Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers: Celebrating Animal Underdogs Written by Melissa Stewart Illustrated by Stephanie Laberis Peachtree Publishers, 2018. Informational Picture Book. Stewart has chosen lesser-known animals with unique traits and described how these traits are actually helping them to survive! Etruscan pygmy shrews, hoatzin birds, and the okapi are just some of the animals introduced that I had never heard of. Stewart's inspiring dedication inside the book reads "For any child who is being bullied right now--what others see as a weakness may actually be your strength. Don't give up." This book can be a springboard for discussion with multiple age groups. At first glance these interesting traits may not seem important, but when looked at in a different light, some traits can be the difference between life and death. It can be empowering for children to realize everyone has different skills and personalities and that is what makes this world a...

City of Ghosts By Victoria Schwab Scholastic Press, 2018. Fiction. Cassidy Blake is pretty much used to the paranormal - that's what happens when your parents are famous authors who write about the history of ghosts stories. It also doesn't help that she's technically haunted. Ever since her best friend Jacob, a ghost, saved her from drowning Cass has been able to pass through the "Veil" that separates the living from the dead. That's not to say that Cass likes seeing ghosts, in fact, she was really looking forward to her ghost-free summer at the beach. Then her parents announce that they're turning their books into a TV show of the most haunted cities in Europe, starting with Edinburgh, Scotland -- the home of an especially dangerous ghost called the Raven in Red. CITY OF GHOSTS is a delightfully atmospheric read for readers who want a more sophisticated ghost story. This fast-paced book is matched by sensory details of the Edinburgh of the livin...

A Tangle of Brungles by Shobha Viswanath illustrated by Culpeo S. Fox Chennai, India: Karadi Tales Company Pvt. Ltd.[2018] Set deep in the woods, a coven of witches sets out to conjure up the wickedly vile Brungle. They set up their cauldron and start the spell. They add a quiver of cobras, a mess of iguanas, and a clutter of spiders, just to name a few of the many ingredients. By the end of the spell, they've conjured something, but is it Brungle? This wacky take on witches and magic takes full advantage of collective nouns. Learning about different groupings of animals (a muster of peacocks, for example) or group of people (a banner of knights, for another) makes this book extra fun. Written in verse, it's best when read out loud. The cozy illustrations make this a perfect fall or Halloween book.

The Littlest Things Give the Loveliest Hugs By Mark Sperring Illustrated by Maddie Frost In this sweet book it talks about how little things give the best hugs…or cuddles…or whatnot. From ducklings to bunnies, from owlets to human toddlers all the small things in the world are just the best at giving hugs. This is a sweet story to read to little ones before a big cuddle-fest. And, with this being the season for books on love—even though not specifically Valentines—then this book will hit the mark.

Read in Toddler Time Penguin on Vacation By Salina Yoon Walker Books for Young Readers, 2013.  Picture Book. Penguin is tired of the snow and cold--so he decides to visit the beach! But when his favorite activities like skiing and skating don't work so well on sand, can a new friend help Penguin learn how to have fun in the sun? Seasoned, award-winning author/illustrator Salina Yoon's charming text and bright, energetic illustrations ensure that readers will be clamoring for more Penguin stories--wherever they make their home!  --Publisher Read in Preschool Time Princess and the Pit Stop Written by Tom Angleberger Illustrated by Dan Santat Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2018.  Picture Book. A plucky Princess races against a gaggle of fairy-tale and nursery greats in this epic car race of a book.  Too bad she's in last place with one lap to go.  She'll have to catch the Gingerbread Man, lose Little Bo Peep and her Sheep, blow...

Where's Burgess Written by Laurie Elmquist Illustrated by David Parkins Orca Book Publishers, 2018. Intermediate, p. 80.  Although "Where's Burgess?" offers readers a realistic, straightforward story, it has hidden depths. In this emotional tale, a young boy named Reece loses his pet frog Burgess. He first found Burgess when camping with his dad, and the association of his father with the frog is part of what causes such a strong connection to his pet, and what makes it difficult for him to come to terms with potentially never seeing his frog again.  Side stories weave in and out of the main story, including a new friend for Reece, and the ups and downs of his own family life. Elmquist works all the stories together so that at the end, we see all that Reece has learned, and how these stories connect to help him cope with the changes in his life. Although none of these plots are particularly complex, their simplicity is what makes them so significant. ...

