Butler Bookshelf

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This week for our Butler Bookshelf, we’re taking a look at realistic fiction for elementary school. Real-life stories often fly off the shelves in a school library, and with everything from early chapter books to more advanced middle grade books to graphic novels, this selection has something for every young reader. Our feature pick is Sweet Valley Twins: Three’s A Crowd: (A Graphic Novel), written by Francine Pascal, adapted by Nicole Andelfinger, and illustrated by Claudia Aguirre. Elizabeth and Jessica have been entertaining readers across several series in the Sweet Valley universe since 1983. In this graphic adaptation of the seventh book in the Sweet Valley Twins series, the two middle schoolers are put off by their friend Mary, who seems to want to come over to their house just to hang out with the twins’ mom. When the truth about Mary’s past and family situation come to light, Jess and Liz have their previous assumptions challenged and see Mary in a new, more empathetic light.

Check out more realistic fiction for elementary readers below!

A Kid Like Me
Norm Feuti
HarperCollins Publishers/HarperAlley
Available now!

Nadia Islam, On the Record
Adiba Jaigirdar
Illustrated by Avani Dwivedi
HarperCollins Publishers/Quill Tree Books
Available now!

Some of Us Are Brave
Saadia Faruqi
HarperCollins Publishers/HarperCollins Children’s Books
Available February 10, 2026

Sweet Valley Twins: Three’s A Crowd: (A Graphic Novel)
Created and Story by Francine Pascal
Adaptation by Nicole Andelfinger
Illustrated by Claudia Aguirre
Random House Children’s Books/RH Graphic
Available now!

Venus Washington and the Lasagna Drama
Maisha Oso
Illustrated by Courtney Lovett
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Olive You, Too: A Review of The Giant and the Olive

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The Giant and the Olive
Leo Daly
Catalyst Press
Ages 4-10
Available February 3rd, 2026

Once there was a happy giant who did all the usual giant things—scaring cows and “Ho-Ho-Ho”-ing all day long. That is, until he stumbles upon what feels like the most beautiful treasure of all: a tiny, shiny black olive. He proudly shows it off to the town & his friends, kisses it goodnight, and tucks it under the covers each evening. But after one fateful, maybe-too-tight hug ends with aPOP!, the giant is devastated by his broken treasure. Through all four seasons, he mourns, weeping over the olive’s grave. Things look bleak until one sunny morning, he discovers that his tears might’ve made for perfect fertilizer; an olive tree has begun to grow!

Through simple dialogue that still effortlessly conveys big emotion, The Giant and the Olive tiptoes between grief and humor with a gentle charm, complemented by Daly’s color-packed, hatched illustrations. With themes that align naturally with social–emotional learning, the story emphasizes the importance of leaning on friends, or even an entire town, during moments of loss. This makes it a thoughtful learning & regulating tool for younger children, as well as older elementary readers who may be encountering heavy, hard feelings for the first time. Daly is careful not to paint grief and sadness as something to simply “get over,” as he makes sure to end with a final, encouraging (and perhaps giant) message: change and loss and olive (all of) one’s love can lead to new, beautiful beginnings.

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With all the current uncertainty & hurt in the world, sometimes you just need a pick-me-up. It’s snowy and slushy and super duper cold outside, so here’s to warming up… your insides! This week’s Butler Bookshelf is chock-full of feel-good picture books to inspire, encourage, and help you feel all things warm and fuzzy. Our feature pick this week is When I Redraw the World, written by Audrey Vernick and illustrated by Heather Fox. One little girl is on a mission to redraw the world, and she’s got big plans: lion & zebra tea parties, dogs everywhere (complete with tennis ball confetti!), and enough love and magic to go around. Complete with adorably charming illustrations inked in bright color, When I Redraw the World is a perfect feel-good read for dreamers & drawers alike.

Check out some more warm & fuzzy picture books below!

Crouton
Kristine A. Lombardi
Random House Children’s Books / Random House Books for Young Readers
Available January 27th, 2026 (today!)

Two Artists, Grandad and Me
Charnelle Pinkney Barlow
Random House Children’s Books / Doubleday Books for Young Readers
Available now!

When I Redraw the World
Audrey Vernick
Illustrated Heather Fox
Random House Children’s Books / Random House Studio
Available now!

