Provo Library Children's Book Blog

  Sick Day Jitters Written by Julie Danneberg Illustrated by Judy Love Watertown, MA : Charlesbridge, 2023. Picture book. When Mrs. Hartwell is out sick and her substitute doesn't show up, the teachers and staff at the school pitch in to help.--Publisher. A Vaccine Is Like a Memory Written by Rajani LaRocca Illustrated by Kathleen Marcotte New York, NY : Little Bee Books, 2023. Informational. 34 pages. Do you remember every time you've been sick? You may not, but your body does! With many illnesses, you can't get sick more than once because your body remembers and fights it off before you get sick again. But what if your body could recognize germs that you've never had before so you don't get ill? There's where vaccines come in! -- Publisher. Bob, Not Bob! Written by Liz Garton Scanlon Illustrated by Audrey Vernick Los Angeles, California: Disney-Hyperion, 2017. Picture book. When a young boy gets a cold, he just wants his mommy. But his stuffy nose makes it dif...

  Cuentos El reno gruñón Por Clare Wilson London : Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2023. Pequeño libro ilustrado. ¡Es la época más maravillosa del año! Pero no para el reno gruñón, que se queja y asusta a todos los demás renos. Los niños y niñas verán que con la ayuda de Santa el reno descubrirá la importancia de la amistad y tener un buen corazón. --Editor Cuentitos Carlitos friolento Escrito por Dana Meachen Rau Ilustrado por Martin Lemelman New York : Children's Press, 2001. Fácil. Charlie necesita un abrazo para calentarse porque tiene mucho frío. --Editor Otros libros sobre la letra "M" Los mariachis de Adela Abran paso a la mariposa Llama destruye el mundo Bitsy Murciélago, estrella escolar My pet flamingo

Preschool Time Moose, Goose, and Mouse Written by Mordicai Gerstein Illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein and Jeff Mack New York: Holiday House, 2021. Picture Book. Moose, Goose, and Mouse ride a loose caboose on their way to finding a new house. --Publisher Preschool Time Anonymoose By Shawna J.C. Tenney Minneapolis, MN: Beaming Books, 2024. Picture Book. Ana the moose goes through great lengths to be left alone and stay Anonymoose until an interaction with a classmate makes her wonder if she is missing out. --Editor Toddler Time M is for Mango Written by Atinuke Illustrated by Angela Brooksbank Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2025. Picture Book. M is for morning and M is for little Mo and M is for the moi-moi in Mo's bowl that is mushy, in an alphabet book set in Nigeria that doubles as a cozy family story. --Editor Book Babies Let's Play, Little Rabbit By Jörg Mühle Wellington, NZ: Gecko Press, 2022. Board Book. Little Rabbit can hide, swing, splash and fly! He'd like some...

The Factory By Catherine Egan New York, NY : Scholastic Inc., 2025. Fiction. 306 pages.  Thirteen-year-old Asher Doyle has been invited to join the Factory, a secretive research facility in the desert which ostensibly extracts renewable energy from the electromagnetic fields of its young recruits. But Asher soon realizes something sinister is going on. Kids are getting sick. The adults who run the Factory seem to be keeping secrets. And the extraction process is not only painful and exhausting, but existentially troubling. Asher makes a handful of new friends who help him with an investigation that turns into a resistance, which turns into...a cliffhanger! The Factory is a page-turning sci-fi with multidimensional characters, an intriguing plot, and refreshingly straight-forward writing. Egan weaves in detail about climate crises and social unrest, making the story's dystopian setting feel rich and plausible. With its sophisticated themes and accessible storytelling, I would recomm...

Do you ever finish a book and then instantly want to know more about the person who wrote it? You read the back flap and get the basic information but you think to yourself "but what was their life like when they created this work"? If so, these books are right up your alley. Jim: Six True Stories About One Great Artist By Jerrold Connors New York, New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2025. Biography. 66 pages. This fun book tells the story James Marshall, who you may know from Miss Nelson is Missing, George and Martha, or his Caldecott-Honor adaptation of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. In this uniquely formatted title, his life is told in six stories, which feature characters from many of his influential works. One of my favorite things about this book is that the artwork is all done in James Marshall's style.  Go Tell It : how James Baldwin Became a Writer Written by Quartez Harris Illustrated by Gordon C. James New York : Little, Brown and Company, 2025. Biography....

