Provo Library Children's Book Blog

  Hansel and Gretel  Retold by Stephen King  Pictures by Maurice Sendak  New York: HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2025. Picture Book.  Stephen King was asked to write a “new interpretation” of the story of Hansel and Gretel based on some illustrations that Maurice Sendak did for the Humperdinck opera of the story. This book is a combination of King’s new take on the classic tale, as well as Sendak’s illustrations from the opera. And boy, is this a good retelling! There is a lot of text, but with the darkness of the tale and a master of horror like Stephen King, that is no surprise. This is a story that will read well to older elementary school kids who enjoy rich sentences that convey the horror of this story in subtle ways. Also, the illustrations are classic Sendak pictures. There are lots of colors, detailed trees, and a stunning illustration of a witch on a broom pulling a basket of soon-to-be-eaten children behind her. Read this to any child who loves book...

  Next month is a month where my family will plan lots of time together—most of which will be spent eating food together. And I wouldn’t be the librarian I am sharing this list of great titles where food and family are the focus of each story. So, pull up a snack and settle in to read these five picture books that just might make you pull your loved ones closer while also reaching for a snack!  Fish Fry Friday  Written by Winsome Bingham  Illustrated by C. G. Esperanza  New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2025. Picture Book.  The young kid who is out of school for a Friday gets to spend the day with Granny. On Fridays Granny goes and catches fish to use for the family fish fry on Friday nights. The narrator loves spending time with Granny as she teaches about fishing, filleting, and frying up good times with food and family.  Grilled Cheese? Yes, Please!  By Tim Kleyn  New York: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2024. Pict...

Blood in the Water By Tiffany D. Jackson New York: Scholastic, 2025. Fiction. 255 pages. 12-year-old Kaylani McKinnon can't help but feel like a fish out of water. She's a Brooklyn girl spending her summer on Martha's Vineyard surrounded by wealthy family friends in their mansion. All she really wants is to stay home all summer where she her incarcerated father can easily reach her, and she can keep working to find ways to prove him innocent of fraud and embezzlement. Despite her protests, she finds herself on the island with the snooty granddaughters of her host. Soon after Kaylani's arrival, a popular teen boy is found murdered and she decides to conduct her own investigation. As she tries to discover what happened to Chadwick Cooper, Kaylani finds that not everything on Martha's Vineyard is as perfect as it appears. Thrillers for middle grade readers can be hard to find, but Tiffany D. Jackson succeeds in her first middle grade novel. A quick moving plot, tight d...

Tomatoes on Trial Written by Lindsay H. Metcalf Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham New York: Calkins Creek, 2025. Informational. An age old debate that has caused divisions in my household for over six years: Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? Do we go with the botanical definition of what a fruit is or judge a tomato based on how it's used culinarily? This informational picture book tells the story of John Nix and his attempt to get tomatoes classified as a fruit so he wouldn't have to pay the 10% vegetable tax. The lineup is then set for the great tomato debate as it took place in the Supreme Court case of Nix vs. Hedden . Arguments are laid out in a "food" fight before the court confirmed the tomato's place as a vegetable. I loved how this book put historical context to what can be a humorous debate. Peppered with fruit and vegetable puns, Metcalf isn't shy about sharing the financial motivations of both Nix and the US government in trying to decide how a t...

First Ascent: The Epic Yosemite Rock Climbing Rivalry of Royal Robbins and Warren Harding Written by Kate Messner Illustrated by Steview Lewis Yosemite National Park: Yosemite Conservancy Press, 2025. Informational picture book. How two "fathers of rock climbing" engaged in a daring game of one-upmanship, pushing the sport to new heights as they racked up first ascents of big wall climbs around Yosemite Valley in the 1950s and 60s, ultimately paving the way for a modern era of rock climbing with a focus on leave-no-trace environmental ethics. - Publisher. Up, Up, Ever Up!: Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains Written by Anita Yasuda Illustrated by Yuzo Shimizu New York: Clarion Books, 2024. Biography. Anita Yasuda's evocative picture book biography about Junko Tabei, the first woman to summit Everest. - Publisher Mystery on Everest: A Photobiography of George Mallory By Audrey Salkeld Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2000. Biography. Discusses the life of Br...

Cuentos La viejecita que no le tenía miedo a nada Escrito por Linda Wiliams Ilustrado por Megan Lloyd New York: Harper Arco Iris, 1996. Libro ilustrado. "Una pequeña vieja señora que no está asustada cualquier cosa debe ocuparse de una cabeza de la calabaza, de un sombrero negro alto, y de otros objetos spooky que la sigan a través de las maderas oscuras que intentan asustarla." --Editor Cuentitos La calabaza feliz Por MacKenzie Haley London: Dorling Kindersley Ltd., 2023. Pequeño libro ilustrado. "Ya queda poco para Halloween y es el momento de elegir calabaza. Las calabazas, con sus terroríficos dientes y escalofriantes ojos, no ven la hora de conocer a sus nuevas familias, ¡todas quieren se las primeras en ser elegidas! Sin embargo,hay una en la que nadie se fija: la calabaza felíz. Porque ... ¿quién querría una calabaza sonriente en la noche más terrorífica del año?" --Editor Otros libros sobre la letra "H" Cuando tu niñera es una bruja Es Halloween, q...

