For this week’s Butler Bookshelf, we’re taking a look at books about the movers and shakers of the world. From activists to athletes to everyday people, the subjects of these stories were (and in some cases, still are!) influential in shaping and changing the world around them. Our feature pick is Are You a Friend of Dorothy?: The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped by 2024 Butler Lecturer Kyle Lukoff and illustrated by Levi Hastings. Lukoff recounts how, in a time when being gay was dangerous and sometimes illegal, queer people stuck together in many ways, including by identifying themselves to others as “friends of Dorothy.” Who was Dorothy? The American military set its sights on figuring it out. But Dorothy wasn’t a real person — she was an idea, possibly inspired by the movie The Wizard of Oz, and a way for queer people to keep themselves safe. Although Dorothy wasn’t real, the people she protected were, and they used their secret code to find safety and community in a time when they couldn’t always openly be themselves.

Check out more books about people who shaped the world below!

Are You a Friend of Dorothy?: The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped
Kyle Lukoff
Illustrated by Levi Hastings
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Available now!

Bold Words from Black Men: Insights and Reflections from 50 Notable Trailblazers Who Influenced the World
Curated by Dr. Tamara Pizzoli
Illustrated by Desire Cesar “El’Cesart” Ngabo
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Available now!

Fight to Win!: Heroes of American Labor (The Young Readers Edition of Fight Like Hell)
Kim Kelly
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Available now!

Generation Queer: Stories of Youth Organizers, Artists, and Educators
Kimm Topping
Illustrated by Anshika Khullar
Lee & Low Books Inc/TU Books
Available now!

Ida B. Wells: Journalist, Advocate & Crusader for Justice
Erica Armstrong Dunbar and Candace Buford
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/ALADDIN
Available now!