Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor's Story By Caren Barzelay Stelson Carolrhoda Books, 2016. Biography, 144 p. Sachiko Yasui was six years old when her hometown of Nagasaki, Japan, was hit by an atomic bomb. The bombing ended World War II. But unspeakable horror continued to affect hundreds of thousands of people for a lifetime. Sachiko not only experienced the immediate death of loved ones and the destruction of her home, but also the later onset of radiation poisoning and cancers that eventually killed most of her family. Furthermore, there was prejudice against those who had been affected by the bombing, and General MacArthur's occupation of Japan and the censorship that he initiated prevented the Japanese from speaking about what had occurred. Sachiko herself did not choose to speak out about her experiences until fairly recently. Her story is one of destruction and horror, but also one of peace, hope, and resilience. This is a thorough, harrowing account of a devas...

The Big Book of Monster s By Hal Johnson Illustrated by Tim Sievert Workman Publishing, 2019. Informational. We know them, we love them, we still have nightmares about them - these are the monsters of classic literature. Young readers, may not be familiar with the stories behind these monsters, but they will know their names - Frankenstein, Mr. Hyde, Dracula and others who continue to scare us even today. This modern beastiary, has plot summaries for 25 spooky monsters from international folklore with plot summaries and basic details for each. There are a lot of books like this, but there has never been a book quite like this. Filled with non sequitur and tangential details, the world of these monsters comes to life by subtly arguing that these monsters - spanning from antiquity to post-modernism - are metaphors for the fears of their times. Lurid illustrations in goozy reds, slimy greens, and ghoulish purples round out this compendium of horrifying origin stories. Perfect fo...

A Slip of a Girl By Patricia Reilly Giff Holiday House, 2019. Fiction, pp. 234 Giff's latest book takes an intimate look at an impoverished Ireland, fraught with the lasting effects of the potato famine, and deeply entrenched in a fight for their land. Young Anna Mallon's family is being ripped apart by sickness, emigration, and the rule of the English. After her mother dies and her brothers and sister leave for the United States, Anna is left with her father and her younger sister. When a chain of events separates their dwindling family, Anna is forced to make the grown-up decisions that will protect her and her sisters from the perils and prejudices of the unforgiving Irish landscape and people. "A Slip of a Girl" is written in verse, and as such gets to the heart of the matter, and to the emotion of the story, very quickly. Readers are thrust immediately into the harsh world of Ireland in the 1800s, but are also swept up in the love and warmth that the Mall...

Snowmen at Halloween  By Caralyn Buehner Pictures by Mark Buehner Dial Books for Young Readers, 2019. Picture Book. This is another great Snowmen book created by the Buehners. In this book it snows right before Halloween so some kids make snowmen and dress them up in various costumes. Then they imagine what the snowmen might do on Halloween night. Of course a warm spell melts the snowmen in the morning so the kids never know—but there is quite a lot of snowmen silliness that kids can read and imagine. This is another fun edition to the Snowmen at Night books that kids who love Halloween might need something not-so-scary can enjoy.

Read in Monday Book Babies When Your Monkeys Won't Go To Bed Written by Susanna Leonard Hill Illustrated by Daniel Wiseman Little Simon, 2018.  Small Picture Book. When your monkeys won’t go to bed, you’ll have to use lots of tricks to make them sleepy! This charming and hilarious board book highlights the many ways to tire out two wide-awake monkeys! Do your monkeys go wild at bedtime? When your monkeys won’t go to bed, you’ll have to be smart. After you race them upstairs and trick them into the tub, it’s time to convince them to get into bed. Let them pick out a good book—or five—and snuggle in close. But be careful…or you just might fall asleep, too!  --Publisher Read in Monday Cuentos La princesa y el guerrero Por Duncan Tonatiuh V&R Editoras, 2018.   Spanish Picture Book. Izta era la princesa más hermosa de la tierra y muchos pretendientes venían desde lejos para conquistarla. Aun siendo la hija del emperador, Izta no qu...

