Provo Library Children's Book Blog

What is Chasing Duck?  AND There’s a Pest in the Garden! Both By Jan Thomas Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2017. Easy Readers. Have you wondered what you would do now that the Elephant and Piggie books are all published? Have you been looking for new things to make you laugh over in the Easy Reader section? Well, this is not Elephant and Piggie—but these books are SO MUCH FUN! I have loved Jan Thomas books for ages. Rhyming Dust Bunnies stole my heart eight years ago…and I have loved seeing the new Jan Thomas books ever since! (Seriously if you don’t know about A Birthday for Cow! or Is Everyone Ready for Fun? then you are missing out! And don’t even get me started on the fun I had reading Let’s Count Goats! in story time years ago…) Anyway, so rewind back to the part about me missing Elephant and Piggie books. I do miss them. And then here comes picture book author and illustrator Jan Thomas who I love—and she has published TWO easy reader books with s...

NOPE!  A Tale of First Flight By Drew Sheneman Viking, 2017.  Picture Book. Have you ever been absolutely terrified to try something new?  Well this little baby bird feels your pain!  In this nearly wordless picture book, Mother Bird is ready for her baby to fly for the first time.  But Baby sees nothing but danger in the loooooong view down from his safe nest in the treetops.  He imagines a multitude of terrible fates down below, including a feisty, hungry cat, large-fanged, salivating dogs, and wily, snapping crocodiles.  What is Baby Bird's response?  NOPE!  But Mama will have none of it.  It's time for this baby to conquer his fears, so with lots of love (and more than a gentle nudge), Mama helps Baby find fantastic flight success.  Comical facial expressions in Sheneman's digital illustrations add to the humor of this familiar plight.  A great book for any little one (or grownup!) facing something new or scary...

The Unwanteds By Lisa McMann In a society that purges thirteen-year-olds who are creative, identical twins Aaron and Alex are separated, one to attend University while the other, supposedly Eliminated, finds himself in a wondrous place where youths hone their abilities and learn magic. Kubo and the Two Strings (DVD) A young boy named Kubo must locate a magical suit of armor worn by his father in order to defeat a vengeful spirit from the past. The Girl Who Drank the Moon By Kelly Barnhill 2017 Newbery award winner. An epic fantasy about a young girl raised by a witch, a swamp monster, and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, who must unlock the powerful magic buried deep inside her. Origami for Children By Mari Ono Easy-to-follow instructions and illustrations guide children in making a number of origami projects. Origami Outfits: A Foldable Fashion Guide By Sok Song Ten original fashion origami models, including a variety of dresses, with written instruction...

Cartas en el bosque Susanna Isern y Daniel Montero Galán Cuento De Luz, 2016. "Todas las mañanas, muy temprano, el viejo cartero sale de casa con el zurrón lleno." El viejo cartero entrega cartas a todos los animales que viven en el bosque. Tiempo bueno o malo, el cartero entrega las cartas en su bicicleta todo el día mientras los otras animales jugar. Él está tan tranquilo. Los animales suponen el viejo cartero está triste. Lea este hermoso libro ilustrado y descrubra el secreto del cartero. Los niños disfrutarán esta historia de la amistad. "Every morning, very early, the old postman leaves his house with a full satchel." The old postman delivers letters to all the animals living in the forest. Good weather or bad weather, the postman delivers his letters on his bike all day long while all the other animals play. He is so quiet. The other animals assume the old postman is sad. Read this beautiful picture book and discover the postman's sec...

My Amazing Body Machine By Robert Winston Illustrated by Owen Gildersleeve Dorling Kindersley, 2017. Informational. There is a reason why kids, parents, and librarians flip over a new DK Publishing book - they really are that much better than many of their non-fiction counter parts. DK books are so good that one of our teen librarians recently posted to the Library Blog about how good they are. This new addition is a bright, colorful, interesting introduction to the human body and how it works. The text is simple and broken down to help readers of all ages learn a little more about how their body works. What makes this book stand out from so many other children's books about the human body are the incredible illustrations. Owen Gildersleeve is a London based artist who specializes in handcrafted illustrations, this is the first book for children that he's illustrated, but I'm hoping for many, many more! The incredibly delicate cut paper illustrations are bright,...

