Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Anti/Hero By Kate Karyus Quinn and Demitria Lunetta Illustrated by Maca Gil DC Comics, 2020. Graphic novel. Even though Piper Parajo and Sloane MacBrute go to the same middle school in East Gotham, they could not be more different. For one thing, Piper is *secretly* an aspiring superhero, a star athlete, popular, peppy - basically everything that Sloane is not. Sloane is a super-genius loner who occasionally does some villainous things - but only to help her mom make ends meet. One night, the two cross paths and a freak accident makes them switch bodies with hilarious results. The two very different girls need to learn to work together if they ever hope to make things right again - or save Gotham City! This girl-power forward graphic novel introduces two new superheroes to the DC Universe. At its heart, Anti/Hero is a friendship story about two opposite girls whose forced alliance helps them learn to develop empathy for one another. The characters are well-drawn and expressiv...

Shine! Written by: J.J. and Chris Grabenstein New York: Random House, 2019. Fiction Who do you want to be? This may seem like a simple question but for Piper Milly this question really puzzles her. She knows who she doesn't want to be but figuring out who she is and who she wants to be is not as easy as some people lead you to believe. Life for Piper is pretty average until her father gets a new job teaching at a prestigious private school. Now Piper's life is turned upside down when she has to change schools in the middle of the year and make new friends. She knows she won't fit in at Chumley Prep where everyone excels at something because she is just average. When the school announces a new Excelsior competition for all students, Piper wonders if she will ever get a chance to shine. This is a wonderful heart-warming story about a girl who is facing some real middle school issues. Piper finds out that the true character of a person isn't how many awards ...

Prairie Lotus By Linda Sue Park Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020. 261 p. Hanna is excited to (hopefully) stop moving around the west with her Papa. Papa seems to want to settle in the new town of LaForge in the Dakota Territory; however, that isn’t the only thing that Hanna wants. She also wants to go to school—just like Mama would have wanted. This is a tall order seeing how it is April of 1880 and most people in the new settlement don’t like anyone who isn’t white, and Hanna’s Mama was Chinese so Papa isn’t sure that folks will welcome Hanna to school. This is a brilliant story that takes place in a town based off of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books, only it is told with eyes wide open to the discrimination that many different ethnicities faced in the times. The true star of the book is Hanna—Hanna with her determination, grit, and quiet elegance. Hanna is a character that readers will want to read and get to know.

Read in Monday Book Babies Stretch By Doreen Cronin Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2009.  Picture Book. Can you stretch to the ceiling? Can you stretch to the floor? You can stretch with a whisper, you can stretch with a roar! Doreen Cronin and Scott Menchin give new meaning to the yoga pose downward facing dog as publishing’s most energetic pooch explores the many, many ways a kid can get limber. More than simple toe touching, this pup stretches to ride a breeze, grab a snack from a tree, catch a wave. His bubble gum even gets in on the stretching action. POP! And he reminds us not to forget that we also need to stretch our imaginations (recognize that statue, anyone?). This interactive, energetic rhyming text will also help parents stretch out reading time with their youngsters.  --Publisher Read in Tuesday Toddler Time Circle Square Moose Written by Kelly Bingham Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky Greenwillow Books, 2014.  Picture B...

Diary of a Pug: Pug Blasts Off By Kyla May New York, NY : Scholastic Inc., 2019. Intermediate Fiction. This is the diary of Baron von Bubbles, or Bub, the cutest pug you have ever met. Bub's life consists of simple pleasures such as skateboarding, peanut butter, and cuddling with his owner, Bella. One day, Bella comes home with a big surprise! Her school is hosting a special Inventor's Challenge. Bub and Bella set out to come up with the best invention ever, but things don't go quite as planned. Can Bub save the day before it is too late? This is the first book in the  Diary of a Pug  series filled with adventures of Bub the pug. Written in a diary-style, this book is a cute and funny read for intermediate readers. There are illustrations on every page that include Bub the pug and his friends. For dog lovers everywhere, this book gives a look into the mind of pets and the special relationship they have with their owners.

Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom By Louis Sachar New York, NY: Harper, 2020. Fiction. Like many readers, I grew up with the Wayside School books. As an elementary school student, I loved the wacky stories from this completely bizzaro school -- built 30 classrooms tall instead of 30 classrooms long. This latest entry in the series, published forty years after the first, picks up with the student's of Mrs. Jewls's class on the 30th floor of Wayside School. As the students prepare for their upcoming Ultimate Test, collect toenail clippings to see what a million looks like, and do things like read the longest book in the world - they are faced with an unprecedented danger. A Cloud of Doom has suddenly appeared above Wayside School. I met this book with nervous anticipation - anxious to see whether it would live up to its predecessors and still be funny. In a time where the whole world feels like it is under a looming Cloud of Doom, I was so relieved to find that ...

