This month is National Ocean Month, a time when we can come together to celebrate and conserve our oceans. Readers who want to learn more about the ocean and the creatures and people who have populated it can check out this week’s ocean-themed Butler Bookshelf! Maggie Li’s Whale teaches young readers about the life cycle of a blue whale. Starting at birth and continuing until the baby whale has a baby of its own, this story follows a young whale through its life as it grows and learns how to swim, breathe, navigate busy waters, sing, and eat. With charming illustrations and a cutout that shows the baby whale through life’s phases, Li’s board book delights readers learning more about whales in the ocean.

Check out more books about the ocean for all ages below!

How to Survive in the Age of Pirates: A Handy Guide to Swashbuckling Adventures, Avoiding Deadly Diseases, and Escaping Ruthless Renegades of the High Seas
Written by Crispin Boyer, contributions by Dr. Rebecca Simon
Published by National Geographic Kids
Available June 18, 2024

Little Fish’s Opposites
Written and illustrated by Lucy Cousins
Published by Candlewick Press
Available now

Whale
Written and illustrated by Maggie Li
Published by Templar Books
Available now

Where Do Ocean Creatures Sleep at Night?
Written by Steven J. Simmons and Clifford R. Simmons
Illustrated by Ruth E. Harper
Published by Charlesbridge
Available now

A Window into the Ocean Twilight Zone
Written by Michelle Cusolito
Published by Charlesbridge
Available now

The Color of a Lie
Written by Kim Johnson
Random House Children’s Books
Ages 12-18
Available June 11th, 2024

Calvin and his family move from Chicago to the newly developed all-white Levittown, Pennsylvania after his older sister is killed in a house fire by a white mob. The family is Black, but their skin complexion is light enough that they can pass as white. But passing means Calvin can’t see his brother who works at an all-Black school, can’t talk about his love of jazz, and can’t be himself, noting it’s “hard to breathe when you’re hiding all day long” (p 57). Calvin quickly realizes Levittown has dark secrets, and he finds himself straddling a dangerous line between two worlds. When his new crush, Lily, becomes the first visibly Black student at his high school, Calvin decides to take action against the racist practices of Levittown, along with his two Black friends from his brother’s school. As racial tensions boil over into a mob threatening Lily’s life, Calvin races to save her from the fate of his sister.

This well-researched historical suspense novel weaves in moments of Black history that evoke a powerful solemn tone, such as illegal redlining policies, the Green Book, and even an appearance by Thurgood Marshall. At times the redlining plotline becomes overly detailed, but Johnson pairs these intricacies with suspenseful covert operations that give this novel its thriller sub-genre, such as when Calvin narrowly passes as Thurgood Marshall’s white driver after a secret meeting. This novel is not just historical fiction—Johnson focuses on themes of trust and bravery, centers a gay character, and includes a young love plotline that will appeal to a wide variety of teenagers. Johnson masterfully brings a modern voice to the realities of living as a young Black boy in the 1950s that culminates in a celebration of Black people, culture, and history.

It’s the beginning of June, which means it’s the beginning of Pride Month! For those who want to accompany their Pride Month celebration with a book, this week’s Butler Bookshelf features some of our new teen fiction with queer and non-binary characters and/or written by queer and non-binary authors! Matthew Hubbard’s The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge follows three teenage friends—Ezra, Lucas, and Finley—who find that they all share a deep desire to get revenge on their ex-boyfriends. Their master plan involves entering and then sabotaging the school’s Drag Show Competition to make sure their exes don’t win. But when the school starts censoring queer voices, Ezra, Lucas, and Finley’s original plan morphs into a much larger student rebellion to fight for their right to be themselves and for their fellow queer classmates to do the same.

Check out more teen fiction novels centering queer characters and authors below!