The Crooked Sixpence (Uncommoners #1) by Jennifer Bell Crown Books, 2017. Fiction. 309 p. While Ivy and Seb are staying with their grandmother, they are suddenly thrown into the world of the "uncommoners," people who can feel the magic in random everyday objects.  They attend an "uncommon" market day and soon find out that the actions of their ancestors have put them at risk in this new world. Ivy and Seb work with a few new friends to learn the truth about their family's past as they try to defeat the dark forces within the Uncommon government. Bell has created a face paced, original fantasy for kids who like Gregor the Overlander .  The "uncommon" world is delightfully creative and the uncommon uses of everyday objects are clever and sometimes funny. Ivy and Seb and likable characters and readers will be eager for the next in the series.

Rain By Sam Usher Templar, 2017. Picture book. A little boy can’t wait to go outside and play in the rain, but Granddad says it’s best to wait for it to stop. They wait and wait but the rain doesn’t stop. Finally, Granddad needs to mail a letter and so they both set out into the downpour. Thus starts a great water adventure with gondolas, acrobats and musicians. The best things are always worth waiting for. This is the second in a four book series about weather written and illustrated by Sam Usher, and it celebrates not only rainy days but also the special bonds between grandparent and child.

7 Ate 9  By Tara Lazar Illustrated by Ross MacDonald Disney Hyperion, 2017. Picture Book. Character is important. And in this book you learn all about the importance of being a good character. It all starts when 6 comes barreling into the office of a private “I” detective. 6 was worried because 7 was going to get him since “7 ate 9!” And thus begins the investigation as to what 7 had done. Readers will learn about letters and the importance of not eating other people (and what it means to be a good number—er—person). This is a silly book with big numbers and letters as the characters with retro-like faces (think Dick and Jane faces on numbers or letters). Kids might not always get the humor; however, the parents who read to the kiddos will chuckle here and there. And if a parent can laugh at the book, it may be one that is okay to read over and over again.

In Darkling Wood By Emma Carroll Delacorte Press, 2017.  Fiction.  231 p. Fifteen-year-old Alice lives in England with her mother and her younger brother Theo.  When a perfectly matched heart becomes available for Theo's desperately needed transplant, Alice must leave her home and friends to stay with a grandmother who she's never met.  It's bad enough that gruff Grandma Nell can't cook worth a darn, but the fact that she lives in an old countryside cottage with sketchy cell service and no internet connection just makes Alice's separation from her mom and Theo seem more complete. Nell complicates things further with her intent to cut down the woods around her cottage, and the town neighbors are up in arms, making Alice a very unpopular new schoolmate.  With worrying about her brother, and an unusual new friend trying to convince her that the woods are actually filled with fairies, sensible Alice struggles with the discovery that things are not al...

On Our Way to Oyster Bay: Mother Jones and Her March for Children's Rights Written by Monica Kulling Illustrated by Felicita Sala Kids Can Press, 2016. Informational Picture Book. I am inspired by individuals who see a cause and fight for it. The most vulnerable groups who don't have the ability to stand up for their own rights need others to represent their cause. I have always been an advocate children and their rights. It is unbelievable to think of time when children were put to work in factories and it was not required that they were educated. Education is power! I believe every child is entitled to an opportunity to be provided with an education. Kullings description of Mary Harris also known as "Mother" Jones was inspiring to me. Mother Jones saw that children shouldn't be working in these factories. She organized a march to Oyster Bay to visit President Theodore Roosevelt in his summer home. During their march they stopped in New York City and ...

Perritos: Un libro para contar y ladrar by Sandra Boynton Simon & Schuster Libros Para Niños, 2004. I'm calling this book a Character Counts read because few things have more character than a Sandra Boynton board book. And these dogs don't disappoint. Join Boynton's rowdy and uniquely individual dogs in counting to 10 in Spanish. En este libro ilustrado para niños, se puede contar de uno a diez perros. A los niños les gustará que cada perro tiene un ruido distinto.

