Provo Library Children's Book Blog

All Kinds of Cars By Carl Johanson Provides labeled illustrations of both real and imagined cars, trucks, and other vehicles, including a forklift, scooter, ambulance, sock car, and igloo car. The Cars and Trucks Book By Todd Parr Illustrations and simple text reveal many things that cars and trucks like to do, from just being on the road to helping keep the planet clean. Includes safety tips. Cars Galore By Peter Stein Cars of all shapes, colors, and sizes--including an igloo ice-fueled polar car and an eco-friendly car that runs on air--are presented in illustrations and rhyme. Trucks Line Up By Jon Scieszka   As soon as Jack Truck wakes up he gets the other trucks in line, but somehow he misses Pete. Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go By Richard Scarry On their way to the beach for a picnic the Pig family encounters almost every kind of transportation vehicle imaginable--and imaginary. Go, Go, Trucks! By Jennifer Liberts  Two siblings spot a variety of...

It's "P" Week!  Here a few perfectly peppy books to get you ready! A Normal Pig By K-Fai Steele Balzer + Bray, 2019.  Picture Book. Pip is a normal pig who does normal stuff: cooking, painting, and dreaming of what she’ll be when she grows up. But one day a new pig comes to school and starts pointing out all the ways in which Pip is different. Suddenly she doesn’t like any of the same things she used to...the things that made her Pip. A wonderful springboard for conversations with children, at home and in the classroom, about diversity and difference.  --Publisher Spencer's New Pet By Jessie Sima Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2019.  Picture Book. When Spencer gets a new pet, he’s excited to do all the things that pets do—taking walks in the park, going to the vet, and attending parties together. There’s just one hitch: Spencer’s new pet is a balloon. And that means No. Sharp. Objects. No drooling dogs at the park. No prickly porcupines at the vet. And...

  The Little Blue Cottage By Kelly Jordan Illustrated by Jessica Courtney-Tickle Salem, MA : Page Street Kids, 2020. Picture Book. Every year, the little blue cottage waits anxiously for the girl to return. The girl loves the little blue cottage and always says that it is her favorite place. When summer ends, the little girl leaves and the cottage sits empty during the winter, waiting for the little girl to return. The girl is a little more grown up every summer that she comes but still loves the cottage just as much. One year the girl doesn't return. Years go by and the cottage sits, wondering if the girl will ever return. Reading The Little Blue Cottage was a very peaceful experience. The illustrations are beautiful and pulled me right into the setting of the story. This book brought back all the wonderful feelings of summer and memories of spending time at my favorite places.   

Katie the Catsitter By Colleen A.F. Venable Illustrated by Stephanie Yue New York: Random House Childrens Books, 2021. Graphic novel. Katie is dreading her boring summer stuck in the city while her best friends are at sleepaway camp, something that her single mom can't afford. Though her friend's mom offers to pay for her, Katie decides she'd rather earn the money herself by picking up odd jobs around her apartment building. Though her attempts at watering plants and carrying groceries are catastrophic, she finally finds the perfect job cat-sitting for her eccentric neighbor's 217 cats. Cats with a range of talents like ordering pizza on the internet, rearranging furniture, and performing mixed martial arts. Katie is positive something is amiss, especially once she realizes that her mysterious neighbor Ms. Lang is always "working late" on nights when New York's most notorious supervillain, The Mousetress, strikes. This graphic novel series opener is perfec...

  All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team Written by: Christina Soontornvat Candlewick Press, 2020. Informational. On June 23, 2018 twelve young boys and their soccer coach headed up to a local cave after soccer practice for an afternoon of fun. Seventeen days later they exited the cave after being trapped inside because of rising flood waters. Miraculously all 13 made it out but it took weeks of planning and preparation with experts from around the world to make this incredible cave rescue possible. Author Christina Soontornvat was visiting family in Thailand when the event occurred and she became obsessed with the story of this extraordinary rescue. This book explains not only the details of the rescue, it also includes firsthand interviews with rescue workers, maps, photos, and details about the country and the religious beliefs of the people. I couldn't put the book down. This was a great human interest story and all the details that went into...