Charlie & Mouse Outdoors Written By: Laurel Snyder Illustrated By: Emily Hughes San Francisco: Chronicle books, 2020. Easy Reader. Charlie and Mouse are two adorable brothers who are going camping but first they have to endure a long, long car ride. When they finally arrive at their campsite they find so many adventures, they go on a hike, defeat a lion, crash their tent and tell stories along the way. The best part is doing all of these things together.  If you haven't read any books about Charlie & Mouse you should give them a try, it's the perfect beginning chapter book for early readers. The characters are adorable and the illustrations are delightful. After reading this book about Charlie & Mouse and their adventures outdoors you may be inspired to pitch your own tent and enjoy some backyard camping of your own.

Rita & Ralph’s Rotten Day By Carmen Agra Deedy Illustrated by Pete Oswald Scholastic Press, 2020. Picture Book. Rita and Ralph are good friends that once they go “down the hill, and up the hill, and down the hill, and up the hill” they do all sorts of things together. Only one day Ralph accidentally hurt Rita while they were playing a new game. Of course feelings were hurt—on both sides—and the friendship was in a potentially disastrous place! In order to fix things both friends must do a lot of going “down” and “up” hills to go and talk to the other. This is a sweet story that would be good to tell in story time (especially if the storyteller has kids hold up their thumbs and move them “up” and “down” for all the hills that Rita and Ralph have to climb). This is seriously a lovely book on friendship, feelings, and forgiveness.

Read in Monday Book Babies The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk Written by  Kabir Sehgal & Surishtha Sehgal Illustrated by Jess Golden Beach Lane Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster), 2015.  Picture Book. This picture book brings an international twist to the beloved nursery rhyme, The Wheels on the Bus, by bringing you aboard a busy three-wheeled taxi in India! Anything can happen as the tuk tuk rolls through town—from an elephant encounter to a tasty treat to a grand fireworks display. And in the midst of all the action, one thing’s for sure: passengers young and old love every minute of their exciting ride as the wheels of the tuk tuk go round and round!  --Publisher Read in Tuesday Toddler Time The Mitten By Jan Brett GP Putnam's Sons (an imprint of Penguin Group), 2009.  Picture Book. When Nicki drops his white mitten in the snow, he goes on without realizing that it is missing. One by one, woodland animals find it and...

My Mastodon Written by Barbara Lowell Illustrated by Antonio Marinoni Creative Editions, 2020. Picture book. Sybilla Peale doesn't exactly live a normal childhood. Her house is also home to some really strange artifacts, such as fossils. This is because Sybilla lives in a museum, along with the rest of her family. Sybilla's brother and father go on an expedition to bring the bones of a mastodon to their museum to be assembled, and Sybilla finds a friend in the enormous skeleton. When her brother and father offer the mastodon up for a tour of Europe, Sybilla is heartbroken about being without her best friend while it travels the world. But as Sybilla tries to keep her mastodon at home, she starts to see things from a new perspective. Antonio Marinoni's illustrations evoke the time period that they represent with gentle colors and soft lines, and Barbara Lowell's words share a sweet bond between a girl and a mastodon.

Sweety By Andrea Zuill New York: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2019. Picture Book. Sweety is a square peg. That is, she is very different from everyone else. While most naked mole rats like to jump rope or play with dolls, Sweety likes researching fungi and interpretive dance. There's nothing wrong with being different, but Sweety doesn't like how hard it is to fit in. Will a visit from her favorite aunt help Sweety see how amazing she is? This is a beautiful picture book about fitting in, sticking out, and interpretive dancing to the beat of your own drum. SWEETY stars an adorable naked mole rat who explores the balance of being true to herself while wanting to fit in. The uplifting tone of this book makes it the perfect choice for teaching children to be happy with who they are. Bonus: all the naked mole rats have great clothes.

