Provo Library Children's Book Blog

  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...

A Planet Is a Poem Written by Amanda West Lewis Illustrated by Oliver Averill Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2024. Informational.    This beautifully crafted picture book explores the wonders of our universe through the lens of poetry. It combines lyrical verses with stunning artwork to introduce young readers to space, planets, and the cosmic forces that shape our world. Each poem captures a different part of the solar system. From the swirling storms of Jupiter to the shimmering rings of Saturn, complex scientific concepts are made accessible and engaging.   Beyond its educational value, A Planet is a Poem encourages children to see the beauty of language and the power of creativity in understanding science. The book’s rhythmic verses invite readers to experience space not just as a collection of facts, but as a living, breathing entity full of mystery and beauty. This book is a perfect introduction to both poetry and astronomy, making it an inspiring read for young lea...

For a long time, humans have dreamed about living on planet neighbor, Mars. There are so many books and movies about colonies on the dusty red planet that spark our hope and imagination for a life on another world. Here are some picture books that will make you feel like you know what it's like on Mars. Good Night, Oppy! Written by James McGowan Illustrated by Graham Carter New York: Boyds Mills Press, 2021. Picture Book. This book follows Oppy, who was an active rover on Mars from 2004 to 2018. He had many different tasks and made some famous discoveries including the existence of groundwater on the red planet. This book is a fun yet informative picture book that will teach all readers about life on Mars. Rover Throws a Party Written by Kristin L. Gray Illustrated by Scott Magoon New York: Alfred A Knopf, 2020. Picture Book. The Curiosity rover is a bit lonely after a year on Mars, so it decides to throw a party! The rover works hard to prepare for the party and send invitations a...

  We Are Definitely Human By X. Fang Toronto: Tundra Books, 2024. Picture Book. The trio of blue beings that can be seen on the cover of this funny picture book would like you to know that they are DEFINITELY human. 100%. For sure. They just need help fixing their...erm... car which has crash landed near the home of Mr. and Mrs. Li. Since the Li's are kind humans, they offer to help and listen as the aliens talk about their "European" home that they really needed to get back to. They even get the rest of the community involved in helping their unexpected guests. If your kids enjoy funny read-alouds where they can correct silly misinterpretations, this book is a gem. It would also be a great jumping off point to talk about how to be a good neighbor, even if people may seem a little different then you. 

When you want to go where no one has gone before, but you just don't have a rocket ship handy, instead try the convenience (and fun!) of these sci-fi books geared towards our picture book loving readers.   The Spaceman By Randy Cecil Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2024. Picture Book. A little spaceman arrives on a new planet (Earth!) and is amazed by the beauty of his surroundings.  Could Earth become the spaceman's new home?    Mousetronaut Saves the World Written by Mark Kelly Illustrated by C.F. Payne Simon & Schuster, 2024. Picture Book.  Part imagination, part informational, this book follows the mice that are called on to save Earth from an asteroid that has entered our solar system.    One Giant Leap By Thao Lam Toronto, Ontario: Owlkids Books, 2024. Picture Book.  A snowy day transforms through a child's imagination into an astronaut exploring a new, fantastical world.  Greetings, Floof! Written by C.J. Hong Illustrated by...

Space: The Final Pooping Frontier Written by Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White Illustrated by Lars Kenseth New York: Godwin Books, 2024. Informational. Have you ever wondered how astronauts go to the bathroom in space? This informational book introduces the challenges of disposing of poop beyond Earth's atmosphere, where the lack of gravity can lead to some sticky situations. The book covers the uncomfortable failures of the early poop disposal protocols astronauts faced at the beginning of the Space Race, through to NASA's 2016 Space Poop Challenge design competition that revolutionized galactic waste management. Hilarity and ridiculousness abound in this timeline of space bathroom technology. Amusing anecdotes will entertain learners, like the excerpt of a transcript of Apollo 10 astronauts talking about poop. Readers will giggle at gross details of the interstellar bathroom experience and at the imaginative illustrations of hypothetical and absurd space toilet situation...