Preschool Time Herbert's First Halloween Written by Cynthia Rylant Illustrated by Steven Henry San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books LLC, 2017. Picture Book. Herbert and his father prepare for his first Halloween by making a tiger costume and practicing a big roar. --Editor Preschool Time Grizelda the Green Hates Halloween Written by A. A. Livingston Illustrated by Katya Longhi New York: Flamingo Books, 2025. Picture Book. Grizelda the Green, a witch who despises Halloween, hatches a plan to keep the festivities away, but unexpected surprises make her love the holiday. --Editor Toddler Time We Are Definitely Human By X. Fang Toronto: Tundra Books, 2024. Picture Book. When three mysterious visitors from "Europe" crash-land in Mr. Li's field, he does what any good host would: he invites them back to his farmhouse and offers to help fix up their "car". No, there's nothing strange about these guests at all. Just like other humans, they "make business"...

Hee hee hee! Hello, my pretties! Here are five short, illustrated chapter books for the season of the witch - some sweet, some spooky, all magical.  The Knitting Witch Written by Norma Kassirer Illustrated by Mark Richardson. Oakland, California : The Collective Book Studio, 2024. Intermediate. 88 pages. Outrageously spoiled Ivy Lou meets her match when a witch appears and tries to trick her into becoming her child. Ivy Lou must unravel the witch's dark magic and save her parents. A modern classic in the register of Roald Dahl, with mischief, humor and spookiness. Witchycakes: Sweet Magic  Written by Kara LaReau Illustrated by Ariane Moreira. New York : Random House Children's Books, 2025. Intermediate. 76 pages. Witchycakes  owes a lot to  Kiki's Delivery Service : a cute newbie witch making and delivering baked goods to the residents of their dreamy seaside town. It's cozy and sweet with lots of glowy illustrations. New Girl: Diary of an Accidental Witch Written by...

The Experiment By Rebecca Stead New York: Feiwel & Friends, 2025. Fiction. 288 pages. Nathan and his family are not like their neighbors... mostly due to the fact that they are aliens. This has never really been a problem for Nathan. Due to the toothpaste he religiously brushes on his teeth multiple times a day, he has taken the form of an earthling. That is, until the fateful vacation when he suddenly grows a tail. Now he's being called back to the mothership and instead of seeming worried, the leader is... celebrating? Nathan needs to figure out why his fellow alien friends are disappearing to the mothership and never returning and why things aren't as they seem. Rebecca Stead is known for her standout sci fi novels, and this is no exception. Kids who like the genre will find a lot to love about this book. You could also hand this to fans of mystery novels where everything is not what it seems.

It's that eerie time of year, and you may have started wondering about all the whys and hows behind our spookiest traditions. Well then, non-fiction readers, celebrate—because this is the list for you! Here are some of the latest publications covering everything from ghoulicious cooking to haunting locales to spooky global celebrations and stories for this bone-chilling season! Spooky Celebrations Around the World Written by Matt Ralphs Illustrated by Veronika Kotyk  New York; London: Phaidon, 2024. Informational. 47 pages.  Dive into a global tour of fascinating festivals in Spooky Celebrations Around the World . Beyond familiar favorites like Halloween and Día de Muertos, this vibrant book introduces young readers to 21 unique celebrations honoring spirits across every continent. With playful, yet respectful text and stunning artwork, it's a brilliant, year-round read that will spark curiosity about cultural traditions and the world. Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange and Mysterious ...

The Mixed-Up Owl  Written by Marzena Sowa Illustrated by Joanna Lorno New York : Hippo Park, 2025. Picture Book. When Owl can't sleep at night, he heads off to see if any forest animals can help him understand why, and even more so, how to fix it!  Unfortunately, all the animals Owl runs into at night are asleep and all the animals he meets during the day are too rude or too busy to answer him.  Will Owl give up or will a chance meeting with a grumpy hedgehog provide all the solutions Owl was looking for? The premise of an owl trying to stay awake during the day because all the other animals around him do is very fun. Kids who know that owls are nocturnal will get a kick out of Owl's confusion and be quick to try to tell him what's going on.  Readers who don't know many facts about owls (or nocturnal animals in general) will get a brief introduction to the different ways animals sleep. The illustrations are charming, especially cute Owl and his expressive body langua...