When Stars are Scattered By Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed Penguin, 2020. Graphic memoir. When he was four years old, Omar and his disabled younger brother Hassan walked from their home in Somalia to Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya in order to flee civil war. Their father was killed on the day they left home, they have no idea if their mother is alive or dead - or if she'll ever find them, and they don't know whether they'll ever see their home again. Seven years later, Omar and Hassan are used to their life in a refugee camp, and Omar is good at taking care of his younger brother. He is torn, then, when he's given the chance to return to school. Omar used to love school but dropped out to take care of his brother, and going back means leaving his vulnerable brother alone all day. This graphic novel memoir tells a beautiful, empowering, and hopeful true story of a boy who spent most of his childhood living in a refugee camp. I was skeptical, at first, about th...

Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen! Written by: Sarah Kapit New York: Dial Books, 2020. Fiction. All Vivy Cohen wants to do is to play baseball but she already has two strikes against her, she is a girl and she is autistic. Ever since she met her baseball hero, VJ Capello, and he showed her how to grip a knuckleball she has been perfecting her pitch. Her older brother Nate says she throws a wicked knuckleball and she wants a chance to prove that she, Vivy Cohen, can pitch in a real baseball game. But her mom doesn't think Vivy should play baseball because it's to dangerous, even though her brother has played for years. Her mother thinks she should play softball because softball is safer for girls. But you can't grip a softball in a good knuckle grip, the ball is to big and Vivys hands are to small. Vivy tries to explain to her mom how she feels but she just can't seem to find the right words. How do you share a dream that no one believes in but you? Get a grip, Vi...

The Runaway Princess  By Johan Troïanowski RH Graphic, an imprint of Randon House Children’s Books, 2020. 265 p. Robin is a princess who has three adventures in this delightful comic. In the first adventure Robin goes off and runs away to find a carnival (and of course along the way meets some good friends). In the second adventure she goes away even though she didn’t want to—and is actually lured away by someone who puts a spell on her. The third adventure is also not her fault, she goes away due to the weather. However, in all three adventures Robin and her friends are charming and readers will enjoy seeing what she is up to next. One of my favorite parts about this comic is that there are pages where the readers must do things to help Robin and her friends (or often to save Robin and her friends). Whether it is to turn the book sideways to shake it, to think through mazes to get the friends to safety, or to solve a puzzle to see what island the pirates go to, there is al...

Read in Monday Book Babies Snakes on a Train By Kathryn Dennis Feiwel and Friends (an imprint of Macmillan), 2019.  Picture Book. The conductor takes the tickets  as the snakes start crawling on.  The tracks are checked,  the whistle blows. It's time to move along.  Hissssssssssss goes the sound of the train. An adorable picture book full of sibilant sounds and other word play, Snakes on a Train is as fun for parents as it is for kids, and sure to be a read-aloud hit.  --Publisher Read in Tuesday Toddler Time The Big Blue Spot By Peter Holwitz Philomel Books (an imprint of Penguin Books), 2003.  Picture Book. Once upon a time there was a spot. A big blue spot. It was all alone. Until one day . . . Follow the big blue spot as it drips and races its way through the pages of this fun, interactive book, eventually finding just the friend it has been searching for. Told in catchy rhyming verse, this simple yet clever...

Trees Make Perfect Pets Written By Paul Czajak Illustrated by Cathy Gendron Naperville, Illinois : Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2020. Picture Book. On Abigail's birthday she makes a wish that many children make. She wishes for a pet! But Abigail doesn't want the usual pets that most children want, she wants a tree. She names her tree Fido and treats it just like she would any other kind of pet. She feeds it, keeps it in her room, takes it for walks, and teaches it to do tricks. When her tree is little, it is really easy to take care of. What will happen when her tree gets bigger? This is the perfect book for plant lovers everywhere. It is so fun to see Abigail treating her tree the same way any animal owner would treat their pet. The love she has for her tree is heartwarming. Abigail is not afraid to be a little bit different because she has her best friend Fido, the tree, a friend that is always giving back.

The Presidents: Portraits of History by Leah Tinari Aladdin, 2019. Informational. This isn't your average book of the United States presidents. With a smeared ink portraits and witty trivia about these well known men, readers will get a deeper view of who they were. You'll find random fact about the presidents on each page. There are some interesting facts: Herbert Hoover made the Star-Spangled Banner the national anthem. There are relatable and common facts: Zachary Taylor liked to wear mismatched clothing. And there are many wild and shocking facts: Andrew Jackson pulled a prank as a kid where he moved people's outhouses while they were sleeping so when they woke up, they couldn't find them. This book not only teaches readers traditional information about the different presidents, but it connects you with the past leaders of our nation.

