Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Growing up I didn’t have any cats. I heard so many people say how they didn’t like cats, and just adopted that as my reality. Then, about 10 years ago, three little abandoned kittens wandered into our yard, and my life was forever changed!  Whether you view cats as naughty pests (like many people do), you can’t live without them (my daughter and I), or you are somewhere in between, these five books feature cats and kittens as main characters, and I hope you find them appealing. Animals have a special way of healing hearts and minds, and I can’t imagine my world without cats in it.  This Little Kitty in the Garden  By Karen Obuhanych  New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2024. Picture Book.  This rhyming book has vibrant illustrations and a variety of kitten colors. Seeing the eye-catching cover made me instantly think of the sweet kittens that adopted us. The kittens in this book want to help in the garden. And they are SO helpful! They spend a busy day on a variety of tasks and end up exhausted

  Preschool Time Boxitects By Kim Smith Boston; New York: Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020. Picture Book. Meg goes to Maker School to hone her talent for building with boxes, but when Simone, another boxitect, arrives they become so competitive they nearly fail in the annual Maker Match. --Editor Preschool Time A Lot Like Batman By Keith Negley  New York: Random House, 2023. Picture Book. A very young Batman faces his greatest challenge ever -- going to school! Keith Negley (author and illustrator of Tough Guys Have Feelings Too and My Dad Used to Be So Cool) brings young readers his vision of a shy Caped Crusader who prefers to stick to the shadows and play alone. Even though he initially doesn't fit in with the colorful and more outgoing kids around him, he soon learns that he has plenty to offer on his own terms. Keith Negley's art and story are filled with humor and emotion that will help even the shyest child find their inner super hero while making this jack

Our Hot Topic "Go" section has plenty of picture books for anyone who is loco for locomotives. We also have nonfiction train books chock-full of facts, diagrams, and photographs (check in and around the 625.2s!). But this list is for train books that really make the reader a passenger. With rhythmic, repetitive text and hypnotic imagery of passing landscapes, these make great bedtime reads, too. All Aboard the Alaska Train  Written by Brooke Hartman Illustrated by John Joseph  Red Comet Press, 2024. Picture Book.  "Chugga-chugga, clickety clack!" This rhyming picture book takes you on a cheerful tour of Alaska's unique environments and wildlife by way of the Alaska Railroad. The brightly colored and enticingly detailed illustrations are by John Joseph (illustrator of Little Blue Truck and many others).  I Like Trains  Written and Illustrated by Daisy Hirst Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2021. Picture Book. A train loving little dog reads about tr

September 11, 2001 will always live in the minds and hearts of Americans because of the horrific terrorist attacks that were carried out at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon that day. Around 2,977 people lost their lives, and many tales of bravery and heroism have come to light. The following books provide more information on the events as they unfolded, as well as, more personal remembrances and stories. Smoke at the Pentagon: Poems to Remember Written by Jacqueline Jules  Illustrated by Eszter Anna Rácz Fresno, CA: Moon Shower, an imprint of Bushel & Peck books, 2023. Informational.  Told in numerous points of view of young people living in the area of northern Virginia at the time of the attack on the Pentagon, this novel in verse is composed from composites of their personal experiences.  The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks: A Day That Changed America By Amy Maranville North Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2022. Informational. 32 pages. An informative look at what led to the attacks,

  Prunella Written by Beth Ferry Illustrated by Claire Keane New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2024. Picture Book. When someone is good at gardening we often say that they have a green thumb. Prunella's parents were these type of gardeners. Their green thumbs helped them grow beautiful gardens with healthy plants that everyone admired and loved. They were dismayed when their daughter was born with a beautiful purple thumb! They wondered what this could possibly mean. As Prunella grew her parents discovered that her preference was to nurture plants that were spiny, carnivorous, fungal, and poisonous. They didn't understand her plant choices but they encouraged her to nurture what she loved. They understood that her strong roots in gardening would eventually blossom when she was ready. Even though the other children would avoid Prunella's garden because her plants would pinch and poke and smelled terrible, she still found great joy in cultivating them. O

One thing I don't like when I'm reading is when my favorite characters make bad  decisions! And then I squirm as I watch them face the consequences of those bad choices. Luckily, there are books that let you decide what your main characters do. These are really fun, because not only does it let your reader have some autonomy over the story, they're also fun to read and read again to try to find all of the different endings. Endlessly Ever After Written by Laurel Snyder Illustrated by Dan Santat San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2022. Picture Book. Rosie (Little Red Riding Hood) is on her way to her grandmother's house. It's a familiar story, and many children will know that they shouldn't let her stumble her way into being eaten by a wolf. But by making decisions that take Rosie off of her story's conventional path, she might just stumble into the tales of "The Three Little Pigs," "Snow White," or "Jack and the Beanstalk." Will Ro

Bibsy Cross and the Bad Apple Written by Liz Garton Scanlon Illustrated by Dung Ho New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2024. Intermediate. 117 pages. Eight-year-old Bibsy is a "regular-pegular" third grader with an excitement for life and a lot to say. Her ebullience lands her in trouble with her strict teacher Mrs. Stumper, who labels Bibsy's talkativeness as "a stone too far" before she moves Bibsy's apple to the bottom of the behavioral chart. The apple chart looms over Bibsy each day, as she worries about being herself while still succeeding in class. Then, a science fair project with her best friend Natia gives Bibsy the ultimate inspiration to turn her sours into sweets -- and change Mrs. Stumper's opinion of her. This new intermediate series opener is delightful. Bibsy is a happy, empathetic kid that a lot of other kids will like to read stories about. Told in very simple verse with simple illustrations, this is sure to be a new favorite series.

