Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Stories in the Park The Crayon Stub By Marcus Cutler New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2025. Picture Book. Bit Cat sets out to draw something spectacular, but with only a red stud of a crayon and a younger sibling who keeps getting in the way, Big Cat struggles to find inspiration. --Editor Stories in the Park The Artist By Ed Vere New York: Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2023. Picture Book. A brave little artist goes on an epic adventure to share her creativity with the world, adding color and life to a drab, gray city. --Publisher Canopy Capers and Summer Story Time I Love You As Big As a Rainbow Written by Joan Summers Illustrated by Alberta Torres Wilton, CT: Tiger Tales, 2021. Picture Book. Big Bear and Small Bear see a rainbow and they decide to make their own. They search the woods and find red flowers, orange and yellow leaves, green grass, and the rest of the colors. As they gather the items for their rainbow, Big Bear assures Small Bear that their love is always with them...

  Cuentos El punto Por Peter H. Reynolds Somerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, 2025. Libro ilustrado. "La maestra sonrió; 'Simplemente haz una marca y mira adónde te lleva'. La clase de arte ha terminado, pero Vashti se ha quedado pegada a su asiento. Su hoja está en blanco. Las palabras de su maestra la invitan amablemente a que se exprese. Pero Vashti no sabe dibujar: ella no es artista. Para demostrarlo, Vashti clava enojada un rotulador en la hoja en blanco y hace una marca ordinaria. '¡Ahí está!', exclama. Ese momento es el punto de partida de una delicada y galardonada fábula de Peter H. Reynolds, la cual ha inspirado a innumerables espíritus creativos desde su publicación en 2003."--Baker & Taylor. Cuentitos ¿Dónde estás, Cerdito? Escrito por Margarita del Mazo Ilustrado por Laure du Fay Madrid, Spain : NubeOcho, 2021. Pequeño libro ilustrado. "¿Alguien ve un cerdito por aquí? ¡Shhh! Creo que está en el árbol ..."--Tapa

My family really likes turtles. My family also really likes tortoises. We are an equal opportunity family that likes all Testudines. Anyway, since we love turtles and actually have two pet turtles ourselves,) it isn’t that crazy that our family gets extra excited when there is a new turtle book to check out from the library. These five books are great books to read to kids, if you like turtles and tortoises. Happy Reading!  Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend  By Bob Shea  New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2025. Picture Book.  A young turtle is dressed up in a bearsuit and tells the world that he is a “for-real bear”. Only, there is another turtle that is a “for-real bear expert” and isn’t quite convinced. The two go on to discover that even if they aren’t really a “for-real bear” or the “for-real bear expert”, they can still be “for-real” turtle friends. This book is great for kids who love turtles, bears, or even have a great imagination.  The Best Daddy of...

  Bad Badger: A Love Story By Maryrose Wood  Illustrated by Giulia Ghigini  New York: Union Square Kids, 2025. 179 pages.  Septimus is a bad badger, meaning he isn’t very good at being a badger. He likes things that most normal badgers don’t (such as living in a cottage by the sea or eating omelets). However, he is also very good at other things (like being a good friend to Gully, the seagull that comes and visits him every Wednesday evening). When Gully goes missing, Septimus decides he must venture out to find her. And at the same time, he confronts all the various parts of himself and decides if he is really a bad badger or a good badger and a good friend.  This is a great story for fans of The One and Only Ivan or other good animal friendship books to read. Septimus is a great (dare I say good) character who readers will cheer on as he decides sand in his fur is worth the cost of finding his friend. Plus, the illustrations are great fun (as well as being he...

 Summer is a time for journeying. Whether you are traveling near, far, or just through a good book from the comfort of your sofa, take time to broaden your horizons with these picture book suggestions.  A Gift of Dust: How Saharan Plumes Feed the Planet Written by Martha Brockenbrough Illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2025. Informational. The unorthodox journey of dust is showcased in A Gift of Dust . Dust seemingly lifeless, is actually responsible for nourshing much of life on Earth as it travels. So watch as it starts in Chad, West Africa, as winds carry it across the continent, over the Atlantic ocean, to replenish the Amazon rain forest and beyond.  Sunday By Marcelo Tolentino San Francisco, CA : Blue Dot Kids Press, 2025. Picture Book.  Journey into Martin's imagination with his faithful dog companion, Maize. Follow along as they cross frozen tundras and arid deserts, encounter a sacred beast, and fearsome pirates. Readers will enjoy...

