Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Mamie on the Mound: a Woman in Baseball's Negro Leagues Written by: Leah Henderson Illustrated by: George Doutsiopoulos Capstone imprint, 2020. Biography. This is a book that celebrates women athletes and trailblazing athletes by telling the true story of Mamie "Peanut" Johnson who overcame segregation and prejudice in order to pursue her dreams. From a young age Mamie fell in love with the game of baseball and she worked hard to become the first woman pitcher in the professional leagues. Mamie loved baseball and in her pursuit to become a major league pitcher she came up against many obstacles but she never gave up. She tried out for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League but she wasn't accepted because of the color of her skin. Then she heard about an opportunity to play in the Negro Baseball Leagues, she took it. She was accepted on the team as one of three women players and she spent the next three years playing the game that she loved...

Gloom Town  Ronald L. Smith HMHKids, 2020. 267 p. Rory is a 12-year-old kid who lives with his mom in Gloom Town. Since life is hard and they are behind on their rent, Rory takes an odd job as a valet at the Foxglove Manor—the spooky old place in town that everyone says is haunted. As Rory starts to work as a valet, things get a little horrific and dangerous. Rory learns that there is more than what appears at the manor and the whole town might be in trouble. When Rory discovers a bit about what is really happening, he turns to his best friend Izzy. The two of them work to figure out what paranormal-horror is coming and what they can do about it. This is the type of scary story that those just wanting to start reading horror might like. The paranormal monsters are scary—but not so scary that kids won’t stay up all night with nightmares. The fight against evil in the climax is properly thrilling—but not so suspenseful that readers will wet their pants while reading it. And...

Farm By Elisha Cooper New York : Orchard Books, 2010.  Describes the activities on a busy family farm from the spring when preparations for planting begin to the autumn when the cats grow winter coats and the cold rains begin to fall. Cock-a-doodle-doo-bop! By Michael Ian Black Illustrated by Matt Myers New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2015. When Mel the rooster gets tired of his boring old cock-a-doodle-doo he decides to shake things up with something brand new--the cock-a-doodle-doo-bop! But not everyone on the barnyard is a fan of the new tune. Cock-a-doodle-doo, Creak, Pop-pop, Moo By Jim Aylesworth Illustrated by Brad Sneed New York : Holiday House, 2012. Rhyming text divulges the many sounds heard on a farm, from a rooster's morning crow to an owl's goodnight call. Old MacDonald Had a Farm By Gris Grimly New York : Orchard Books, 2017. A new version of the traditional American song, with an unexpected twist at the end. ...

Hundred Feet Tall Written by Benjamin Scheuer Illustrated by Jemima Williams Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2020. Picture book. Even things that grow to be one hundred feet tall start very small. A young rabbit on a walk with their parents finds a seed one day, and plants it. A lot of care, water, soil, and sunshine help the tiny seed to put down roots and start sprouting. As the young rabbit cares for the growing seed, so does their mother nurture a growing baby inside her. The young rabbit looks forward in excitement to when the tree, thanks to all the love and care, grows to be one hundred feet tall. The soft illustrations and sweet rhyming text make this a cozy read-aloud, and the gentle story will make it a repeat read for many. This is a sweet story about two different kinds of growth and nurturing; one at the forefront of the text, and one so subtle that not all children will catch it on the first read. The parallels drawn between a rabbit caring for...

King and the Dragonflies By Kacen Callender New York: Scholastic Press, 2020. Fiction. After the unexpected death of his older brother Khalid, 12-year-old King is trying to cope with his grief as best as he can - keeping in mind his father's adage that boys don't cry, even when that's all he wants to do. Though King believes that Khalid still visits him in the form of a dragonfly, King's relationship with his brother is still complicated by his fear that Khalid wouldn't have have loved him if he knew his big secret - King thinks he might be gay. Then his former best friend Sandy, the gay, white son of the town's sheriff, disappears and King is left wondering what he is supposed to do. This a powerful coming-of-age story about a Black boy trying to find a balance between his own feelings and pressure from family, friends, and his community. King's loving family that moves past their grief to ensure King feels their love and knows his place in their f...

