Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Sam the Most Scaredy-Cat Kid in the Whole World  Mo Willems Hyperion Books for Children, 2017. Picture Book. Fans of Mo Willems (and Leonardo the Terrible Monster ) can rejoice! There is another great picture book—although we shouldn’t be surprised. It is Mo Willems after all. In this sequel to Leonardo’s story, Sam is still the most scaredy-cat kid in the whole world. He just isn’t scared of his monster pal Leonardo. Of course Sam meets another scaredy-cat kid (Kerry) who is also afraid of basically everything. And as it turns out, both Sam and Kerry are afraid of each other—which leads to a lot of the two kids trying to figure out how not to be scared together. This clever sequel will bring smiles to young readers who know what it is like to be scared of new people and situations (even if they are brave when meeting monsters and facing other potentially scary things). This book is such fun for the kiddos who like the idea of being scared—but don’t really like being scare...

GHOSTS I don't know if it's Halloween that's got me in the mood for spooky things, or if I just really like ghosts. Either way I'm excited to share our newest book display. Since this display is brand new, it's scheduled to remain up until Christmas. Fun fact: traditionally ghost stories weren't just a Halloween thing. When day-to-day activities depended more on sunlight, people would gather around the fire on a cold winter night and swap spine-chilling tales. For example, one of the most famous Christmas reads-- A Christmas Carol-- is a Victorian ghost story. So enjoy the holiday season with a taste of the supernatural. Ghosts and Other Specters by Anita Ganeri and David West  PowerKids Press, 2011. Informational. "Describes many different kinds of ghosts, and explains the specter spectrum, from spirits that appear in ancient myths to the contemporary ghost hunters who use modern technology to study paranormal activity." Haunted Houses b...

Read in Book Babies Ollie's Halloween By Olivier Dunrea Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2010.  Picture Book. It's Halloween night!  Ollie is on the prowl.  He creeps and stalks.  He hoots and howls.  But all of the fun may be too scary for a small gosling!  --Publisher Read in Toddler Time Hungry Bird By Jeremy Tankard Scholastic Press, 2016.  Picture Book. Bird is hiking with his friends when his tummy rumbles. But no one packed him a snack that he likes! With every step, his hunger mounts until he collapses on the ground. How will Bird survive if he doesn't eat the perfect something this instant?!  --Publisher Read in Preschool Time Hush Little Monster Written by Denis Markell Illustrated by Melissa Iwai Little Simon, 2012.  Picture Book. Hush, Little Monster, don’t you howl.  Daddy’s gonna give you a…screeching owl.  If that owl won’t say “whoo whoo”…Granny ...

Giant Trouble By Ursula Vernon Dial Books, 2017. 224 p. Princess Harriet Hamsterbone is brave and intelligent. She is also a hamster. She is cursed at birth birth by the evil wicked fairy mouse, Ratshade, and she is doomed to fall into a Sleeping Beauty-like sleep when she turns 12. This leaves her invincible and she lives without fear. In her latest adventure, she climbs a mysterious beanstalk and a poetically challenged giant rabbit and its castle at the top. Giant Trouble is the fourth installment of the Hamster Princess series. This is good for ages 8 and up. It's a graphic novel-style book and great for someone looking for adventure. This style is similar to Ursula Vernons series Dragonbreath.

Herbert's First Halloween By Cynthia Rylant Illustrated by Steven Henry Chronicle Books, 2017. Picture book. Herbert isn't sure about his first Halloween. His father loves it and explains all the exciting things that will happen like getting candy and dressing up. But Herbert is still not sure. He does like the idea of dressing up as tiger so he practices on his roar while his dad sews his costume. When Halloween finally comes along he decides he likes Halloween after all! The adorable Herbert shows how a brave little pig tackles something new by preparing for the big day. A cute read to share with your little trick or treater this Halloween.

