Provo Library Children's Book Blog

  I have two young kids. And their feelings are always SO BIG! The joy, anger, sadness. All of it is always big feelings. There are some new picture books that are good at talking about feelings with toddlers. Here are some of my favorites:  Because of a Shoe   By Julie Fogliano  Illustrated by Marla Frazee  New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2026. Picture Book.  This book makes me laugh out loud as a parent. It talks all about how a young child won’t put on their shoes and instead goes through all the emotions (including responding to the frustrated emotions of their caregiver). Read this to the children who have meltdowns over what seem like small things (and then trigger possible grownup meltdowns as well). They will see all the emotions and feelings that build and bubble and burst into the world when things don’t go exactly as planned. Delightfully real.  A Book of Loves   By Cythia Rylant  New York: Beach Lane Books, 2026. Picture Book.  In...

  Cinderella (Original Brothers Grimm Version) By the Brothers Grimm  Illustrated by Bernadette Watts  New York: NorthSouth Books Inc., 2026. Picture Book.  If you know me, you know a few things about me. And one of those things is that I have LOVED Cinderella stories ever since I was a little girl. (No really, if you don’t believe me come visit my office where a giant Cinderella quilt hangs on my wall—thanks, Mom!) Anyway, I love a good retelling of Cinderella. And I also love a good classic retelling of Cinderella. And this is one of those.  Although this retelling might not be for the youngest of readers (it is the version where the step-sisters cut off parts of their feet to make their foot fit into the slipper), those who want to read the more traditional (non-Disney) story of Cinderella will find this a great book. And know that the text is a bit lengthy and true to the Brothers Grimm original tale. Also, Watts’ illustrations are beautiful and convey the i...

The Jewish holiday Sukkot, or Feast of Tabernacles, is an annually held fall holiday. Arriving shortly after Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Sukkot recognizes the exodus from Egypt and when the Israelites had to live in temporary shelters. Sukkot started just last Friday night, and currently, Jewish families all over the world will be eating or living in temporary houses called "sukkahs." I saw my first sukkahs when my family and I lived in Jerusalem. I loved seeing the way my neighbors celebrated and I love that now we have so many picture books to learn about how different Jewish families celebrate Sukkot. If you are celebrating Sukkot yourself, or want to learn about this holiday, check out these picture books about the Feast of Tabernacles. חג שמח! Our Spectacular Sukkah Written by Sidura Ludwig Illustrated by Sophia Vincent Guy Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2026. Picture Book. A Jewish family is setting up their sukkah and are excited to eat, play, and sing in it. Then...

I Am a Rock Written by Ashley Qilavaq-Savard Illustrated by Pelin Turgut Iqaluit, Nunavut; Toronto, ON: Inhabit Media Inc., 2023. Picture Book. Pauloosie loves his pet rock, Miki Rock. Pauloosie's Anaana, his mother, tells him a bedtime story about what Miki Rock sees, hears, and feels in his Arctic home. As part of the land, Miki Rock sees char and beluga, listens to chirps and howls, and feels the snow and sun. Through lyrical text and ethereal landscape illustrations by Pelin Turgut, readers are taken on an Arctic journey from the point of view of a most unlikely object--a child's pet rock. --Publisher A Pocket Full of Rocks Written by Kristin Mahoney Illustrated by E.B. Goodale New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2025. Picture Book. A sweet and soulful celebration of how a child's imagination can transform ordinary objects into extraordinary treasures. You can do a lot with a pocket full of rocks ... Rocks make excellent chairs for fairies, they are perfect for writing your name...

  Cuentos No dejes que la paloma se acuesta tarde Por Mo Willems Valencia : Andana Editorial, 2018. Libro ilustrado. "Llega la noche, pero la paloma no quiere ir a la cama!" --Editor Cuentitos Opuestos Por Sandra Boynton New York : Simon & Schuster Libros para niños, 2004. Pequeño libro ilustrado. "Book of opposite words." --Editor Otros libros sobre la letra "D" Desi, mami y las infinitas preocupaciones Dondequiera que tú estés Cómo cultivar un dragón Marisol no puede dormir Un deseo en el árbol

Preschool Time The Biggest Dog in the Book By Ben Lerwill and Mark Chambers New York: DK Publishing, 2025. Picture Book. From tiny Chihuahua Agnes who loves to burrow beneath cushions, to Holly the Collie, who loves chasing her tail, this book contains a pack of adorable dogs. Each is special in their own way, but only one of these lovable pups can be the biggest. A gatefold surprise at the end of the book reveals just who is the BIGGEST dog in the book. --Editor Preschool Time Bear and Duck By Katy Hudson New York: Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2015. Picture Book. Bear doesn't want to be a bear anymore so he tries out what it's like to be a duck. With a few lessons from Duck, Bear realizes he makes a much better bear after all. --Publisher Toddler Time Oh Dear, Look What I Got! Written by Michael Rosen Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2025. I went to the shop to get me a carrot. Oh dear! They gave me . . . parrot. Oh dear! Look w...