Ariel Crashes a Train
Written by Olivia A. Cole
Published by Labyrinth Road
Available now

The Brightness Between Us
Written by Eliot Schrefer
Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books
Available October 1st, 2024

The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge
Written by Matthew Hubbard
Published by Delacorte Press
Available now

Malicia
Written by Steven dos Santos
Published by Page Street YA
Available now

The No-Girlfriend Rule
Written by Christen Randall
Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Available now

Thinking about taking up a new hobby over the summer? Maybe some of these books on cooking, baking, and food will inspire you to try to make a new or beloved recipe. In What’s Eating Jackie Oh?, Park explores what happens when identity, expectations, and passion intersect. Jackie feels most comfortable when she is cooking, freeing her from the expectations of her Korean American parents and from the violence and hate towards the Asian American community. She usually just cooks in her grandparents’ deli, but one day, she is invited to be a teen contestant on her favorite cooking show, Burn Off. As she cooks her way through each grueling and yummy challenge, she also starts to figure out who she is and who she wants to be. This funny yet thoughtful novel serves up an engaging, modern coming-of-age story that anyone a fan of cooking shows will love.

Bite by Bite: American History through Feasts, Foods, and Side Dishes
Written by Marc Aronson and Paul Freedman, contributions by Frederick Douglass Opie, Amanda Palacios, Tatum Willis, and David Zheng
Illustrated by Toni D. Chambers
Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Available now

Cooking with the Sneetches
Written by Astrid Holm
Illustrated by Erik Doescher
Published by Random House Children’s Books
Available now

Isabel in Bloom
Written by Mae Respicio
Published by Wendy Lamb Books
Available now

The Mochi Makers
Written and illustrated by Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson
Published by Beach Lane Books
Available now

The Spice Box
Written by Meera Sriram
Illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat
Published by Alfred A. Knopf
Available now

What’s Eating Jackie Oh?
Written by Patricia Park
Published by Crown Books for Young Readers
Available now

Volcanoes

Nell Cross Beckerman
Illustrated by Kalen Chock
Scholastic Inc.
August 6, 2024
Grades PreK-3

“A rumble. A tremble. A grumble. Growing, growling, getting hot. When will it . . . pop?!” (p. 3-5). Beckerman uses intriguing storytelling to guide children on an adventure exploring wondrous volcanoes. Readers are led from the depths of the ocean floor to the Ring of Fire and all the way to volcanoes in deep space with Beckerman’s dynamic lyrical language. Volcano lava is destructive, but even more damaging are the tsunamis caused by burning rock rain falling from the sky. However, scientists discovered that underwater volcanoes seep mineral rich water allowing a world of life to exist deep in the ocean. Did life on Earth begin around underwater volcanoes? Nonfiction text on each page takes a deeper dive into the science of volcanoes and volcanologists.

The importance of science exploration is an apparent theme when volcanologists risk their safety taking samples trying to predict when volcanoes will erupt. Beckerman calls these risk-takers “superheroes.” Poetic language such as “an avalanche of ash,” “a plume of doom,” and “a cinder shotput” (p. 23) paint a vivid picture of nature’s wonders for the audience. Concept artist, Chock, paints gorgeous illustrations with subdued blues, purples, browns, and bright oranges, enticing the reader to read more about nature’s spectacular marvels. Each page contains exciting volcano dramatics to keep the reader turning the pages. Substantial back matter includes both author’s and illustrator’s notes, further reading, types of volcanic eruptions, more facts about volcanoes, and questions volcanologists are still trying to answer. 

Now that school is almost out and assigned reading for the year is done, graphic novels are great options for those who want a bit more artwork in their books. This week, we are featuring some of our collections new graphic novels, like Next Stop by Debbie Fong. In Fong’s debut novel, middle schooler Pia faces some hardships at home—after her brother recently passed away, her family decides to move to a new town and try to start fresh. To get her mind off of her troubles, Pia goes on a bus tour with a family friend that stops at different, and wacky, roadside attractions along the way. This mix of a self-discovery road trip adventure, middle school humor, and difficult emotional journeys is a touching take on the tough yet wonderous middle grade years.

Check out more of our graphic novels below!