Squeak! By Laura McGee Kvasnosky and Kate Harvey McGee Philomel Books, 2019. Picture Book. This delightful book starts with a mouse waking up early in the morning. The mouse lets out a squeak and wakes up some chipmunks. The chipmunks start chattering, wolves start howling, and one by one other animals wake up and make noise. This read is great for learning sounds and the soothing illustrations make it perfect for bedtime.

Away With Words Written Lori Mortensen, Illustrated by Kristy Caldwell Atlanta, Georgia: Peachtree Publishers, 2019. Informational Picture Book Isabella Bird was raised to be a proper British woman in the Victorian era, but she was like a wild vine and itched for adventure. She got her first taste of roaming the wilderness when she was little and went on a trip to America to quench her curiosity. While there, she saw plants, animals, and machinery that she had never imagined existed. When she returned home, she shared her stories with her friends, who craved to hear her wild tales. She lived her life traveling the world and continuing to share her tales by writing books and giving speeches. This is am inspiring tale about following your dreams and daring to live in a way that goes beyond society's expectations for you. If Isabella Bird hadn't followed her wild vine heart, Western Civilization would not know of those remarkable and previously indescribable parts of the w...

Pink By Nan Gregory Vivi loves the color pink. She is working and saving her money in order to buy a pink doll from the store. How does she feel when the doll is sold to someone else? The Pink Umbrella By  Amélie Callot Adele is a community loving Cafe owner, but when it rains she doesn't want to go outside. What happens when someone decides to bring her joy on a rainy day? Pink: Seeing Pink All Around Us By Michael Dahl Text and photographs describe common things that are pink including tongues, bubble gum, and candy hearts. The Proud Pink Balloon By Matt Haggard The pink balloon thinks he is the most beautiful, amazing balloon! He is able to climb past the trees and bob above birds and even airplanes. He is the greatest--until he finds out he isn't quite as invincible as he thought. Double Pink By Kate Feiffer Madison covers and surrounds herself with her favorite color, pink, until the day her mother has trouble finding her. Pinkali...

Unicorn (and Horse) By David Miles Illustrated by Hollie Mengert Everyone loves Unicorn, but next to him, Horse feels plain, grumpy, and unloved ... until Unicorn is kidnapped, and only Horse can save him. Seabiscuit: The Wonder Horse By Meghan McCarthy The true story of Seabiscuit, the grandson of one of the greatest racehorses of all time. He had lost almost every race he had run, but when automobile tycoon, Charles Howard, purchased Seabiscuit for a bargain price, he began winning. But could he beat the Triple Crown Champion? Wonder Horse By Emily Arnold McCully A fictionalized account of Bill "Doc" Key, a former slave who became a veterinarian, trained his horse, Jim Key, to recognize letters and numbers and to perform in skits around the country, and moved the nation toward a belief in treating animals humanely. Rosie's Magic Horse By Russell Hoban Illustrated by Quentin Blake When Rosie's popsicle stick turns into a horse named Stickerino,...

The World Ends in April By Stacy McAnulty Random House Children's Books, 2019. Fiction. Eleanor Dross is no stranger to the end of the world. Her grandfather is a hardcore survivalist who stockpiles MREs (meals ready to eat), takes Elle and her brothers "survival camping", and conducts surprise inspections of their "but out bags." That doesn't mean that Eleanor is a believer, though, until she stumbles across the website of a Harvard scientist who predicts that a massive asteroid will hit Earth and bring on TEOTWAWKI (The End of the World As We Know It). Now Elle is a believer - hardcore. To prepare for the day when the asteroid makes contact, Elle enlists the help of her best (only) friend Mack to form the "Nature Club" - a secret after-school club where Elle, Mack, and some fellow classmates learn skills to survive. As TEOTWAWKI approaches, Elle becomes more anxious and the fast-paced novel excellently picks up on the growing tension. Re...