Finding Lost By Holly Goldberg Sloan New York: Rocky Pond Books, 2025. Fiction. 208 pages. Middle schooler Cordy, along with her mom and little brother, Geno, are still learning how to adjust to their life after “The Accident,” a tragic boating accident that cost their father’s life. When Cordy is walking home from school one day, she finds a little stray dog who the family nicknames Lost, and as he joins their family, he helps them rediscover all of the beauty that life has to offer. Holly Goldberg Sloane delivers a heart-warming and poignant novel about loss, family, and perseverance. This was a well-written novel that could appeal to a wide range of readers. Any middle schooler will be able to relate to Cordy’s experience of dealing with change, and those who have experienced a similar loss will be sure to find solace in this beautiful story.

Have you ever cast a wish into the universe, hoping for a little magic? Books are filled with magical stories that offer us a glimpse into the world of wishes being granted. However, the path to these wishes coming true is never a straight line; it's often a winding road where valuable lessons are learned before a wish comes true. If you love books about wishes, here are a few stories that just might spark your imagination.   The Fish of Small Wishes Written by Elana K. Arnold Illustrated by Magdalena Mora New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2024. Picture Book. Kiki discovers a giant fish that is slowly dying on the road. She rescues the fish by putting it into her tub at home. The fish is so grateful to be saved he offers to grant her a wish, but with a catch; it is after all, a "fish of small wishes". Kiki really wants to wish for lots of friends or to be less shy but all of her wishes are to big for the small fish to grant. However, as the fish continues to grow, Kiki takes...

Star Wars Galactic Baking: The Official Cookbook of Sweet and Savory Treats from Tatooine, Hoth, and Beyond San Rafael, CA: Insight Editions, 2021. Cookbook. 127 pages.  Embark on a baking journey through the Star Wars galaxy, and craft scrumptious treats inspired by fan-favorite planets.  Get ready to tour the galaxy with this baking cookbook inspired by the snowdrifts of Hoth, the wastelands of Tatooine, and beyond. Star Wars: The Official Baking Cookbook is the most delicious way to experience the planets, flora, and fauna of the Star Wars galaxy. Whether you're throwing a watch party or hosting members of the Galactic Senate, this cookbook is a must-have for fans of all ages. - -Publisher  Bake, Make & Learn to Cook: Fun & Healthy Recipes for Young Cooks Written by David Atherton Illustrated by Rachel Stubbs Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2021. Cookbook. 75 pages.  The 2019 winner of The Great British Baking Show serves up a kid-friendly collection of...

Cuentos ¡Estamos en un libro! Por Mo Willems New York : Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group, 2015. Fácil. "Cuando Geraldo Y Cerdita se dan cuenta de que están dentro de un libro, deciden divertirse con el lector." --Editor Otros libros sobre la letra "L" La primera luna llena de gatita Caperucita roja ninja Un graznido en español El ladrón del sombrero El lapicero malefico

Preschool Time Breathe Deep, Little Sheep Written by Jessica Lee Illustrated by Lucia Wilkinson Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2020. Picture Book. A kid-friendly introduction to self-soothing and mindfulness with adorable animal friends. A child's "very first step" into mindfulness where the story's short rhymes can be used as soothing mantras, paired with delightful illustrations of baby animals working through anxious situations. This book does double duty as a self-help story providing great comfort beyond the pages. --Editor Preschool Time Little Lion Girl Written by Olivia Hope Illustrated by Fiona Woodcock New York: Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2025. Picture Book. Leonie discovers her courage when she explores the big city with her mother. --Editor Toddler Time Rafa and the Wrong Legs Written by Angie Lucas Illustrated by Ana Sanfelippo Palo Alto, CA: Marble Press, 2024. Picture Book. Rafael is finally old enough to visit the supermarket without...

