Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Remarkables By: Margaret Peterson Haddix HarperCollins Publishers, 2019. Fiction. Marin is lonely. It's summer time and her family has just moved to a new town in a new state. One afternoon, after taking a break from unpacking boxes, she follows a trail into the forest behind her house. When she comes to the end of the trail she decides to climb a tree so she can see the view. While she is sitting in the tree she notices some teenagers talking and laughing and then they vanish. Should she tell someone or will everyone think she is crazy?  How does someone just vanish? This is a fast paced novel that will keep you turning pages as the adventure unfolds. Its a story about friendship, bullying, starting over again and the hope that things can get better. In true Haddix style this book has some plot twists you won't be expecting and is a very enjoyable read.

The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family By Ibtihaj Muhammad With S. K. Ali Art by Hatem Aly Little, Brown and Company, 2019. Picture Book. Asiya is choosing her first hijab while at a hijab store with her mother and younger sister (Faizah). Asiya chooses one that is the “brightest blue.” The next day they go to school and Faizah loves to look at the beautiful hijab that Asiya is wearing—only it isn’t as loved by the rest of the students at school. Faizah’s friend ask about the hijab. Later Faizah notices that other older students are teasing Asiya and she is worried about how Asiya will react. But Asiya is “strong” and doesn’t let the hurtful words get her down. This is a beautiful story with equally striking illustrations that shows various reactions to a young girl starting to wear her first hijab. Readers who want to talk to youngsters about tolerance and why a girl wears hijabs will want to check out this book. Readers who wear hijabs or who have family who wears h...

Follow Chester! By Gloria Respress-Churchwell Illustrated by Laura Freeman Charlesbridge, 2019. Picture Book. As a child Chester rescued his brother from a well and was regarded as a town hero. People loved him and cheered him on in all his sport and musical endeavors. Despite all this, Chester lacked confidence and thought that he was never enough. He decided to work hard and prove to himself that he was good enough by applying to play football at Harvard. At Harvard, Chester was loved and accepted but schools in the South did not like the idea of Chester coming to play against them. Together with his teammates Chester stood up against racism and became the first black man to play college football in the south. This book is a heartwarming story about standing up for what's right and finding confidence among hard trials. A definite must read for any sports fans.

Bringing Back Our Tropical Rain Forest By Carol Hand Explores the reasons why tropical forests are at risk, sustainable agricultural practices, and how to protect our tropical forests. Greatest Magical Stories By Michael Morpurgo  A compilation of popular fairy tales: Jack and the Beanstalk, The Merman, Sleeping Beauty, and more are included in this read. The Frog Book By Steve Jenkins Explores the forms, colors and patterns of different frogs. Seven Wonders of the Solar System By David Aguilar Explores seven different wonders of space. Mary Cassatt: Impressionist Painter By Lois Harris A biography of Mary Cassatt, illustrated with her paintings. The Complete Dog Book By American Kennel Club Reviews the 153 dog breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club. Includes the history of each breed, photographs, training, first aid, and more. Oops! By Alan Katz A compilation of poems for children. Kids' Guide to Camping By Cherie Winner Gives tips a...

Wintercake  Written and Illustrated by Lynne Rae Perkins Greenwillow Books, 2019. Picture Book.  Are you looking for a longer picture book to cozy up with before school starts again? Wintercake is a charming, wintry yarn that follows animal friends Thomas and Lucy, first as they try to find Thomas's misplaced basket of dried fruits and then as they try to right a wrong. This picture book offers a lot of different things: warm, detailed illustrations, a gentle warning against jumping to conclusions, and a celebration of holiday traditions, especially when shared with new friends. Speech bubbles and unexpected vocabulary words also lend some humor to this story. Christmas might be over, but  Wintercake  is one way to keep those seasonal feelings sparkling for a little bit longer.

Christmas is Awesome! Story by Sabrina Moyle Illustrated by Eunice Moyle New York: Abrams Appleseed, 2019. Board book. We all know that Christmas is awesome, but what makes it that way? With brighter-than-bright illustrations and rhyming text, this ebullient new board book celebrates the many virtues of the Christmas season. A festive crew of creatures participate in traditional Christmas activities -- everything from mistletoe, to sledding, to giving gifts. Candy colored illustrations are sure to make this bright and cheery board book a Christmas favorite for years to come as everyone, even the lump of coal, finds joy in the Christmas season. And about that lump of coal, see if you can find him on every page -- my personal favorite is at the ugly sweater party.