  The Hungry Place  By Jessie Haas  Boyds Mills Press, 2020. 215 p.  Princess is a pony that lives a charmed life. She sleeps in a safe barn with her mother, and she has an owner that adores her. Rae is a girl that loves ponies—not horses, ponies—and is afraid that she will never get to ride one due to the fact that owning and riding ponies is expensive and her single dad doesn’t have very much money. When Princess’ owner has a stroke and the trainer and his wife steal from the pony farm and leave all the ponies to starve Princess is not sure she can fight the other tougher ponies for the few bits of grass left in the field. When Princess and Rae finally meet they both must learn to trust each other—and with their own past emotional scars that is a little tricky for both of them. Yet, being together can be the healing that they both need. This book goes beyond most of the other juvenile fiction “horse” books that are out there. There is depth in what happened to both...

Ella Unleashed By Alison Cherry Twelve-year-old Ella juggles her desire to become a dog show champion and her secret mission to find a girlfriend for her single father, only to learn neither dog nor dad readily bends to her will. Paris for Two By Phoebe Stone Twelve-year-old Petunia is used to living in the shadow of her fourteen-year-old sister, Ava, their mother's favorite, but now that the whole family has moved to Paris for a year, Pet finds herself stepping into the light, making new friends, uncovering secrets, and, inspired by the classic French dolls she has found, revealing an unexpected talent for designing dresses -- and her beautiful sister does not take it well. Lost in Hollywood By Cindy Callaghan When Ginger Carlson's aunt finds herself in financial trouble, Ginger's entire family and her best friend head to Hollywood to help find the missing money.  The Wide-Awake Princess By E.D. Baker Annie, younger sister of the princess who would be known as Sleeping Bea...

Get ready for oodles of fun with the letter "O"! Oliver the Curious Owl By Chad Otis Little, Brown and Company, 2020.  Picture Book. The only question Oliver's family ever asks is Who? Who? Who? But he wants to know more:  Who lives in those faraway woods?  Where does the river go?  Why can't I leave our tree?  When his curiosity gets the better of him, Oliver -- and his best buddy, Bug -- travel far from the safety of home to get answers about the wonderful world they live in. But after a day of exploration, how will the friends find their way back? In this delightful story of discovery, an inquisitive owl inspires those around him to let their curiosity take flight!  --Publisher One of These Is Not Like the Others By Barney Saltzberg Holiday House, 2020.  Picture Book. Barney Saltzberg's hilarious and delightfully direct text and simple illustrations introduce children to the concept and splendor of inclusiveness, through recognizing who or what's di...

  The Ickabog By: J. K. Rowling New York, NY: Scholastic Inc., 2020. Fiction In the land of Cornucopia, everything is perfect. The most delectable foods are available, incredible people live in the cities, and there is a kind and beloved King to rule it all. The only thing in the kingdom to even worry about the dreadful Ickabog that terrorizes the land just outside of the marsh, causing destruction in its wake. Fortunately, it is just a story to tell children to encourage their cooperation. Or is it? A series of unfortunate events leads two greedy "friends" of the king taking advantage of him for their own benefit. They spread fear of the Ickabog to support their gluttonous way of life until they are stuck in a web of lies. Although the kingdom is hesitant to believe the fairy tale at first, they soon break down in fear and ask themselves, "Could the stories be true? Does the Ickabog really exist?" This story is a fun read for older children. It is a type of fairy t...

Oona By Kelly Dipucchio Illustrated by Raissa Figueroa New York, NY: Katherine Tegen Books, 2021. Picture book. Oona is a new kind of little mermaid. Since she was a baby, she has been an intrepid treasure hunter, exploring the depths of the ocean with her sea otter pup Otto and finding discarded items from the shore. But the biggest treasure of all, is an extra sparkly crown wedged in a deep corner of the ocean - the one treasure she just can't seem to get. When she fails to get the crown. she is ready to give up on treasure hunting altogether. But with encouragement from her friends and a good amount of grit, she realizes that she can keep trying even when things get difficult. The illustrations in this picture book are the real star, depictions of Oona with her dark skin, bouncy afro, luminous seaweed accents, and stripey tail are adorable and charming on every single page. The ocean is radiant with a color palette of greens, blues, and magentas that accent Oona, her darling ott...