Wiggles By Claire Zucchelli-Romer Chronicle Books, LLC: 2018. Board Book.  This clever board book uses a combination of written instructions and die cuts to create an interactive parent-child experience. Each page has a tactile component encouraging fingers to dance and wiggle and slide and tap. With its great colors and fun kinetic designs (including paths, dots, zigzags, and spirals), Wiggles is a unique way for children to practice hand eye coordination, fine motor skills, and rhythm. 

The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf and Grandma By Diane Fox Cat tries to read the story of Little Red Riding Hood aloud, but Dog keeps interrupting with silly questions. Little Red Riding Hood Written by The Brothers Grimm Illustrated by Bernadette Watts Little Red Riding Hood is one of the best known folktales in the world and beloved by children on every continent. The red-hooded girl who, on her way to Grandmother's house, is tricked by a wolf but in the end comes away unharmed. This cautionary tale with a happy ending leaves everyone feeling good. Very Little Red Riding Hood By Teresa Heapy and Sue Heap Very Little Red Riding Hood's off to her Grandmama's for a sleepover, and she won't let anything stand in her way - not even a wolf. Little Red By Bethan Woolvin On her way to Grandma's house, Little Red meets a wolf. Which might scare some little girls. But not this little girl. She knows just what the wolf is up...

Willa of the Wood By Robert Beatty Disney-Hyperion, 2018. Fiction. Willa is a night-spirit and one of the few Wood Witches left in her Faeran clan. Like all the other children in her clan, she is sent out at night to steal from the day-folk under cover of darkness and take what the people won't miss. Willa is the best thief in her clan until the night her curiosity gets the better of her and leaves her hurt in the land of the day-folk. As she calls upon the spirits of the forest and the ancient connection her clan shares with the natural world, she is confronted by a realization that not all day-folk are enemies and not all Faeran are friends. Having never read any Robert Beatty books, I was immediately enchanted by Willa and her forest world. For a young narrator, Willa's voice is clear, strong, confident, and believable. She speaks almost poetically about her forest and the magic of the world around her - and Robert Beatty is able to paint a vivid world that makes th...

Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters Written by Andrea Beaty Illustrated by David Roberts Amulet Books, 2018. Intermediate. "Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters" is both a fun, creative addition to the world of STEM fiction, and a great handbook on how to succeed as an engineer. Rosie Revere is a brilliant engineer, as evidenced by her abundance of creative ideas. But what sets Rosie apart as a truly fantastic engineer is her ability to brainstorm, test ideas, fail, and start all over again. And to enjoy the process of trying, failing, tweaking, and eventually succeeding. The book celebrates her creativity and her brainstorming abilities, but above all, it teaches about perseverance. Rosie is a spunky main character who is delightful to read about, and the illustrations by Roberts, which include her plans and blueprints, make her story all the more fun to explore. Readers get to see all the details of her inventions, while learning about how her brain gets from on...

We recently had our Mock Newbery, where we talk about what we think is the most distinguished book in children’s literature for the year. There were many books that we loved and talked about, and here are the ones that we picked for our winner and four honor books: Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster By Jonathan Auxier This is a story of Nan Sparrow—a young girl who works as a chimney sweep. She has a hard life (as does many young children who risk their lives while in the name of cleaning chimneys in Victorian London). Life is dangerous and dreary. Yet one day everything changes when she discovers that the little piece of charcoal that she holds onto—which was given to her by The Sweep who raised her and then disappeared—is really a golem. She names him Charlie. Our Mock Newbery Committee especially loved how the setting was just as much of a character as Nan, Charlie, or any of the other boys were. Plus the way that the Songs of Innocence and the Songs of Experience w...