Reading Beauty Written by Deborah Underwood Illustrated by Meg Hunt Chronicle Books LLC, 2019. Picture Book. Princess Lex, who loves reading more than anything, is cursed by a fairy to get a paper cut at the age of 15, which will induce a deep sleep. To prevent this dastardly scenario, her parents take away any items that could bring the curse upon her, including her beloved books. Lex is not one to sit idly, so she takes matters into her own hands and sets out to find how to break the curse without true love's kiss, and bring books back to herself and the rest of the kingdom. In the process, Lex learns that the fairy who cursed her has a little secret problem that Lex just might be able to fix. Underwood's rhyming text and empowering story work well with Hunt's splashy illustrations. Colorful and fun, the whole book is a wild ride and a fun take on a classic fairy tale. Not only does this book focus on girls being the heroines of their own stories, it also emphas...

A Wolf Called Wander By Rosanne Parry New York, Greenwillow Books, 2019. 243 pgs.  A wolf called Swift has a wonderful life. He learns how to hunt from his father, his mother teaches him what dangers to avoid, and he has many brothers and sisters to play with. When tragedy strikes his pack, Swift finds himself all alone. He finds himself traveling thousands of miles to find a new home. Will this wolf be able to survive the dangers of the world alone? Inspired by the true story of a wolf called OR-7. This book is a great read for kids who love animals. The first-person narrative gives a fun spin on how wild animals could possibly think and sprinkles some fun animal facts throughout. There are a couple parts in the story that are a little frightening and carry a Bambiesque feel to them. This read is recommended for third grade and older.

The Great Santa Stakeout  By Betsy Bird Illustrated by Dan Santat Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc., 2019. Picture Book. Freddy Melcher loves Santa Claus—a lot! He is so enamored with the jolly old elf that he gives out Christmas cards on Valentine’s Day and he dresses up like Santa for Talk Like a Pirate Day. The only think that Freddy doesn’t have is a real picture of Santa. So, he makes a plan. Freddy figures out how he can catch Santa delivering gifts on Christmas Eve and take a photo—only Santa has a few plans of his own. This is a Christmas book full of comedy and fun illustrations. And perhaps this book just might inspire other youngsters to think through how they might catch a glimpse of one of the most well-known (yet super sneaky) legends.

The Mitten : a Ukrainian folktale By: Jan Brett One by one, animals in a snowy forest crawl into Nicki's lost white mitten to get warm until the bear sneezes, sending the animals flying up and out of the mitten.  On each turn of the page, signature borders inspired by Ukrainian folk art hint at what animal is coming next. The Mitten By: Jim Ayles worth A retelling of the traditional tale of how a boy's lost mitten becomes a refuge from the cold for an increasing number of animals. The mitten string By: Jennifer Rosner Ruthie Tober's family is known for the beautiful, warm mittens they knit so when she and her mother meet a deaf woman and her baby and give them shelter, Ruthie decides to design very special mittens for them. The missing mitten mystery By: Steven Kellogg Annie searches the neighborhood for her red mitten, the fifth she's lost this winter.

Aloha, Dolores By Barbara Samuels Certain that they will win a trip to Hawaii, Dolores enters her cat Duncan in the Meow Munchies contest and goes all out preparing for their trip. Dog-of-the-Sea-Waves By James Rumford Manu, one of five brothers who are the first humans to set foot on Hawaii, is unhappy until he saves the life of a strange creature he calls Dog-of-the-Sea-Waves, and they become fast friends. Includes facts about Hawaii and the unique plants and animals found there. The Mermaid By Jan Brett Set in the ocean off Japan, this retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears stars Kiniro, a mermaid, who finds a baby octopus's breakfast, chair, and bed just right. Hula Lullaby By Erin Eitter Kono Against the backdrop of a beautiful Hawaiian landscape, a young girl cuddles and sleeps in her mother's lap. Pearl By Molly Idle When young Pearl, a mermaid, becomes caretaker of a single grain of sand, she discovers that performing even the smallest tas...

The Shortest Day By Susan Cooper Illustrated by Carson Ellis Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2019. Picture book. Long before we had calendars or clocks, our forebears celebrated the Winter Solstice to mark the passing of seasons. Even though the shortest day of the year is the coldest and darkest there is reason to celebrate - since the passing of seasons means that soon there will be warmer and brighter days. Newbery Medalist Susan Cooper evokes all the feelings of dismay and hope that come in the darkest nights of winter - and reminds us that there is always a promise of sun. Meanwhile, Caldecott Honoree Carson Ellis fills this beautiful picture book with gouache illustrations that are both modern and ancient and perfectly reflect the rising and setting of the sun. This may not be the most scientific way to teach about the Winter Solstice, but it is certainly the most atmospheric.