  Who Hears with These Ears? Written by Cari Meister Pebble, a Capstone imprint, 2021. Informational. This is an engaging new series where the reader looks at a photo and then tries to guess who the picture is of before turning the page to find the answer.  It's a fun challenging game where you also learn facts about different critters while being entertained with bright colorful photos of animals and their unique ears. I really enjoyed reading this book and learning a few new facts about some animals I wasn't as familiar with. There are also other books in this series that you can check out. Learn which animals see with these eyes, or sniffs with this nose. This is a wonderful way to learn about animals while also building vocabulary for readers who are just learning to read on their own. Pick up one of these captivating books, you might be surprised by some of the answers as you discover who does hears with these ears.

  Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor  By Ally Carter  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020. 322 p.  April isn’t like the other orphans in foster care. She knows her mother will come back for her someday. However, in the meantime she must figure out how to survive—including surviving the fact that she didn’t mean to start a fire that burned a whole lot of valuable Winterborne art and memorabilia in a museum. But since the fire she is whisked away to live in Winterborne where she soon discovers that the missing Gabriel Winterborne (the presumed dead billionaire) is living in the basement and hoping for vengeance against the person who ruined his life. April doesn’t want to be the only one who knows the secret—but she isn’t sure who she should trust. After all she has had to survive many homes by only trusting herself. But now there are four other orphans who live in the Winterborne mansion and Gabriel needs her help. Give this book to readers who like adventure and my...

DIY Story Time is back!  Here are a few fun books for this week as we learn about the letter N: Not Your Nest! Written by Gideon Sterer Illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi Dial Books for Young Readers, 2019.  Picture Book. Bird is just about to put the finishing touches on her new home when she suddenly finds that her nest is already full--of someone else. So she reluctantly builds another nest. But Fox finds this new nest quite comfy, and Brush Hog loves the view from Bird's next attempt. Soon the Acacia tree is bursting with happily nested animals of all shapes and stripes--everyone except bird!   --Publisher Now Written and Illustrated by Antoinette Portis Roaring Brook Press, 2017.  Picture Book. Follow a little girl as she takes you on a tour through all of her favorite things, from the holes she digs to the hugs she gives.  --Publisher Ninja! Written and Illustrated by Arree Chung Henry Holt and Company, 2014.  Picture Book. A ninja must be strong, cou...

  I Am Not a Label By Cerrie Burnell, Illustrated by Lauren Baldo Beverly, MA: Wide Eyed Editions, an imprint of The Quarto Group, 2020. Not all disabilities are obvious and the taboo nature of talking about issues has been waning over the last few years. It is this wonderful area of open discussion that Cerrie Burnell writes about the experiences of some well-known people with disabilities and some that may surprise you. She features such famous people as artist Frida Kahlo, who was left with limited mobility from polio and a bike accident, and actor Peter Dinklage, who was born with achondroplasia which restricts his bone growth. Shedding light on not so obvious disabilities, Burnell also includes people like President Abraham Lincoln, who suffered from clinical depression, and rapper Lil Wayne who suffers from epilepsy. Back matter that includes a glossary of terms and helpful websites allow readers to understand the many debilitating conditions that many people deal with. How w...

Just Right Family By Silvia Lopez Albert Whitman & Company, 2018. Picture Book. Meili was adopted from China and she has the best family in the world! When her parents tell her that they're going to adopt another child, Meili isn't sure how she feels. Will her family still be just right? Or will the baby ruin everything? Her parents, teacher, and grandma help her see that being a big sister might be a good thing. What will Meili think when she meets the new baby? This book on adoption has a comforting illustration style. The soothing colors  pair well with the simple design to create a pleasing aesthetic. The writing is easily understandable and normalizes the topic of adoption. I love that the adults in Meili's life helped her gradually adjust to the idea of having a sibling and didn't brush off her concerns. Rather, they made Meili an important part of the preparation process. For example, Meili got to pick the color  of the baby's room. The fact that there ar...

