Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Friendship is such an important part of life! I love to have my friends to celebrate life's victories with. When I am having a rough time, I also rely on the strength of my friends. Picture books are a great way to talk to kids about friendships. With a new school year just around the corner, I think talking with kids about friendship and how to be a good friend is so important. These five books have friendships in them that might help facilitate discussions with your people! Love Grows Here By Amy Adele New York : Magic Cat Publishing, 2025. Picture Book. In this sweet story, there is a lovely garden that an elderly couple tends to with joy in their heart. When the woman is sent to the hospital for an extended stay, the animals that love the garden worry it won't be the same. But through grit and determination and teamwork, they work together and do what friends do best: take care of each other! The illustrations are absolutely amazing and will have kids enthralled with all of...

  There have been many picture books that have come out in recent years that are not only fantastic but have also been written by Native American authors. Here are some of my favorites. Happy Reading!  The Animals Speak: The Lakota Way   By S. D. Nelson (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe)  Lakota Translation by Dakota W. Goodhouse  New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2026. Picture Book.  Various animals teach different life lessons. For example, bear “teaches us toe walk with strength and protect those who are smaller and weaker” while hummingbird “reminds us that no matter our size, we can act with great energy and strength.” Each page has the Lakota translation for the animal along with a guide as to how to pronounce the Lakota word. This beautiful book celebrates animals, people, and the Lakota way.  For a Girl Becoming   By Joy Harjo (Mvskoke Nation)  Illustrated by Adriana Garcia  New York: Norton Young Readers, 2025. Picture Book....

When you hear someone mention sports, you probably think of basketball, baseball, or soccer. But there is a whole world of sports and athletics that are not your typical "something-ball" sports. If you or your child likes sports stories and wants stories about sports we don't always talk about, here's a list of sports stories that stray from the conventional. Team Park By Angela Ahn Toronto: Tundra, 2024. Fiction. 233 pages. Evan doesn’t do well at team sports, much to his dad’s chagrin. But while healing from a broken wrist, his physical therapist suggests training for the Dominator Ninja competition. Evan seems to have found his thing when he sprains his wrist. Suggested by his sister, he gets his family to join the team “Soiled Pants” obstacle course to compete together. Learning to Fall By Sally Engelfried New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2022. Fiction. 268 pages. Daphne is stuck with her dad for the summer while her mom films a movie in Prague. She and her da...

If you like slightly spooky stories about fangs, friendship and fitting in, here are some illustrated chapter books you can sink your teeth into!  Maud and the Very Eventful Week Written and Illustrated by Lisa Anchin Candlewick Press, 2026. J Intermediate. 64 pages. Join Maud the vampire for a week's worth of amusing vignettes, from a possessed teapot to a catastrophic cooking project with her best friend. I love the art in this book: charming illustrations with great compositions and lots of details. The world Lisa Anchin has created is warm, soft, funny, and a little creepy. Recommended for newly independent readers who are looking forward to tackling  Princess in Black on their own. Kevin the Vampire: A Most Mysterious Monster Written by Matt Brown Illustrated by Lincoln, MA : Nosy Crow, 2026. J Intermediate. 196 pages. Kevin is a young vampire who has grown up in a traveling circus full of monsters. When Carnival Monstromo gets stuck in a strange, quiet town called Lower ...

Graphic novels are well suited to explain scientific topics to readers, as the text and illustrations can work together to get the information across. These graphic novels teach readers interesting scientific principles, whether in the format of a story or in a more informational presentation. If you like science and graphic novels, these will be sure to please!  Ant Story By Jay Hosler New York: Harper Alley, 2024. Comic. 156 pages.  Rubi is a cartoon ant living in the real world, helping her ant sisters with the daily tasks of the ant colony. It isn't until she meets Miranda, who is (seemingly) another ant in her colony, that she has another friend to talk to. Rubi and Miranda get into all sorts of misadventures, imparting interesting insect facts all the way. Bridges: Engineering Masterpieces By Dan Zettwoch New Tork: First Second, 2022. Comic. 121 pages.  The BATS (Bea, Archie, Trudy, and Spencer) are a group of excited learners racing around the globe to learn all th...