The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read Written by: Rita Lorraine Hubbard Illustrated by: Oge Mora Schwartz & Wade Books, 2020. Biography. This is the story of Mary Walker and how she learned to read at the age of 116. Mary was born into slavery in 1848 and was fifteen when she was freed by the emancipation. Even though she was free she still had to work hard almost her whole life for very little money just to survive. She married had children and worked and worked and she never had the time or the opportunity to learn to read or write. It was a dream of hers that just had to wait. When she was 116 she felt like she had waited long enough and she enrolled in CALM, the Chattanooga Area Literacy Movement and through hard work she learned how to read. She became known as the as the nation's oldest student after she completed the course. She received many awards in her life but the most meaningful thing for her was her ability to read. She said "You...

She Leads: The Elephant Matriarch  By June Smalls Illustrations by Yumi Shimokawara Familius LLC, 2020. Non-fiction Picture Book. This is a non-fiction book about elephants that can read like a picture book story. There is one sentence on each spread that is bolder and in a larger font that is the gist of the story (this is the part that can be read to younger listeners with smaller attention spans); however, each spread also has another paragraph that is in a smaller font and has more detail explaining the animal science touched on in the story (which is perfect for readers who are hungry for more details about these magnificent animals). This is a great book to introduce elephants or the matriarchal society of elephants to little ones. Also, the illustrations are breathtaking. Those who love looking at elephants will need to take a minute to bask in the illustrations before reading the text on each page.

The Last Human By Lee Bacon New York, NY : Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams, 2019. Fiction. In a world where robots are in control and humans are extinct, there lives a robot named  XR 935A. He has been alive for 12 years and has always been taught that humans are bad. He never questions this way of thinking until one day he discovers a human, a girl named Emma, that is in need of help. Along with two others robots, XR 935A, goes on a journey to help Emma, as he fights to overcome his prejudice against humans. The Last Human is an enthralling story that makes you want to keep reading to find out what happens next. This book is perfect for anyone who loves futuristic, science fiction, adventure stories. It is told from the perspective of XR 935A, which gives you a glimpse into the mind of a robot and how he processes information. This story is entertaining while still exploring prejudice in a new way, between robots and humans.

Love and the Rocking Chair By Leo & Diane Dillon New York: The Blue Sky Press, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc., 2019. This picture book follows a family through three generations and their experiences with the same rocking chair. The chair was used to soothe fussy children, as a reading spot, and as a daring steed in imaginative play. The memories surrounding the chair were ones of happiness, love, and loss. How many more generations will experience the rocking chair? The illustrations in this picture book are classically elegant while maintaining a simplistic style. As this story goes through three generations, many family members can relate to this story. A grandparent who grieves for their spouse, a young couple excited to meet their first child, and a toddler who loves to play will all have something to connect to in this book.

Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration By Samara Cole Doyon Illustrated by Kaylani Juanita Thomaston, Maine: Tilbury House Publishers, 2020. This joyful picture book is a celebration of the color brown - in all of its many expressions. Through evocative text and stunning illustrations we see brown in the natural world and represented in the lives of several brown skinned girls. Never has brown seemed more multi-faceted than to hear it described as feathery, amber, radiant, cozy, thundering, etc. The descriptions of brown are then matched by descriptions of cozy time spent with family and friends or exploring the woods on hikes. Then, the greatest celebration of all -- "radiant brown... like my skin." The expressive, poetic text of this lovely picture book follows a gentle rhythm that is well-suited for a quiet lap-time read aloud. The illustrations are their own kind of celebration; celebrating diversity by showing girls with a variety of families, hairs...

