The Noisy Paint Box:  The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky's Abstract Art Written by Barb Rosenstock Illustrated by Mary GrandPré Alfred A. Knopf, 2014.  Picture Book Biography. Young Vasya Kandinsky rolls his eyes with boredom when limited by the societal expectations of his Russian upbringing.  But when his aunt gives him a box of paints, he hears the colors whisper and hiss as he mixes them.  His dull existence is suddenly infused with energy.  Painting bold shapes creates a symphony in his mind, but those around him struggle to understand his art, and he reverts to the static subjects of realism.  Ultimately, though, Kandinsky embraces his passion for the abstract and revolutionizes the art world.  Rosenstock expertly describes Kandinsky's likely case of synesthesia.  Onomatopoeia abounds with swishing brushes, hissing paints, and a symphony of shapes.  GrandPr é's acrylic and paper collage illustrations are integral to the ...

Bad Girls of Fashion: Style Rebels from Cleopatra to Lady Gaga By Jennifer Croll Illustrated by Ada Bucholc Annick Press, 2016. Informational. The title of this book essentially describes the contents - the lives of ten very famous, stylish women are outlined; with a special focus on how they used clothing to attract power, influence others, and assert their own individuality. The book features some of history's best-known tastemakers like Marie Antoinette, Coco Chanel, and Frida Kahlo with short entries on other famous women like Miuccia Prada, Wallis Simpson, and Elizabeth I. Every so often I come across a book that I wish every little girl would read - this is one of those books. If I can use the term girl-power without sounding cliche, this book entertains with stories of some of the most important women in history - women who were able to accomplish incredible things because of, and not in spite of, their interest in fashion. This history is well-written, engaging, a...

Duck on a Tractor  By David Shannon The Blue Sky Press, 2016. Picture Book David Shannon’s Duck on a Bike ended with the daring duck eyeing a tractor. This hilarious sequel presents Duck’s adventure learning to drive the tractor. After all of the other farm animals join Duck on the tractor, they take a ride through town where several townspeople witness the strange sight. Each citizen lets out an exclamation while thinking something else. Marcine the Waitress says “Heavens to Betsy!” but really thinks “I like cats.” While Otis says “I must be seeing things!” but really thinks “Oh no—not again!” At the conclusion of the book the people are left wondering if they really saw what they think they saw. This is a wonderfully funny book with detailed illustrations that is on par with the previous adventure. A great read aloud that kids will love. Read the pair together for some great laughs.

    Outstanding Intermediates The chapter books in this display are in our Intermediate section and received at least one starred review in a national book review journal this year. I Am Not a Number  By Jenny Duprius Orca Book Pub, 2016. Intermediate. 32 p. When Irene is removed from her First Nations family to live in a residential school, she is confused, frightened and terribly homesick. Mango and Bambang: the Not-a-Pig By Polly Faber Candlewick Press, 2016. Intermediate. 135 p. Bambang, a displaced tapir, requires a great deal of coaxing and comforting to help him acclimate to the big city, and Mango is just the girl for the job. But when Mango faces a nerve-racking challenge of her own, will Bambang be able to return the favor? Where are You Going, Baby Lincoln? (Tales from Deckawoo Drive #3) By Kate DiCamillo Timid Baby Lincoln has always lived in the shadow of her bossy sister. One day she decides to take a “necessary” journey into the unknown...

Before Morning By Joyce Sidman HMH Books for Young Readers, 2016. Picture book. Newbery Honor winner Joyce Sidman and Caldecott medalist Beth Krommes team up to create this superb celebration of a snowy day. Sidman’s beautiful poem is an invocation, calling for a blanket of snow to cover the busy hustle of the city and bring quiet and stillness. In harmony with the spare text are Krommes’ beautiful scratchboard illustrations, detailed, cozy, and full of rich colors and textures. The illustrations – which could easily stand on their own as a wordless picture book – show the story of a child who is melancholy at being separated from her mother as she leaves for a long work trip and the opportunities for family togetherness that a wished-for snow day bring. Combining both talented halves results in the perfect picture book.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about five new Christmas picture books that came out this year. Today I want to tell you about five Christmas picture books that I tend to read year after year. And just so you know, this was a hard list to come up with! However, I did ultimately narrow it down and here is the result: Stick Man by Julia Donaldson Stick Man ends up far away from his family for the holidays (he gets picked up by humans and animals who think he is a stick and then ends up on an incredible journey). Eventually Santa Claus helps to make sure that Stick Man and his family can have a happy holiday. I know, this seems like an odd book for me to like to read at Christmastime; however, I love the idea of talking about not always having families be able to be together—because that is a reality for so many in this world. So the fact that the happiest Christmas gift that can be given is to just be together, that makes me feel warm and fuzzy! The Third Gift by L...

