Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Millie Fleur's Poison Garden By Christy Mandin New York: Orchard Books, 2024. Picture Book. The town of Garden Glen is "a picture-perfect place," which means that everything is lovely, perfect, and exactly the same. Except for the the decrepit old house on the edge of town where no one has lived for years. Until Millie Fleur La Fae and her mother move in. Millie loves her new house, but it's missing one thing. Millie Fleur sets to work planting a wicked and wonderfully wild garden filled with plants like "sore toothwart," and "grumpy gillyflower." And though the uptight town elders deride her garden as "poisonous," the other kids in town start to show interest -- which eventually trickles into the other gardens in town. This is a simple and sweet picture book that would be so fun to share with children during spooky season. The illustrations are charming and Tim Burton-esque, with a protagonist who resembles Wednesday Addams, yet the pict...

It is getting to be the time of the year when snowflakes are on their way and warm, cozy scarves are going to become part of getting ready to go outside. Here are five books that showcase winter and the colder weather that is coming. Enjoy!  Don’t Worry Wuddles  By Lita Judge  New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2023. Picture Book.  In this sweet tale a young duckling talks to Wuddles the sheep about his plan. The duckling is sure that he will be cold and wants to borrow some wool to make a scarf…only then he realizes that all the other animals may be cold too. With a lot of wool gathering, soon Wuddles is left in the cold. And the duckling must figure out what to do to help his friend that helped everyone else get ready for winter.  Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter  By Kenard Pak  New York: Henry Holt, a registered trademark of Macmillan Publishing Group, 2017. Picture Book.  A brother and a sister say “hel...

  Frindle Files  By Andrew Clements  New York: Random House, 2024. Fiction. 198 pages.  In 1996 Andrew Clements wrote a story about a kid who invented the word “frindle” (another word for “pen.”)  The Frindle Files is the sequel that takes place many years later.  Josh is a student in Mr. N’s class. He and his friends can’t stand the fact that Mr. N makes them all write their homework down on paper with a “blue or black pen” and “neatness counts.” Josh is a computer geek and loves to do all his homework on the computer. In the midst of trying to find a way to make Mr. N accept the students' desire to do homework online, Josh comes across some information about Mr. N that links him to the word “frindle.” Now Josh and his best friend must decide what to do with the information and if they are willing to stand up to Mr. N’s antiquated way of doing homework.  Kids who love the original book will highly enjoy this new edition. It is a continuation to the ...

None of us are just "one thing." All of us have several qualities that make us who we are and we have all had several people, and sometimes several cultures, influence who we've become. For some people, these differences are so significant that it can feel like they come from two different worlds. These books are all about celebrating what it's like to come from multiple cultures and claiming the many facets of what makes you "you!" Two New Years Written by Richard Ho Illustrated by Lynn Scurfield San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2023. Picture Book. This multicultural family gets to celebrate the New Year multiple times. They celebrate Rosh Hashana in the fall and the Lunar New Year in the spring. The similarities and differences are explored in this picture book by showing Rosh Hashana and Lunar New Year's traditions on separate pages sometimes and at other times showing customs from both holidays nestled together. Reflecting the author's cultural an...

Full Moon Party By Jessica Young New York: Acorn, 2021. Easy Reader. Best friends Ruby, Iris, and Pip, together with their teacher, Miss Goldwing, set out on a field trip to the Full Moon Fest, following the magic path that appears when the full moon shines on Moon Lake--and once there they find plenty of games, snacks, and dancing. --Editor Party Problems By C.L. Reid North Mankato, MN: Picture Window Books, 2021. Easy Reader. Eight-year-old Emma is excited about her best friend Izzie's birthday party, but she is also a little worried because she is deaf and communicates through sign language, and her cochlear implant does not work well in noisy crowds. --Editor Pickle Party By Frank Berrios New York: Random House, 2021. Easy Reader. Waffles and Mochi's friend Kennedy loves all kinds of pickled food. But when they try to get pickles for her birthday party, Waffles and Mochi learn that pickles aren't made quickly. --Editor Pool Party Written by Amy Duchene & Elisa Parha...

  Preschool Time Hardly Haunted By Jessie Sima New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2021. Picture Book. When a house believes she is haunted, she tries everything in her power to stop it in order to get people to move in--until she realizes that she is fine just the way she is. --Editor Preschool Time We Found a Hat By Jon Klassen Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2016. Picture Book. Two turtles find a hat that looks good on both of them, but, with fairness in mind, they decide to leave it be, until night falls and one of the turtles changes its mind. --Editor Toddler Time Monster Hands Written by Karen Kane and Jonaz McMillan Illustrated by Dion MBD New York: Nancy Paulsen Books, 2024. Picture Book. One night, just before bedtime... Milo read a book about a monster under the bed. Milo should not have read that book. Monsters under the bed are scary, but luckily, Milo's best friend, Mel, knows just what to do--scare the monster more than the monster scares you! -...

  We Are Definitely Human By X. Fang Toronto: Tundra Books, 2024. Picture Book. The trio of blue beings that can be seen on the cover of this funny picture book would like you to know that they are DEFINITELY human. 100%. For sure. They just need help fixing their...erm... car which has crash landed near the home of Mr. and Mrs. Li. Since the Li's are kind humans, they offer to help and listen as the aliens talk about their "European" home that they really needed to get back to. They even get the rest of the community involved in helping their unexpected guests. If your kids enjoy funny read-alouds where they can correct silly misinterpretations, this book is a gem. It would also be a great jumping off point to talk about how to be a good neighbor, even if people may seem a little different then you. 

