Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling Waste By Rebecca Rissman Crabtree Publishing, 2019. Informational. It's no secret that we have a huge waste problem, but the solution can seem like one. You've probably heard the phrase "reduce, reuse, recycle" before, which this book obviously addresses - but there is a lot more we can do to solve our waste problem. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book addresses many of them. Despite the lackluster cover art, this book provides information that many adults don't understand in a way that kids can comprehend. Since children are the ones who will be responsible for solving this problem in the future, it is great to start them off with the necessary knowledge now! Be sure to pick this book up for your eco-conscious child!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory By Roald Dahl Each of five children lucky enough to discover an entry ticket into Mr. Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory takes advantage of the situation in his own way. Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator By Roald Dahl Taking up where Charlie and the Chocolate Factory leaves off, Charlie, his family, and Mr. Wonka find themselves launched into space in the great glass elevator. Small Acts of Amazing Courage By Gloria Whelan In 1919, independent-minded fifteen-year-old Rosalind lives in India with her English parents, and when they fear she has fallen in with some rebellious types who believe in Indian self-government, she is sent "home" to London, where she has never been before and where her older brother died, to stay with her two aunts. All My Noble Dreams and Then What Happens By Gloria Whelan As Rosalind continues to straddle the proper English world of her family and the culture of 1920s India where the...

It's a Girl Thing By Pri Ferrari Kane Press, Inc., 2019. p. 52 "What's a girl thing? What do girls like to do? What can girls BE?" From doctors to architects, from creators to gamers, girls can be and do anything! This book goes through a couple of ideas of what makes a girl thing. With empowering messages and relatable, cute pictures of girls in action, this book will teach your children that we can reach for our dreams. It teaches that we can be brave and strong.

Spencer's New Pet By Jessie Sima Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2019. Picture book. The age-old story of a boy and his dog is repeated in this new picture book -- except this time around, one of them is a balloon. With incredible attention to detail, silent films from the 1920s provide the inspiration for the black, white, and red illustrations in this mostly wordless story. The vintage-film concept is well-served by the dramatics of a story that follows a bright red balloon dog through a dangerous day - culminating in an explosive and satisfying surprise. Believe me when I say this book will have readers young and old eager for a second read.

The Haunting of Henry Davis By: Kathryn Siebel Random House Children's Books, 2019. Fiction. pp 234 Henry Davis is being haunted by a ghost named Edgar. Henry has just moved into a new house and started a new school when the haunting begins. He eventually makes friends with a spunky girl named Barbara Anne who can see that Henry has a secret. Its pretty obvious since he keeps to himself and is always doodling in his mysterious notebook. Barbara Anne eventually persuades Henry to tell her his secret and the two of them, along with a couple of new friends, begin to unravel the mystery behind the ghost, Edgar. This haunting story is more about friendship both in the present and the past, then it is about ghosts. It has its moments of spine tingling scares but the friendship is what resonates more with us, the readers. As the friends learn more about Edgar they also discover information about World War I and the devastation of the Spanish Influenza that spread through...

A Monster Like Me  By Wendy S. Swore Shadow Mountain, 2019. 298 p. Sophie has a large blood tumor on her face—which makes her uncomfortable when other people look at her. In fact, she has convinced herself that she must be a monster (since she looks like one). Sophie struggles with making friends, discerning reality, and loving herself. Sophie carries around with her a big book of monsters and when she meets someone new who is a little mean or strange she tries to figure out what type of monster they are as well. With the full moon coming Sophie and her new “fairy” friend have figured out how Sophie might break the spell of her being a monster—if only they can collect enough things and be in the right spot in the light of the moon; however, Sophie is worried that if her mother discovers that she is a true monster before she can be transformed she might never feel accepted or at home. This is a sweet story about a girl who is trying to figure out just who she is and why she ...

The Science of Seafaring: The Float-tastic Facts About Ships By Anne Rooney Franklin Watts,  an Imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2019. Informational. Do you like the ocean? How about ships? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then this book is for you. This read is chock-full of fast facts about seafaring. The illustrations give the formatting an informational/graphic novel hybrid vibe, which is great for young readers.   Throughout the book illustrated scientists walk through the ins and outs of traveling by sea. As a bonus, suggested activities are included so that you can test the science you learn about at home.

