Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Little Banty Chicken and the Big Dream Written by Lynea Gillen Illustrated by Kristina Swarner Three Pebble Press, Picture Book. 2016. A little chicken shares her dreams with the moon and the moon encourages her to express her dreams to others. Through letting others know, she makes friends and is able to realize her dream. This sweet story would be great for a shy child or to inspire any child to share their dreams with others. It gives a beautiful example of working together and gaining confidence to accomplish anything you put your mind to!

The Swamps of Sleethe by Jack Prelutsky (Children's Poet Laureate 2006-2008) illustrated by Jimmy Pickering Knopf, 2009. Somewhere out beyond the solar system are planets like Sarbro, Theentor, and Grob. And on every planet is the likely possibility of a painful and sudden death. Jack Prelutsky's hilarious rhymes show us that humans might want to stay safely on our home planet, away from a places where you'll laugh to death or turn into a tree. But Prelutsky also reminds us that our home planet needs to be taken care of if it's going to stay a place where we want to live. 

Let's Cook French: A Family Cookbook By Claudine Pepin Illustrated by Jacques Pepin Wind Blown/Quarry Books, 2016. Cookbook. French cuisine is equally notorious for being delicious and for being very difficult to prepare. The recipes in this book, though, prove that delicious French food can be fun and easy to make. This book represents everything that is good about children's cookbooks - the pages are beautifully illustrated, the recipes are simple and unpretentious (the tarte recipe explains that it is okay to buy puff pastry rather than make it from scratch), and there is a good amount of teaching in the pages. There are lessons in how to cook, and also lessons in French culture and what makes the French attitude towards food different from our own. My favorite part of this book, though, is that the entire cookbook is bilingual! On facing pages, recipes are written in English and repeated in French exactly. This is one in a series of books following this model (the...

  Noodlehead Nightmares By Tedd Arnold and Mitch Weiss Illustrated by Tedd Arnold Holiday House, 2016. Comic. unpag. Mac and Mac are real noodleheads.  No, seriously, their heads are made out of noodles, macaroni noodles to be precise. Though they try to hide the fact by wearing hats, there really isn't anything up where their brains should be and it shows in the decisions they make.  Don't like making your bed? Sleep outside instead.  Lose your feather pillow? Try sleeping on a wooden chest full of feathers. Arnold understands the sense of humor of 1st or 2nd graders, and is careful to write the text to match his target audience's reading level. The color comic-book style illustrations just add to the fun.  Kids who like Arnold's Fly Guy will love this silly new graphic novel series

Because of an Acorn By Lola M. Schaefer Chronicle Books, 2016. Nonfiction. 36p. Because of an acorn, a tree grows. That tree attracts birds who scatter seeds, which then grow flowers. Each page in this nonfiction picture book has a single phrase of text and rich, earth-toned images of forest plants and animals. This is a perfect introduction to ecosystems for very young children.

Triangle By Mac Barnett illustrated by Jon Klassen Candlewick Press, 2017. Triangle lives in a triangle place. His house is the shape of a triangle. His door is the shape of a triangle. There are triangle shapes all around his house. One day Triangle decides to play a “sneaky trick” on Square. He travels past all the places where there are triangles, past the places where there are non-shapes, and into the place where there are square shapes to Square’s house. Triangle stands outside Square’s house and hisses like a snake (Square is afraid of snakes). When Square realizes that it was Triangle playing a trick on him, he chases Triangle all the way back to Triangle’s house. Where Square is finally able to get Triangle back. This is a story that seems simple—yet really is very clever. Kids and adults will both enjoy reading this one again and again. And with the great story by Barnett and wonderful illustrations by Klassen, I have a hunch that this will be a classic for many years...