This list of 5 Faves highlights the strength, creativity, and spirit that shape Indigenous identity. Their history and culture are shared with heartfelt lullabies and family journeys to stories of community and ancestral wisdom. They remind readers that honoring the past inspires pride and understanding in the present. Together, these books show readers the deep ties between people, land, and heritage—and the importance of remembering and sharing those stories. Of the Sun: A Poem for the Land's First Peoples Written by Xelena González Illustrated by Emily Kewageshig Concord, MA : Barefoot Books, 2025, Picture Book. Of the Sun by Xelena González is a lyrical picture book that celebrates the warmth, energy, and life-giving power of the sun. Through poetic language and vivid imagery, the story connects the sun’s light to the rhythms of nature and the bonds between people. Its glowing illustrations beautifully reflect the golden tones and radiance of sunlight, making the story feel b...

Shipwreck Written by Deirdre Laide Illustrated by Carlos Vélez Aquilera Ann Arbor, MI: Tilbury House Publishers, 2025. Informational. The lyrical text of this informational picture book introduces some of history's most famous shipwrecks and discoveries, from the 16th to the 21st centuries. The wrecks covered range from pirate ships to passenger boats, with the discoveries remaining on the ocean floor or residing in museums. Each subject is given an additional information section asking readers to consider questions like "Will you brave the wreckage?" or "Will you find hidden histories?". The corresponding answer contains further context on the ship's sinking or its discovery and recovery.  The vast array of undiscovered shipwrecks--more than 3 million!--is underscored throughout the book, and an introduction to the profession of marine archeology is included at the end. Vibrant, carefully detailed spreads provide a visual feast of ocean life, tempestuous ga...

A World Without Summer: A Volcano Erupts, a Creature Awakens, and the Sun Goes Out Written by Nicholas Day Illustrated by Yas Imamura New York: Random House Studio, 2025. Informational. 294 pages. In 1815 on a small island in Indonesia, Mount Tambora erupted. The blast was the largest in human history, and one of the deadliest. Though it couldn't be understood at the time, the deadly blast half a world away would lead to catastrophic famine in Europe, prompt westward expansion in America, and inspire the novel Frankenstein  by Mary Shelley. The global climate disaster following the explosion also led to inventions like modern meteorology and the early invention of the bicycle. The people living at the time couldn't have seen how everything was connected, but this fast paced narrative assures that readers will. As he did in 2024's Sibert winner The Mona Lisa Vanishes, Nicholas Day does an impressive job of weaving together different historical events into one single, compell...

Dinosaurs Can Be Small Written by Darrin Lunde Illustrated by Ariel Landy Watertown, MA : Charlesbridge, 2024. Informational. Many long neck dinosaurs were big. Some were not. There were also big horned dinosaurs and big meat eating dinosaurs and big dome headed dinosaurs...but some of them were small.  Compare and contrast some of the biggest dinosaurs (and their relatives) to the smallest, in Dinosaurs Can Be Small . While not a deep dive into different types of dinosaurs by any stretch, this was still a delightful, lightweight read.  The comparisons between the big and the small, including my favorite part, the side-by-side picture, will be a hit with readers.  I can see dinosaur lovers finding this highly enjoyable, but it would also be a great book for teaching about opposites. Sure to spark interest in further research about these cool dinos, many of which I had never heard of.

I am always intrigued by biographies, and I love how many new biographies I have been able to read recently. I particularly appreciate biographies in children's libraries, because I love that I can learn a lot about multiple people without it being too intense of a time investment. The details are thorough enough that I feel like I get a grasp on their background, while also enjoying lovely illustrations that add to the overall appeal. Following are five of my favorites. I hope you will check them out! Mary Oliver, Holding on to Wonder Written by Erin Frankel Illustrated by Jasu Hu New York : Calkins Creek, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers, 2025. Biography. This biography is a lovely blend of poetry, wonder, and nature, as well as the most beautiful illustrations! I loved reading about Mary and her desire to document the things she found most lovely in life. Some illustrators have an amazing ability to make the viewer feel transported to the world they are displaying via...