  The Door in the Alley (The Explorers Book 1) by Adrienne Kress Delecorte Press, 2017. Ficion. 305 p. Sebastian loves to follow rules and always does his best to please his parents and his teachers.  Then one day he sees a door in an alley and a pig with a little hat that intrigue him.  Meanwhile, an orphaned girl, Evie, is enduring another dinner with two of the most boring people she could imagine, when they are attacked by some frightening thugs.  Right before the house she is in explodes, one of Evie's hosts gives her a letter from her grandfather whom Evie thought was dead.  The letter is a cry for help.  Both Evie's letter and the pig with the little hat lead the two children to the Explorer's Society, a mysterious organization that holds the key to finding Evie's grandfather. This is a fun and lighthearted adventure with plenty of kid appeal. Action, mystery, and quirky humor will keep young readers turning pages until the end. This...

Blobfish Throws a Party by Miranda Paul illustrated by Maggie Caton Blobfish, who lives alone in the dark at the bottom of the ocean with no friends and no delicious treats, seeks to change his situation by either throwing a party or saving the world. When his attempts to throw a party go awry - in truly hilarious fashion - he seems doomed to be alone forever, but suddenly things begin to change. Any fans of weird animals should give this book a try - it is silly, wacky, and funny enough to make even grown-ups laugh out loud. The bright, chaotic illustrations perfectly capture the zaniness of this great read-aloud book and even manage to make blobfish look pretty cute.

Creepy Pair of Underwear! By Aaron Reynolds Illustrated by Peter Brown Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2017. Picture Book. Jasper Rabbit needed to get new underwear. So he and his mom went to the store. They bought a bunch of plain white underwear…but Jasper convinced his mother to buy one pair of creepy underwear as well. This underwear had a creepy face and glowed in the dark! At first Jasper was excited to try his new underwear; however, he soon found out that the underwear was just as creepy as it was advertised. Jasper now had to figure out how to get rid of the creepy underwear before the underwear got to him. This is a clever story that youngsters who like to be scared—but not too scared—will love to read. And it shows the littlest readers that wearing underwear is cool (without this being a book that is a potty training book…just one that mentions the underclothing that is so new and exciting to some of these young readers). All in all, this is one creepi...

Magic Thinks Big By Elisha Cooper A cat sits in the doorway and tries to decide whether to go inside where he might get fed again, go outside where he might have an adventure, or stay where he is. Kitten’s First Full Moon By Kevin Henkes When Kitten mistakes the full moon for a bowl of milk, she ends up tired, wet, and hungry trying to reach it. April’s Kittens By Clare Turlay Newberry Three new kittens are too many for a one-cat apartment, but Daddy finds a solution to the problem. Millions of Cats By Wanda Gag How can an old man and his wife select one cat from a choice of millions and trillions? Red Cat, Blue Cat By Jenni Desmond "Fur flies and feline friendships form as two cats of different colors find that, with a little effort, they can be themselves and make a perfect blend" How to Be a Cat By Nikki McClure Cut-paper illustrations and single words of text show a kitten's attempts to imitate an adult cat's mastery of such...

Read in Book Babies Hands Can Written by Cheryl Willis Hudson Photographs by John-Francis Bourke Candlewick Press, 2003.  Picture Book. Photographs and simple rhyming text present different things that hands can do, such as hold things, mix things, and wave goodbye.  --Publisher Read in Toddler Time Creepy Pair of Underwear Written by Aaron Reynolds Illustrated by Peter Brown Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2017.  Picture Book. Jasper Rabbit is NOT a little bunny anymore.  He can pick any pair of underwear he wants.  And every big rabbit knows Creepy Underwear are the coolest.  Even if they give off a ghoulish, greenish glow.  It's NOT like Jasper is scared.  He just might be done with his Creepy Underwear...  But are they done with him?  --Publisher Read in Preschool Time Goldfish Ghost Written by Lemony Snicket Illustrated by Lisa Brown Roaring Book Press, 2...

Chilling Interactive Adventures by Various Authors Capstone Press Informational 100s As the person who buys all the informational ghost books, I was so excited to find this fun new series. Each book is set in an actual place that's believed to be haunted. Drawing on the stories and folklore surrounding the hauntings, each story casts you as a character on a night time adventure with multiple paths and possibilites. So, yes, this is just basically a Choose Your Own Adventure series... but they're spooky!