Scattergood By H.M. Bouwman New York: Holiday House, 2025. Fiction. 308 pages. It's 1941 and life for twelve-year-old Peggy Mott is uneventful. She spends her time doing chores on her families farm and even though she keeps busy at home she finds time in the afternoon to visit her cousin and best friend Delia. This summer Peggy's quiet life changes as she becomes aware of the world around her. She must learn how to navigate her way through her first crush, her best friend Delia being diagnosed with Leukemia, and her small little world becoming bigger when refugees from Europe move into a hostel next to her farm.  As Delia gets weaker, Peggy must learn how to continue living. Peggy makes some big mistakes but she learns from her mistakes and becomes aware of others around her and how she can support and help them through their own hardships.  A truly beautiful story about a world that is changing around a young girl who is still growing up and changing herself. I loved this com...

It's finally here! With the last school bell rung and the days stretching until almost 9:00pm, there's not a doubt that it is finally time for summer vacation. Everyone has a different way of celebrating being out of school for the summer, but for many kids, it involves time in the sun, exploring, and sometimes even traveling. Here are some summer books to dive into while you're at the pool, on a road trip, or just curled up at home. Gossamer Summer By H. M. Bouwman New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2023. Fiction. 182 pages. Jojo was quite the storyteller until grandma died, telling her little sisters all kinds of tales about fairies, prophecies, and even flying skeletal creatures. But since grandma passed away last year, Jojo hasn't been as interested in telling stories. With summer vacation in full swing, Jojo and her siblings have been exiled to only play outside while her mom finishes her manuscript. When the children start finding fairies and other creatu...

  My Heart and Other Black Holes By Jasmine Warga New York: Balzer + Bray, 2015. Fiction. 302 pages. Sixteen-year-old physics nerd Aysel is obsessed with plotting her own death. With a mother who can barely look at her without wincing, classmates who whisper behind her back, and a father whose violent crime rocked her small town, Aysel is ready to turn her potential energy into nothingness.  There's only one problem: she's not sure she has the courage to do it alone. But once she discovers a website with a section called Suicide Partners, Aysel's convinced she's found her solution--Roman, a teenage boy who's haunted by a family tragedy, is looking for a partner. --Publisher All the Love Under the Vast Sky By Kip Wilson, editor New York: Nancy Paulsen Books, 2025. Fiction. 286 pages. Spanning twelve short stories in verse, this collection explores love's many facets and how it manifests in and shapes our lives -- Publisher A Rover's Story By Jasmine Warga New...

  Art & Max By David Wiesner Boston, MA: Clarion Books, 2010. Picture Book. Max wants to be an artist like Arthur, but his first attempt at using a paintbrush sends the two friends on a whirlwind trip through various media, with unexpected consequences. --Editor The Art Collector Written by Jan Wahl Illustrated by Rosalinde Bonnet Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2011. Picture Book. A little boy who is not pleased with his own artistic efforts but treasures his great-grandmother's drawing goes on to collect art throughout his life. --Editor The Jellybeans and the Big Art Adventure Written by Laura Joffe Numeroff Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2012. Picture Book.  The Jelly Beans--four friends who like to do such different things as paint, play soccer, read, and dance--paint a mural on an outside wall of Mrs. Petunia Dinkley-Sneezer's candy shop that depicts them each doing what they love best. --Editor Time to Make Art By Jeff Mack New...

The Peach Thief By Linda Joan Smith Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2025. 374 pages. This entertaining historical fiction set in England in the 1850s totally consumed me. A young girl who is down on her luck wants to steal a peach from a local garden. While in the process, she gets caught! The head gardener mistakes her for a boy and puts her to work in the garden to make up for the crime she committed. Scilla thinks she will be scrubbing pots for just a few days. The workload is heavy, but Scilla rises to the occasion. The longer she stays, the more Scilla feels like she might actually fit in. Most shockingly, she finds herself wanting to be part of the crew that works in the lavish garden. However, there are a few complications that get in the way. Can she actually make amends for the crime that landed her here in the first place? Will people be willing to overlook her standing in society and accept her into their family? If people discover she is really a girl, will that jeopa...

Looking for a new read? We’ve got you covered! Check out one of our Book Boxes for kids ages 9-12. Each Book Box contains a book to check out, as well as envelopes filled with fun surprises that you can open as you read along. This year, we're doing Book Boxes a little differently. Boxes can be put on hold through the library website, and can picked up at the Circulation Desk. Our Holes and The Goose Girl Book Boxes will each be available to pick up from June 1, 2025 through May 31, 2026. Each child aged 9-12 can check out each Book Box once during that time, so if your summer is looking busy, you can wait until fall or winter to pick up your Book Boxes! The Goose Girl By Shannon Hale New York: Bloomsbury, 2003. Fiction. 383 pages. Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree was considered a strange child by some, mostly because of her ability to speak to animals. Which may be why after her father's death, her mother decides that rather than rule she will be ma...