Read in Monday Book Babies Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy By Jan Thomas Beach Lane Books, 2012.  Picture Book. Join the Brave Cowboy as he tries to sing his young calf pals to sleep on a dark, dark night—EEEEEEEK! IS THAT A HUGE HAIRY SPIDER OVER THERE? Oh, it’s just a flower? Well then, back to the lullaby. No one does preschool humor with Jan Thomas’s wit, verve, and bold, snappy color. And her Brave Cowboy and his silly, interrupted lullaby are sure to get everybody singing—before they head off into cozy dreamland….  --Publisher Read in Monday Cuentos La llavecita dorada Escrito por Roberto Aliaga Ilustrado por Dani Padrón Cuento de luz, 2015.  Spanish Picture Book. Una mañana de sábado, los hermanos Ratón salieron en busca de aventuras.  Iban los tres muy risueños: el mayor, el mediano y el pequeño.  Junto al borde del sendero, encontraron un reflejo, como un pedazo de sol.  Era una llavecita dorada....

Inkling By: Kenneth Oppel New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2018. 256 p. Kenneth Oppel has written a funny middle grade book about an ink spot who hops off the page of a drawing and changes the lives of a struggling family. Ethan finds the ink spot first when he discovers that the pages in his math book are blank and in place of math problems there is a ink spot. The ink spot devours any ink it can find and it learns from what it eats. Ethan decides to name the ink spot Inkling and he enjoys feeding Inkling good books that teach him how to talk and communicate. Inkling becomes a caring child like ink spot who is trusting and willing to help when he is asked. He helps Ethan with his school art project, teaching him how to draw, and he helps his sister and his father who is depressed and has creative block. Even though the book has its funny moments it also addresses the grief and loss that the family is struggling with since the death of their mother.  The story does end up being ...

Eat This! How Fast-Food Marketing Gets You to Buy Junk (and how to fight back) Written by Andrea Curtis Illustrated by Peggy Collins Red Deer Press, 2018. Informational. January is a great time to set goals for healthy eating during the coming year. Curtis writes specifically to children about marketing and trickery the media uses to entice them to eat unhealthy foods. "Breakfast cereals are some of the most heavily marketed food products. Companies spent about $264 million a year to advertise cereal to kids and most of it is the sugary kind." Curtis also relays a story of nine-year-old Hannah Robertson who spoke with the head of the McDonald's chain. This story shows that kids have power! Geared toward middle grade readers, the layout and pictures will draw readers in. The staggering facts will surprise them. It reveals how much media cares about their exposure to advertisements--often at the expense of their health. 

Spooked!: How a Radio Broadcast and the War of the Worlds Sparked the 1938 Invasion of America By Gail Jarrow Calkins Creek, 2018. Informational. On the night before Halloween, also known as Mischief Night, people are known to play pranks. In 1938, a group of radio performers were planning one of the greatest pranks of all time - they just didn't know it yet. Orson Welles, a famous radio performer and actor, had a standing gig to perform adaptations of classic novels with his acting troupe. In 1938 they planned a special Halloween radio performance (that they were sure would fail) an adaptation of H.G. Wells' THE WAR OF THE WORLDS - a story where martians attack Earth. They were unprepared for the response of radio listeners - people who heard the broadcast thought it was a real news story. The topic of this book is so wild, so unbelievable, and so true that it is immediately engaging to kids. The almost too-good-to-be-true narrative is highlighted by fast paced text ...

You are Mighty: A Guide to Changing the World  by Caroline Paul illustrated by Lauren Tamaki New York: Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2018 Changing the world seems like an intimidating task, but it's not so bad once you know where to start. This book makes learning about activism easy, and gives many ways that kids can start becoming more involved in their communities, cities, and even in global issues. This book gives children a step-by-step guide to getting involved various forms of activism. From raising money to starting a petition to creating and inventing, there's something for everyone. Each chapter focuses on one type of activist action, explaining simply why people choose to participate in that particular act. At the end of each chapter is a "workbook", a series of questions to help you get started on your activism. Most encouraging are the real-world examples of kids who have stood up for themselves, their schools, their friends, and their...