  Cinders & Sparrows Written by: Stefan Bachmann HarperCollins Publishers, 2020. Fiction. Clever Zita Brydgeborn, a twelve-year-old orphan, receives a letter telling her she has inherited a castle. She quickly packs her one bag, quits her job as a maid, and heads off to her new home, Blackbird Castle. When she arrives at the castle she finds a dilapidated, partially destroyed castle in need of repair. She also  discovers a link to her past and a curse that has been placed on her family. When she learns that she is a witch and the last heir of a powerful witch family, Zita  must find the courage and some magic to help her uncover who or what killed her family, before she becomes the next victim.  This was a suspenseful adventure story filled with imagination, magic, and a colorful cast of characters. It's fast-paced novel with fantastic atmospheric descriptions that will appeal to older middle grade readers who like books that leave you waiting anxiously to find o...

  Show Me a Sign   By Ann Clare LeZotte  Scholastic Press, 2020. 269 p.  Mary Lambert lives on Martha’s Vineyard in 1805 and there is a lot going on. She and her parents are trying to survive the grief that came when Mary’s older brother was tragically killed. Mary and the rest of the islanders are trying to figure out the land disputes between white settlers and the Wampanoag people. And finally, there is a new scientist that has come to the island to study the fact that the island is home to quite a number of deaf community members—including Mary and her father. When the “scientist” decides that Mary might make a perfect “live specimen” he decides to kidnap her and it will take all that Mary has to figure out how to return home to her family. This is a fascinating heroine that doesn’t shy away from who she is amidst the early 19th century background and lifestyle. Readers who like strong characters who overcome a lot (and do it all while not having the sense of hea...

Fly on the Wall By Remy Lai New York : Henry Holt and Company, 2020. Fiction. Henry feels like his whole life he has been treated like a baby. His family is overprotective and never lets him go anywhere without a chaperone.  He is also worried because he thinks someone is about to uncover his secret identity, the creator of an anonymous gossip cartoon. Then, to top everything off, Henry finds out that his family's yearly trip to visit his father in Singapore, has been cancelled. Henry comes up with a plan to make the journey by himself, without any family members to chaperone. Fly on the Wall is written by Remy Lai, the same author who wrote Pie in the Sky , and has the same creative feel to it. It is perfect for those who enjoy books written in journal or diary format. Henry also loves to draw cartoons in his journal that describe how he is feeling and the world around him. Along with being funny, and imaginative, this book is also a very sweet story about overcoming hurt feeling...

Trowbridge Road By Marcella Pixley Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2020. It is the summer of 1983 and June Bug Jordan watches Ziggy Karlo arrive at his grandmother's house. June Bug is filled with longing for a friend, an adult to love and care for her, and for something to eat. After June Bug's father died from AIDS, her mother slipped into depression and intense germaphobia and now she refuses to leave the house or cook any food and obsessively cleans everything with bleach. When Ziggy, also lonely and feeling abandoned by his mother, notices June Bug watching him, the two escape to their own imaginary, magical world called "the ninth dimension" where they are able to be in charge of their own lives for a change. This is a heartrending story about two outcast children struggling to find a loving place to belong. This book is reminiscent of Katherine Paterson's BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA and deals with really difficult topics in an open and honest way. June Bug and Z...

  The Trouble With Time Travel Written by: Stephen Martin Illustrated by: Cornelia Li "Max and her dog Boomer accidentally break a vase, a treasured family heirloom. Instead of doing the right thing and telling someone about the accident they decide to do the next best thing and build a time machine. What could possibly go wrong?  Super Potato's Mega Time-Travel Adventure Written and Illustrated by: Laperal After an evil villain turned the handsome crime fighter Super Max into Super Potato, our hero got used to life as a tiny tuber. He even threw out his expensive shampoos. But when friendly scientists offer Super Potato a trip back in time, he can't resist. It's a chance to stop his transformation from ever happening! T-Rex Time Machine: Dinos in De-Nile Written and Illustrated by: Jared Chapman When their time machine lands the two hungry Tyrannosaurus rex in the Nile River, King Tut mistakes them for the Egyptian god Sobek and invites them to a feast-but when the al...

