Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Fake Blood by Whitney Gardner Simon & Schuster, 2018. Comics. 332 p. In this new graphic novel AJ has a crush on a girl who is obsessed with vampires. When they get put together on a history project about Transylvania, he decides to pretend to be a vampire to impress her. Little does he know that she is not a "Bella" but a "Buffy."  AJ fnds himself desperately trying to convince her that he isn't really a vampire, while discovering that another he knows may not be faking it. Gardner has fun with a lot of vampire tropes, especially those found in the Twilight series.  She adds in a cute relationship between AJ and his older sister, and between his two best friends who are always competing against each other.  I wouldn't call the illustrations awesome, but they convey the awkward junior high social drama believably enough.  This is a good choice for boys or girls who like Telgemeier's graphic novels.

Do you like arts and crafts, building projects, or just generally doing it yourself? Check out one of these nonfiction books and make stuff! The Paper Playhouse By Katrina Rodabaugh Quarry Books, 2015. Focused around surprising and easily accessibly materials like shipping boxes, shoeboxes, junk mail envelopes, newspapers, maps, found books, and other paper ephemera, The Paper Playhouse has 22 projects aimed at inspiring children to create amazing paper crafts. Making Stuff for Kids By Victoria Woodcock London: Black Dog, 2007. Features a whole slew of new ideas for cool things to make for and with kids. Includes well-loved favorites like pin̳atas, potato printing and kaleidoscopes as well as felted puppets, wacky worms and nautical mobiles. Making History By Wendy Freshman Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2014. The past comes alive through craft projects celebrating Minnesota's history and people. Projects include a Civil-War era "housewife" s...

Trevor By Jim Averbeck Roaring Brook Press, 2018. Trevor’s life in his safe, boring cage is predictable and rather lonely until he sees a lemon outside his window and mistakes it for a fellow canary. His new friend is very quiet and clearly shy, but that doesn’t stop Trevor from saving the best seeds for him, singing with him (“the lemon sang the silences”), and protecting him from the rain. This is a simple but touching tale of kindness and friendship.

National Geographic kids everything Ancient Egypt By: Crispin Boyer National Geographic, 2011. 64 p.  Discusses the mysteries of ancient Egypt, and includes facts covering treasure, pyramids, mummies, and pharaohs. Egypt By: Howard Gutner New York : Children's Press, 2009. 48 p. A basic overview of Egypt, including information on its geography, history, government, religion, people and culture. Ancient Egypt By: George Hart New York, New York : DK Publishing, 2014. 72 p.  Presents a photo essay on ancient Egypt and the people who lived there, documented through the mummies, pottery, weapons, and other objects they left behind. Mummies of the Pharaohs : exploring the Valley of the Kings By: Melvin Berger Washington, D.C., National Geographic Society,c2001. 64 p. Mummies By: Aaron, Frisch Mankato, NM : Creative Education, c2013. 24 p. A basic but fun exploration of mummies-preserved corpses that may be revived-including ho...

The Book of Boy By Catherine Gilbert Murdock Greenwillow Books, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2018. 278 p. This book is a lot of things all at once. First of all it is the story about Boy (yeah, that is his name) who is a hunchback that has lived through the bubonic plague. One day he meets a stranger who is also a pilgrim headed to Saint Peter’s Step to worship where one of the holy relics are. The stranger, named Secundus, ends up enlisting Boy to come and help him on his journey. At first Boy is nervous and a little worried to leave home…then Boy wants nothing more than to go on this journey. Of course being a novel readers soon find out that everything is not quite as it seems—and who knows what will happen in this mystery and quest all rolled into one epic adventure. Kids who like historical fiction (with a bit of fantastical spiritual elements) will enjoy reading about Boy and what happens to him. Those who get bored of medieval type of ideas, speech, and pilgri...

Read in Monday Book Babies Zorro Gets an Outfit By Carter Goodrich Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2012. Mister Bud and Zorro get along just great. They wake up together, have walk time together, and take naps together. But something is about to interrupt their schedule: Zorro has to wear a fancy outfit. Zorro is embarassed, mortified, aghast. Mr. Bud tries to cheer him up, but nothing works. Everyone makes fun of Zorro, and he refuses to participate in chew-on-a-stick time. Mister Bud doesn’t know what to do. But when another dog—a very cool dog—shows up in an outfit and does amazing tricks and beats all the other dogs in a race, Zorro discovers that wearing clothes might not be so bad after all.  --Publisher Read in Monday Cuentos Advertencia: ¡No abras este libro! Narrado por Adam Lehraupt Illustrado por Matthew Forsythe Traducción de Teresa Farran Editorial Juventud, 2014.  Spanish Picture Book. ¡Cuidado! ¡Este libro es peligro...

