Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Becoming Bach by Tom Leonard Roaring Brook Press, 2017. Informational. (unpag) In this beautifully illustrated picture book biography, Leonard gives the young reader a glimpse into the early life and musical legacy of Johann Sebastian Bach. The spare text --there are only a few lines per page-- is written in first person, as if Bach is telling his own story. He relates how he was orphaned at a young age and was raised by an older brother.  He became a professional musician quite young, and lived his whole life within 200 miles of his birthplace. The richly colored illustrations are sometimes realistic, but most often swirl with multicolored staffs of notes. Some of the people and objects are completely made out of notes. Leonard does a great job representing Bach's polyphonic and complex music visually. This is a wonderful book for music-loving parents to share with children or for young musicians to peruse on their own. Why not download some of Bach's music from Freegal ...

The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors By Drew Daywalt Illustrated by Adam Rex Balzer + Bray, An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2017. Picture Book. Rock was sad. He was the toughest warrior in the Kingdom of Backyard. Nobody could beat him—which made him sad. The fact that there wasn’t another warrior who could match his skill was just depressing. Meanwhile in the Empire of Mom’s Home Office another warrior named Paper was conquering everyone. There wasn’t another warrior in the Empire that could match the skill of Paper—and this made him sad as well. He wished that there was someone who could give him a challenge. Finally in the Kitchen Realm (“in the tiny village of Junk Drawer”) there was a warrior named Scissors. She again was sad that there wasn’t a warrior who could beat her. It was frustrating to always be able to predict that she would win. Thankfully all three warriors met in the great cavern of Two-Car Garage. There they can all commence in an epic battle that wil...

Acadia National Park By Kathleen Connors Mount Desert Island, home to Acadia National Park, has been inhabited for more than 5,000 years and enjoyed by vacationers for more than 200! Its many plants, animals, and scenic views make the island and its famous park one of the most visited places in the United States. Colorful photographs and descriptions take readers along the historic carriage roads and to the top of Cadillac Mountain. Everglades National Park By Kathleen Connors Everglades National Park was established in 1934 to protect one of the most unique ecosystems in the world. From hardwood forests to the estuarine habitat of Florida Bay, the many habitats in the park are home to about 1,000 species of plants and hundreds of Animal species, some of which are endangered. My Yosemite: Guide for Young Adventurers By Mike Graf Loaded with colorful photos and illustrations, this handy guidebook covers all the favorites, from giant sequoias to awe-inspiring waterfalls. G...

Deborah Wiles Deborah Wiles grew up in Jasper County, Mississippi. She moved around, because her family was in the Air force, but she ended up calling Mississippi home. She is the author of picture books and novels for readers young and old, including Each Little Bird That Sings, a 2005 National Book Award Finalist, and the documentary novels Countdown and Revolution. Revolution was a 2014 finalist for the National Book Award. Deborah teaches teachers and writers around the country, and currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Each Little Bird that Sings Written by Deborah Wiles Comfort Snowberger is well acquainted with death since her family runs the funeral parlor in their small southern town, but even so the ten-year-old is unprepared for the series of heart-wrenching events that begins on the first day of Easter vacation with the sudden death of her beloved great-uncle Edisto. Countdown Written by Deborah Wile Twelve-year-old Franny Chapman lives with her family in...

Jerusalem Sky: Stars, Crosses, and Crescents by Mark Podwal Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2005. Poetry.  This book is an illustrated poem that wonderfully captures the spirit of Jerusalem. This city, revered by three powerful religions, has been the home to many different nations. The myths and beliefs about this sacred place that so many claim as their homeland have flavored the air itself. I think this book is worth checking out to enjoy both the poetry and the tender taste of Jerusalem. Podwal's hints towards certain stories could be the beginning of some interesting research or scripture study. 

Amina's Voice By Hena Khan Salaam Reads, 2017. Fiction. Amina Khokar is a talented singer, probably the best one in her class, but she has had horrible stage fright ever since the "John Hancock incident." She does not want to perform a solo in her choir class performance and she does not want to compete in a Quaran recitation competition hosted by her Mosque - if she can't speak in front of people in English, how can she be expected to speak in Arabic? None of this is made any easier by the fact that her best friend Soojin wants to change her name to Susan, or that she wants to become friends with Emily who used to make fun of them, or that her uncle is visiting from Pakistan and might just realize Amina is not perfect. Amina is a truly identifiable character. Her anxieties about performing in public, losing her friends, and disappointing her family are handled deftly by Khan in a way that will speak to a lot of kids. There are strong themes of individual va...

The Creeping Shadow (Lockwood and Co. #4) by Jonathan Stroud Disney/Hyperion, 2016. Fiction 445 p. This is the fourth installment of the  Lockwood & Co  series. In this one Lucy has left the agency because of the premonition she received at the end of book 3. She is successful as an independent agent, but her life is empty and her only friend is The Skull. When Lockwood comes to her door begging her to come back and help them with "just one case" he doesn't have to twist her arm very hard. That case leads to another, and soon they are battling the biggest and scariest phenomenon they have ever faced. This story does not disappoint Lockwood and Co fans. All the main characters develop in their relationships with each other, and readers get a few more hints at the ultimate cause of "The Problem." Stroud is a master at crafting both characters and plots, balancing intensity and humor so that readers are biting their nails one minute, and laughing out l...