Planet Earth is Blue By Nicole Panteleakos Wendy Lamb Books, 2019. Fiction. Twelve-year old Nova is used to being bounced around - she and her older sister Bridget have lived in 11 foster homes in 7 years - and even though the situation changes a little every time, the diagnosis Nova gets at school is always the same: "Cannot read. Cannot speak. Severely mentally retarded." Nova is autistic and mostly nonverbal and so she can't find the words to explain to her teachers and social worker that she can read and understand them - she just doesn't have the words to explain. Now, Nova is living with her new foster parents Billy and Francine and waiting for the launch of Challenger Space Shuttle and the return of Bridget who ran away from their last foster home but promised she would return to watch the first teacher go to space. Nova is an instantly likable character who comes to life through her letters to Bridget in a very satisfying way. Her fascination with ...

Baby Bedtime By Mem Fox A baby elephant goes through his bedtime routine. Nighty Night, Sleepy Sleeps By Brian Anderson Sophie and Doug don't want to go to bed! They get up to all sorts of shenanigans to avoid going to sleep. Peekaboo Bedtime By Rachel Isadora A toddler plays peekaboo while getting ready for bed. My Bedtime Monster By Annelies Schwarz Rikki wants the perfect pet. Sure enough, her dream monster comes to her while she sleeps and they go on an exciting adventure. Brobot Bedtime By Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen Three robot brothers need to go to bed, but what happens when one can't shut down? Monster Boogie By Laurie Berkner Two kids are tucked up in bed when a monster creeps into their bedroom and a dance party ensues. If Your Monster Won't Go to Bed By Denise Vega If your monster won't go to bed, then this is the book for you. It'll teach you what food and music to use to help your monster sleep.

Marigold Star By Elise Primavera Harper, 2019. Fiction, pp. 229 Marigold Star has a lot of problems. There’s a star above her head that supposedly means she’s destined for greatness, but she can’t really do any magic spells like everybody else. On top of that, she keeps losing her wand, there’s a new baby at home, and then her star begins to blink but she doesn’t understand why! Marigold Star tries to find a solution to her magic problem, but accidentally transports herself to the human world instead, setting off a wacky chain of events involving ghost children, a giant bird who thinks he’s little, shadows, cats, runaway dogs, and three different friendless humans. “Marigold Star” is an exciting but sweet book about how we each have our own magic powers, even if they’re not always what we think they might be. Marigold Star has many talents, even if she’s not naturally very good at magic. She’s an excellent friend, and she’s determined to help others and make others feel loved...

The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone  By Jaclyn Moriarty Arthur A. Levine Books, an Imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2018. 379 p. Bronte Mettlestone doesn’t really know her parents. She was dropped off at an aunt’s house when she was a baby so they could go on some adventures, and they never came back. Then one day Bronte learns that her parents have been killed by pirates and she must go on a series of trips to visit all the rest of her aunts and uncles to give them gifts (and do various other things). The trick is that she must do these things all alone since her parent’s will was sealed with fairy cross-stitch meaning that if she doesn’t do those things the town she lives in will be destroyed. Thus starts Bronte’s adventures. She comes across fairies, dragons, sprites, and all manner of other fantastical creatures (and pirates!) as she goes around trying her best to live up to the expectations set in the will. Along the way, Bronte also discovers that t...

Boonoonoonous Hair! By Olive Senior Illustrated by Laura James Tradewind Books, 2019. Picture Book Jamilla does not like her hair and she hides the comb every time her mother tries to do it. She wishes that her hair was long and silky like all of her friends at school. Instead, her hair is curly and crazy. Jamilla's mother tries to show her that maybe her wacky and wild hair isn't so bad when she styles it in all sorts of fun styles for the new school year. Join Jamilla as she learns to love her crazy, wild, boonoonoonous hair in this fun book. Written in a wonderful sing-song verse, this brightly illustrated book is perfect for any girl who has ever struggled to love their hair.