Little Kitchen of Horrors: Hideously delicious recipes that disgust and delight By: Ali Vega Learner Publications, 2018. Informational. Would you like a monster hand for dinner or some delicious worms as an appetizer? This cookbook is full of ideas for your Halloween table. Your food can still taste delicious but if you give it a disgusting name it makes for a frightfully fun dinner on Halloween. This spooky recipe book has many tasty treats for everyone in your family but will you dare take a bite of a Bulging Cake Eyeballs or snack on some Juicy Bat Wings. See how much fun your family will have creating some of these easy to follow recipes for dinner. I have enjoyed making fun Monster food for my family every Halloween and this book had some fun creative ideas to help make this years dinner a smash. If you are looking for ways to make some terrifyingly delicious snacks for your family check out this new cookbook at the Provo library and enjoy a hauntingly fun Ha...

I am Human Written by Susan Verde Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2018. Picture Book. My favorite duo has released another beautiful picture book! Together Verde and Reynolds have collaborated on several books, but recently I am Yoga , I am Peace , and now I am Human.  These books are more than just a simple story, they teach children how to be a better person and overcome life's obstacles. In I am Human positive things about being human are stated and then it quotes ". . . but being human means I am not  perfect. I make mistakes." It then goes on to teach how to rebound from mistakes and how to make things right with others. This book empowers children to do better. Reynolds' water color art is breathtaking as he uses a perfect combination of colors to provide a feeling of warmth and beauty. Fantastic illustrations combined with the positive message in this book make it a really great read.

Otis and Will Discover the Deep: the Record-setting Dive of the Bathysphere by Barb Rosenstock Illustrated by Katherine Roy Little, Brown and Company, 2018. Informational. 48 p. Otis Barton and Will Beebe are the brave scientist explorers who did the first deep sea dive in 1930 in a submersible called the Bathysphere. This nonfiction picture book tells how the two men got started and tries to communicate what it might have been like descending into the deep ocean.  The text is sparse, but nicely crafted.  Roy's illustrations are what makes this a stand-out STEM offering. Done in careful watercolors, they are at the same time realistic and artistic. A fold out page with a host of unusual deep sea fish marks the climax of the story at the nadir of the voyage. Rosenstock adds an interesting historical note at the end, and Roy discusses the challenges in illustrating the story. This would make a great choice for science-loving kids or a teacher read-aloud for a 2-4 g...

Pearl By Molly Idle Little Brown and Company, 2018. Picture book. Pearl is a little mermaid who longs to look after the oceans like the other mermaids do. When she asks her mother what she can look after, Pearl is heartbroken when her mother hands her a single grain of sand. The other mermaids look after the vast coral reefs or giant sea creatures and Pearl is disappointed that her job is to watch one grain of sand when there are so many grains of sand on all the beaches of the world. But as her mother tells her, small things can make a big difference. This is a beautiful and tender picture book with flowing text perfect for reading aloud. Molly Idle fans will find plenty to enjoy in the full spreads of watercolor illustrations that contrast a pink Pearl against the aquamarine ocean. As a big fan of mermaids and all things cute, I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of this book and found it deeply satisfying. Mermaid fans of all ages are sure to feel the same.

The Diamond and the Boy: The Creation of Diamonds & the Life of H. Tracy Hall  By Hannah Holt Illustrated by Jay Fleck Balzer + Bray, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2018. Picture Book Nonfiction. This unique story tells of two events: first of all it tells how a diamond is made, second it tells about the life of H. Tracy Hall—who happened to be the one who invented the process to create man-made diamonds. Because the two events are told simultaneously, it shows how a lot of heat, pressure, and difficulties help to form diamonds and also helped to shape Hall’s life. For example, in the first stages of making a diamond “heat seeps through the earth’s mantle where the continents collide, making the rock bend sweat weep.” On the opposite page there is a picture of Hall when a boy hiding in an air vent and the text reads, “Heat blows through the air vent at school where he hides from bullies, making Tracy bend sweat weep.” By showing the harsh realities of how a di...

Read in Monday Book Babies Honk! Splat! Vroom! By Barry Gott Carolrhoda Books, 2018.  Picture Book. Start your engines!  Ready...Set...Go...  AH-CHOO!  As five little mice race down the road, they face noisy twists and messy surprises at every turn.  Who will cross the finish line first?  That'll depend on more than just their speed!  --Publisher Read in Monday Cuentos Algo está creciendo Written by Walter Lyon Krudop Translated by Rosa Zubizarreta Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1995.  Spanish Picture Book. Una mañana muy tempranito, un niño llamado Pedro sembró una semilla en un pequeño pedazo de tierra al borde de una de las calles de la ciudad.  La regó cuidadosamente y le habló cada día.  –Vas a crecer—le susurró.  Nadie reparó en él.  Pero sí se fijaron en la extraordinaria planta que brotó de la semilla de Pedro, creciendo desmesuradamente e impulsando a la metenarices del barrio, l...