One of my newer bucket list goals is to see a total solar eclipse.  When I realized that this year's eclipse would be the week after my kids' spring break, I went into chaotic research mode to see if we could find a way to get to a part of the country where we could see the eclipse in totality.   Alas, we can't make it work this time, and I'm still not over it.  Maybe 2026 in Iceland--how cool would that be?!  Whether you can experience the eclipse in person or just wish you could, you can still have the joy of learning more about eclipses with the following informational reads! Casting Shadows: Solar and Lunar Eclipses With the Planetary Society By Bruce Betts Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Pub Group, 2024, Informational. 32 pages. Learn about the different types of eclipses, where and how you can safely see them, why they happen, and cool things that can happen during the different types of eclipses. Beautiful, full-color photographs go along with the wealth of infor...

Space is a topic of endless fascination for adults and children alike. Whether you are interested in the planets and stars, astronaut training, past missions, or speculation abut the future of space travel --there is something of interest to almost everyone within this wide-ranging topic. The following are some recent books that can answer your questions and just maybe bring up some new ones! The Astro Chimps: America's First Astronauts By Dawn Cusick Independent Pub Group, 2024. Informational. 210 pages. Did you know that the U.S. space program didn't send humans into space first? Our first astronauts were actually chimpanzees. Tasked with making sure space travel was as safe as possible for humans this top secret initiative is detailed in The Astro Chimps from the perspective of the team of veterinarians, handlers, and psychologists who worked with theses amazing animals.  The Astronaut's Guide to Leaving the Planet Written by Terry Virts Illustrated by Andrés Lozano N...

  The Mandalorian's Quest By Brooke Vitale Los Angeles : Disney-Lucasfilm Press, 2022. 24 pgs. Picture Book. The Mandalorian has a quest to reunite the Child with others of his kind. Mando and Grogu will meet new allies and enlist the help of old friends as they search for those who have become legend: the Jedi. Fuzzy By Tom Angleberger New York : Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams, 2016. 265 pgs. Fiction. When Max (Maxine Zealster) befriends her new robot classmate Fuzzy, she helps him navigate Vanguard Middle School and together they reveal the truth behind the Robot Integration Program. The Galaxy Needs You By Caitlin Kennedy Illustrated by Eda Kaban Los Angeles : Disney-Lucasfilm Press, 2019. Picture Book. There is nobody else in the galaxy exactly like you! No one else is smart the way you're smart or is kind in the particular way you're kind, and nobody else is brave the way you're brave. You are a hero in the making. Follow along with Rey on her hero's journe...

The Sky is Not the Limit By Jérémie Decalf Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2023. Informational picture book. In 1977, NASA launched the Voyager 2 probe into deep space to help us lean a little more about outer space. Within a few years, Voyager 2 reached Jupiter, then Saturn, then finally Uranus and Neptune -- and then it sailed on. In fact, Voyager 2 is still soaring, past the edges of our solar system and into space.  This sparse and lyrical picture book offers an introduction to the story of Voyager 2 and a sense of the vastness of space. Told in first person, from the perspective of the famous space probe, the text follows the journey of the spacecraft from creation and then through space. The illustrations are rich and breathtaking and convey the enormity of outer space with full-bleed illustrations. This creative nonfiction book will not tell all the nitty gritty details of Voyager, but will serve as a perfect attention-getter for young readers.

  Astrid the Astronaut: The Astronomically Grand Plan Written by Rie Neal  Illustrated by Talitha Shipman Aladdin, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, 2022. Intermediate. 97 pages. Astrid's Astronomically Grand Plan has many steps, but they all lead up to her being the first astronaut in space who uses hearing aids. She is finally old enough to join the STEM after-school program called the Shooting Stars, where they do activities and projects to learn about space. Joining this club with her best friend, Hallie, is just one of the steps in her grand plan. Astrid has to make a new plan and new friends when it turns out that her best friend would rather do the art club. She learns to make new friends, work together, and that there's more than one way to solve a problem.  There are so many elements of this book that young readers can connect to. It is so relatable with the themes of friendship, growth mindset, and teamwork. STEM and space enthus...