Lemons By Melissa Savage Crown Books for Young Readers, 2017. Fiction. After her mother dies in 1975, Lemonade Liberty Witt is sent to live with the grandfather she's never met in Willow Creek, California - Bigfoot Capital of the World. She's sure that she'll be able to move back to San Francisco to live with her fourth-grade teacher Miss Cotton soon, and so Lem doesn't try to make friends in her new, weird town. Not even with Tobin, her neighbor and the president and founder of Bigfoot Detectives Inc. As Lem reluctantly begins hunting for Bigfoot she finds a family and learns that everyone loses people they love but that shouldn't keep you from making lemonade out of the lemons. There are a lot of "found family" books in middle grade fiction and a lot of great books to help kids understand grief. What obviously sets this book apart is the Bigfoot hunting - and I really loved it. This book is a tearjerker - no doubt - but it is also humorous enou...

The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya Viking, 2017. Fiction. 236 p. Arturo and his large extended family live in a small town in Florida. When their family-run restaurant is threatened by a developer who wants to put up high rise apartments, Arturo, his family, and his new found friend, Carmen, find strength from the words of Arturo's grandparents, and the Cuban poet, Jose Marti, to face the threat to their family business. This is a heart warming story. Arturo's family feels authentic, and Arturo's relationship with his grandmother is touching. Readers who come from a large close family will have much to chuckle over in the story, while those who don't can get a glimpse into the sweet and challenging life of those who do. This is a great addition to literature portraying the Latino experience and I expect to see it on some of the award lists next winter.

Green Pants By Kenneth Kraegel Candlewick, 2017. Picture book. Jameson really loves his green pants. They are the only color pants he will wear. If he wears his green pants, he knows he can dunk the ball, dive off the diving board, and dance. When his cousin invites him to be a part of his wedding procession, Jameson is thrilled. Until he realizes that being a part of the wedding means wearing black tuxedo pants. What will Jameson decide to do? This is a fun story about a spunky little boy with a very specific attachment who has to face a tough choice. The parenting strategies modeled in this book are really great, as Jameson’s mom offers him sympathy and encouragement for his difficult decision, but lets him handle the choice and consequences on his own. Jameson’s solution is very satisfying and will leave readers cheering him on.

Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team  By Steve Sheinkin Roaring Brook Press, 2017. Informational, 280 p. Wowzer. That is the first thing that I thought after having finished this older elementary/teen nonfiction book. This is an amazing story. I knew who Jim Thorpe was. I had heard his name and knew he was a legendary sports figure. But really, I didn’t know who Jim Thorpe was. Now I do. Now I know that he was amazing. And the rest of his teammates were amazing as well. This is the story of Jim Thorpe and the rest of the Carlisle Indian School football team. They were always the underdogs when playing football. White players were allowed to slug or knee them without getting penalized while the Carlisle team had to play clean or risk being tossed out of the game or penalties. There was so much injustice and prejudice that happened during this era. I mean, starting with the fact that these kids were sent to a school that had a mission to take ...

Balderdash! John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books By Michelle Markel Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter Chronicle Books, 2017. Biographical Picture Book. Although I am surrounded by picture books everyday I have never stopped to think how they came to be. Who started creating and marketing books to children? I have always loved reading picture books and I get excited with brand-new books I have been anticipating. Seeing children engrossed in a book that excites them is definitely a perk to working in the library.  The light in a child's eyes and look of extreme delight all over their face, when I find a specific book a child has asked for, just makes me happy. Markel's book is a perfect, entertaining description of the inception of children's books. It is written to the children reading it, which I found helped me to easily become part of the story. Carpenter's pictures are fun to look at and the emotions of the characters really came throu...

Cuando un elefante se enamora by Davide Calì and Alice Lotti Translated by Ana Sancho Rosales  Anaya, 2016. Libro ilustrado. This books is great in English or Spanish. Follow the adorable elephant protagonist through all the stages of love: He wants to get her attention, but he's shy. He tries to diet, bathe, and leave flowers, but it doesn't seem like enough and sometimes feels sad. Then, one day, love comes to knock on his door instead of the other way around. It's super cute.  ¿Qué ocurre cuando uno se enamora? Cuando un elefante se enamora hace de todo para llamar la atención, se baña todos los días y escribe cartas que nunca envía. Pero cuando menos lo espera ...