When I was seven or eight I remember asking my mom if it was too early to plan my Halloween costume. It was July. Her answer was, "You can start thinking of ideas, but we aren't going to make anything until September." So according to her, we are in the clear! If you know anyone who is chomping at the bit to break out the bed sheets, pom poms, and hot glue gun, here are some picture books about costumes! Mysterious Mittens : A Moontime Cats Halloween Story Written by Jordan Morris Illustrated by Charlie Mylie Somerville. MA : Candlewick Press, 2026. Picture book.  A pack of costumed cats make Halloween mischief around the neighborhood. Carl, Biscuit, Peewee, and Mittens (or someone disguised as Mittens...) climb trees, provoke dogs, and smash jack-o-lanterns on an extra spooky night. The cute illustrations of funny, expressive kitties are rendered in warm, glowy colors on nocturnal backgrounds. The case of mistaken identity makes for an amusing throughline in this story. ...

  My Animalitos/Mis animalitos Written by Monica Brown Illustrated by John Parra New York : Ediciones NorteSur, an imprint of NorthSouth Books, Inc., 2026. Pequeño libro ilustrado. In this adorable bilingual board book, Mexican artist Frida Kahlo introduces kids to animals in English and Spanish. As the book goes on, Frida is shown growing from childhood to adulthood while gaining attributes she sees in the animals, whether it be becoming caring like a dog, intelligent like a turkey, or beautiful like a butterfly. The format, which starts each page with "I am" followed by an attribute and the animal will allow kids to "read along" as you share the story. The brightly-colored folk art illustrations evoke the feeling of Frida's work while taking kids directly to Frida's Mexican home. Whether kids are learning Spanish as a second-language or speak it fluently, this book will be reread again and again.

Fairy tales and books about royalty are classics in the children's literary world for a reason. The fantastical worlds featured in these stories open up a whole world of imagination for even the youngest readers. These five picture books about princesses are great options for readers that love fairy tales! The Paper Bag Princess Written by Robert Munsch Illustrated by Michael Martchenko Toronto, Canada: Annick Press, 1992. Picture Book.  This classic picture book is about a spunky princess named Elizabeth, who is tasked with rescuing her fiancé, Prince Ronald, after a dragon destroys her castle and burns all of her clothes. Forced to outsmart the dragon in nothing but a paper bag dress, Elizabeth puts her courage to the test and learns the importance of standing up for herself. The Princess and the Greedy Pea By Leigh Hodgkinson Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2023. Picture Book.  In this silly book, a blend of the classic fairy tale The Princess and the Pea and t...

Eleven Kinds of Blue By Katherine Wolff New York : Holiday House, 2026. Fiction. 202 pages. Eleven Kinds of Blue is a thought-provoking book about dealing with mental illness, changing family dynamics, and finding solace from hobbies. Readers meet Margot Stafford, a young girl who loves art and whose mother deals with depression. When Margot's mother has her boyfriend move in, life truly changes for everyone. Along the way, readers will find joy with Margot as she leans on her love of art to cope with frustrations. They will also realize the hardship kids can face when parents are struggling to deal with depression and loneliness. It is a reminder that family relationships are tied together, and nothing in families happens in isolation. This book is a great choice for readers who may be facing some of their own complicated issues in life. I particularly liked the way Margot was able to fully embrace her art as a happy place. Additionally, the friendship her mother had with another ...

  Cuerpo humano Por Richard Walker London : Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2025. Informativo. "Descubre cómo funciona nuestro cuerpo humano con esta guía Eyewitness en español para niños. Este libro de ciencias en español está repleto de imágenes que te transportarán a cada parte de tu cuerpo, para que lo analices y aprendas su funcionamiento. Viaja a través del asombroso cuerpo humano y apréndelo todo sobre el cerebro, la fuerza muscular, la estructura ósea, el corazón y los sentidos que trabajan constantemente para que interpretes y comprendas lo que sucede a tu alrededor." --Editor Aprendo a cocinar Ilustrado por Hifumiyo [London] : Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2025. Informativo. "Un bonito libro ilustrado para enseñar cocinar a los niños de manera divertida. Gracias a los consejos útiles, técnicas básicas y recetas sencillas y accesibles de este libro de recetas para niños, los más pequeños descubrirán todo lo necesario para aprender a cocinar sabrosos platos mientras se...