Summer Song Written by: Kevin Henkes Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublisher, 2020. Illustrations and easy-to-read text introduce the colors, songs, and activities of summer. Summerlost: a novel Written by: Allyson Braithwaite Condie New York, NY: Dutton Children's Books, 2016. Following the sudden deaths of her father and autistic younger brother, Cedar Lee spends the summer working at a Shakespearean theater festival, making a new friend, and coming to terms with her grief. Possum and the summer storm Written by: Anne Hunter Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018. When Possum's brush pile washes away in a storm, his neighbors all help build a new home based on their own abilities and preferences. Summer ball Written by: Mike Lupica Philomel Books, 2017. Thirteen-year-old Danny must prove himself all over again for a disapproving coach and against new rivals at a summer basketball camp. Summer of a thousand pies ...

Lizzie Demands a Seat!: Elizabeth Jennings Fights for Streetcar Rights Written by: Beth Anderson Illustrated by: E.B. Lewis Calkins Creek, an imprint of Boyds Mills & Kane, 2020. Picture Book. You may have heard of Rosa Parks and her fight for equal rights but a century earlier a woman named Elizabeth Jennings stood up for her rights and demanded a seat. She was late for church and when she climbed aboard a streetcar that wasn't designated for colored people she was thrown off. Even though Lizzie was a teacher and an educated woman living in a free state she was still treated unfairly. She decided to sue a New York city streetcar company, the Third Avenue Railroad Company, on February 22, 1855 for the same right to ride as others. She won the first recorded court case for equal rights on public transportation.  This remarkable story was told with lots of details and paired with vivid watercolor illustrations that really helped bring the story to life. It was...

Two Dogs on a Trike By Gabi Snyder Illustrated by Robin Rosenthal Abrams, 2020. Picture Book. This is a new counting book that is quite hilarious. One dog is standing all alone as another dog goes by. Then the two dogs move along on a trike. Adventures and various modes of transportation continue as the dogs are counted up to ten—though there is one dog that doesn’t really seem like a dog! Which causes a touch of chaos as the count-down to one begins. Readers will notice what the dogs do not and may even snicker along with the disguised animal. And the fun twist at the end will allow readers to imagine the counting beginning all over again. Snyder and Rosenthal have made an enchanting counting book (both forward and backward counting) for young readers who love animals!

Surprise Lily By Sharelle Byar Moranville Holiday House, 2019. Fiction. 231 pages. Spunky ten-year-old Rose Lovell loves her life on the farm in Illinois with Ama, who is both her grandmother and best friend.  She likes to bake, loves spending time with her calf Peanutbutter, and still gets nervous about school presentations.  But the predictability of her quiet life alters dramatically when her long-absent mother walks in the back door of the farmhouse kitchen one summer afternoon.  Rose soon learns that the pain and difficulty of change can lead to the most beautiful surprises. Moranville has crafted a unique and exquisite female-centric story that encompasses multiple generations of the Lovell family's life on the farm, a format rarely seen in middle grade novels.  A simple family tree is used throughout the story and is corrected as family secrets are revealed.  This book is likely best suited for older children, as it does broach more mature topic...

Blood Mountain By James Preller Feiwel and Friends, 2019. Fiction, pp. 227 Grace, Carter, and their dad were expecting a fun day of hiking with their dog. Unfortunately, things didn't go according to plan, and within just a few short hours the children are lost in the mountains without their dad, and with very few supplies. And if that weren't stressful enough, there also happens to be an escaped mountain lion in the woods, and an unstable man who will do anything to stay off the grid. A park ranger has set out to find the kids and reunite them with their father, and she'll have to use all of her know-how to the pieces of their story together. Preller uses the present tense effectively in this fast-paced survival novel. New obstacles pop up constantly as the story surges forward, and readers will be holding their breath as the last few chapters play out. This adventure novel is not for the faint of heart, as it describes many harrowing situations in great detail. O...

