Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Golden Gate: Building the Mighty Bridge Written by Elizabeth Partridge Illustrated by Ellen Heck San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 2024. Informational. The two curious children of a San Francisco Bay lighthouse keeper are fascinated by the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, deemed impossible by critics of the time. They follow along, receiving occasional visits from the project foreman, as crews dive beneath the surface of the bay to build the foundations and walk hundreds of feet in the air to rivet the towers upwards, raising the then-longest suspension bridge ever built. Each step of the iconic bridge's construction is chronicled in the text, highlighting the dangerous and crucial work of the riveting gangs and the wire walkers, specialized and brought in from around the nation for their expertise. Vibrant illustrations bring the assembly of the landmark to life, depicting both the workers and their craft. Throughout the construction process, a blueprint of the bridge giv...

  ¡Mistaco!: A Tale of Tragedy y Tortillas By Eliza Kinkz New York: Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2025. Picture Book. Izzy is having the worst time of things! She keeps making mistakes! But this day, Izzy thinks she's experienced the biggest fiasco of them all (which involves chicken nuggets and a pudding cup.) So when she arrives to her family gathering at her Lito and Lita's house afterward, Izzy is grumpy -- even her tortillas aren't turning out right! Lito noticing how out of sorts she is, comes up with an idea --make a tortilla out of her mistakes and he will eat them right up! A mistaco! The whole family ends up confessing their mistakes and a feast is made of everyone's mistacos.  Bursting with energic and scrawling illustrations  ¡Mistaco! is a   bilingual laugh-out-loud funny story of family love that will have you fondly recalling your own silly mishaps!

 Sixth grade is a year of amazing discoveries and reading can be an incredible passport to discovering thrilling new worlds. If you are looking for a well told story, choose a book from this list, open its cover and explore the wonders of the world inside. Your next favorite book may be just a page away. Dreamslinger  By Graci Kim Los Angeles: disney-Hyperion, 2025. Fiction. 289 Pages. Fourteen year-old Aria Lovebridge is a dreamslinger and some people consider her to be dangerous. Aria however feels like she has her powers under control because she doesn't let her emotions get away from her. When a kingdom far away invites dreamslinger teenagers from around the world to compete for the first time in a challenge, Aria is excited to go. At the challenge she makes some new friends and as she experiments with her abilities and learns more about her powers she also begins to accept who she is.  This is a great first series book that introduces new characters and Korean cultur...

 As the days get warmer it's hard not to think about vacations and all the possibilities the summer holds. If you love spending time lying on a sandy beach with the sound of the ocean in your ears then you will enjoy reading a book with a beach setting. Here is a list of books that will take you right to the beach. Enchanted Beach Written by Ester Freud Illustrated by Emma Chinnery Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2025. Picture Book. There are so many activities you can do on the beach like playing in the sand, hunting for treasures, camping, or playing in the water. But we often don't think about the beach during other seasons like fall and winter. In this poetic picture book you can explore the wonders of the beach and ocean all year long. Big Family Beach Day By Nina Crews New York: Greenwillow Books, 2025. Picture Book. There is nothing better than spending time at the beach with your extended family. In this picture book you can read about a "Big Family Beach Day,...

  Cranky, Crabby Crow (Saves the World) By Corey R. Tabor New York: Greenwillow Books, 2025. Picture Book. Crow does not seem to be in a good mood. His friends keep trying to talk and play with him, but Crow just shouts, "KAW!" every time. But what Crow's friends don't know is that he's secretly trying to clear the area, so that he can embark on a secret mission to save everyone from a giant asteroid on a collision course for Earth! This picture book is delightfully silly. When you first start reading the book, it seems that this story will turn into a moral lesson about why it's important to be nice to your friends. However, all that changes the second Crow climbs into the telephone pole and down into his secret base. The dry humor continues as Crow has the option to deploy bubbles and cupcakes against the asteroid, along with the more effective missiles and lasers. Overall, this will be well-enjoyed by space fans, animal lovers, and code-breakers alike (A se...

  Quiet Karima By Nidhi Chanani New York: Viking, 2024. Picture Book. Karima quietly listens to the rhythm of everyday sounds, saving her noisemaking for music class where she releases the songs in her heart. -- Editor One Sweet Song By Jyoti Rajan Gopal Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2024. Picture Book. With a countdown from one to ten and back woven in, this celebration of music and community brings to life a shared moment in a diverse neighborhood where everyone comes together to make one sweet song. -- Publisher The Boy Who Said Wow By Todd Boss New York: Beach Lane Books, 2024. Picture Book. When Ronan, a nonverbal boy, goes to the symphony, the beautiful music moves him to speak. -- Editor We Light Up the Sky With Music! By Nick Maland Atlanta: Peachtree Publishing Company Inc., 2024. Picture Book. When Little Bear and Old Bear find an old saxophone, Old Bear decides to restore the instrument and finds joy and purpose as he rediscovers his groove. -- Editor Hannah and the ...

  Don't Trust Fish Written by Neil Sharpson Illustrated by Dan Santat New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2025. Picture Book. This book starts by describing various animal kingdoms in a very matter-of-fact and general animal guide-like way, "This animal is warm-blooded" or "This animal has feathers," for example. Things take a turn, however, when the narrator gets to the fish kingdom the reader is warned, "DON'T TRUST FISH," because "Fish don't follow any rules". Not only that, but they may be plotting our doom. This book is a HILARIOUS read-aloud that will work for preschool audiences and elementary-aged kids alike. Whether or not kids are interested in animals, they will love this book. Seriously, do yourself a favor, check out this book and DON'T TRUST FISH!