In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories Retold by: Alvin Schwartz Pictures by: Victor Rivas Harper Collins Publishers, 2017. Easy Readers. It's that time of year where little ghosts, goblins and skeletons are found in stores. Pumpkins are being carved and scary stories are requested for bedtime. In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz, you will find seven wonderfully told twists on classic ghost stories  such as, The Green Ribbon, The Pirate, and The Ghost of John. This classic book was originally published in 1984 with illustrations by Dirk Zimmer this year it has been reillustrated by Victor Rivas with new and silly art.  These stories are perfect for beginning readers who like to read on their own but still need a little help. If you have a little monster who likes a little scare before turning off the lights and heading to bed then this book will be a spooktacular choice. Pick up this new reillustrated copy of In a Dark, Dark...

Beneath the Bed and Other Scary Stories  Written by Max Brallier Illustrated by Letizia Rubegni Acorn, Scholastic Inc., 2019. 55 p. Easy Reader. This is one of my new favorite spooky book for those just learning to read. There are five different chapters with a good chunk of text (so this is harder than Elephant and Piggie books but easier than Magic Treehouse ). The thing I love is that even with the limited vocabulary of an easy reader type of book this still packs a scary punch—though not too scary for those who would be nervous about Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark . One story is about something that was under a bed, one was about a “hair” that was stuck in a kid’s throat, one is about a statue that may or may not be alive, one is about toys that are upset with their kid, and the final one is about a creepy noise at the window. Seriously, this is a fun scary (but not too scary) book for young beginning readers to read (perhaps under the covers with a flashlight).

Read in Book Babies Hop Up!  Wriggle Over! By Elizabeth Honey Clarion Books, 2015.  Picture Book. Hop up!  Wriggle over!  Wakey, wakey.  Hungry!  Follow nine irresistible baby animals from breakfast to bedtime as they turn a busy day into gleeful fun.  Playful language and adorable art capture the joy of everyday activities, inviting readers young and old to hop up, wriggle over, and celebrate families of all shapes and sizes!  --Publisher Read in Monday Cuentos Amarillo y Redondo Escrito por Muriel Villanueva Ilustrado por Ferran Orta Flamboyant, 2018.  Spanish Picture Book. Han llegado las vacaciones y toca ir de campamento. Pero a él no le apetece nada. Tiene un secreto Amarillo y Redondo que cada noche se le aparece entre las sábanas y que no quiere compartir. ¿Cuál será este molesto secreto?  --Publisher Read in Toddler Time City Dog, Country Frog Written by Mo Willems Illustrat...

Grown-ups Never Do That By David Cali Illustrated by Benjamin Chaud Chronicle Books, 2019. Picture Book Grown-ups never forgot to do their chores, and they never waste time. They are never selfish or mean to others. Grown-ups never cry or yell or argue. They never burp or trip and they are always on time. All children know that grown-ups are perfect all the time, right? In this hilarious new book, some sneaky kids capture pictures of grown-ups doing things that are not so perfect and remind everyone that even grown-ups mess up sometimes. Filled with eye-catching pictures and simple text, this book is a fun read for adults and kids alike.

Cape By Kate Hannigan New York: Aladdin, 2019. Fiction. It's 1946 and Josie, like the rest of Philadelphia, is feeling the strain of living in war-time. Her father is away fighting in the Pacific, her mother works until late into the night,  Josie is left picking up shifts at a diner and caring for her younger brothers, and to top it off  -- all of the superheroes have disappeared. When she sees an ad in the newspaper calling for puzzlers, Josie is excited to help in the war effort in a bigger way - especially once she is recruited by the mysterious Mrs. Boudica with two other girls - Mae and Akiko. Before they know it, the three girls are transported into a world of secrets, spies, and real life superheroes - just in time to save the city from a new supervillian. Superhero fans will love this book full of cheesy one-liners and references to vintage comic books. This series opener introduces three diverse and likable main characters and does a good job of grounding th...

The Line Tender Kate Allen Dutton Children’s Books, 2019. Fiction, pp. 371 Twelve year old Lucy is no stranger to sadness. In the years following her marine biologist mother’s death, she deals with another tragedy that sets in motion a course of events that unfold on the pages of “The Line Tender.” Unlike her mother, Lucy is not a scientist—she’s an artist. And yet she finds an irresistible pull to learn more about her mother’s unfinished research into shark habits. Through the pages of this book, Lucy finds comfort and solace in her community, learns more about her mother and what drove her to do her research, and comes to terms with growing up. “The Line Tender” is a moving and emotional portrayal of the strange stage between being a kid and being a teenager, with a healthy dose of marine life. Lucy’s confusion about the different events in her life signals a shift from being little to being grown—a shift that everyone seems to understand besides her. But her dance on the pr...