We have been telling stories to each other for a very long time. Stories that stick around for centuries become myths and legends. Through these stories we can learn about all sorts of different things, like how different cultures interact with the world now and back in the distant, ancient past. Reading about different cultures' mythology is one of my favorite things. Here are some books if you also like to learn about the myths and legends that are told around the world. The Amazing Book of World Mythology  By Stella Caldwell  London: Buster Books, 2025. Informational. 153 pages. This collection of 20 mythological tales takes you on a journey around the world. With illustrations vividly done by 20 different artists, each representing their own cultures, this book tells stories of myths from cultures far and wide. Stories of gods, monsters, heroes, and warriors from histories from around the world. This book is an amazing resource with exploring mythology from around the ...

 Last year, we wrote about some of our favorite whale books. But, y'all, there have been so many good whale books that have come out this year. I HAD to do another blog post about them. So for the marine obsessed (like me!) here are some more excellent books to read if you like whales! The Whale's Tale and the Otter's Side of the Story Written by Kate Messner Illustrated by Brian Biggs New York : Clarion Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2026. Picture Book. In this hilarious book, a whale and an otter use facts about their species to debate who is the ultimate ocean mammal. Whale discusses how they work together as pods while otter mentions that they hold hands with each other. What is really interesting, however, is the format of the book. When reading it front to back the whale's perspective is the focus, while the otter's perspective comes to light when the book is read in reverse. Kids will definitely ask for multiple readings of this fun title! Cal...

Poetry has found such a special place in my heart as I have gotten older. As a child I didn't really understand the people who were drawn to poetry books. Nothing about them ever pulled me in when I was younger. But then at some point as a grown-up, I discovered how healing and hopeful poetry made me feel. I wish I could remember the first poetry book that stirred these emotions within me. Even though I don't remember the title, I will always remember how it impacted me, and because of those feelings, now I try to share poetry books as often as I can. Here are five recent favorites that I have read and I hope you enjoy! Pondering: A Story in Cinquains Written by Paul Paolilli and Dan Brewer Illustrated by Dao Linh New York, NY : WorthyKids, 2026. Picture Book. People often (mistakenly) think of poetry as having to rhyme. Cinquain poems are a great way to introduce kids and grownups alike to a form of poetry that doesn't require rhyming. Cinquain poems have 5 lines, and a sp...

It's America's 250th birthday, and there are so many great ways to celebrate! Have you heard of America's Potluck? On Sunday, July 5th, Americans across the country are invited to celebrate Independence Day with a community potluck. A potluck, where everyone brings dishes to taste and share, is a great way to meet new friends, experience different cuisines, and feel connected to your community. Not sure what to bring? Here are some great books about sharing food to give you some inspiration! When Alexander Graced the Table Written by Alexander Smalls and Denene Millner Illustrated by Frank Morrison New York: Simon & Schuster, 2025. Picture book. Sundays are the highlight of young Alexander's whole life. After church, his big family gathers together to cook and enjoy a meal with each other's company. On one special Sunday, Alexander's asks him to whip up a sweet treat to grace the table. This childhood memory from award winning chef Alexander Smalls celebrate...

Junie B. Jones is a modern classic, with a spunky and relatable main character that kids love! If your elementary school reader is looking for books that will strike a similar chord in their reading line up, this list will introduce you to a whole new cast of loveable characters.  Bibsy Cross and the Bad Apple Written by Liz Garton Scanlon Illustrated by Dung Ho New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2024. Intermediate. 117 pages.  Bibsy Cross loves her family, her cat, her best friend, and she really loves school! But as the eight-year-old starts a new school year with a new teacher, Mrs. Stumper, things don't go as smoothly as Bibsy is used to. Her teacher thinks she is just a bit too much, especially when it comes to all her talk about the science fair. On a day that things go just a "stone too far," Mrs. Stumper punches a hole in Bibsy's paper apple hung in the classroom, which makes Bibsy worry how she can make the perfect science fair project when feeling so low. This book...

RAAAWR!!! We're in the middle of Summer Reading, and you may have noticed that we're exploring a lot of paleontology with our theme "Unearth a Story." If seeing dinosaur decor and activities around the library is getting your child excited about prehistoric creatures, check out these books about some adorable carnivores! Baby Spinosaurus By Julie Abery and Gavin Scott Mankato, MN: Amicus Ink, 2025. Board Book. Newly hatched Baby Spinosaurus is exploring her new world. Splashing in the river, she finds a fish to catch when she gets stuck among the roots! Luckily, Mama comes by to save the day so Baby Spinosaurus can splash once more. Party Rex By Molly Idle New York: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2024. Picture Book. Rex is turning 10! What starts as a story about a dino-birthday bash turns into an instruction manual on party etiquette. Watch as the dinosaurs mind their manners to have an excellent party (and try to find the stegosaurus who has *not* o...