From the Desk of Zoe Washington By Janae Marks New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2020. Fiction. On her 12th birthday, aspiring baker Zoe Washington receives a surprise letter from Marcus - her biological father who's been imprisoned for murder since before Zoe was born. Against her mother and stepfather's wishes, Zoe secretly begins writing to Marcus with the help of her maternal grandmother. As Zoe gets to know Marcus, she has a hard time believing the kind, basketball loving, R & B music listening, recipe-sharing man could actually be guilty. Zoe learns that the evidence used to convict Marcus was circumstantial and inconclusive, which prompts her to learn more about inequality in the criminal justice system and how black people like her and Marcus are more likely to be wrongfully convicted of crimes. This incredible debut novel is perfect for facilitating conversations about racial profiling with middle grade readers. Though the subject matter may seem ...

Grand Teton Written by: Josh Gregory New York, NY: children's Press, in imprint of Scholastic inc., 2018. From the towering peaks of the Teton Range to the sprawling, green valley known as Jackson Hole, Grand Teton National park is home to some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the United States. Get a look at rare and fascinating plants and animals that live in the park, explore the park's history, from how it was formed to how people first discovered it. Yellowstone National Park Written by: Megan Cooley Peterson Pebble, a Capstone imprint, 2019. This book presents facts about Yellowstone National Park, covering its trails, springs, geysers, and wildlife.  Glacier National Park Written by: Katie Parker Pebble, a Capstone imprint, 2019. "Glacier National Park runs from Montana to the Canadian border. Learn how to prepare for hiking the trails of this national park and about the wildlife that lives there." Bryce Canyon...

Flight for freedom: the Wetzel family's daring escape from East Germany Written by: Kristen Fulton Illustrated by: Torben Kuhlmann Chronicle Books LLC, 2020. Informational. Flight for freedom is the true story of two families, the Wetzels and Strelzyks and their escape from East Germany in the 1970's. Told from six year old Peter's perspective is the story of how his family endured long lines, early curfews, and scratchy uniforms as well as other hardships living in Eastern Germany. Peter's family had an illegal picture of a hot air balloon and it gave them the inspiration to make a balloon and fly over the Berlin Wall. For more than a year Peter and his family slowly acquired the supplies they needed to construct a balloon, buying what they needed a little at a time. After a few failed attempts they finally made their escape. The author has done a great job in telling the story in a straightforward manner with plenty of drama and tension. The illustratio...

This is a Dog  By Ross Collins Nosy Crow, 2020. Picture Book. Dog has taken over “My First Animal Book.” In fact, for every page where kids are supposed to learn about a new animal (such as a cat or a giraffe) Dog comes in and takes over. Because Dog thinks the book should just be about him. Kids who like reading books about animals will enjoy seeing all the different ones, but they will also enjoy seeing the quirkiness of the attention-seeking Dog. Basically, this is a book where readers can laugh about animals and especially Dog. Seriously, all animal-loving kids should read this fun picture book.

Chicken Feathers By Joy Cowley Relates the story of the summer Josh spends while his mother is in the hospital awaiting the birth of his baby sister, and his pet chicken Semolina, who talks but only to him, is almost killed by a red fox. Where the Steps Were By Andrea Cheng Verse from the perspectives of five students in Miss D.'s third grade class details the children's last year together before their inner city school is to be torn down. Suspect Red By Laura Elliott In 1950s Washington, D.C., teenaged Richard, a bookworm whose father works for the FBI, experiences effects of McCarthyism, beginning with book banning and ending with a threat to his half-Czech friend. Tales of Bunjitsu Bunny By John Himmelman Although she can throw farther, kick higher, and hit harder than anyone else at school, Isabel, aka Bunjitsu Bunny, never hurts another creature--unless she has to. Digby O'Day in the Fast Lane By Shirley Hughes Digby O'Day and Percy are...

Animal City By Joan Negrescolor San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books LLC., 2018. Join Nina as she reads a book to her animal friends about where humans once lived. City Cat By Kate Banks New York: Frances Foster Books, 2013. A little cat travels the world and crosses paths with a tourist family. The Wall in the Middle of the Book By Jon Agee New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2018. A knight is convinced that the wall in the middle of the book protects him from dangers on the other side. Will he notice the dangers on his side of the wall before it's too late? Drum City By Thea Guidone Berkeley: Tricycle Press, 2010. A young boy takes pots and pans outside and starts drumming. Other children join in using everyday items in place of drums. My City By Joanne Liu New York, NY: Prestel Publishing, 2019. A young boy enjoys a day of exploring his city. In a Pickle By Richard Scarry New York: Simon Spotlight, 2010. ...