House of Dreams: The Life of L.M. Montgomery By Liz Rosenberg Illustrated by Julie Morstad Candlewick Press, 2018. Biography, 352 p.  Rosenberg offers a biography of the beloved children's author L.M. Montgomery that is sure to delight readers of her most famous book, "Anne of Green Gables." For younger teens or older children, this biography will paint a complicated portrait of a woman who fought against her own personal tragedies and heartbreaks to write stories filled with happiness and optimism. "House of Dreams" follows Montgomery through her difficult childhood, into her first experiences becoming a professional writer, all the way to her later years as the famous author who inspired and still inspires millions.  "House of Dreams" will serve as both an informational view of the beloved author, and as an energizing and moving work for young readers who are also experiencing hardships or difficult circumstances and would like to...

Sergio Ruzzier's Fox & Chick: The Party and Other Stories Written and Illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier Chronicle Books, 2018. Easy Reader. Fox and Chick are friends who don't always agree. And as we know from other dynamic duos like Elephant and Piggie or Frog and Toad, some funny things can happen to buddies with different personalities. There are three short stories in this easy reader: "The Party," "Good Soup," and "Sit Still." The book is in the format of a comic book, with panels and speech bubbles dividing up Ruzzier's ink and watercolor illustrations. Children learning to read will be amused by Fox and Chick's situational comedies and will feel encouraged by the simple text that occasionally uses a more challenging word.

Calling All Minds by Temple Grandin Philomel Book, 2018. Informational. 228 p. I have always admired the famous animal scientist, Temple Grandin.  This children's book, written by her, is part craft book, part memoir, and part motivational handbook.  The writing is disarmingly candid.  Grandin talks about her struggles and her victories with honesty and rather delightful humor. Grandin mentions projects that she did as a young person and how they helped prepared her to be an inventor and scientist as an adult.  As she discusses the projects she gives instructions how the reader can make the same or similar project.  The craft projects are grouped roughly by theme: paper crafts, projects about flight, projects about simple machines, etc.  Some of the projects are as simple as drawing a basic optical illusion.  Others are very complex and require specialized materials to complete. The variety of difficulty levels and the charming writing makes it so...

Monster & Mouse Go Camping By Deborah Underwood HMH Books for Young Readers, 2018. Picture book. Monster has never been camping before and is a bit reluctant. But Mouse convinces him that it will be great fun and they set out into the woods with all their supplies. Unfortunately, Monster needs a few snacks along the way and ends up eating the tent, sleeping bags and lanterns. What are two cold and hungry friends stranded in the wild to do? Monster and Mouse are a very fun new friendship duo and this story is sure to elicit lots of giggles. Perfect to read at bedtime or while preparing for a camping trip.

Giraffe Problems  By Jory John Illustrated by Lane Smith Random House, 2018. Picture Book. Do you remember the funny book Penguin Problems that we reviewed here ? Well, this is the next book o’ problems by this author/illustrator duo. Giraffe (who we later learn is named Edward) has problems—specifically neck problems. He is the only animal with such a long neck. Other animals look at Edward’s neck. Edward can’t hide his neck very well. Basically his neck is just to “necky”. Then along comes a turtle (who we learn is named Cyrus). Cyrus also doesn’t like his neck—mostly because his neck is too short. Eventually the duo help each other out (Edward gets Cyrus a banana that he is too short to reach and Cyrus helps Edward feel confident with a good friend). This is another fun book that shows kiddos that life isn’t always what they want—but they can make life good with what they’ve got. Well done John and Smith. Well done.

Read in Monday Book Babies Carrot & Pea: An Unlikely Friendship By Morag Hood Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016.  Picture Book. Colin is tall.  He's orange.  He's nothing like Lee.  He can't do any of the things Lee and his pals can do.  How can they ever be friends?  A charming celebration of embracing differences and standing out in a crowd.  --Publisher Read in Monday 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 delicious and delightful vegetables.  Here is a truly scrumptious way to learn numbers...and eat them, too!  --Publisher Read in Monday Cuentos Los de arriba y los de abaja By Paloma Valdivia Kalandraka, 2014.  Spanish Picture Book. En el mundo ex...