Provo City Library’s 2019 Mock Caldecott This past week Provo City Library held a Mock Caldecott. We looked at 45 different books that had amazing illustrations. After multiple rounds of voting, we picked one winner and two honor books:  Drawn Together  by Minh Lê illustrated by Dan Santat This brilliant picture book is the story of a young boy who is dropped off to spend time with his grandfather—only his grandfather only speaks Thai and the young boy doesn’t. There is a lot of awkwardness and silence as the two sit together. When the boy gets bored and pulls out some paper and markers, the grandfather also gets excited and pulls out his sketch book and ink and brush. Then suddenly, through the use of art, the two are able to finally understand each other and build a bond. The brilliant traditional Thai artwork the grandfather draws alongside the brightly colored illustrations the boy produces are very distinct at first and then slowly they begin to influence each ...

Read in Monday Book Babies Grumpy Bird By Jeremy Tankard Scholastic Press, 2007.  Picture Book. Bird wakes up feeling grumpy. Too grumpy to eat or play. Too grumpy even to fly. "Looks like I'm walking today," says Bird. He walks past Sheep, who offers to keep him company. He walks past Rabbit, who also could use a walk. Raccoon, Beaver, and Fox join in, too. All the while, Bird grows grumpier and grumpier! But before he knows it, a little exercise and companionship help Bird overcome his bad mood. This winsome, refreshingly original story is sure to help kids (and grown-ups) giggle away theirs, too!  --Publisher Read in Monday Cuentos Garbancito Escrito por Roberto Bravo de la Varga Ilustrado por Lluís Farré Combel Editorial, 2018.  Spanish Picture Book. Una colección de cuentos populares adaptados para primeros lectores con ilustraciones cautivadoras para que se inicien en la lectura mediante las historias y los personajes de los...

Once Upon a Star: A poetic journey through space By James Carter Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, 2018. Nonfiction. This beautifully compiled book is the story of how our solar system came into existence through the Big Bang Theory. With elegant rhymes and stunning illustrations, the book explains how everything we know--the world around us, the stars and the sun--formed from nothing. It’s tentative theme of stars wraps around to the end, when the story comes back from a universal view to a question. “What about you?” it answers the question with a triumphant “you are a star!” My favorite part is the extra “sciencey” facts at the back of the book for those eager readers who were intrigued by what they learned from the book. This book is best if read aloud, as the poetry of it will captivate any age of reader. You’ll be able to see and hear the beauty of a giant universe and your role in it.

Baby Bear's Book of Tiny Tales Written and Illustrated by David McPhail Little, Brown, and Company, 2018. J Easy Reader, 47 p. This Easy Reader contains four very short stories about Baby Bear and his forest friends. In each tiny tale, Baby Bear finds an unexpected little treasure. McPhail's gentle storytelling and timeless ink and watercolor illustrations are reminiscent of Little Bear and Winnie the Pooh. A darling, old-fashioned read aloud for preschoolers with language simple enough that a first grader could read it on their own.

The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler By John Hendrix Amulet Books, 2018. Biography. It's Germany after World War I and the Nazi party is gaining power every day - gearing up for the start of World War II. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor and a pacifist who doesn't believe in war, is bothered that no one seems to be stepping up to put a stop of Hitler and his increasingly dangerous party. He decides to start his own church where he can speak out against Hitler and his actions - until his church is outlawed and he is forced to escape Germany as a fugitive. When he returns, he is determined that despite his peaceful beliefs - someone has to put a permanent stop to Hitler. This heavily illustrated graphic biography is a compelling introduction to an important figure in World War II history. This meticulously researched book is greatly enriched by striking illustrations, visual metaphors, and sourced quotations from Bonhoeffer and other figures in...

