Author Archives: bclyp

Eid Mubarak: A review of Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices

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Once Upon an Eid cover

Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices
Edited by S.K Ali and Aisha Saeed
Amulet/Abrams
May 5, 2020
Grades 3-7

Celebration, joy, family, traditions—Once Upon an Eid is a powerful collection of short stories from a group of the most talented voices in literature for young people. And the stories are as interesting and diverse as the writers they come from, with portraits of plenty and scarcity, heartache and love, prose, verse, and even a compact graphic story.

Editors S.K. Ali and Aisha Saeed have succeeded in curating an engaging collection for middle-grade readers (but accessible for older readers as well) that both celebrates the traditions of the two Eid holidays (Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha) and respects how those traditions differ by culture, community, and family. The cast of characters is a well-drawn assortment of young people and families learning, growing, and celebrating their faith in a way that appears as a reminiscence for those that celebrate and a welcoming window into the celebration for those that don’t.

 

Butler Bookshelf

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We’re eager to read Nelly Buchet’s picture book Cat Dog Dog: The Story of a Blended Family, with charming illustrations by Andrea Zuill. It’s about what happens when families come together–all the messiness and the joys. For more great reads, check out this week’s Butler Bookshelf below!

The Water Bears
Written by Kim Baker
Published by Wendy Lamb Books
Available now!

Cat Dog Dog: The Story of a Blended Family
Written by Nelly Buchet and illustrated by Andrea Zuill
Published by Schwartz & Wade
Available now!

A Girl in Three Parts
Written by Suzanne Daniel
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Dirt Cheap
Written and illustrated by Mark Hoffman
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Available now!

The Lucky Ones
Written by Liz Lawson
Published by Delacorte Press
Available now!

Bedtime Bonnet
Written by Nancy Redd and illustrated by Nneka Myers
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
Available now!

There’s still time to apply…

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For the Butler Youth Services Scholarship.

Are you interested in becoming part of a diverse and engaged
youth-services-focused library community?

diverse student group 2

Applications are still being accepted for the 2020-2021 Butler Youth Services Scholarship for Underrepresented Groups in the Field of Library Science. This $15,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student seeking to earn an MLIS at Dominican University with a planned focus on service to children and young adults.

For full eligibility and application requirements please visit our website or contact Butler Children’s Literature Center Curator, Jen Clemons, at jclemons@dom.edu.

Applications for Fall 2020 are being accepted until June 15, 2020.

 

Butler Bookshelf

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It’s the little things, isn’t it? What I Like The Most singles out life’s small pleasures:  apricot jam on toast, the mailman on the street. We’re thrilled with this new picture book, written by Mary Murphy and illustrated by Zhu Cheng-Liang, which celebrates daily life and all its changes. For more great reads, check out the list below!

Molly’s Moon Mission
Written and illustrated by Duncan Beedie
Published by Templar
Available now!

Not Playing by the Rules: 21 Female Athletes Who Changed Sports
Written by Lesa Cline-Ransome
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Happy: A Children’s Book of Mindfulness
Written by Nicola Edwards and illustrated by Katie Hickey
Published by Caterpillar Books
Available now!

William Shakespeare’s The Tempest
Retold by Georghia Ellinas and illustrated by Jane Ray
Published by Candlewick
Available now!

Alphamaniacs: Builders of 26 Wonders of the World
Written by Paul Fleischman and illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Published by Candlewick Studio
Available now!

What I Like The Most
Written by Mary Murphy and illustrated by Zhu Cheng-Liang
Published by Candlewick
Available now!

 

Opposites Attract: A Review of 10 Things I Hate About Pinky

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10 things I hate about Pinky

10 Things I Hate About Pinky
By Sandhya Menon
June 30, 2020
Published by Simon & Schuster
Grades 7 and up

Fans of Menon’s previous works (When Dimple Met Rishi, There’s Something About Sweetie, and From Twinkle, With Love) will be excited to read her latest work, 10 Things I Hate About Pinky. Pinky is proud to be a social justice warrior, but her mother doesn’t feel the same way. After another fight where Pinky’s mother unfairly judges her, Pinky makes up a perfect fake boyfriend that her mom would love; but now Pinky must find this perfect boy. Enter Samir. A friend of a friend, Samir is stuck in D.C. after an internship with a coveted law firm falls through. When Pinky reaches out to him to be her fake boyfriend, Samir sees his chance to get an in with Pinky’s respected, lawyer mom. Although they start fake dating for their own reasons, they soon find that there might actually be something between them. Lines between fake and real begin to blur, and they both have to decide if this is what they want.

Told in alternating voices, Menon transitions seamlessly between the two. Menon leaves no loose ends, resolving all major and minor conflicts neatly. Clearly inspired by the movie 10 Things I Hate About You—which in turn was inspired by Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew—Menon makes the choice to keep the romance in the forefront but also explore issues of identity, environmentalism, familial discord, and more. All of this make for a refreshing take on a well-known and beloved story. A funny and charming book that will pluck at the heartstrings of many a rom-com lover.

Butler Bookshelf

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This week, we’re taken with the bold colors and charming illustrations in the sweet board book Creature Features by Natasha Durley. Check out the rest of the Butler Bookshelf for some more delightful reads!

All Aboard the Moonlight Train 
Written by Kristyn Crow and illustrated by Annie Won
Published by Doubleday Books for Young Readers
Available now!