Laundry Day By Jessixa Bagley Roaring Brook Press, 2017. Picture Book. Tic and Tac are bored, so when their Mama Badger suggests that they help with hanging up the laundry, they think that is a great idea--especially when she leaves to run errands and they decide to continue their adventure even when all the laundry is done. When Mama returns home she has a surprise waiting for her. Any parent who has ever had a child “help” them will relate to this humorous picture book. A fun read to share with your child, just be forewarned what they might come up with the next time they eagerly want to help you with the laundry.

One Lonely Fish By Andy Mansfield & Thomas Flintham Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2017. Picture Book. One lonely fish in the ocean is soon joined by others--but as each additional wants to eat its predecessor, there is soon only one lonely fish again. Humorous, colorful, cutout pages make this an entertaining counting book. Make sure to pay attention to the crabs at the bottom of the pages!

Read in Book Babies Tidy By Emily Gravett Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2016.  Picture Book. Pete the Badger likes everything "just so."  He tidies and tidies all over the forest until everything is clean as can be.  But then when autumn comes...a leaf falls.  Well in fall, lots of leaves fall!  Pete's tidying reaches outrageous proportions, with some unexpected consequences for himself and his forest friends.  Luckily Pete is a responsible forest dweller, and he and his friends work hard to set things right.  Gravett's classic illustrations and rhyming text create an engaging read aloud that encourages responsible environmental behavior.  And honestly, the layered cut-out cover is to die for! Read in Toddler Time Vincent Paints His House By Tedd Arnold Holiday House, 2015.  Picture Book. Vincent (yes, that Vincent) is ready to paint his house.  But when he chooses a color and...

Love Is By Diane Adams Illustrated by Claire Keane Chronicle Kids, 2017. Picture Book. Springtime brings a sense of newness and excitement. Adams has created a sentimental and touching experience with this picture book. The illustrations are beautiful soft colors. The story follows a little girl who finds a baby chick which she adopts for her own. The emotions shown by this cartoon character are so vivid I found myself feeling concern and compassion for the chick and empathizing with the little girl. As the story progresses I realized each reader can interpret a deeper meaning. Adams perfectly portrays sacrifice and knowing when to let go. I related it to specific experiences and relationships in my own life and found it to be a perfect companion for the start of spring.

ellington was not a street by Ntozake Shange illustrated by Kadir Nelson Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2004. "it hasn't always been this way ellington was not a street" The opening line to this illustrated poem by noted poet Ntozake Shange takes us into a world before civil rights. Shange tries to explain what it was like as a young African American when some of the world's biggest names used to come to her house and talk politics with her father. I think this is a simple, powerful tool to introduce children to some of the important African American names that have shaped our country.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (A Junior Novel) by Michael Kogge Disney/Lucas Press. 2016. Fiction. 182 p. This is just what the title suggests.  It is a retelling of the movie, The Force Awakens , written for a grade school age audience and it is surprisingly well done. The story is true to the movie, but adds a few tantalizing details that were left of the final cut. For instance, how does Poe Dameron get back to the rebel base?  How did Rey learn to fly a star fighter?  What happened to Finn before his fateful first battle at Jakku?  You can find the answers in this book.  Kogge keeps the degree of detail for the combat scenes and the relationships appropriate for the target age group. This is a great choice for a reluctant reader or avid Star Wars fan. This is also available as an audio download.

Pig & Goose and the First Day of Spring By Rebecca Bond Charlesbridge, 2017. Easy reader. 48p. On the first day of spring, Pig makes a nice picnic for herself by the pond and meets Goose. Pig admires Goose’s flying and swimming abilities and is disappointed when her efforts to imitate him fail. But when Pig invites Goose to a spring party, we learn that Pig has some very amazing talents of her own. This beginning reader book is a lovely start to a new animal friendship duo in the tradition of Frog and Toad. It has a very nostalgic feel, with a safe and friendly world, gentle humor, warm companionship, lots of time spent in nature, and small setbacks being overcome by a sincere and joyful outlook on life. The pastoral watercolor illustrations are soft and dreamy, and the text is simple but by no means simplistic. A great choice as a very early chapter book or as a read-aloud.