Sew Dolled Up: Make Felt Dolls and Their Fun, Fashionable Wardrobe with Fabric Scraps and Easy Hand Sewing By: Boutique Sha Translated by Namiji Hatsuse Learn how to make adorable small dolls, perfect for a dollhouse, and all the outfits and accessories that go along with them. Includes patterns and 75 projects to make from inexpensive, cut felt using easy, hand-sewing techniques that are clearly illustrated in step-by-step instructions.  Stitched Paper Art for Kids: 22 Cheeky Pickle Sewing Projects By: Ali Benyon Turn your resident amateur sewist into a master of paper craft with Stitched Paper Art. Varied projects include headbands and necklaces, bookmarks and buntings, and picture frames and purses.  Fashion Designer By Patricia Wooster Starting with what it means to be a fashion designer, this book goes through the details of the job, how to become a fashion designer, what a future in fashion design would look like, and the lives of many ...

Ghoulia (Ghoulia #1) By Barbara Cantini Amulet Books, 2018. Intermediate. Sometimes, making new friends is a little bit tricky—especially when you’re a zombie girl, and your aunt is dead-set against you having a social life. “Ghoulia” is about a young zombie girl in that exact predicament. All she wants is to make friends, and have somebody to play with. Unfortunately, zombies aren’t usually well-received, socially. Her family is sure that it’ll be a disaster, so she’s forbidden from leaving their haunted house to make new friends. Cantini plays with a lot of fun details in this spooky but sweet read. For example, Ghoulia’s life is a little bit wacky, and it shows in the funny illustrations, such as her uncle’s disembodied head being used as a jewelry box. Young readers feeling excited about making new friends will relate to Ghoulia’s enthusiasm, especially the ones who like things a little bit spooky or unique.

It Wasn’t Me  By Dana Alison Levy Delacorte Press, an Imprint of Random House Children’s Books, 2018. 327 p. Theo’s photographs that he hung in the student gallery have been vandalized. And not only that, the very next day Theo’s cameras are also destroyed. There are five suspects: a jock, a model student, a nerd, a weirdo, and a goof-off. When they are forced to spend their week of vacation at school in a “Justice Circle” trying to get to the bottom of what happened and who they really are—they learn that each person is more than just their labels. With major references to the movie The Breakfast Club this book also tackles looking past the labels that others give school students. It is a good book to look at what are bullying, justice, and true friendship. All in all, this is a good book to spark a lot of discussions. Also, the audio book (available through Overdrive) is amazing. With a full cast (though most of it is told in Theo's point of view) there were just some p...

L is for Love: A Heartfelt Alphabet Written and Illustrated by Greg Paprocki Babylit, 2018. Board Book. Books with one item for every letter of the alphabet have always been my favorite. They are a perfect way to introduce early literacy concepts to very young children. This sweet board book with Paprocki's beautiful, vintage illustrations will be the perfect thing to bring a parent and child together and share the love!

Rebound By Kwame Alexander Illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile Houghton Miflin Harcourt, 2018. Fiction. It's 1988 and Chuck Bell is not thrilled that he's being sent to spend the summer with his grandparents. Ever since the death of his father, Chuck's life is anything but normal - he just wishes his mom would leave him alone with his comic books and not make him spend all summer in Washington D.C. with his grandfather. Especially since his grandpa works him to death, listens to boring jazz music, and still expects Chuck to want to play basketball (Chuck does not want to play basketball). Written in verse with interspersed comic book panels, REBOUND is a prequel to the Newbery award winning THE CROSSOVER. Fans of Crossover will be interested to learn the story of Chuck "Da Man" Bell and enter into his world before he was the father to Josh and JB. Younger readers may not catch all of the '80s references to songs and comic books, but will find plenty of Kw...

Are you Scared, Darth Vader?  by Adam Rex Los Angeles : Disney/Lucasfilm Press, 2018. ©2018 This is a book staring Darth Vader and a child who keeps trying to scare him by introducing many different scary things to him. It turns out that Vader isn't scared of vampires, spiders, or ghosts (even if they look like Yoda). He's not even scared of a horde of children, although it does displease him. Eventually we find out that he's only scared of one thing - being trapped in this book when you finally close it. Despite his threats, the book must end, and Vader gives his final response on the very last page.  Another humorous book by Adam Rex, this one is fun for kids of all ages, especially fans of Star Wars. With perfectly timed jokes and fun movie references, this is one worth returning to again and again.