The Great Louweezie By: Erica Perl New York: Penguin Random House, 2019. Easy Reader. This is a new easy reader series about two friends Arnold, a large black bear and Louise, a small chipmunk.  They have many adventures together and in this book Louise decides she can predict the future. She tries to get Arnold to pay her for her predictions but he doesn't want to give up his lucky marble. Does this mean their friendship is over?  Read the book and see if they find a solution to their problem.  If you are a fan of the Henry and Mudge series or the Frog and Toad series you will enjoy these new stories about two unlikely friends. A perfect read for an independent reader.

My Baby Loves Christmas! By: Jabari Asim Illustrated By: Tara Nicole Whitaker New York, NY: HarperFestival, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2019. Board Book. Baby loves everything about Christmas! From the candy canes, to the snow, she loves it all. What makes this book such a wonderful read, is the rhythmic poetry style in which it is written. Along with being a fun book to read aloud, its beautifully illustrated pages draw you right into this little family’s Christmas celebrations. My favorite part is when they are all singing Christmas carols around the piano. This book is not only a book that your baby will enjoy, it will warm your heart as you see Christmas through the eyes of a child and reflect on why you love Christmas!

Dasher  By Matt Tavares Candlewick Press, 2019. Picture Book. This is one of the most beautifully illustrated Christmas picture books to come out this year. The story is of Dasher the reindeer and how the reindeer family had a hard life being part of the traveling circus. Dasher loves listening to Mama’s story about living under the North Star which was a “magical place” that used to be home for Mama and Papa reindeer. One cold and windy night the gate to the reindeer enclosure swung open and Dasher takes a chance and leave the circus. She traveled North toward the star that Mama talked about so much. On her journey she met a man and a horse. The horse couldn’t pull the sleigh that was so heavy this particular year—so Dasher kindly decides to help. Santa gratefully accepts the help and after a magical night Dasher finds a new home at the North Pole—where the 7 other members of the reindeer family soon end up living thanks to Santa. The story of how Santa got his reindeer is...

A Big Bed for Little Snow Written and Illustrated by Grace Lin Little, Brown and Company, 2019. Picture Book. Where does snow come from? This picture book offers a playful answer. When winter comes Little Snow's mother gives him a soft new feather bed. How can he resist jumping on it when she tucks him in to sleep? Mischief, joyful repetition and the unique use of white negative space in the illustrations make  A Big Bed for Little Snow a lovely, wintry companion to Grace Lin's Caldecott Honor winning picture book  A Big Mooncake for Little Star .

Words on Fire By Jennifer A. Nielsen New York: Scholastic Press, 2019. Historical fiction. 12-year-old Audra is mostly content to spend her life on her parents' quiet farm. It is the 1890s and her father is a traveling magician who often leaves Audra and her mother behind when he travels to perform. Though Audra knows her parents are secretly doing something illegal, she isn't sure what it is until Cossack soldiers come to burn down her farm and arrest her mom and dad. Audra's family lives in what used to be the country of Lithuania but has been invaded by Russian soldiers who have made it illegal to read, speak, or really be Lithuanian. Audra soon learns that her parents are part of a group of Lithuanians who smuggle Lithuanian books throughout the country to keep their culture alive. With her parents arrested and the terrifying Officer Rusakov on her tail, Audra becomes involved with the smugglers as she begins to understand the importance of books. This is an in...

Mary Blair's Unique Flair: The Girl Who Became One of the Disney Legends Written by Amy Novesky Illustrated by Brittney Lee Disney Press, 2019. Picture Book Biography. An artist from childhood, Mary Blair found her joy in creating beautiful art on blank white pages. Blair's story is a hopeful one. It's a tale of staying true to one's desire to be an artist; an occupation difficult to achieve when one is born into a low-income family without the means to foster artistic practice. Although Blair's family couldn't afford art lessons and studios, they did their best to provide Blair with the supplies necessary to grow her talents. What is perhaps most wonderful about Mary Blair's story is how her tenure with Disney and her trip to South America created a legacy of using color in innovative and exciting ways. She made a true lasting impression on the world of animation, and was the mind behind many beloved Disney classics. To properly reflect Mary Blair...

Santa’s Story By Will Hillenbrand Two Lions, 2019. Picture Book. In this fun new holiday picture book Santa has loaded his sleigh and is ready to head off and take gifts to all the good little boys and girls around the world; however, he can’t find the reindeer so that he can actually start his journey. Santa goes off looking for the eight famous sleigh-pullers and though readers see just what the reindeer are up to, Santa (who is a small figure in the distance when readers see each animal) can’t seem to find them. Finally, Santa remembers just what the reindeer need in order to get them to come together before they take flight (Storytime!). This is a fun story that shows that even a reindeer (or eight) like being read to before they do something important.