I Found A Kitty!
Written and illustrated by Troy Cummings
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Creature Features
Illustrated by Natasha Durley
Published by Big Picture Press
Available now!

What’s That Noise?
Written and illustrated by Naomi Howarth
Published by Candlewick
Available now!

Lost Cities
Written by Giles Laroche
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers
Available now!

¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat
Written by Raúl the Third and colors by Elaine Bay
Published by Versify
Available now!

Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2020—Online Special Edition

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BCBF 2019 Jen entry

Butler Center Curator (that’s me!) at BCBF 2019

Since the decisions were made to first postpone, then cancel, the in-person BCBF event this spring, organizers have been hard at work transitioning all possible events and content to online activities. And from the opening session to awards presentations, digital exhibits to discussion panels they have made quite a pivot in the last few weeks. So if you have always wanted to attend the Fair, but haven’t gotten the opportunity, well here’s your chance to get a taste of Bologna (then head to Italy next year to taste the tortellini and gelato as well!).

 

The Details:

When: May 4-7, 2020

Where: Bologna Children’s Book Fair (this should take you to the English language site, but if not there is an option for English at the top right of the page)

Who: While BCBF is essentially a rights fair, there is a wide variety of content for books lovers of all sorts.

Why: Books—of course!

Get a sneak peek of what to expect on the Live Events preview page.

BCBF Opening Session 2019
DU Students (and Thom!) at BCBF 2019

Some of what I’m most excited about:

OPENING SESSION: NEW NORMAL: HOW CHILDREN’S PUBLISHERS ARE ADAPTING TO A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD—Monday, May 4th at 11 am (*Central European Summer Time or 7 hours ahead of Chicago’s Central Daylight Time)—Focusing on children’s publishing during the worldwide lockdown and the perspectives of the industry in a world redesigned by this global experience.

IBBY VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE 2020—Monday, May 4th at 2:30pm (Central European Summer Time)—Announcements and awards presentations.

BCBF GALLERIES—Artwork and Book Exhibitions 

*Unless you’re a very early riser, you‘ll be checking these out after the fact, like me.

Check out the Digital Kit for hashtags, fun filters, and social channels for finding BCBF events.

After you’ve seen just some of the wonderful fair content and amazing new books, and dreamed about attending, save the date for next year’s fair April 12-15, 2021. And stay tuned for how you might join the Dominican SOIS course next spring!

 

 

How will you celebrate Día?

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Día, or El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day), is an annual celebration of children, families, and reading with a focus on the importance of literacy for children of all backgrounds.

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This national day of celebration is a wonderful acknowledgment of the importance of literacy and the role it plays in vibrant, diverse communities. It’s an official chance to use books to honor the cultures, traditions, and languages that surround us. You can learn more about Día (history, resources, activities, promotional tools, etc.) on the ALSC website.

Interested in more tools for celebrating diverse voices in youth literature? Check out the resources available through:

  • We Need Diverse Books
  • Diverse Book Finder
  • And last, but definitely not least, the exceptional digital resources available through local libraries: Hoopla, Libby, book lists, streaming storytimes, and online book clubs.

Since all programming has recently taken a turn for the virtual, have your library’s plans been canceled? Changed? What are you doing to celebrate Día online this year? Please share in the comments!

Happy reading and take care, friends!

 

Butler Bookshelf

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This week on the Butler Bookshelf, we’re fascinated by We Are All His Creatures. Deborah Noyes’ set of interwoven stories is all about the women in P.T. Barnum’s life. We’re excited to read about those in the shadow of this larger-than-life character. For more reads, check out the list below!

Gold Rush Girl
Written by Avi
Published by Candlewick
Available now!

Emily Windsnap and the Tides of Time
Written by Liz Kessler
Published by Candlewick
Available now!

We Are All His Creatures: Tales of P. T. Barnum, the Greatest Showman
Written by Deborah Noyes
Published by Candlewick
Available now!

Thank You for Coming to My TED Talk: A Teen Guide to Great Public Speaking
Written by Chris Anderson and Lorin Oberweger
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Child of the Universe
Written by Ray Jayawardhana and illustrated by Raul Colón
Published by Make Me A World
Available now!

Elmore and Pinky
Written and illustrated by Holly Hobbie
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
Available now!

The Great Pet Escape: A Review of The Barnabus Project

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barnabus project butler

The Barnabus Project
By Terry, Eric, and Dan Fan
September 1, 2020
Published by Tundra
Grades K-2

Underneath the Perfect Pet story lies a huge laboratory where people in green rubber suits make the perfect pets. Pets that aren’t perfect, like Barnabus, are known as failed projects. Failed projects are placed in bell jars where they stay until the green rubber suits are ready to recycle them. Worried that being recycled will mean that Barnabus will no longer be himself, he escapes his bell jar and helps the other failed projects escape the lab. Though they may not be perfect, the failed projects have each other, and they learn to be happy with the things that make them unique.

A sci-fi pet adventure that shows that it’s okay to be different. Where similar stories end with characters being accepted by the group that had previously rejected them, The Barnabus Project makes the interesting choice have the characters be accepted. Instead, the book shows that the failed projects never needed to be accepted in the first place. They just needed each other. Gorgeous illustrations help bring the story to life. A touching story about cute and loveable, misfits that reassures readers that no one has to be perfect.