Let It Shine! A Celebration of You
Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrated by Tequitia Andrews
Random House Children’s Books / Crown Books for Young Readers
Available now!

The Wildest Thing
Emily Winfield Martin
Random House Children’s Books / Random House Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Home Safe: A Review of Better the Devil

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Better the Devil
Erik J. Brown
HarperCollins/Storytide
January 20, 2026
Age 13+

An unnamed teen runaway, arrested for shoplifting, sees the resemblance between himself and the poster of a missing boy. But claiming to be Nate Beaumont for a meal and respite from the street (and his bio parents’ forced conversion therapy) becomes much more complicated when Nate’s family arrives to claim him as their long-missing son. As “Nate” is drawn into the Beaumont family, their often-strange reactions to his return prove that danger can lurk in even the best family home. “Nate” is implicated in a string of accidents and learns that the boy he’s impersonating was killed by his psychopathic brother. And he might just be again.

In a chilling psychological thriller, set in a stereotypical suburban home, Brown plots nightmare events—kidnapping, arrest, trauma, and murder—against the place most people turn for safety. This contrast of emotion runs throughout the title, balancing dread with moments of humor, parental neglect and withholding with the support of found family and helps to hold full terror at bay. Each character is drawn with a mysteriously elusive quality, keeping readers guessing about their intentions and allowing the true predator to stay hidden throughout most of the action. It also lets the two-part resolution unfold in scenes of escalating horror as the murder and murderer of a young boy are revealed and the killer draws his plans to their terrible conclusion. Fast pacing and snappy dialog add to the tension and make for a quick and scary read perfect for teen fans of true crime podcasts and shows like Criminal Minds.

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This week marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and we at the Butler Center are observing the holiday by digging into our Effie Lee Morris Collection. To honor the legacy of Dr. King, we’re looking at selections from the collection that cover the Civil Rights Movement and the past, present, and future of the fight for equality in America. Across fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, these books offer a variety of ways for young readers to engage with the issues they grapple with. Our feature pick is Martin Rising: Requiem for a King by 2018 Butler Lecturer Andrea Davis Pinkney and illustrated by Brian Pinkney. This collection of poetry, accompanied by vivid watercolor paintings, covers the final months of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and the immediate aftermath of his death. Beginning with his birth and then fast-forwarding to his 39th birthday, just under four months before the end of his life, the poems within explore both the highs and lows of King’s life and the impact of his assassination.

Check out more books for MLK Day below:

Happy Birthday Martin Luther King
Jean Marzollo
Illustrated by J. Brian Pinkney
Scholastic Inc
Available now!

Martin Rising: Requiem for a King
Andrea Davis Pinkney
Illustrated by Brian Pinkney
Scholastic Inc/Scholastic Press
Available now!

Through My Eyes
Ruby Bridges
Scholastic Inc/Scholastic Press
Available now!

We Shall Overcome
Bryan Collier
Scholastic Inc/Orchard Books
Available now!

When We Say Black Lives Matter
Maxine Beneba Clarke
Candlewick Press
Available now!

What Makes a Home: A Review of Leaving 4B

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Leaving 4B
Chambrae Griffith
Illustrated by Amelie Videlo
Beaming Books
Ages 4-8
Available April 21, 2026

4B is perfect, with its hidey-hole and climbing tree and polka-dot wall. But with their family growing bigger, the main character in this picture book has to leave it all behind. The new house, with no hidey-hole or climbing tree or polka-dot wall, seems like it can never compare. But as the family settles into the new house and meets their neighbors, the main character learns that this new home might not be so bad, after all.

Leaving 4B speaks from the perspective of a child, giving voice to all the fears and uncertainties that come with big changes. Griffith gently validates these feelings while also showing how to look for positives in a changing situation. The new house may never be 4B, but, she points out, there are exciting new adventures to be found. Videlo’s illustrations depict a diverse variety of neighbors both old and new, allowing many readers to see themselves in the story.

Moving is something many children will experience, and it’s something they’re likely to have big feelings about. Leaving 4B can open a conversation about those feelings, while also helping a young reader look forward to the good things that can come from a new home.