  Preschool Time The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man Written by Michael Chabon Illustrated by Jake Parker New York: Balzer + Bray, 2011. Picture Book. A young superhero describes his awesome powers, which he then demonstrates as various foes arrive on the scene. --Editor Preschool Time Only Ants for Andy By Jashar Awan New York: Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Company, 2021. Picture Book.  A picky anteater named Andy tries out new things with his best friend Sam Sloth and learns that different does not necessarily mean bad. --Editor Toddler Time The Midnight Fair Written by Gideon Sterer Illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2021. Picture Book. A fairground in the evening is a glowing beacon of treats and delights. Bright lights paint the midway in cotton-candy pink, lemon yellow, and candy-apple red. Alluring prizes invite folks to try a game of skill or chance. The aromas of spun sugar, warm popcorn, and baking pretzels fill

  Julia On the Go! Written by Angela Ahn Illustrated by Julie Kim Toronto: Tundra Books, 2024. Intermediate. 170 pages. Julia loves swimming more than anything. When she's not helping her parents at their restaurant, she's at swim practice with the Vipers. She's most excited for the personal best day when she can beat her record. One day, while trying to dive to the bottom of the deep end, Julia feels a pain in her ear. It's an ear infection, which means she has to take a break from swimming. Julia will do everything she can to get back in the pool. This is a great book with an important lesson about dealing with disappointment. We see many difficult things such has having parent's struggling to make ends meet and learning to be flexible when it's the last thing you want to do. This is a good intermediate chapter book for readers who are starting to read books with more words and less pictures. 

Every month we have two book clubs for kids here at the Provo City Library! These book clubs are just for kids ages 9-12 and a caregiver. This month, our  Girls Read  book club will meet September 24 and our  Guys Read  book club will meet September 26. You can register now, using the library's online calendar. Girls Read is reading Fish in a Tree By Lynda Mullaly Hunt New York: Nancy Paulsen Books, 2015. 276 pages. Ally has a secret. Though she is a talented artist and math whiz, she cannot read. Now, in her seventh school in seven years, she plans to follow her normal pattern -- acting out in class to distract her teachers from the truth. It's just, whenever Ally tries to read, the words on the page move around and transform. When she tries to read, she gets headaches from trying to concentrate so hard. And, what's worse, Ally's never had a teacher who believed in her before. Now, she has a new long term substitute teacher named Mr. Daniels, who has a new way of teach

When you want to go where no one has gone before, but you just don't have a rocket ship handy, instead try the convenience (and fun!) of these sci-fi books geared towards our picture book loving readers.   The Spaceman By Randy Cecil Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2024. Picture Book. A little spaceman arrives on a new planet (Earth!) and is amazed by the beauty of his surroundings.  Could Earth become the spaceman's new home?    Mousetronaut Saves the World Written by Mark Kelly Illustrated by C.F. Payne Simon & Schuster, 2024. Picture Book.  Part imagination, part informational, this book follows the mice that are called on to save Earth from an asteroid that has entered our solar system.    One Giant Leap By Thao Lam Toronto, Ontario: Owlkids Books, 2024. Picture Book.  A snowy day transforms through a child's imagination into an astronaut exploring a new, fantastical world.  Greetings, Floof! Written by C.J. Hong Illustrated by A.J. Smith Toronto: Kids Can Press,

  Tethered to Other Stars By Elisa Stone Leahy New York: Quill Tree Books, 2023. Fiction. 313 pages. Wendy, the main character in this realistic fiction, is a relatable and lovable young woman dealing with many things typical for her age: trying to navigate friendships, desiring to excel at school, and handling family relationships. To add to the difficulty, her family has recently relocated to a new town!  This book has so many ways to connect with an audience. Friendships are tested, racism is confronted, bullying is an issue, family relationships are strained, and school becomes a hard place when Wendy is paired up with another student who does some very unethical things while they are working on a group project together.  As I read this book, I felt such a wide range of emotions. I was cheering for Wendy and her friends, I was aghast at some of the situations they were confronted with, and I was angry that the hardships she faced are common for so many people. I appreciated that th

The New Girl By Cassandra Calin New York: Graphix, 2024. Comic. 261 pages. 12-year-old Lia and her family have just moved from Romania to Montreal, and she's doing her best to keep up with the changes. But, she's homesick. She misses the rest of her family, her friends, and her favorite Romanian treats. She doesn't speak French and her English is shaky, which makes it hard to make friends, even in her international immersion class. And she's dealing with super painful menstrual cramps every month. But before long, Lia starts to hit her stride. She befriends the other bilingual girls in her class, she gets a spot as the artist for her school's magazine, and even has a new crush -- Julien. Though she may be the new girl, Lia is starting to fit in. This slice of life graphic novel is an adorable choice for middle grade readers and young teens. Lia is a likable protagonist and readers will have little difficulty relating to her adjustment to school. The text speaks to a