September was an interesting month for our family. Typically I get very excited for September! I love fall and the changing colors. When the air starts to feel a little more crisp in the mornings I feel happy. This year, though, September ended up anything but typical. We had a family member in the hospital for nearly the entire month, which definitely made things feel a little bit heavier than usual, and I wasn't able to revel in the changing seasons the way I ordinarily do. On the brighter side of things, I was fortunate to read several picture books that brought me joy and even inspired feelings of hopefulness. You will find five of them listed below. All's Right With the World Written by Jennifer Adams Illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal New York, NY : Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2023. Picture Book. I always love when a cover pulls me in before I even open the book! This cover showing two kids on swings in front of a beautiful sun and sky, with a...

  Cuentos Joaquín y Marta Por Petr Horáček Londres ; Nueva York : Phaidon Press, 2012. Libro ilustrado. "Joaquín es un gusano solitario que vive a la izquierda de un árbol. Marta también es un gusano solitario, y vive a la derecha del árbol. Pero una gran pera jugosa caída del cielo los unirá en más de un sentido ..." --Editor Cuentitos ¡A comer! Escrito por Elizabeth Verdick Ilustrado por Marieka Heinlen Minneapolis, MN : Free Spirit Publishing, 2024. Pequeño libro ilustrado. "¡Es hora de llenar la pancita de cosas ricas! Es una comida sana y divertida. ¡Puedes empezar! Come frutas y verduras, prueba algo nuevo y trata de quedarse sentado hasta que hayas ... ¡TERMINADO!" --Editor Otros libros sobre la letra "G" Gato Gordo Pato y Ganso No abrazar a Gaspar: (no le va a gustar) La pequeña gaticornia Los tres chivitos gruff

Preschool Time Bear's Lost Glasses By Leo Timmers Minneapolis, MN: Gecko Press, 2024. Picture Book. Bear has lost his glasses and walks to his friend Giraffe's house, where he thinks he left them. --Editor Preschool Time Wolfgang in the Meadow By Lenny Wen New York: Clarion Books, 2024. Picture Book. Everything in the meadow, from hugging the trees to stargazing with friends, fills Wolfgang with joy. His ambition, though, is to become the great spirit of the Dark Castle. So Wolfgang strives to perfect his spooking skills, practicing day and night. When Wolfgang wins the honor of haunting the shadowy halls, he is very good at it... but if being a great spirit means leaving his beloved meadow behind, is it good for him? --Editor Toddler Time Giant Parsnip Soup By Daniela Sosa New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2025. Picture Book. Friends gather ingredients from one to ten to make a delicious parsnip soup together. --Editor Book Babies A Hop is Up Written by K...

Folktales have long carried the wisdom, imagination, and traditions of cultures around the world by passing stories from one generation to the next. They often weave together important life lessons with magical creatures or daring adventures. Books, like the ones on this list, bring these age-old tales to life for today’s readers. Each story is rooted in its own cultural heritage and offers a glimpse into the values of the people who first told them. They remind us that storytelling is a powerful way to connect us across time and place. The Three-Year Tumble By Dayeon Auh New York: NorthSouth Books, 2025. Picture Book. Based on a beloved Korean folktale, a superstitious grandfather and his thoughtful granddaughter turn the legend of Misfortune Mountain on its head. According to the myth, anyone who falls down the mountain has only 3 years left to live! Together, this family learns how changing your mindset can make a positive impact on your life. The Salt Princess By Anoosha Syed New Y...

Kittybunkport Written by Scott Rothman Illustrated by Zachariah OHora New York: Viking, 2025. Picture book. Best friends Chowder and Crackers spend their days as all cats do in their port town in Maine: napping, lazing in the sun, and eating all the lobster they can. When the light of the terrifying and absolutely-haunted-by-lobster-ghosts lighthouse goes out, the cats of Kittybunkport panic. Crackers and Chowder are chosen to investigate what is wrong, but they wouldn't say that they are super scared (that's exactly what they would say). They make their way through the dark and gross and very cobwebby lighthouse only to meet...a lobster ghost? The resolution to the duo's fright--the very chatty fisherdog who is there to change the lightbulb--will make readers giggle. Illustrations contradict the text in hilarious fashion as the cats face the crisis of the lighthouse while trembling with terror. The back and forth comments of Chowder and Crackers are perfect for a funny rea...

... and wish they'd love you back, here are some great reads for you. Though I dream of being a plant parent, my relationship with plants is a little less satisfying. Think overwatered, underwatered, neglected, floppy, dried-up, sad. I'm trying to be better! But in the meantime, here are some great books about kids who love their plants, and find a best friend in the meantime! How to Talk to Your Succulent By Zoe Persico Toronto, ON: Tundra Books, 2025. Comic. 223 pages. 11-year-old Adara and her dad are moving across the country from California to Michigan to live with her grandmother. Things have been hard since her mom passed away. It's harder to talk to her dad, she misses her mom, and now she's in a new home where everything is unfamiliar. Soon, she discovers she shares a special talent with her late mother - she can talk to plants! Adara connects with a young succulent named Perle, and starts to open up and process her grief. This lush, leafy read makes for a love...