Santa's Underwear By Mary Rhodes Figley Illustrated by Marty Kelley Sleeping Bear Press, 2016. Picture Book. When Santa starts to get dressed for his big night, he can’t find his favorite old trusty well-worn pair of red long johns to keep him warm. He decides to try on his other holiday underwear, like his Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, and Valentine’s Day pairs, but none are right for Christmas. Just when he is about to resign himself to wearing his St. Patrick’s underwear (they are at least green and warm), he finds a gift from his reindeer that solves the problem. I love that the author came up with the idea for this picture book because her grandchild asked if Santa wore underpants. Children will laugh at Santa’s underwear choices and the elves’ antics as he gets ready for his big night.

Motel of the Mysteries By David Macaulay Houghton Mifflin, 1979. Fiction. In the year 4022, the amateur archaeologist Howard Carson stumbled upon what is apparently a sacred burial tomb from the ancient country of Usa - a once civilized nation that was destroyed, along with the rest of North America, by cataclysmic events that buried all life on the continent. Motel of the Mysteries  documents the discoveries made by Carson and his partner, Harriet Burton, in the sealed burial chamber - marked as sacred by the "do not disturb" sign hanging from the door. When I first read this book in the sixth grade, I thought it was hysterically funny. I found it so funny that I shared it with my entire family several times. The completely false conclusions that Howard Carson reaches about completely ordinary things in our culture - like toothbrushes, or toilet paper, or toilets - make the book even more funny. While some of the "modern" equipment in the book (like giant...

Pardon Me! by Daniel Miyares Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2014. Picture Book. A bird find the perfect dry spot to rest on the river. Unfortunately, it looks so good that a variety of animal life try to join him. Annoyed, the bird finally shoo's them all away only to discover that keeping something all to yourself isn't always the best idea.  This picture book has very few words and a fun, if predictable, twist ending. 

Sloths By Megan Borgert-Spaniol Developed by literacy experts for students in kindergarten through grade three, this book introduces sloths to young readers through leveled text and related photos. "Slowly, Slowly, Slowly," said the Sloth By Eric Carle Challenged by the other jungle animals for its seemingly lazy ways, a sloth living in a tree explains the many advantages of his slow and peaceful existence. A Little Book of Sloth By Lucy Cooke Hang around just like a sloth and get to know the delightful residents of the Avarios Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica, the world's largest sloth orphanage. You'll fall in love with bad-boy Mateo, ooh and ahh over baby Biscuit, and want to wrap your arms around champion cuddle buddy Ubu! Sloths By Josh Gregory This book details the life and habits of sloths. Three-Toed Sloths:  Green Mammals By Natalie Lunis Learn how three-toed sloths are adapted for survival. A section of the book...

First Light, First Life: A Worldwide Creation Story Written by Paul Fleischman Illustrated by Julie Paschkis Henry Holt and Company, 2016. J Informational. In this unique and beautiful informational picture book, various events of the creation of life as believed by different cultures are presented in a wonderful manner. Each page identifies a country or culture and, using simple and clear language, describes a creation event such as when water was put on the earth or how humans were created. The vibrant illustrations capture the essence of the event as well as the culture being featured on the page. This companion to Fleischman’s Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella is a celebration of life and is a great choice for learning about the beliefs of other cultures regarding the creation of life.

All the books in this display received starred reviews in 4 or 5 different national review sources during 2016. 5 stars:  The Girl Who Drank the Moon  By Kelly Barnhill Algonquin Young Readers, 2016. Fiction. 388 p. An epic fantasy about a young girl raised by a witch, a swamp monster, and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Together they must unlock the powerful magic buried deep within themselves. The Inquisitor’s Tale, or, the Three Magical Children and their Holy Dog  By Adam Gidwitz Dutton Children’s Books, 2016. Fiction, 363 p. Crossing paths at an inn, thirteenth-century travelers tell the tale of a junior monk, a Jewish refugee boy, a psychic peasant girl and a loyal greyhound who join forces on a chase through France to escape persecution. Garvey’s Choice   By Nikki Grimes Wordsong, 2016. Fiction 108 p. Garvey's father has always wanted Garvey to be athletic, but Garvey is interested in astronomy, science fiction, reading--anything but sports. When h...

