Love—In the Air and on the Shelves

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Family, friend, or a secret crush, Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to celebrate love in all its forms, and these brand-new titles have them all covered. So, curl up with a handful of conversation hearts and your favorite of these lovely titles to feel all the sweet emotions of everyone’s favorite heart-shaped holiday.

You are Loved: A Book About Families
Margaret O’Hair, illustrated by Sofia Cardoso
Scholastic
Picture Book
March 7, 2023
Age 4-8

No matter how they’re formed or how they look, love is what makes a family. Inspired by the adoption story of Down Syndrome advocate Sophia Sanchez, O’Hair explores the many ways families are come together—birth, adoption, blending, and found families are all celebrated—and that their love is the thing that matters most. Candy colored illustrations of both everyday activities and special events complement a text that honors family in all its forms, and is a follow up to the inclusion-focused You are Enough (2021).

Best Friends Furever (Love Puppies #1)
JaNay Brown-Wood
Scholastic
Early Chapter Book
February 7, 2023
Age 7-10

In this first installment of the Love Puppies series, the team of magical pups is there to help shy third grader, Meiko, make a friend at her new school. But as plan after plan goes awry, feelings are hurt and messes are made until mayhem leads to a brand new friend. Reminiscent of the Care Bears or Paw Patrol, but with dashes of sparkle and magic, Best Friends Furever centers love as a magical component of friendship. A final chapter recap in the Doghouse gives explicit tips on what the pups learned about how to make and be a friend.

The Love Match
Priyanka Taslim
Simon & Schuster/Salaam Reads
Young Adult
January 3, 2023
Age 12 and up

Zahra is a princess in name only (read: no royal bank account) and must put dreams of college and writing on hold to help support her family. But in their small Bengladeshi American community, her mother’s plan for a rich suiter and her flirtation with a dishwasher/musician soon come into conflict. What’s a girl to do but fake a relationship with the family-approved boy and keep saving for college one day? Conflict abounds in family, friend, and romantic relationships as Zahra works toward her true goals and clarifies her true feelings. Taslim will leave readers guessing about the OTP until the very end as love for her family and herself help set Zahra’s course.

Butler Bookshelf

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Luminously illustrated by Catherine Rayner, Emperor of the Ice: How a Changing Climate Affects a Penguin Colony provides young readers a peek into the journeys and challenges that penguins now face in the heat of climate change. Facing displacement due to climate change, follow an empress penguin and her mate as they try to search for food, find shelter, and care for their young penguin chick. Back matter is provided that describes the real story of the loss of many emperor chicks at Halley Bay that tries to encourages readers to help protect the environment so these extraordinary survivors will continue to be found in the Antarctic for generations to come.

Check it out along with the other picture books we received this week below!

Emperor of the Ice: How a Changing Climate Affects a Penguin Colony
Written by Nicola Davies & Illustrated by Catherine Rayner
Published by Candlewick Press
Available February 14th!

Pick a Perfect Egg
Written by Patricia Toht & Illustrated by Jarvis
Published by Candlewick Press
Available February 14th!

This Book is My Best Friend
Written & Illustrated by Robin Robinson
Published by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Available January 31st!

Together With You
Written by Patricia Toht & Illustrated by Jarvis
Published by Candlewick Press
Available February 14th!

Watch Out For the Lion
Written by Brook Hartman & Illustrated by Anna Süßbauer
Published by Page Street Kids
Available Now!

Wild Blue: Taming a Big-Kid Bike
Written by Dashka Slater & Illustrated by Laura Hughes
Published by Candlewick Press
Available February 14th!

Butler Bookshelf

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With the help of some unusual friends, Leeva Spayce Thornblossom sets out on a quest in her small town of Nutsmore to discover the burning question of: What are people for? Written by Sara Pennybacker, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, and illustrated by Caldecott Medalist, Matthew Cordell, Leeva At Last is a fast-paced book with themes of parental absurdism, heartwarming friendship, and a peculiar badger. 

Check it out along with the other children’s fiction titles featured below!

Camp Creepy
Written by Kiersten White
Published by Delacorte Press
Available Now!

Cupcake Diaries (Emma on Thin Icing: The Graphic Novel #3)
Written by Coco Simon & Illustrated by Giulia Campobello
Published by Simon Spotlight
Available January 24th!

The Enchanted Bridge (Dragons in a Bag #4)
Written by Zetta Elliot & Illustrated by Cherise Harris
Published by Random House Children’s Publishers
Available Now!

Heroes of Havensong: Dragonboy
Written by Megan Reyes
Published by Labyrinth Road
Available January 24th!

Leeva At Last
Written by Sara Pennypacker & Illustrated by Matthew Cordell
Published by Balzer + Bray
Available March 7th!

Llama Llama Hooray For New Friends!
Written and Illustrated by Anna Dewdney
Published byGolden Books
Available Today!

All in a Days Work: A Review of Stillwater and Koo Save the World

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Stillwater and Koo Save the World (A Stillwater and Friends Book)
Jon J. Muth
Scholastic Press
Ages 4 to 8
February 7, 2023

Koo, a young giant panda, wakes up inspired to change the world and enlists his thoughtful Uncle Stillwater to help fix it all—today. As they go about their day, Koo proceeds to have giant expectations of what he would like to do, but Stillwater teaches him that making small changes in the environment, and helping the community, can be their own meaningful way to change the world.