Nightbooks By J. A. White Harper Collins Publisher, 2018. 294 pages. Alex has loved scary stories ever since he crept out of his room and saw his parents watching Night of the Living Dead. He feel in love with the horror film and his mind took off, imagining all kinds of creepy tales. He wrote these down in some notebooks and called them nightbooks. One night, as he's sneaking though the apartment complex where his family lives, he hears his favorite horror film echoing from an unfamiliar apartment, pulling in towards it. The apartment is home to a witch and as soon as Alex walks through her door, he's trapped. How will he survive? He reads to the witch from his nightbooks, who loves scary stories as much as he does. This spin off of the One Thousand and One Nights legend will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. With just enough humor and fear, the story keeps you wanting more.

All the Greys on Greene Street By Laura Tucker Viking, 2019. Fiction. Ollie is an artist, like her parents. It's 1981 and she lives in Soho in New York City in a neighborhood surrounded by other artists. Her mother is an artist-in-residence who creates intricate sculptures out of found garbage, her father restores paintings with his partner Apollo, and Olympia is eager to try her hand at everything from drawing to sculpting. But then Ollie's father heads to France with his new girlfriend on a mysterious covert mission and her mother goes to bed - where she stays for days. Ollie is determined to keep her mom's depression and, with the help of her best friends Richard and Alex, solve the mystery of her father's disappearance - so he'll come home and make everything normal again. This book is a realistic look at what it's like to have a parent coping with depression, but the pretty heavy subject matter is brightened up by the threads of an art mystery weav...

The Secrets of Tutankhamun: Egypt's Boy King and His Incredible Tomb By Patricia Cleveland-Peck The story of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun's tomb and its discovery by British archaeologist Howard Carter. Pharaoh's Egypt: Egypt By Mick Manning Describes the activities, jobs, and customs during Ramesses II's rule in ancient Egypt. Egypt By Marta Segal Block This book briefly examines the history, people, and environment of the country of Egypt. The Egyptology Handbook: A Course in the Wonders of Egypt By Dugald Steer A textbook-like collection of information on ancient Egypt and its rich culture and history. The Tomb of King Tutankhamun By Michael Woods On November 4, 1922, a British archaeologist named Howard Carter unearthed a buried staircase in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. At the bottom of the staircase was a door bearing the name Tutankhamen. That door led Carter to rooms filled with gold treasures and ancient statues. And deep in the tomb...

Song for a Whale By: Lynne Kelly New York : Delacorte Press, 2019. Fiction, pp. 303 This is a magical story about twelve year old Iris who is deaf.  However being unable to hear doesn't define her as a person but it does set her apart. At school and at home she is the only deaf person, with the exception of her grandmother, which makes life very lonely for Iris. If you have ever felt like nobody is listening to you then you can sympathize with Iris. One day in science class her teacher shows a movie about a real whale named Blue 55 who is unable to speak. His voice was different from the other whales which meant they couldn't understand him. Iris is drawn to Blue 55 because she understands how he must feel not being able to communicate. She decides to make a song for him so he will know someone is listening. The challenge comes in finding a way to play the song for him to hear, seeing how he is thousands of miles away. As she begins her journey to reach Blue 55 ...

The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! By Mo Willems Hyperion Books for Children, 2019. Picture Book. This is the newest in the Pigeon series. Pigeon does not like the title (in fact, he isn’t sure that he wants to go to school at all!). Pigeon does his usual amount of worrying, complaining, and fretting over what will happen if he does go to school as well as some explaining of why he shouldn’t go to school. All-in-all this is another pigeon-sized temper-tantrum that ends with a realization that if he does go to school he will get to ride a school bus (and potentially learn things as well). This book is a fun addition to a classic children’s series as well as the back to school genre.

The Lighthouse between the Worlds By Melanie Crowder Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2018. Fiction. Don't you love bedtime stories? They provide whimsy to sleep routines and bonding to families. For Griffin, however, they are the only things he has left of his mother, and the only clues he has to help save his father. Everything he thought he knew, from who his parents are to the purpose of the lighthouse he helps take care of, turn out to be completely different - but maybe he has had the knowledge all along. This book is great for young readers, especially those interested in mystery and adventure.