  Space Explorers By: Libby Jackson Beyond Words, 2021. Informational. The universe has always fascinated humans, but only a few have been daring enough to travel beyond the surface of the Earth. From the first man and woman in space to the moon landings to building the International Space Station in orbit, the history of space exploration is filled with peril, bravery, and strokes of genius. Mysteries of the Universe By: Lela Nargi Capstone Press, 2021. Informational. Has the universe always existed? Scientists have looked further into space and discovered the galaxies moving. Were they once closer together? If scientists look far enough, can they discover where our universe started? Budding astronomers will learn all about the universe in the in-depth look at space science. The Little Spacecraft That Could: New Horizons' Amazing Journey to Pluto and Arrokoth By: Joyce Lapin Sterling Children's Books, 2021. Informational. Ride along with the New Horizons spacecraft as she rock...

Stargazing is the perfect cross between learning and fun, with the added benefit of letting you enjoy the outdoors - even when it's dark! Here are five books to help you take advantage of warm weather and clear skies:  Ada and the Galaxies Written by Alan Lightman and Olga Pastuchiv Illustrated by Susanna Chapman Somerville, MA: MIT Kids Press, 2021. Picture Book.  Ada loves to look at the stars, but where she lives in New York City there is too much light pollution to see them. After waiting all winter to visit her grandparents on a remote island, she finally gets her chance! Interspersed with interesting facts and captivating illustrations about stars and galaxies, this story will hold the attention of even the most novice astronomers.  Journey to Constellation Station Written by Lindsay C. Barry Illustrated by Jamin Hoyle Santa Fe, NM: Santa Fe Writers Project, 2020. Picture Book. Journey to Constellation Station is a beginning introduction to well known constellation...

I loved books about aliens when I was a kid.  One of my very favorite series was "My Teacher is an Alien" by Bruce Coville, so much so that in a journal from my youth I had a list of baby names that I liked and one of the names, I kid you not, was Nikka Nikka Flexxim Puspa (from book four, "My Teacher Flunked the Planet").  Don't worry, I planned on calling them Nikka for short.  Face palm.  I still highly suggest Mr. Coville for some fun alien reading, but check out the list below for some new science fiction reads  that star our extraterrestrial friends.   Alien Summer By James S. Murray Penguin Workshop, 2022. Fiction.  On the first day of summer vacation twelve-year-old Viv Harlow just wants to relax, but when a whole race of aliens escape from the famous Area 51 where her mom works, Viv and her friends will have to make a plan, work together, and try to save their parents from alien abduction. The Secrets of Star Whales By Rebecca Thorne Joll...

  Mars Is: Stark Slopes, Silvery Snow, and Startling Surprises By Suzanne Slade Peachtree Co Pub Inc, 2021. Informational. Over the years, scientist have studied and learned about Mars--that it has weather and seasons and geographical features.  But their quest to discover more led scientists at NASA to launch a powerful camera into space with the goal of capturing images of Mars and sending them back to Earth.  Some of the amazing photos from that camera are in the pages of this book, along with explanations of what the images show and how they came to be.   The close-up photos from Nasa's HiRise camera on each page are what really make this book special. It was so cool to look at all the unique and varied landscapes of Mars from the comfort of my home and imagine being there myself. The star of the show and my favorite part of the book were the photographs, but I also really enjoyed the compelling but bite sized informational paragraphs that accompanied each photo....