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For fans of fast-paced, nail-biting, whodunit thrillers, this week’s Butler Bookshelf is definitely for you. From a mysterious party drug plaguing schools with Stepford Wives-esque effects to a football team massacre that’s left one religious town reeling, these five books are cocktails of crime, thriller, mystery, and horror in all the right ways. Our feature pick this week is Lost Girls of Hollow Lake by Rebekah Faubion, set to be released on January 27th. In a sapphic, Yellowjackets meets Lord of the Flies way, Lost Girls of Hollow Lake tells the story of eight girls abandoned on a mysterious island after a school field trip goes south. When the group is miraculously—supernaturally, even—able to make it back to shore, there’s only one problem: just five girls remain. The town wants answers about the missing three, and someone out there is determined to pick off the rest. Can these girls ever truly make it off the island?

Read Lost Girls of Hollow Lake to find out & check out some more thriller YA books below!

Better the Devil
Erik J. Brown
HarperCollins / Storytide
Available January 20th, 2026!

Gaslit
Megan Davidhizar
Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Press
Available January 13th, 2026 (today!)

I Don’t Wish You Well
Jumata Emill
Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Press
Available January 20th, 2026!

Lost Girls of Hollow Lake
Rebekah Faubion
Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Press
Available January 27th, 2026!

Shiny Happy People
Clay McLeod Chapman
Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Press
Available now!

All You Need Is Love: A Review of We All Love

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We All Love
Julie Flett
Greystone Books / Greystone Kids
Ages 3+
Available February 10th, 2026!

From snuggling otters & hand-holding crabs under the sea to a family fireside bundled up in the cold, we all love. Flowers dance in the wind. Big stars illuminate the night. Warm stones make the perfect perch for a plover. The stories of flora & fauna are the stories of love—all around us, inside us, and they, as author Julie Flett suggests, help us grow.

As a sequel to the award-winning We All Play, Julie Flett returns, even five years later, with the same easy-to-read charm that made the original so beloved. The book maintains its distinctly handmade feel through soft pastel illustrations and simple yet poetic sentences that are perfectly suited for younger readers. Throughout the book, a recurring Cree phrase, kîstanaw mîna, meaning “we do too!” appears across various pages, reinforcing the central message of shared experience, interconnectedness between nature, and belonging. A helpful glossary of Cree animal names alongside their English counterparts is included, as well as pronunciation guidance that invites readers to engage more confidently with the language. The glossary thoughtfully notes that many Cree words don’t have direct English translations, instead reflecting a fluid process of innovation and creation rooted in Cree culture. Because of this, the book functions not only as a story but as a gentle educational tool.

We All Love is a great semi-bilingual introduction for readers interested in exploring a new language, particularly one that may be unfamiliar to most, while honoring Julie Fleet’s Cree-Métis roots in Indigenous language and knowledge. Through its celebration of nature, language, and connection, We All Love is the perfect affirmation that love surrounds us.

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Happy New Year! What better way to kick off 2026 than with a Butler Bookshelf all about rom-coms?! From fake relationships, enemies to lovers, and a Groundhog Day meets Sixteen Candles situation, there’s a little bit of every trope here for everyone. Our feature pick this week is Love Goes Viral, by Camille Stochitch, Alexander Berman, and Estelle Laure. Aspiring pop star and small-town Texan Love Thompson is thrown into the spotlight after a video of her dancing blows up overnight. Sweet & simple Austin Grey, with no social media whatsoever, is trying to save his father’s decrepit diner in the Chicagoland suburbs. (Shoutout to Highland Park!) When their worlds collide, thanks to a viral video, chaos quickly ensues as feelings emerge & the two’s PR relationship begins to feel very, very real. Can a Hollywood budding starlet and an off-grid amateur chef make it after all? Pick up Love Goes Viral for that perfect, banter-y rom-com feel.

Check out some more young adult rom-com books below!

We’ve Hit Turbulence
Jessica L. Cozzi
Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Romance
Available January 13th, 2026

16 Forever
Lance Rubin
HarperCollins
Available January 6th, 2026 (that’s today!)

Love Goes Viral
Camille Stochitch, Alexander Berman, Estelle Laure
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Available January 6th, 2026 (today!)

You Had Me @ Hello World
Rona Wang
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Reel Love
Addie Woolridge
Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Romance
Available now!