All's Faire in Middle School By Victoria Jamieson Dial Books for Young Readers, 2017. Comics. 248 p. Imogene's family has been a part of the Renaissance Faire her entire life. This year, for the first time she is going to be an actor in the Faire, instead of just running the shop with her mom! She has also been home schooled her entire life, but she decides she wants to start 6th grade in public school, her first year of middle school. She encounters the tricky business of making friends and finding out middle school can be hard. Sometimes people who you think are your friends, really aren't. This graphic novel is a true telling of the middle school experience. The emotions, awkwardness, and insecurities are perfectly portrayed. Imogene has to realize who the important people are in her life and who she really is. The extensive amount of artwork is incredible. The reader is brought into the life of Imogene. The description and detail of the inner workings and peopl...

Tumble and Blue by Cassie Beasley Dial Books for Young Readers, 2017. Fiction. 309 p. Blue Montgomery is taken to his grandmother's house in the Okefenokee  swamp and unceremoniously dropped off by his race-car-driving father. The Montgomerys each have an unbreakable fate, either good or bad, and Blue's is that he always looses.  Once every 100 years an opportunity arises for one of the Montgomerys to change their fate, and Blue is determined he will be the one.  While waiting for the appointed day, Blue meets Tumble, a girl who is obsessed with being a hero.  When Tumble discovers Blue's curse, she is determined to help him break it.  Things are not as straight forward as they seem, and soon both children find themselves in more danger than they could have imagined. This book is getting starred reviews all over the place.  It is by the author of Circus Mirandus , which got a lot a attention a few years ago.  It is an interesting fan...

Buddy and Earl Go to School By Maureen Fergus Groundwood Books, 2017. Picture book. In this latest installment of the Buddy and Earl books, the two friends decide they need some education so that they can reach their dreams (which include becoming a dentist for Earl and a hot dog vendor for Buddy). So after a nutritious breakfast of Dad’s slippers and gathering their school supplies of smelly blankets and chew toys, Buddy and Earl attend an improvised classroom. As usual, there is lots of adventure, wit, and warm friendship. Buddy and Earl get better and better.

A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting  By Joe Ballarini Katherine Tegen Books, An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2017. 338 p. Alright, who knows kids that like reading books about monsters that are pretty creepy? You know, the kind that likes Goosebumps or Mary Downing Hahn books. Well, this is another book for those readers who love the spooky feeling that comes every October when the world thinks of ghosts and goblins and all things Halloween. The only thing is this book also might appeal to kids who like the Babysitters Club and books about kids who have to figure out relationships of friends and potential boys they like. This is a mix of those two worlds. And it was pretty fun to read. Kelly wants to save money so she can go to a fancy summer camp. So she starts babysitting. On Halloween. And she loses the kid to a monster. Yup, her life is totally not going the way she planned. Kelly soon learns that there are babysitters and then there are babysitters who ar...

Read in Book Babies An Orange in January Written by Dianna Hutts Aston Illustrated by Julie Maren Dial Books for Young Readers, 2007.  Picture Book. Biting into a plump, juicy orange is one of the great pleasures of winter.  But how has that snack found its way to you?  This glowing, lyrical book tells the tale of an orange's life journey--from spring blossom to bright, round fruit, from tree to truck to grocery store.  And perhaps then, into the hands of a child, who takes it from its shelf in the produce section, saves it for school the next day, and then shares it with friends at recess.  Oh, the sweetness of an orange in January!  --Publisher Read in Book Babies 1 Big Salad:  A Delicious Counting Book By Juana Medina Viking, 2016.  Picture Book. 1 Avocado Deer.  2 Radish Mice.  3 Pepper Monkeys.  Are you hungry yet??  Counting from one to ten, 1 Big Salad fills a bowl with the most delici...

Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots by Debbie Dadey Scholastic, c1990. Intermediate. 78 pgs. FLASHBACK FRIDAY! To the year I was born: 1991. The popular Bailey School Kids series published it's first installment, and I've loved them ever since. If you're looking for a great intermediate series and haven't managed to run across this one yet, do. Four friends from Bailey School Elementary's third grade class are surprised when their new teacher exhibits features of vampirism. This is the beginning of their Scooby-Doo type investigative club that carries them through countless cases as they believe (but can't quite prove) that their town is filling up with friendly monsters.