A Perfect Day  Lane Smith Roaring Brook Press, 2016. Do you ever have some of those authors that you think “I basically just love everything that he/she does!”? So Lane Smith is one of those authors for me. I love so many of his books: Kid Sherriff and the Terrible Toads ; John, Paul, George & Ben ; and the illustrated Penguin Problems are just a few books that I LOVE dearly. So, when this next book was published I had high expectations (don’t we all when it is a new book from a loved author?). Well, let me just tell you—I loved this book. It made me laugh out loud. And let me tell you why. So this book tells about the perfect day of some of the animals around one little house. The cat has a perfect day because Cat likes to be in the flower bed. The dog has a perfect day since a kind owner filled a kiddie pool full of water. A bird and a squirrel have a perfect day since the same kind human put out food for them. Then—suddenly—life isn’t quite so perfect for tho...

Shake a Leg, Egg! By Kurt Cyrus Beach Lane Books, 2017. Picture Book. It’s springtime, and the pond is coming to life with plants and animals, but one little Canadian Geese egg is taking its time. The mother goose describes the world around the egg as she waits for her baby to shake a leg and break out of the shell to take a look. Sparse words accompanying the realistic soft watercolors of life at the pond make it a great read-aloud one-on-one or in a large group.

The Legendary Miss Lena Horne By Carole Boston Weatherford Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon Atheneum Books For Young Readers, 2017. Biography. “You have to be taught to be second class; you’re not born that way.” Lena Horne lived this statement. Growing up as a young member of the NAACP, taking on civil rights issues as she worked in the entertainment industry, she fought not only for herself but for those who would follow. Starting out in the chorus line to help feed her family during the Depression, she soon advanced and became one of the first black vocalists to front an all-white band. Even though she was the lead, she was banned from the bandstand between numbers and had to sleep on the bus because she was refused food and lodging with the rest of the band. But she didn’t let that stop her. Her good looks and powerful voice opened the doors to a Hollywood career, but she was forced to wear make up to darken her skin so she would not be mistaken as white while screen. Wh...

Read in Book Babies Boa's Bad Birthday Written by Jeanne Willis Illustrated by Tony Ross Andersen Press USA, 2014.  Picture Book. It's Boa's birthday, and he's so excited for his friends to bring him presents.  However, when Orangutan, Monkey, Jaguar, and Sloth bring their presents, he is so disappointed.  How can he play the piano without fingers?  Or wear sunglasses without a nose and ears?  And when Dung Beetle arrives with her present, Boa has had enough.  But Dung Beetle's present holds a surprise that may just make it the best gift ever!  Pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations complement this hilarious story of keeping an open mind about presents that stink. Read in Toddler Time I Am a Story By Dan Yaccarino HarperCollins, 2016.  Picture Book. Stories have existed since the earliest civilizations.  They were painted on the walls of caves, written on sheets of papyrus, created into tapestries, and...

Did you know that Jane Yolen and Mark Teague have published quite a few of their popular dinosaur series in board book format? Each contains the large dinos and their regular-sized human parents that many children have come to love. Expect few words and a simple life lesson in these toddler-friendly editions. How Do Dinosaurs Learn Their Colors Blue Sky Press, 2006 How Do Dinosaurs Love Their Dogs Blue Sky Press, 2010 How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Birthday Blue Sky Press, 2011 How Do Dinosaurs Go to Sleep Blue Sky Press, 2016 How Do Dinosaurs Play with Their Friends Blue Sky Press, 2006

The Tudors: Kings, Queens, Scribes and Ferrets! By Marcia Williams Candlewick, 2016. Informational. The true story of England's most famous royal family is told by Marcia Williams and Arthur Inkblott - Queen Elizabeth's favorite (and completely fictional) scribe. Together they tell the story of the Tudor family's rise and fall from power, starting with the War of the Roses and ending with the death of Good Queen Bess. A running narrative along the bottom of the page tells what life was like for the Tudor common folk and Arthur Inkblott's ferret Smudge lives in the margins of the book to summarize the story. Even though this book is brand new, I think of it as an oldie but goodie. Marcia Williams is a veteran author of the children's informational section and I have been reading and loving her books since I was a little kid. Her signature comic strip-style makes all of her books feel more fun than reading history and are filled with funny comments from the c...