Whichwood   By Tahereh Mafi Penguin Young Readers Group, 2017. Fiction. 368 p. Whichwood is the sequel to Furthermore (2016) , and pulls Alice and Oliver from Ferenwood to Whichwood and into the life of the very unusual Laylee and her very unfortunate circumstances. With her mother dead and her father driven insane by grief, 13-year-old Laylee is forced to pick up the mantle as the only mordeshoor in Whichwood. As mordeshoor, Laylee has the duty and magical skills necessary to clean and prepare the bodies of the dead for the Otherwhere, the land beyond death. Laylee’s task of caring for the dead is, at best, unappreciated and at worst scorned and feared by those still alive in Whichwood. This leaves Laylee very lonely, neglected, and angry. On top of all that, the strain of Laylee’s responsibilities are killing her. Laylee, whose dark hair and amber eyes have already turned silver, realizes she is “irrevocably ill” when her bronze skin starts to fade to silver. Lay...

You Go First Written by Erin Entrada Kelly Harper Collins Children's Books, Fiction. 288 p. Erin Entrada Kelly won the most recent Newbery award with Hello Universe . She has already followed it with a brand new relatable middle school fiction novel. Twelve-year old Charlotte Lockard and eleven-year old Ben Boxer met online playing scrabble. They live far away from each other and have never even spoken, they only text back and forth. Both are very intelligent and happen to do well playing scrabble They are constantly competing for the top score. Each friend encounters tough life experiences, especially for a middle-school student. Ben's parents decide to get a divorce and Charlotte's dad has a heart attack and has to stay in the hospital. Ben decides to pick up the phone and actually call Charlotte instead of just text her. He has a hard time making friends and with everything he is going through he needs a good friend he can talk to. Friendship is a constant ...

  Daisy's Decorating Dilemma (Wild Fairies #1) by Brandi Dougherty Illustrated by Ren ée Kurilla Rodale Books, 2018. Intermediate. 103 p. Daisy is a flower fairy in charge of the decorations for an upcoming party, the Blossom Bash.  Each of her flower fairy friends wants the decorations to look like their favorite flower.  Daisy doesn't want to offend any of them, but they can't all have their way, can they? This is the first in the new chapter book "Wild Fairies" series.  The story is simple but charming, and the color illustrations are darling.  At the end of the book, Dougherty includes information about  each of the fairies, a recipe, a "spot the differences" game, and a game to find your "fairy name". This is a good choice for kids who like   Princess in Black , but are looking for the next step up in reading level.  (2018, 97 p.)

Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein By Linda Bailey Illustrated by Julia Sarda Tundra, 2018. Picture book biography. It has been two hundred years since Mary Shelley's Victor Frankenstein's monster was first written into our imaginations, and in celebration of this you may notice a proliferation of new Frankenstein books this year. This well-illustrated picture book tells the story of Mary and what led her to create a monster. The story is easy to follow and well-written for kids who may not yet know the Frankenstein origin story (a dark stormy night, a contest to write the best ghost story, Lord Byron and Shelley attending). Frankenstein is one of my favorite adult novels and I am very excited to see this new book and its remarkable illustrations just in time for Halloween.

The Cardboard Kingdom  By Chad Sell Alfred A. Knopf, 2018. Graphic Novel 281 p. When summer rolls around and kids say they are board, they can learn from the various characters in this book. Each kid has a different persona that they take on in an epic summer-long adventure in the Cardboard Kingdom (basically their imagination personified in costumes, buildings, and props that they built with cardboard). The thing I especially like about this book is that it isn’t just about their imaginative personas—there are bits about the kids’ real lives as well. For example, the Gargoyle also has a mom and a dad that are arguing and the dad is moving out. The Big Banshee has a Meemaw who doesn’t like how her granddaughter is loud and full of too much energy. The Mad Scientist wants to please her father. The Robot and the Bully (who is not raised by a parent rather by his Nanna) aren’t as good at making friends. Basically, there are a lot of bits that go into the kids and their home li...

From Monday Book Babies Can You Make a Scary Face? By Jan Thomas Beach Lane Books, 2009.  Picture Book. What kind of a face would you make if a tickly green bug were sitting on your nose? Or if it were—eek!—inside your shirt? Could you make a scary face to frighten it away? Or, even better, stand up and do the chicken dance? Yes? Then better get to it! This exuberant, interactive picture book starring a bossy little ladybug and a GIANT hungry frog will have kids leaping up and down and out of their seats to dance and make silly scary faces of their own.  --Publisher From Monday Cuentos Los Tres Bandidos Written  and Illustrated by Tomi Ungerer Translated by Marc Taeger Kalandraka, 2007.  Spanish Picture Book. Tres ladrones que aterrorizan el campo son dominados por el encanto de una niña llamada Ursula.  --Publisher From Toddler Time But I Don't Eat Ants Written by Dan Marvin Illustrated by Kelly Fry Pow!, 20...