  Paw Painters Written by: Ann Ingalls Illustrated by: Sue Lowell Gallion Sleeping Bear Press, 2020. Easy Reader. Mr. Lopez's class is doing art week and Tip and Tucker have enjoyed watching the students make their own art projects. In fact, Tip and Tucker want to join in and make their own art but hamsters plus paint equals a big mess! One day Tip and Tucker manage to escape from their cage and while all the students are at recess they begin to explore the classroom. When the students return to their class they find all kinds of new artwork in their classroom. This beginning reader book is aimed at kindergarten through 1st grade readers and includes repetition and use of common sight words. A perfect read aloud to help build confidence in readers who are just starting to read on their own. Get ready to enjoy this adventure story of two class pets who begin to feel like they are a part of the class as they add their own paw prints to the classroom. 

  Music for Tigers  By Michelle Kadarusman  Pajama Press, 2020. 189 p.  Frustrated Louisa is sent to spend the summer with her Uncle Ruff in the Tasmanian Rainforest when she would rather be spending time with her family in Canada practicing her violin as she prepares for a youth symphony audition. Even though she isn’t thrilled with her summer plans, she does find a few enticing—or rather extinct—reasons to enjoy her stay. Louisa learns that her uncle is caring for the world’s last pig-footed bandicoot and there might be some Tasmanian tigers on a nearby island (even though they should have been extinct for decades). With the help of her friend Collin, Louisa learns more about the Tasmanian Rainforest, herself, and the music that she and the Tasmanian tigers feel connected to. Give this book to readers who love music, a touch of adventure, and the idea of making a difference in the world.

Over in Australia By: Marianne Berkes Travel to Australia and explore different animals and their babies in this counting and rhyming book. Natusumi! By: Susan Lendroth Travel to Japan with Natsumi as she participates in the Festival of Traditional Japanese Arts with her family. Two Bicycles in Beijing By: Teresa Robeson Travel to China as two bicycles built in the same factory race to find each other in Beijing. Because Amelia Smiled By: David Stein Travel across the globe, starting in New York, as one small act of kindness influences many others in sequence over the world.  The Glassmakers Daughter By: Dianne Hofmeyr Travel to Italy as a glassmaker in Venice promises a glass palace to anyone who can make his sad daughter smile. A Gift for Mama By: Linda Lodding Travel to Austria with a boy in Vienna who is searching for the perfect gift for his mother, trading gifts along the way. Pretty Salma By: Niki Daly Travel to Ghana with this re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood from Afric...

 Did you know that we have two parent/child book clubs every month at the Provo City Library? They are for children ages 9-12 and a caregiver. This month, they will meet virtually on Zoom on January 26 (girls) and January 28 (guys). Pre-register under the  Kids Corner/Program Registration  tab on the library website and then pick up a copy of the book at the Children's Desk. We have two great books to discuss this month: Girls The Inquisitor's Tale, or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog By Adam Gidwitz Illustrated by Hatem Aly New York, NY: Dutton Children's Books, 2016. Fantasy. In 1242, three children, each magical in different ways, set out on the run across medieval France with their holy dog, Gwenforte. Their story unfolds piece by piece as it is told by a cast of characters who each know a bit of the story. Jeanne, a young peasant girl who can see the future, Jacob a Jewish boy with healing powers, and William, a half-African Christian oblate with superh...

  Snow Friends By: Margery Cuyler Illustrated by: Will Hillenbrand New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2020. Picture Book There is always a special peaceful feeling during that first snow of the year. You look outside and everything is untouched, still and full of possibilities. But, in this book, a dog, Oscar, and his boy have very different reactions to the morning snow. Oscar is immediately ready to play, while his boy, once awake, would rather relax inside for a bit before venturing out into the cold. He sends Oscar outside and he adventures away caught up in playing in the newly fallen snow. When the boy is finally ready to join him, he can't find Oscar and is worried he has run away. With this new found realization, he bundles up and hurries after his pup. The boy quickly finds his dog with two new found friends and they all enjoy their snow day together. This darling book captures the elation of childhood snow days. The energy comes to life in the soft illustrations and remind...