Curveball
Written by Pablo Cartaya
Illustrated by Miguel Díaz Rivas
Published by Disney Hyperion
Available now

Monti and Leo: A Newcomer in Pocketville
Written and illustrated by Sylvia Kantorovitz
Published by Walker Books
Available now

Next Stop
Written and illustrated by Debbie Fong
Published by RH Graphic
Available now

Hilo: Rise of the Cat
Written and illustrated by Judd Winick
Published by Random House Children’s Books
Available now

Sweet Valley Twins: The Haunted House
Written by Nicole Andelfinger
Illustrated by Knack Whittle
Published by RH Graphic
Available now

This week, we are featuring some of our newer picture books in our collection. In Phillipa Soo and Maris Pasquale Doran’s Piper Chen Sings, Piper Chen is no stranger to singing. In fact, she sings all the time—riding her scooter to school, to her loyal stuffed animal audience, and even while her grandmother, Nǎi Nai, cooks. However, when her teacher asks if she wants to perform a solo for the school musical, Piper starts to feel butterflies in her stomach. Piper thinks she will be too nervous to perform, until Nǎi Nai says that she feels butterflies too! With the help of her grandmother, Piper finds the courage to embrace the butterflies and courageously sings at the musical. This heartfelt picture book’s lyrical text and wispy illustrations helps empower young readers to sing to their heart’s content!

Check out more of our picture books below!

The Boy Who Said Wow
Written by Todd Boss
Illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh
Published by Beach Lane Books
Available now

Built to Last
Written by Minh Lê
Illustrated by Dan Santat
Published by Alfred A. Knopf
Available now

For Our Daughters
Written by Mel Nyoko
Illustrated by Joelle Avelino
Published by Random House Studio
Available now

Just Try It!
Written by Lily Rosenthal and Phil Rosenthal
Illustrated by Luke Flowers
Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Available now

Mamie Tape Fights to Go to School: Based on a True Story
Written by Traci Huahn
Illustrated by Michelle Jing Chan
Published by Crown Books for Young Readers
Available now

Piper Chen Sings
Written by Phillipa Soo and Maris Pasquale Doran
Illustrated by Qin Leng
Published by Random House Studio
Available now

The Crossbow of Destiny
Written by Brandon Hoàng
Scholastic Press
Ages 8-12
Available August 6th, 2024

When Vietnamese American Freddie travels to Vietnam for the first time in almost 10 years to celebrate the career of her beloved archaeologist ông ngoại, or grandfather, she struggles to find her place within her family and her culture. Her family speaks English only to her, she can’t read Vietnamese, and she can barely remember the village where her family lives. Thankfully, she finds solace in seeing Ông Ngoại and her favorite cousin, Liên, who reminds her, “We’re cousins. Viet cousins. That’s like the strongest bond in the universe’” (p 231). At Ông Ngoại’s celebration, Freddie discovers that Ông Ngoại’s colleague, Nhất, is using him to find an ancient crossbow from a Vietnamese legend—and he is willing to kidnap for it. Freddie and Liên narrowly escape Nhất’s clutches after a mysterious boy on a motorcycle named Duy saves them, but Ông Ngoại is still missing. Suddenly, Freddie is re-living the legendary An Dương Vương folktale in modern-day Vietnam to find the magical crossbow before Nhất and his crew. With the help of Liên and their new ally Duy, Freddie learns more than she ever thought she could about her culture while also saving her ông ngoại.

By opening the novel with the Vietnamese legend set thousands of years ago, Hoàng foreshadows Freddie’s action-packed adventure while also introducing readers to cultural context of the characters and plot. The first half of the book focuses on strong characterization, centering Freddie’s identity struggles and familial bonds with Liên and her ông ngoại. The shift from a story of Vietnamese identity to a high-stakes mythical quest is not gradual, but searching for the crossbow ultimately builds Freddie’s confidence in her identity, which ties the two sections of this complex plotline together well. Early on, Hoàng centers Vietnamese identity—he uses Vietnamese phrases in dialogue and description and translates anything that is not discernable with context. This fluid yet bold writing style gives voice to readers familiar with Vietnamese language and culture while also welcoming readers who are less familiar into the world of Vietnamese legends, culture, and language. With powerful themes of self-confidence and perseverance, Hoàng’s middle grade novel is a beautiful combination of Vietnamese culture and an unexpected hero’s quest to save the world.