The King of Kazoo  By Norman Feuti Scholastic, 2016. Comics. 203 p. Bing's familiar, a bluebird named Gypsy, brings troubling news.  There is a new hole in Mount Kazoo, and Bing has a feeling it is something sinister.  Her father, King Cornelius, is too busy trying to improve his public image to listen, until he realizes that saving the people from whatever danger lurks in the mountain will bring him the fame and glory he craves.  As they set off on their quest, Bing wonders if her biggest problem isn't the earthquakes, the wild Kroakers, or even the giant homicidal robot, but her father's king-sized ego.  This is a lighthearted graphic novel with plenty of excitement and laughs.  Feuti's full-color illustrations do a great job of storytelling and will appeal to both boys and girls of a variety of ages.

The Wolf’s Boy By Susan Williams Beckhorn Disney-Hyperion, 2016. Fiction. 240p. Set in prehistoric times, this book tells the story of Kai, abandoned to the wolves as a baby because of his club foot, who miraculously survives and is brought back to the human village. Forbidden to hunt or even touch a weapon because of the bad luck his people believe follow him, he shocks the village even more when he adopts a motherless wolf cub. This middle-grade book made it onto the list of Provo City Library’s “Best Children’s Books of 2016.” It’s a story about many things, including growing up, disabilities and bullying, how wolves transformed into dogs, surviving the harshness of nature, the ties of family, and the power of determination. It’s a great survival adventure with vivid descriptions of hunting, spear making, wolf packs, encounters with Neanderthals, vicious mountain cats, shamans, and a landscape of ice and snow. The characters are memorable, with real emotions and complica...

Deadly Flowers Sarah L. Thomson 2016, Boyds Mills Press, an Imprint of Highlights, 270 p. Orphan Kata lives at a training school in ancient Japan—a training school for female ninjas called “Deadly Flowers.” At the school she is one of the best (and the oldest) students still there. She is taught to be stealthy and have a high pain tolerance. When she is finally asked to complete her first mission, Kata is excited. This is what she has always dreamed of. Only, she didn’t realize that it would be to kill a 10-year-old boy. When her mission goes awry (in part due to the fact that it turns out that she does not have thirst for murder), she must take the boy she couldn’t kill and his sister on a journey to escape both the ones who hired her to kill and the mistress of the training school. However, like all good adventure stories (and this is an adventure because—well, ninjas!) there is more to the adventure than just running away from people trying to kill them. The group also has...

Read in Book Babies I'm the Best Artist in the Ocean By Kevin Sherry Dial Books for Young Readers, 2008.  Picture Book. Giant Squid is back!  First he was the biggest thing in the ocean, and now he's the best artist.  Giant Squid loves to draw all of the things he sees in the ocean, but some of his friends aren't quite as excited with his artistic enthusiasm when the ink starts splatting around on them.  Sherry once again delights with silly squid antics and beautiful watercolor illustrations. Read in Toddler Time Zebra on the Go Written by Jill Nogales Illustrated by Lorraine Rocha Peachtree Publishers, 2016.  Picture Book. The circus is starting, and Zebra accidentally steps on Lion's toe.  Lion gives chase, and soon we are zooming out of the circus, through the city, past the coastal park, out on the pier, and into boats on the ocean!  When Lion's inflatable raft is punctured by a narwhal, suddenly the tables...