Return to Sender By Vera Brosgol New York: Roaring Brook, 2025. Fiction. 320 pages. Oliver Bakh and his mother have finally found a place to call home. After the unexpected death of his father, Oliver's mother fell into a deep depression, leaving Oliver to pick up the pieces and the pair moving from home to home. Now, things seem to be looking up, when Oliver's 96-year-old great-aunt Barb dies and bequeaths her Manhattan apartment to Oliver and his mother. Oliver starts attending an elite prep school filled with wealthy (often snobby) classmates who make Oliver feel embarrassed that he doesn't have the same expensive clothes and shoes as them. But then, a solution appears in an unlikely place -- Oliver discovers a magical mail slot in his apartment that grants his wishes. As Oliver and his new (also only) friend Collette begin to use the mail slot to grant their own wishes, they notice that every wish granted also has a adverse consequence. Can Oliver and Collette undo the ...

I'm always filled with gratitude for the teachers of the world. They have such an important, difficult, and underpaid job. I couldn't be more impressed with the women and men who devote their lives to teaching and loving our children.  My gratitude amps up to a thousand at the end of the school year, though-- everyone is chomping at the bit for summer and it is pure chaos in those classrooms.  At the close of this school year, I have to salute the wonderful teachers in my life with a list of picture books devoted to educators everywhere.  You Be Teacher Written by Karla Clark Illustrated by Gabby Zapata New York: Feiwel & Friends, 2025. Picture Book. Ms. C is an energetic, creative teacher that loves her students, but one extra busy morning she tells her students she needs a rest and invites them to be the teacher. The students know just what to do, and take up the challenge with confidence galore! A loving ode to a caring teacher and community of learners. Thank You,...

  Green Promises: Girls Who Loved the Earth By Jeannine Atkins New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2025. Fiction. 310 pages. This beautiful cover caught my eye when I was walking by our "new book" shelf. I quickly opened the book to thumb through the pages. When I saw it was written in verse I practically ran to the checkout station to claim it for myself. That was a great decision!  The book tells the stories of three women and spans multiple decades of time. Although the author wrote this book as a work of fiction, it is based on the lives of real women. I loved that as the book progressed and I learned more about each of the women, they were becoming dear friends. Each of the women are fortunate to have mentors who try to teach them both academic skills and life skills. One of my favorite lines in the book was: "She encourages them to ask Why? an ordinary question that can spark big change." I absolutely love a book that inspires learning and growth and t...

Flying Lessons & Other Stories Edited by Ellen Oh New York: Crown Books for Young Readers, 2017. Fiction. 218 pages. From basketball dreams and family fiascoes to first crushes and new neighborhoods, this anthology, written by award-winning children's authors, celebrates the uniqueness and universality in all of us. --Editor Prophecy By Ellen Oh New York: Harper Teen, 2013. Young Adult Fiction. 316 pages. Kira's the only female in the king's army, and she's also the prince's bodyguard. A demon slayer and an outcast, she's hated by nearly everyone in her home city of Hansong. And she's their only hope. . . . Murdered kings and discovered traitors point to a demon invasion, sending Kira on the run with the young prince. He may be the savior predicted in the Dragon King's prophecy, but the legendary lost ruby treasure just might be the true key to victory. With only the guidance of the cryptic prophecy, Kira must battle demon soldiers, an evil shaman, a...

Soy Sauce! By Laura G. Lee New York: Algonquin Young Readers, 2025. Picture Book. A picture book all about one of the world's favorite condiments - soy sauce! Three East Asian kids - Luan, Haru, and Yoo-Mi - express their love for the rich, umami sauce and share how they make and what it means to their family!  Dynamic illustrations, rhyming verse, and a careful integration of the two makes for a perfectly enthusiastic read-aloud picture book. The illustrations, which include the use of soy sauce as paint, are fun and expressive. Classroom extensions for this book basically write themselves -- this is a must-see for little foodies.

You know that feeling you get when you are listening to your favorite song? It seems to calm you and energize you at the same time! Music has profound power. It can make you feel emotions, help you focus, promote physical well-being, and foster social connection. So, sing a song, dance to the beat, and pick up one of these books! We Light Up the Sky With Music  Written and illustrated by Nick Maland  Atlanta, GA: Peachtree Publishing, 2024. Picture Book. This is a heartwarming picture book that celebrates the unifying and uplifting power of music. The story follows a group of characters who come together to create music that fills the sky. As the melodies rise, so does a sense of joy and connection. We Light Up the Sky With Music  reminds readers of all ages that creativity and community brightens our lives.   The Boy Who Said Wow  Written by Todd Boss  Illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh  New York: Beach Lane Books, 2024. Picture Book.  The Boy Who S...