A Hat for Mrs. Goldman: A Story about Knitting and Love By Michelle Edwards Schwartz & Wade, 2016. Picture book. Mrs. Goldman makes hats for everyone in the neighborhood. She tried to teach Sophie how to knit last year, but Sophie decided it was too hard and sticks to making pompoms. But as cold winter weather approaches and Mrs. Goldman has no hat for herself, Sophie knows she has to work hard to make the perfect present. This is a heartwarming tale about kindness, service, hard work, and gifts of the heart. A beginning knitting pattern is included in the back.

Moo: a Novel  By Sharon Creech Joanna Cotler Books, an Imprint of HarperCollins. 278 p. Reena and her family move to Maine after a down turn in the economy changes the job prospects of Reena’s parents. While getting settled into their new life Reena and her younger brother Luke are assigned to help the aging Mrs. Falala take care of her animals. Mrs. Falala is demanding and cantankerous—and her cow Zora is even more so. Reena has her hands full helping take care of the animals and getting Zora ready for the fair. There is quite a bit to discuss in this book: family relationships, farming, children working, what is respectful (or disrespectful) when talking to adults, and surviving in a tough economic time period. Reena works through a lot of change with grace and aplomb (despite the fact that Zora knocks her over and she spends most of the book in a smelly, dirty state). This is a quick read. The book has quite a bit of white space (which leaves loads of room for the “Moo...

Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion By Alex T. Smith Scholastic, 2016. Picture Book. "This is Little Red. Today she is going to be gobbled up by a lion... Well, that's what he  thinks is going to happen anyway." So begins this charming African retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood story. In this version, Little Red sets out across the savanna to deliver spot medicine to her Auntie, passing under giraffes, over crocodiles, and past chattering monkeys. When she arrives at her Auntie's house, Little Red is not tricked for a minute by the Very Hungry Lion and his Very Naughty Plan -- and instead she tricks him into learning some manners. This beautiful and brightly colored fairy tale is very humorous and fun for kids and grown-ups.

The Day Santa Stopped Believing in Harold By Maureen Fergus Illustrated by Cale Atkinson Tundra Books, 2016. Picture Book. Santa begins to question the existence of Harold and lists the things that do not make sense—like, he knows that it is Harold’s parents who write him his letters and leave out the treats and how each year Harold looks different. But the biggest issue is that his friends--like Jack Frost and the Abominable Snow Monster--say that only babies believe in Harold. After talking to his reindeer, Santa comes up with a plan to prove Harold’s existence once and for all. As you can tell from the title and the short blurb, this is the perfect picture book to read to the child who is having doubts about the existence of Santa Claus.

Theo and  the Blue Note by Peter Kuper Viking, 2006. Picture book. Theo is a blue cat who plays his saxophone all day long. He wants to be a great jazz musician but all he can play is one blue note. That is until the day a soprano sax shaped rocket ship lands in his backyard and whisks him off to a planet housing the greatest jazz musicians of all time. This picture book is full of bright illustrations for the kids and some fun jazz references for music-loving parents.

The Inquisitor's Tale Written by Adam Gidwitz Illuminated by Hatem Aly Dutton Children's Books, 2016.  Fiction.  After an unlikely encounter in medieval France, three extraordinary children with magical abilities find themselves on the run with their holy dog Gwenforte.  Their story unfolds through tales told by a host of ale-drinking characters at a Paris inn.  Jeanne, the young peasant girl who has visions of the future, Jacob, the Jewish boy with the power to heal, and William, a half-African Christian oblate with superhuman strength, have quickly become the stuff legends are made of.  Crisscrossing their way across France seeking answers at Saint Denis, they fight a dragon, befriend the king, and meet their match in the terrifyingly huge, red-haired monk Michelangelo. Set against the backdrop of the Inquisition, medieval fare is on full display with kings and knights, castles and cathedrals, abbeys and ale.  The unusual story, equal part...