One Last Word: Wisdom From the Harlem Renaissance By Nikki Grimes Bloomsbury, 2017. Poetry. This book is timely, lyrical, beautiful, and brilliant - I cannot say enough good things about it. Nikki Grimes is the poet and author of numerous children's books, but I think this is the first of her books I've read where I feel like she could not possibly be any better. This book begins with a short introduction to the Harlem Renaissance, the power of poetry, and Nikki Grimes' own attachment to the movement. She then uses the Golden Shovel form of poetry - which she explains - to re-explore some famous poems by poets of the Harlem Renaissance. I read this entire book cover to cover in a single sitting, but families could read it at a slower pace and still enjoy it. As soon as I finished, I went back to re-read some of my favorite passages because it was really that good! There are definitely sophisticated themes in this book, and some of the poems may be hard for childre...

Star Scouts By Mike Lawrence First Second, 2017. Graphic Novel. 185 p. Avani has moved to a new town and is having a hard time fitting in with her new Flower Scouts group.  All they want to talk about is boys and makeup, and they make fun of Avani because she used to compete in rodeos. Then one night Avani is mistakenly transported to another planet where she meets Mabel, a friendly alien, and her friends, the Star Scouts. Although the other Star Scouts look very different from Avani, she soon fits right in.  Her main problem now is how to convince her father to let her go across the universe to attend Camp Andromeda. This is a delightful science fiction twist on the old "new girl at a new school" theme. Lawrence's story and illustrations are full of action and humor. Avani gets to do so many fun things as a Star Scout, readers will be wishing they could be Star Scouts as well. This is a "Character Counts" title because of Lawrence's clear...

The Forever Garden By Laurel Snyder Schwartz & Wade, 2017. Picture book. Every day Honey is in her garden, pruning, planting, and caring for her plants. And every day the little girl next door comes over and watches and learns. Their friendship grows as the gather the eggs, sing to the kale, and eat the berries. But one day, Honey has to move away to take care of her mother. What will happen to their beloved garden? This is a sweet, warm and gentle book about gardening, friendship, and the power of planting today so that others may enjoy the harvest in the future.

Life on Mars By Jon Agee Dial Books for Young Readers, 2017. Picture Book. An astronaut traveled from Earth to Mars to see if there was any life there. The astronaut has brought a box of chocolate cupcakes as a gift—but the astronaut doesn’t find anyone to give them to. Astute readers will chuckle at the astronaut’s lack of perception (for there is life on Mars…and it is following the astronaut around). Basically this is a book about a kind astronaut who just doesn’t see the shy Martian that is following him (or her—you can’t really tell and the book never says) around. Seriously, kids will love how blind the astronaut is. And then they will enjoy the kind gift of chocolate cupcakes and the way the Martian helps the astronaut find her (or his—seriously can’t tell what gender this astronaut is) spaceship. Well done, Agee. I am anticipating the chuckles already!

A Letter to My Teacher By Deborah Hopkinson Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter Penguin Random House, 2017. Picture Book. It is mid-way through the summer break and about this time parents realize how important and dedicated teachers really are to spend their days with classrooms full of energetic, inquisitive children. This book, with Carpenter's soothing watercolor illustrations, would be a beautiful gift for a teacher to show appreciation for all the time and energy they put into teaching and caring for children. It is written as a letter to a teacher from a former student. The student reflects on the school year full of ups and downs. Through it all, the teacher is supportive and caring, even when the student doesn't behave perfectly. It brought back many memories of great teachers I had growing up and supportive teachers my children have had, which I truly appreciate and trust to care for my little ones.

100 Pablo Picassos by Violet Lemay Translated by Raquel Solà Editorial Juventud, 2016. Biography. This wonderful biography can be found in either English or Spanish.  In this book, the incredible Pablo Picasso isn't just one man, he is 100 men! Learn about the boy Pablo who sketched animals, and the grown Pablo who learned to interpret the world in a new way. There are 100 images of Picasso that children can count as they follow him throughout his life. Esta libro es una biografía maravillosa en Inglés o en Español. En el libro Pablo Picasso increíble se muestra 100 veces. Los niños puedan contar cada Picasso mientras aprenden sobre su vida.

Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel By Kimberly Willis Holt Henry Holt and Company, 2017. Fiction. Stevie, named after Stevie Nicks, is pretty happy with her life in Taos, New Mexico. She loves working in the garden with her parents and selling their flowers and herbs on the roadside stand they own. She is happy with her little family and glad to know that her parents are her best friends. All of that changes when a drunk driver kills Stevie's parents and she has to uproot her life and move to Little Esther, Texas to live with the grandfather she thought was dead. Stevie finds herself living at a rundown motel in a small town with no flowers, no parents, no public school, and Winston - a stodgy old man. As Stevie learns to flourish in her new environment, she also learns that there are some things about her family she never knew. Stevie makes this book for me. The story is a pretty standard coming of age story about a girl who discovers herself and her family's secret...

Bronze and Sunflower By Wenxuan Cao Translated from Chinese by Helen Wang Candlewick,  2017. Fiction. 386 p. In rural China during the Cultural Revolution, Sunflower meets a mute country boy named Bronze while her father works at a cadre school. When her father dies, Sunflower is adopted by Bronze's family. Although they are very poor, the family loves Sunflower and make great sacrifices so that she can go to school and have a good life.  She, in turn comes to love her new family, and especially her new brother, with all her heart. Cao's descriptions of the people and life in the humble village of Damadai are so intimate that the reader finishes the book feeling like they have actually traveled to a different time and place.  Cao doesn't sugarcoat the hardships the family goes through, but every chapter of the book is a testament that, with love, families can make it through any trial. This is a great choice for readers who like the books of Gloria Whelan or Kimb...

Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music By Margarita Engle HMH Books for Young Readers, 2015. Juvenile biography. On an island of beautiful colors and rhythmic music, a young girl dreams of playing the congas, bongos and timbales. But only boys are allowed to play drums, and so she must practice in secret until the day that her sisters and father decide to make her dream a reality. This picture book biography was inspired by the life of Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, a Chinese-African-Cuban who broke Cuba’s traditional taboo against female drummers in 1932 and became a world-famous musician. The illustrations by Rafael Lopez are gorgeous, richly colored, and symbolic. This book won the Pura Belpré Award and is available in print, ebook, and as a DVD read-along.

Super Narwhal and Jelly Jolt  By Ben Clanton Tundra Books, 2017. Comics, 64 p. In this sequel to Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea  (that I reviewed here ) Narwhal decides to be a superhero. When talking to Jelly the duo tries to figure out just what Narwhal’s super power would be…but they aren’t quite sure. With a lot of persistence (and waffles) Narwhal is finally able to figure out what his SUPER power is…and it is pretty great (and demonstrates how kind and considerate Narwhal is). . This is a pretty great book. I like how just being themselves is an important part of being a superhero (or a sidekick). And there is the added bonus of the “Super Sea Creatures” section that tells some amazing facts of sea creatures. Plus there is a second bonus of a comic that has to do with waffles (the favorite thing to eat of Super Narwhal and Jelly Jolt). With great characters, fun illustrations in a comic format, and a good story this book is sure to make kiddos who like superheroes...

Going Places By Peter H. Reynolds and Paul A. Reynolds Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds Antheneum Books For Young Readers, 2014. Picture Book. Each person in Rafael's class is given a go-cart kit with building instructions. Rafael can't wait! He immediately goes home and builds the go-cart exactly as the instructions say. He finds his classmate and neighbor, Maya, observing and drawing a bird. He asks why she isn't starting to build her go-cart. When she does start she builds a pair of wings. Rafael questions her, but Maya says, "Who said it HAD to be a go-cart?" Rafael asks if they can join forces, because the instructions never say you couldn't team up. The Reynolds brothers have created an inspirational story of thinking outside the box. Maya helps Rafael to spread his wings of thought and creativity. Together they push the boundaries of their imaginations. It is easy to find parallels in life where we tend to follow exact instructions. This story...