The Airport Book By Lisa Brown Roaring Book Press, 2016. Picture Book. In the days before taking a child on their first flight, put reading this book at the top of your checklist. Going to the airport for the first time brings new sights and the unknown. Brown captures the experience in a fun, entertaining way. A little girl is in the process of going on a trip with her family and trying to keep track of her sock monkey packed away in her bag. Each page perfectly describes, in picture form, the intricate details of traveling. There are also side comments from the crowd, including a couple where one asks the other, "Do you have the tickets?" providing amusement and information at the same time. Did you know we have a Hot Topics shelf in the Children's section of the library? This book is in "Things that Go" section, check it out!

Dragonwatch by Brandon Mull Shadow Mountain, 2017. Fiction, 376 p. If you're anything like me then you LOVE the Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull. In fact, characters and situations from those books still creep into conversation at our family dinner table. Well, Brandon Mull wasn't about to let an adoring fan base down by writing a measly 5 books. Especially since he knows we're all so willing to pay for more.  Dragonwatch is going to be another (probably 5 book) series about Kendra, Seth, Bracken, and the gang. I think it's technically a spin-off, but don't worry, he certainly didn't go very far afield. This new series takes place just months after the ending of the Fablehaven series, and gives the characters we love more chances to spend most of their time narrowly avoiding death. 

Underneath My Bed: List Poems By Brian P. Cleary Illustrated by Richard Watson Millbrook Press, 2017. Informational. Too many books of poems for young readers never take the time to explain what makes a poem a poem or teach kids how to write their own. This book, the latest in a series from Brian P. Clearly, does both -- while remaining a book of poems and not a book on poetry. Most kids are probably not familiar with what makes a list poem, but this book gives enough examples for kids to realize that poetry doesn't always need to sound like Dr. Seuss or follow one of the formats they're used to seeing. For kids who aren't interested in writing their own poems - they will still find things to like in the cartoony illustrations and funny text. A great pick to celebrate National Poetry Month.

  Word of Mouse By James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein Illustrated by Joe Sutphin Little Brown and Company, 2016. Fiction. 284 p. Isaiah is the smallest, and perhaps the most cowardly of all the mice at the "horrible place," a research laboratory. It is amazing, therefore, that when 97 genetically altered mice try to escape, Isaiah is the only one who is not caught.  Despite his bright blue color, he is accepted into a nearby mischief, or mouse family group, and discovers that his scientifically augmented abilities come in handy in the outside world.  He soon finds that he has become a leader among mice, but what he really wants is to find a way to free his family from the lab.  In the end it is not his agility, his intelligence, or even his ability to speak with humans, but his ability to look past differences with an open heart that is the key to his success. Like other Patterson/Grabenstein collaborations this is a highly illustrated novel packed with ac...

Read in Book Babies Beastly Babies Written by Ellen Jackson Illustrated by Brendan Wenzel Beach Lane Books, 2015.  Picture Book. There are so many kinds of little babies!  Baby tigers, penguins, elephants, birds, and more.  All of these babies may be different, but they have lots in common...most of which consists of being beastly!  Babies wriggle around and slobber and spill and are stinky, but each one is precious and loved dearly by their mother.  Best of all, those little babies eventually grow up and have babies of their own...and then it's payback time!  Rhyming text and silly-faced illustrations are great attention-getters that make this an extra fun toddler read aloud. Read in Toddler Time I Am Yoga Written by Susan Verde Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds Abrams, 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 ...

We have another great set of books to talk about in our Parent/Child Book Clubs! For the Mother/Daughter Book Club we are going to talk about the book The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick. For the Mother/Son Book Club we are going to talk about the book Soar by Joan Bauer. I can’t help but giggle at the title of the next Mother/Daughter Book Club book. I mean, if we have a Mother/Daughter Book Club how can we not read and discuss the book The Mother-Daughter Book Club ?!? This book is about a group of moms and their daughters who get together to talk about the book Little Women . The girls don’t think they really have all that much in common—but though this book club they find out that they just might have a few similarities. Of course there is drama and books and relationship craziness; however, there is also a lot to learn when girls and their moms get together to talk about books and how they relate to life. I am pretty excited that we get to talk about t...