Read in Book Babies The Book of Winter By Agnese Baruzzi White Star Kids, 2018.  Small Picture Book. Brrr! Winter’s come and it’s shivery cold. But it’s also fun to play in the snow, drink hot chocolate by the fire, go on a sleigh ride, and, of course, celebrate Christmas with a tree and gifts. Just remember to wear your coat, hat, scarves, and gloves! Each colorful and evocative page features an object, sensation, or experience associated with winter.  --Publisher Read in Monday Cuentos Demasiados juguetes Por David Shannon Scholastic, 2008.  Spanish Picture Book. La mamá de Spencer quiere que su hijo se deshaga de algunos de sus juguetes pero para Spencer cada uno de los juguetes es su preferido.  --Publisher Read in Toddler Time I'm Not Millie! By Mark Pett Alfred A. Knopf, 2019.  Picture Book. Where's Millie?! Every time a new nighttime task pops up, there's an animal in her place! It's time for Millie ...

The One and Only Wolfgang By Steve Greig and Mary Rand Hess Illustrated by Nadja Sarell Zonderkidz, 2019. Picture Book. All families look a little different and this family is no exception. This wolfgang consists of nine old dogs, one rabbit, one chicken and one large pig. Some of them are big and others are small. Some are smelly and some are bossy. Some are lazy and some are adventurous. Despite all their differences they are glad to be a family that lives together, dreams together and gets breakfast burritos together. Before they were a family, each of them struggled to get adopted, but now they live together happily. This sweet story talks about how each family is unique and that is what makes each family special. After all, family is the most important thing - for humans and animals alike.

The Jamie Drake Equation By Christopher Edge New York, Delacorte Press, 2017. 185 pgs. Jamie Drake has the coolest dad, or so most people think. He's an astronaut, which is pretty awesome, Jamie must admit, but it means that his dad is away for long periods of time and very much out of reach. Currently, his dad is orbiting the Earth for several months. Jamie feels connected and incredibly interested in the happenings of space and other planets. So when he gets a signal from potential extraterrestrials, his scientist brain kicks into gear. He has to try and get a message to his dad before it's too late. This middle grade reader is perfect for your math or science lover. The science is simple enough for anyone to understand and the fun, heart-warming story will keep you interested until the last page.

Small in the City Written and illustrated by Sydney Smith New York: Holiday House, 2019. Picture book. I don’t often say that a picture book gives me chills, but this one does that and more. To reveal everything that makes this book so special would be a real disservice to the calm, patient, and very sweet ending, but I will say that this book is very deserving of all five of its starred reviews. A little boy, alone in a big city, speaks as first-person narrator telling the reader everything he knows about being small in the city. We follow this little boy as he travels through his beautiful-ugly city brought to life. Tiny details that all city-dwellers know (i.e. plastic bags caught in trees, reflections of cars in windows) enrich the delightful reading experience this book offers. Like Ashcan realism for children, these illustrations are beautiful and sophisticated - especially for a children's book. Don't miss out on this wonderfully understated winter read.

Frank and Bean By: Jamie Michalak Candlewick Press, 2019. Easy Reader. Frank likes peace and quiet and he enjoys writing in his secret notebook but he is afraid to share his words with anyone. His life is simple but lonely, after all roasting marshmallows by yourself isn't a lot of fun. Then along comes Bean who couldn't be more opposite then Frank. He likes banging on his drum, blasting his trumpet, smacking his triangle and revving his loud motor bike. His music is as loud and annoying as he is but he has a problem, he can't think of words for his songs. The duo couldn't be more opposite and they seem destined to be enemies until they discover that maybe by working together they can accomplish something great. The illustrations by Bob Kolar are fun and expressive and they enrich the text nicely. The narrative is simple but effective in telling the story of two different people teaching each other some important lessons.  Check out this amusing new easy r...

Snow Globe Wishes By Erin Dealey Pictures by Claire Shorrock Sleeping Bear Press, 2019. Picture Book. This is a new sweet winter picture book. A family hunkers down when a “fierce” storm blows in one winter day. The storm causes traffic to slow, power to go out, and the family to build a blanket fort to help keep warm overnight. Then in the morning when everything is coated in a blanket of white everyone goes outside to play in the snow—moms, dads, brothers, sisters, strangers, everybody. Although there is no mention of any specific holiday, there is a decorated Christmas tree and some evergreen garlands that are strung in-between streetlights. This is a fun winter holiday book that celebrates taking a moment to just be together (as a family and a community) and to enjoy the winter weather.