  Goodnight, Hockey Fans By Andrew Larsen Illustrated by Jacqui Lee Kids Can Press, 2017. Picture Book. Hitting the shelves just in time for the hockey season, Goodnight, Hockey Fans tells the story of a little boy who can't fall asleep so he pulls out his dads old radio to listen to the game broadcast of his favorite hockey team. Soon he drifts off to sleep, and finds himself playing (and scoring!) for his team. A cute bedtime story to share with your little hockey fan.

  The Sand Warrior (5 Worlds Book 1) by Mark Siegel Random House, 2017. Comics. 248p. Oona is the least proficient of all the sand dancers.  Her aniforms are always getting away from her.  While chasing one she overhears a council meeting and discovers that her world is in great danger.  The "Chosen One" needs to relight the five beacons before they all parish.  Oona believes her long lost sister is the chosen one,  and with the help of some unlikely friends,  she goes on a desperate quest to find her and bring her back to Crystalia. This is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel fantasy.  It got some starred reviews and will be popular with the " Amulet " crowd.  There is nothing terribly original in the plot line, but the setting is well imagined, and somehow we never get tired of the stories of the underdog who discovers hidden potential and uses it to save the world.

This Is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids From Around the World By Matt Lamothe Chronicle Books, 2017. Informational. This beautifully illustrated book explores the daily lives of seven real children from seven different countries - Italy, Japan, Uganda, Russia, Peru, India, and Iran. We see what these kids like to do for fun, what they like to eat, where they live, and how different and similar their lives are. This book is a  simple celebration of diversity with beautifully detailed pages for readers to pore over. I'm especially a fan of the graphic layout of this book which leaves space for the reader to think about how they spend their own day. Real photos of the families featured in this book are included at the end, which makes it even easier to compare the similarities between children all over the world. 

The Scariest Book Ever  Bob Shea Disney Hyperion, 2017. Picture Book. There is a ghost who is a spooky and scary ghost. (Who tends to also be afraid of things…) The ghost “accidentally” spills orange juice on his white sheet so he now has to stay at home while the reader goes into the spooky woods to see what is out there. So begins the story of where the brave readers keep going in the woods and back to the ghost to tell him what they saw. This is a fun little book to read that is about “scary” things…but really isn’t all that “scary”. So, if there is a little one out there who wants to read The Scariest Book Ever around Halloween—but is too afraid to really want to read those type of books—then this is the perfect book for them!

Read in Book Babies Benedict Written by Teresa Duran Illustrated by Elena Val Translated by Elisa Amado Groundwood Books, 2019.  Picture Book. Benedict, also known as Benny, is tired of living in such a hot place.  And so he cleverly springs on his coiled tail from one habitat to another.  He visits the North Pole, the desert, the jungle, and finally the ocean in search of perfection....This is a witty, very droll book about trying to find that elusive place where everything is just right.  But is anywhere ever really perfect?  --Publisher Read in Toddler Time Edgar Gets Ready for Bed By Jennifer Adams Gibbs Smith, 2015.  Picture Book. Once upon a midnight dreary...  Little Edgar the Raven is having a tough time minding his mother.  Dinnertime, cleanup-time, and bedtime are all met with one word -- "NEVERMORE!"  From drawing on his bedroom walls with crayons to chasing his sister with a scarecrow, ...

A True Home Written by Kallie George J Intermediate, 2017. 162 p. Mona is a small mouse with no family and no home to speak of. She gets swept downstream during a terrible storm and finds herself at the Heartwood Hotel -- a huge tree in the middle of the woods that acts as a luxurious, grand hotel for all kinds of forest creatures. Mona becomes Heartwood’s newest maid. Her kind nature and quick wit come in handy as she cares for the animal guests and solves problems big and small. A True Home is the first book in the Heartwood Hotel J Intermediate series. Very cozy and full of delicious details (but touched with a little danger!), it’s perfect reading for the changing seasons.