Overground Railroad Written by: Lesa Cline-Ransome  Illustrated by: James Ransome New York: Holiday House, 2020. Picture Book. Many of us have heard of the Underground Railroad that happened in the 1800's around the time of the Civil war but have you ever heard of the Overground Railroad or the Great Migration? This story is based on the Great Migration of people leaving behind what was familiar and heading towards new possibilities.  Slavery may have been a thing of the past but many African Americans were still chained to the sharecropper system in the south in the 1900's. This system kept many African Americans shackled to the land and its owners by keeping them in debt year after year and making it illegal for them to leave without the landowners permission. As a result many escaped this form of bondage by leaving on trains bound for the north where they would be free from oppression.  In the Overground Railroad, Ruth Ellen tells the story of how sh...

Fire Truck Vs. Dragon By Chris Barton Art by Shanda McCloskey Little, Brown and Company, 2020. Picture Book. Have you read and loved Shark Vs. Train the way that I have? Well if you did, then here is a fun kind-of-sequel for you—only it doesn’t involve toys it is about a REAL fire truck and a REAL dragon going head-to-head. In this story three children are excited to see Fire Truck and Dragon face-off (just imagine all that water vs. fire going all over in a fun battle!). However, they are disappointed when Fire Truck and Dragon think they want to see them make shadow puppets, cook-off, or have a staring contest. The three children portrayed in the story are disappointed one “battle” after another—though readers who are patient and wait until the end of the story get some of the “action” they crave. Though this is different than the previously done book it is still satisfying to those who love fire trucks and dragons—fun read!

Read in Monday Book Babies The Very Hungry Caterpillar By Eric Carle Philomel Books (an imprint of Penguin Group), 1979.  Picture Book. This classic book follows the progress of a hungry little caterpillar as he eats his way through a varied and very large quantity of food until, full at last, he forms a cocoon around himself and goes to sleep. Die-cut pages illustrate what the caterpillar ate on successive days.  --Publisher Read in Tuesday Toddler Time Zoom! Zoom! Zoom! I'm Off to the Moon! By Dan Yaccarino Scholastic Press, 2002.  Picture Book. Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Blast off! I'm on my way to the moon!  With a suitcase in hand, a little boy races out his front door toward his red rocket ship.  After carefully suiting up, it's time to head to the moon!  And once all of his adventures are over, it's time to head home again and go to bed.  --Publisher Read in Wednesday Preschool Time H...

Do Fish Sleep? By Jens Raschke New York: Enchanted Lion Books, 2019. Fiction. Translated from German, DO FISH SLEEP? addresses the tough subjects of sickness and grief. 10-year-old Jette struggles to make sense of her little brother's death. She go through her daily life with grieving parents, insensitive classmates, and existential questions no one has the answers to. Those who wish to discuss the grieving process with their children can benefit from this read, as its leveled tone and word choice relates the story and themes to a child's understanding. While the ending is not necessarily happy, things do get better for Jette's family and shows how one can move forward even in the midst of a terrible tragedy.

Fungus Is Among Us Written by Joy Keller Illustrated by Erica Salcedo Innovation Press, 2019. Informational. Fungus, in its millions of species, is a little mysterious. It eats dead stuff. It can look strange. And it exists literally everywhere, even on YOU! Scary? Maybe, but Fungus Is Among Us reassures us of all the important ways fungi are our friends! In clever rhyming text with facts on each page Keller introduces us to a topic that impacts every part of our lives but still goes relatively unnoticed. Cute, brightly colored fungi with cartoony faces make this a fun and approachable nonfiction picture book about a fascinating topic.

Toco Toucans: bright enough to disappear By Anastasia Suen Toco toucans have a surprising way of protecting themselves from predators. These birds have multicolored feathers and big, reddish-orange beaks that should make them easy to spotor so you would think. The brilliant colors actually provide the perfect camouflage among the bright foliage of the tropical rain forest. The toucans can stay safe by hiding in plain sight! Packed with fascinating facts and photos that will test childrens detective skills, this book will engage emergent readers as they learn how toco toucans are adapted for survival. A section of the book highlights other rain-forest birds that are camouflaged to look like the plants in their environment. Chimpanzees By Helen Friesen A book all about chimpanzees, chimpanzee history, where chimpanzees live, chimpanzee features, what chimpanzees eat, chimpanzee life cycle, conservation of chimpanzees, and myths and legends. Chasing Cheetahs By Sy Montgomer...