It's spooky season, and that means a whole new crop of Halloween books! While any book is fun to browse, I have to admit that every year I especially look forward to when the new Halloween picture books start popping up! So, here are a few for you to enjoy from this year.  ¡Vamos! Let's celebrate Halloween and D̕a de los Muertos Written by Raúl the Third Illustrated by Elaine Bay  New York: Versify, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2024. Picture Book.  A seamless blend of two different cultural traditions, as well as, languages,  ¡Vamos! Let's Celebrate Halloween and D̕a de los Muertos is a visual and engaging delight. Following Little Lobo and his friends as they first dress up in costumes and trick-or-treat, and then as they work with their families to remember those who have passed on, this story will give you something new to enjoy on every page! Spooky, Scary Skeletons Written by Andrew Gold Illustrated by Polona Lovsin New York: Random House, 2024. ...

  Touch the Sky Written by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic Illustrated by Christ Park Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books, 2024. Picture Book. Vern loves to play on the swings at the playground and more than anything he wants to soar like the other kids around him, but Vern can only sit and spin around in circles on the swing. Then one day a girl named Gretchen offers to teach him how to pump, so he can swing as high as the birds. Vern carefully follows her instructions and keeps trying until he experiences success and he is able to touch the sky!  As a child I loved to swing and I remember the feeling of swinging so high I felt like I could reach out and touch the sky. The illustrations and the text work really went well together and make the story come alive for the reader. The chalk and crayon feel of the artwork brought a childlike quality to the book and I loved the expressions on the faces of the characters. This book has an important message to never give up on something you wa...

When autumn is merging with winter, storm clouds present themselves more often, and mornings are crisp and chilly, I crave reading books that make me feel cozy and loved. Friendships are always valuable to me, but there is definitely something that makes me appreciate them even more in the colder months. There is a warmth to be found in each of these books that I hope you will enjoy!  All That Is You Written by Alyssa Satin Capucilli Illustrated by Devon Holzwarth New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2022. Picture Book.   This book is representative of everything good about relationships and connections. The author puts into words exactly what I have felt about so many of my closest relationships. I love the wide variety of characters represented. There are young children, grandparents, parents and children, siblings, and friends, as well as pets, birds, and insects. The illustrations have beautiful nature scenes, including a gorgeous sunrise, a sailboat on the water, and cozy sc...

  We Are Water Protectors Written by Carole Lindstrom Illustrated by Michaela Goade New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2020. Picture Book. "Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all....When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth and poison her people's water, one young water protector takes a stand to defend Earth's most sacred resource. Inspired by the many indigenous-led movements across North America, this bold and lyrical picture book issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth's water from harm and corruption."--Editor Why We Dance Written by Deirdre Havrelock Illustrated by Aly McKnight New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2024. Picture Book. A young indigenous girl's family helps calm her nervous butterflies before her first Jingle Dress Dance and reminds her why she dances. --Editor Forever Cousins Written by Laurel Goodluck Illustrated by Jonathan Nelson Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2022. Picture Book. Amanda and Kar...

  Preschool Time Giraffe and Bird Together Again By Rebecca Bender Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Pajama Press, 2018. Picture Book. Bird lives for adventure. He wants to swoop, soar, and explore. Giraffe is perfectly happy right where he is, thank you very much. He never worries when Bird flits off for a while. But one afternoon his friend fails to return. Giraffe has a bad feeling that something has happened to Bird. Giraffe dreads the wide world full of tangly forests, craggy mountains, and mysterious plains. But he doesn't hesitate. If Bird is in trouble, then Giraffe will find and rescue him. --Publisher Preschool Time The Grumpy Pirate Written by Corinne Demas and Artemis Roehrig Illustrated by Ashlyn Anstee New York: Orchard Books, 2020. Picture Book. Grumpy Gus is one pirate that complains about everything, even about seeking treasure, an attitude that annoys his fellow pirates--so the Pirate Queen gives Gus an equally grumpy parrot in hopes that it will teach Gus a lesson and ma...

Monster Match Written by Caryn Rivadeneira Illustrated by Dani Jones Egremont, MA: Red Chair Press, 2024. Intermediate. 106 pages. What started out as a mistake and a silly "what if" poem leads to Fred turning into Frankinschool. While he was sick at home, Fred missed the class's author visit. The book that was signed for him said "to Frank." What and who would he be if he was Frank? Obviously, he would be a Frankenstein-type monster who would sneak around the school and wasn't afraid of bullies or anything else! Just when it's time for his next class, a green mist fills the classroom and transforms Fred into Frankinschool and every student falls into a deep sleep. Expect his tormentor, Luisa, who has turned into a princess. It's up to this unlikely pair to save the class from the magical slumber and maybe something even more sinister. This is a great monster mystery for your young reader interested in a book that's just a touch spooky. Frankinsc...

October is a great time to read a mystery! These picture book mysteries are the perfect way to introduce young readers to the genre, just in time for spooky season. The Great Caper Caper Written by Josh Funk Illustrated by Brendan Kearney New York: Union Square Kids, 2022. Picture Book. Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast wake up one day to find that the Great Light in the refrigerator is missing! As they trace the light to Las Veggies, Pancake and French Toast must enlist all their friends to retrieve the bulb from Caper and his vegetable henchmen! Hornswoggled! Written Josh Crute Illustrated by Jenn Harney Salem, MA: Page Street Kids, 2021. Picture Book. When Deer wakes up and realizes that one of his antlers has been stolen and replaced with a tennis racquet, he panics! Racing around to his friends in the woods, they each realize in turn that they have all been hornswoggled, bamboozled, skunked! Wacky words are used and defined as the animals try to solve the mystery of the missing it...