  The Boy Whose Head Was Filled with Stars: A Life of Edwin Hubble  By Isabelle Marinov  Pictures by Deborah Marcero  Enchanted Lion Books, 2021. Picture Book.  This is a beautiful biography picture book about Edwin Hubble. It tells about how Edwin eventually made his way to his dream career—where he got to study stars—and how his discoveries changed how we view and understand the universe. This picture book biography not only tells the story of Hubble, but also has a few diagrams that illustrate what Hubble discovered and why it is important when understanding space and the universe. This is a great book for those who are interested in astronomy, wonder about the Hubble Space Telescope that takes pictures in space, or just plain enjoy an occasional session of star gazing.

  Star Wars: Before the Awakening Written by Greg Rucka This book explores the backstories of FN-2187, Rey, and Poe Dameron. See how they lived their lives before they chose to fight in the war for the galaxy. Star Wars, the Clone Wars Written by Jason Fry, Loud Anders, Preeti Chhibber, Anne Ursu, Yoon Ha Lee, Tom Angleberger, Zoraida Cordova, Rebecca Roanhorse, Sarah B. Durst, Greg Van Eekhout, Anne, E. Convery, Jennifer Heddle, and Ksenia Zelentsova Eleven authors come together to write an anthology featuring each of their favorite episodes of the beloved television series: Star Wars, The Clone Wars. Star Wars: The Last Jedi Written by Ferrari Alessandro This graphic novel adaptation of Star Wars movie follows both Rey and Finn as their places in the galaxy become more challenging. Will Rey train as a Jedi? Will Finn find his place with the resistance? And what is Kylo Ren plotting? Sabine's Art Attack Written by Jennifer Heddle Sabine is a talented Mandalorian who is tasked to t...

Your Place in the Universe  By Jason Chin  Neal Porter Books, Holiday House, 2020. Picture Book.  Chin explains concepts that are literally out of this world to kids in such a way that they can understand the scale of the ideas. Chin starts by explaining that kids who are about 8-years-old are an average of about 50 inches—which would be about as tall as five copies of this book stacked on top of each other. Then he goes on to explain how tall that is compared to an ostrich or a giraffe. Then things go all the way (step by step so kids can continue to understand the grand scale of things) to galaxies and the universe.  This is a brilliant way to look at the scale of things compared to each other—and a good way for kids to understand since the start of the comparisons start with them and their size. Not only does each page have side-note details about the things being talked about on the page, the end of the book also contains extra details to further explain things ...

We Dream of Space   By Erin Entrada Kelly Greenwillow Books, HarperCollins Publishers, 2020. 391 p. Cash, Fitch, and Bird are siblings that are all in seventh grade. Cash was held back one year and Fitch and Bird are twins. They all have the same science teacher who is excited to teach them about the upcoming 1986 Challenger Mission Launch. Each sibling has their own struggles. Cash isn’t sure what he is good at, and he is afraid to fail 7th grade for a second time. Fitch is only interested in playing games at the arcade after school and often let’s his temper get the best of him. Bird wants to become the first female shuttle commander and is enthralled with learning about Challenger but is frustrated when others keep telling her she isn’t pretty. To top everything off, their home life isn’t stellar seeing how their parents tend to only argue with each other. With all that is going on, the siblings must learn what is important to them and to each other. Kelly has creat...

The Spacesuit: How a Seamstress Helped Put Man on the Moon Written by Alison Donald Illustrated by Ariel Landy Maverick Arts Publishing, 2019. Picture book. When thinking about space exploration it's easy to overlook the details. We know all about the first man on the moon, and the space race, and all the amazing discoveries that have been made about the universe. But what about the people who designed the spacesuit? The suits needed to be airtight, and able to withstand high temperatures and low. They also needed to be wearable in the spacecraft and out, and above all, safe. Ellie Foraker, a seamstress, is part of a team that is competing to build a successful spacesuit. The team includes engineers and seamstresses who work together to create something safe and comfortable for the astronauts, and their story proves that our heroes aren't always the people in the spotlight, but the people behind the scenes too. Alison Donald and Ariel Landy tell an energetic and inspiri...