Told using a variety of animals, humans, and anthropomorphic pandas, the diverse characters reflect the diversity of the world and all the characters that might need kindness. Pandas as symbols of peace and friendship in Asian countries, are the main character in this story as they try to bring small improvements to the world around them. The pace of the story changes from rapid excitement as Koo suddenly wakes up one day and instantly ropes his uncle into the expectations of wanting to save the whole world, then slows only when Stillwater speaks to Koo about making small differences in the world around him. As the pace changes, the tone of the story changes to one of acceptance and encouragement of his personal efforts Encouraged by his uncle, Koo begins to bring joy to those around him through small but meaningful actions, such as cleaning his room and making a cake for the neighbors. These realistic everyday chores and acts of thoughtfulness offer young readers clear examples of how their actions impact the world around them. Drawn with pencil and granulated watercolors, the airy but vivid illustrations exemplify the beauty in the world around Stillwater and Koo and why they want to help save it. Stillwater and Koo Save the World is an uplifting story about wanting to make giant differences in the world by doing something small, inspiring readers to make meaningful changes in the world regardless of age.  

 

Butler Bookshelf

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With the unique collaboration of audio and vibrant illustrations, Lift Every Voice and Change: A Celebration of Black Leaders and the Words that Inspire Generations takes young readers on an exploration of each speaker and the significance of quotes. By listening to impactful quotes spoken by inspiring Black Americans, readers gain an age-appropriate understanding of the strides made in the ongoing journey for equality.

Check it out along with the other nonfiction titles featured below!

100 Things to Know About Architecture
Written by Louise O’Brien & Illustrated by Dàlia Adillon and Louise O’Brien
Published by Happy Yak
Available January 31st!

Cash is Queen: A Girl’s Guide To Securing, Spending, and Stashing Cash
Written by Davinia Tomlinson & Illustrated by Andrea Oerter
Published by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Available Today!

Courage in Her Cleats: The Story Of Soccer Star Abby Wambach
Written by Kim Chaffee & Illustrated by Alexandria Badiu
Published by Page Street Kids
Available Now!

Darwin’s Super-Pooping Worm Spectacular
Written by Polly Owen & Gwen Millward
Published by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Available Now!

Lift Every Voice And Change: A Celebration Of Black Leaders And The Words That Inspire Generations
Written by Charnaie Gordon & Illustrated by Aeron Cargill
Published by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Available Today!

We Are Your Children Too: Black Students, White Supremacists, and the Battle for America’s Schools in Prince Edward County, Virginia
Written and Illustrated by P. O’Connell Pearson
Published by Simon & Schuster For Young Readers
Available Today!

Who Wants to Be Normal?: A Review of Good Different

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Good Different
Meg Eden Kuyatt
Scholastic Press
March 7, 2023
Age 8-12

Always follow the rules for “normal” people: no crying in public, smile and nod, tell people you’re “fine.” But Selah doesn’t always want to be normal. In fact, she wants to be a dragon—escaping to fly free above the chaotic world below. She is pretty good at hiding her feelings in order to fit in, until an outburst at school pits Selah against her classmates, the school administration, and her mom. This leaves poetry (and her grandfather) as her only avenues to explore her feelings when speech fails her. A chance encounter with an understanding vendor at FantasyCon opens her eyes to a new definition for her experience—autism.

Kuyatt’s novel in verse follows Selah’s journey as a burgeoning poet and her exploration of neurodivergence as an explanation for the feeling and reactions she has always thought of as weird. Selah’s perspective shifts through the novel from a longing to hide, to self-discovery, to a desire to advocate for her needs, her loved ones, and her place in the world. Harsh treatment by teachers and school administrators, and her mother’s denial of any differences, paint a lonely picture of Selah’s experience. Other caring adults in her life help lighten the tone of this story, which focuses primarily on her struggles. As narrator, Selah’s typical seventh-grade self-centeredness leaves secondary characters like her mother, grandfather, and best friend less well-defined than they could be and add to the sense of isolation. Through her own determination, Selah finds her voice and a way to work with her world instead of against it. A thoughtful endnote, detailing the author’s own autism diagnosis as an adult, places the text as both a mirror for undiagnosed kids and a potential tool for adult readers, and provides an uplifting interpretation of neurodivergence as a strength rather than problem.

Butler Bookshelf: Clearing Our Shelves Week

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Only two more days ’till the Butler Book Sale is over! Make sure to stop in before the holiday to pick up some last minute presents. We still have numerous titles in Children’s’ Fiction, Early Reader, Picture Books, and Young Adult for all types of readers. 

We will be open Tuesday and Wednesday, 10AM to 2PM, so come right in!

Best Friends Forever: A Review of When a Friend Needs a Friend

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When a Friend Needs a Friend
Roozeboos (Anne Roos Kleiss)
Scholastic
February 7, 2023
Age 4-8

Creativity and imagination rule for best friends Aya and Oskar. But when Oskar is feeling sad, Aya isn’t sure how to help him get back to enjoying their adventures. With guidance from some caring adults, she finds a way to understand his big feelings, give him space, and offer support until he is ready for fun again. In this thoughtful exploration of friendship, Roozeboos illustrates both the experience of sadness in oneself and in a loved one, and how working through our own feelings of confusion and rejection can help support a friend. Mixed media collage art, with a naïve sensibility, complements the chaos of both creativity and emotion found in the story. Rich natural tones play well with vibrant oranges and turquoise and add a sophistication to the guileless art. Despite simple faces, she captures the feelings of both central characters as they move from joy to sadness to understanding. Spreads that depict the passage of time let both Aya and Oskar feel their feelings and come through them to a new perspective on their surroundings and each other.

Empathy and compassion shine in a gentle story about accepting a friend and their feelings without trying to fix them.