Dreaming in Code: Ada Byron Lovelace, Computer Pioneer By Emily Arnold McCully Somerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, 2019. Biography. Ada Lovelace is recognized now as a pioneer of the information age. Her research, feedback and calculations played a huge role in making computers what they are today. Ada is known as "the first computer programmer". Although she had many accomplishments, her life was never easy. From her lifelong health problems, to the struggles in society to be recognized for her discoveries because she was a woman, she had many challenges. Being able to explore the life that she lived, the people she interacted with, and the hardships she dealt with, really help readers to appreciate all of her contributions. Anyone who is wanting a book that gives them a better look into what it was like to be a woman in the early 1800's, will love this book about Ada Lovelace. It gives a glimpse not only into the life of Ada but also into wh...

Founded in 1980, the Beehive Book Awards are the only children's choice award for literature in the state of Utah. Here are some past winners! Where's the Dragon? By Jason Hook New York: Sterling Children's Books, 2004. Look inside this amazing picture book and feel the embossed pages. Can you see and touch the dragon? Can you find lots and lots of dragons? They're everywhere! That's because Mr. Jones is simply mad about the creatures. He carves them out of wood and he tells thrilling stories about them. But he's never seen a real dragon, so he and his grandson George have set sail in search of one. Come along and help, using your sharp sense of sight and sensitive fingers to navigate through the pictures. But remember: to discover a really, truly fire-breathing dragon, you have to hunt high and low and always, always believe hard enough. A story kids will joyously read over and over again. Balloons Over Broadway: the True Story of the Puppe...

Seek & Find Biomes By Jorrien Peterson Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith, 2020. Picture book. If seek and find type books are popular in your home, then this ecological I Spy is sure to be a hit. Readers are introduced to the flora and fauna of nine different ecosystems (tundra, alpine, forest, rainforest, savanna, grassland, desert, freshwater, and marine) with highly stylized graphic illustrations and a short informational paragraph that provides a specific example of this type of biome somewhere in the world. Readers can also learn about how animals adapt to different climates and a glossary in the back gives even more info about animals around the world. A perfect jumping-off point for young readers interested in the natural world, and an engaging scavenger hunt to boot.

Echo Mountain Written by: Lauren Wolk New York: Dutton Children's Books, 2020. Fiction. Ellie and her family have lost everything during the great depression so they leave the city where they are living with just a few possessions and head to the great mountains. Ellie takes to the mountains immediately and finds comfort there in nature and living in harmony with her surroundings. Then an accident occurs which challenges Ellie and forces her to look at herself and who she is and who she must be for her family. She decides that she alone must help her father by climbing to the top of the mountain. So she begins her journey of discovery. Lauren Wolk writes with such magic and this book is no different then her other books, Wolf Hollow and Beyond the bright sea. I fell in love with the beauty of the mountains and the natural world that she describes so vividly. I also loved her main character Ellie, who was brave and very resourceful. Wolk has created another great story ...

Hike By Pete Oswald Candlewick Press, 2020. Picture Book. Oswald has brought a brilliant edition to the wordless picture book genre. In this story a father and child go on a hike. The adventure starts in the wee hours of the morning as the father wakes the child up and they get in a SUV/Jeep type of vehicle and head out on their adventure. The various spreads have different sizes of illustrations—from multi-paneled illustrations to help the story move along to double-page pictures that showcase the grand beauty of both nature and the relationship between parent and child. This glorious adventure celebrating family, nature, and spending time together is one that should not be missed! Bonus in that details of safety are included (such as wearing seat belts while driving and wearing helmets while scrambling over rocks) for those safety-conscious parents.