Anya and the Dragon By Sofiya Pasternack Interior Illustrations by CelesteKnudsen Versify, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019. 394 p. In this alternate 19th Century (in a Russia-like country) Anya has a hard life. Her dad has been sent off to war and her family is struggling. Her paternal grandfather has her help with the goats (he has an animal magic) while her maternal grandmother and mother have her help with weeding the onion patch (they have plant magic). Many in the town don’t necessarily trust Anya’s family (due to their family being the only Jewish family in the community) and when her home is threatened Anya desperately wants her magic to manifest so that she can help. Things get more complicated when a family of Fools (sent from the Tsar) and a Viking come to the area to look for a dragon. Anya is promised a great reward if she helps find the dragon—only she wonders if it is right to help kill the dragon to save her family. This is a brilliant book that deals with big t...

Read in Monday Book Babies How Many Kisses? By Delphine Chedru Thames & Hudson, 2018.  Picture Book. Young readers count and blow air kisses to their friends, pets, grandparents, and more with this delightfully interactive book. Following a classic counting technique until readers reach the number ten, the book then takes wild jumps up to 17, 64, 823, and finally “millions,” prompting a riotous explosion of kisses from the reader. By encouraging the child to physically interact with the book, reading becomes a game that celebrates all the things a child loves in life. Illustrated in color throughout.  --Publisher Read in Monday Cuentos Érase una vez un espacio Por Marta Carrasco Editorial Amanuta, 2016.  Spanish Picture Book. El señor Azul y el señor Amarillo delimitan cada uno su espacio y se miran con desconfianza. Así comienzan sus desavenecias y conflictos hasta que aparecen su hijos quienes cambiarán el rumbo de la historia....

How to Survive on a Desert Island: Operation Robinson By Denis Tribaudeau Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 2019. Informational. If you are looking to prepare your child for survival - or maybe just camping - this is the perfect interactive book to pick up. The premise is that they should practice survival skills in a safe environment before ever being in a dangerous situation. Throughout the book, it asks your child to practice things (like lighting fires) in the presence of an adult, but be sure to remind them of that as well if they are wanting to go through it by themselves. It has tips that might be news to adults as well, so it is a great book to read together.

The Moon Written by Hanna Pang, Illustrated by Thomas Hegbrook Wilton, CT: 360 Degrees, an imprint of Tiger Tales, 2019. 175 pg. Humans have always been fascinated with the moon. This big, bright presence in our lives is constant and intriguing. This informational book discusses scientific findings as well as folklore from many cultures that has been passed on throughout history. Read it to learn all about the race to the moon and the first man who landed on it. Investigate the interesting theories that connect the phases of the moon with human and animal wild behavior. Discover the myths that surround the history of the moon and decide for yourself which are true. With beautiful illustrations and every fact you could possibly want to know about our moon, this book will be just as entertaining as it is informative.

The Very Busy Spider By Eric Carle The farm animals try to divert a busy little spider from spinning her web, but she persists and produces a thing of both beauty and usefulness. The pictures may be felt as well as seen. Silk & Venom: Searching for a Dangerous Spider By Kathryn Lasky Readers are invited to join a researcher on a passionate hunt for Loxosceles taino, a dangerous recluse spider, captured in the engaging prose and stunning photos of a masterful team. Stronger than Steel: Spider Silk DNA and the Quest for Better Bulletproof Vests, Sutures and Parachute Rope By Bridget Heos Photographs by Andy Comins In The Spider Silk Scientists, readers enter Randy Lewis' lab where they come face to face with golden orb weaver spiders and genetically engineered goats, whose milk contains the proteins to spin silk -- and to weave a nearly indestructible fiber. Learn how this amazing material might someday be used to repair or replace human ligaments and bones, imp...