Goodnight Baseball By Michael Dahl In rhyming text a little boy, home from a game, bids goodnight to all the sights and sounds of a baseball game. The William Hoy Story: How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game By Nancy Churnin Illustrated by Jez Tuya All William Ellsworth Hoy wanted to do was play baseball. After losing out on a spot on the local deaf team, William practiced even harder eventually earning a position on a professional team. But his struggle was far from over. In addition to the prejudice Hoy faced, he could not hear the umpires' calls. One day he asked the umpire to use hand signals: strike, ball, out. That day he not only got on base but also changed the way the game was played forever. William "Dummy" Hoy became one of the greatest and most beloved players of his time! 42 is Not Just a Number: The Odyssey of Jackie Robinson, American Hero By Doreen Rappaport An eye-opening look at the life and legacy of Jackie Robinson, the man who ...

The Evil Princess vs. The Brave Knight By Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm Random House Children's Books, 2019. Picture Book. Once upon a time there was an Evil Princess and a Brave Knight who did NOT get along.  But when the Evil Princess gets too evil, the Magic Mirror sentences them both to their bedrooms. The pair soon discover that it isn't fun to be evil or brave alone and decide to call a peace and team up for a quest - at least for a little while. For all kids with siblings, the tale of the Evil Princess and Brave Knight will be all-too hilariously familiar. A total laugh-out-loud read, the comical illustrations (that sometimes disagree with the text) make this a delight for kids and grown ups.

Because of the Rabbit By Cynthia Lord Scholastic Press, 2019. Fiction, pp. 183 Emma is about to go through some big changes. She’s starting public school for the first time after being homeschooled her whole life. And on the night before her first day of school she and her game warden father rescue a lost rabbit which she hopes will now bring her good luck. But of course, life never goes according to plan, and Emma learns quickly that her expectations will not quite match reality. Making friends proves to be a greater challenge than Emma anticipated, and she ends up torn between the easy route, and what feels right. “Because of the Rabbit” is a delightful read from start to finish, with a likable but imperfect main character. Emma’s story will resonate with young readers going through big or small changes, such as starting a new school, moving, or going from homeschool to public school for the first time. The challenges of starting something so big and scary can be overwhelmin...

Truman By Jean Reidy Illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2019. Picture Book. Truman is a small turtle (the size of a donut). He enjoys living in an aquarium and being with his owner Sarah (who is a little girl). One day Sarah puts on a backpack, puts a bow in her hair, and goes outside and catches a bus. Then Sarah is gone for a very, very long time. Truman gets worried. Truman decides to go off and find Sarah. His journey across the living room takes as much time as Sarah’s school day; fortunately when Sarah gets home, she and Truman and reunited and happy and loved by each other. This is a sweet story about how a pet might miss a child when they go off for their first day of school.

How I Learned to Fall Out of Trees by Vincent X. Kirsch Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2019. Picture Book. Roger's best friend, Adelia, is moving away. Before she goes, she decides to teach Roger how to climb a tree. Roger's one worry is, "What happens if I fall?" Luckily, Adelia teaches him an important lesson: Falling is easy. Letting go is the hard part. This story with telling illustrations and beautiful dialogue is a good choice for children and adults alike.

Wideness & Wonder By Susan Goldman Rubin Chronicle Books LLC, 2010, 117 p. Georgia O'Keefee is an American artist that grew up in New Mexico. She stood up for her art and made a name for herself in a time when women weren't respected as professional artists. She was the first woman to have her own show in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. She displayed her view of life through her work, recognizing the beauty of the world around her. She felt nature vibrantly and significantly in a way that is echoed in her work. She once said, "Color is one of the great things in the world that make life worth living to me." This beautiful book gathers pictures of Georgia, her original work, and her early sketches. It takes you through her entire life, starting with her very first memory and ending with her final days. With direct quotes and people who knew her, and close up photos taken of her by the love of her life, readers feel like they truly know her.