  Cuentos No es una caja Por Antoinette Portis Pontevedra, [Spain] : Kalandraka Editora, 2017. Libro ilustrado. "Para un conejito imaginativo, una caja no es solo una caja." --Editor Me gusta el viento Escrito por Sarah Nelson Ilustrado por Rachel Oldfield Concord, MA : Barefoot Books, 2022. Pequeño libro ilustrado. "¿Te gusta la brisa que baila en tu pelo? ¿Y volar una cometa por el cielo? Acompaña al viento en sus silbidos y susurros. Luego descubre información fascinante en las notas al final del libro. ¡Fuuu!" --Editor Otros libros sobre la letra "C" Color Cielo Pancho conejo y el coyote: la fábula de un migrante Croco Los chanchitos Chooch ayudó La casa

Preschool Time A Brave Cat By Marianna Coppo San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 2022. Picture Book. Olivia, an indoor cat, is a fearless explorer until she accidentally finds herself outside, which tests her adventurous sense of self and results in a brave new outlook. -- Editor Preschool Time Fish and Crab By Marianna Coppo San Franscisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 2023. Picture Book. Crab wants to sleep, but Fish is full of "what if" worries, so Crab tells him to list them all. -- Publisher Toddler Time Greta's Cloud By David Hernández Sevillano and Luisa Vera Translated by Kathleen Meredith Madrid: NubeOcho, 2024. Picture Book. Greta is allergic to animals so she decides to have a cloud as a pet. She even puts a collar on it to take it for a walk! Having a pet cloud has many advantages, like helping neighbors water their gardens or putting out fires ... But not all Greta's neighbors are happy with her choice of pet ... Some are fed up with having their barbecues ruined...

While We're Here Written by Anne Wynter Illustrated by Micha Archer New York, NY : Clarion Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2026. In this gorgeous picture book, a mother and her daughter "hurry, hurry" through the city. They rush to the subway and run through the park to reach their destination. When they finally arrive at a child's birthday party, the regrettably discover that the event was yesterday! The daughter is sad at first but the mother decides that "while we're here" they will have some fun! They roll down grassy hills, watch the ducklings in the pond and enjoy each other's company.  Each page of this picture book is beautifully sculpted through collage and creates a stunning scene. The detail perfectly captures the feel of the city. The illustrator, Micha Archer, shows great skill in including shadows and movement and emotion on each page. If the charming story of a loving mother-daughter relationship isn't enough reason t...

The Warriors Books, commonly called The Warrior Cats books, have been a beloved series for many readers. Filled action and adventure, love and heartbreak, battles and prophecies, it's no wonder that readers for generations have come to love these books about wild and gone-wild cats. The following books are for those wanting to get into the Warrior Cat series but feel daunted by the great number of books and series. Most of these adaptations of the original series books made into graphic novels created by dedicated teams of artists and writers to bring The Warriors books to a new generation. All are books that new and old fans of the series will love. This list also includes a new series by Erin Hunter, a book about magical cats. By the way, did you know that Erin Hunter is a pen name? Erin Hunter is actually a group of writers and editors, namely Kate Cary, Cerith Balry, Tui T. Sutherland, and Victoria Holmes, and more! May StarClan guide you to your next favorite read!    The...

Mind vs. Machine: The Chess Match that Changed the World Written by Steve Sheinkin and Maurice Ashley Illustrated by Thien Pham Roaring Brook Press, 2026. Comic. 240 pgs. It's May 1997, and the hopes of humanity are resting on the shoulders of one man; the world chess champion named Garry Kasparov. In an epic 6-match showdown, Garry takes on IBM's new chess supercomputer called Deep Blue. By 1997, computers had been playing chess for nearly 50 years. In 1988 a computer had even beat a grandmaster under tournament conditions. But this wasn't any ordinary chess computer, and Garry Kasparov wasn't just any chess player. In this true battle of human intelligence against artificial intelligence - who would come out on top? And could anyone blame people for hopig the humans would win? Sheinkin partners with chess grandmaster Maurice Ashley to recount the story of an ultimate battle of man against creation. Sheinkin is predictably fantastic, telling this high-interest story wi...