Category Archives: Butler Bookshelf

Butler Bookshelf

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If you’ve scrolled on social media these past couple of weeks, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about Heated Rivalry, the hockey romance book series, for adults, that’s selling out shelves and now amassing millions of viewers with a television adaptation. Looking for something just as page-turning but within the right age range? We’ve got plenty of Young Adult hockey romances here at the Butler Center! (Okay, maybe one of them is about field hockey… but it’s still great, we promise!) And one for middle-grade readers as well. December’s weather has proven to be icy and cold, just like the rink, but make no mistake—these puck-slinging romance books heat up fast, with humor and lots of heart. Our feature pick this week is Heart Check, by Emily Charlotte. Although they share classes and shifts at the local diner, high-schoolers Luke and Harper couldn’t be more different. Luke’s a hockey star, and in Harper’s eyes, a total jock. Harper’s quiet and artsy, and in Luke’s eyes, stuck-up. But when their lives begin to entangle, the unlikely duo manages to break the ice and… find love.

Check out more hockey-themed romance below!

Heart Check
Emily Charlotte
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing / Margaret K. McElderry Books
Available now!

Fake Skating
Lynn Painter
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Available now!

All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey
Kit Rosewater
Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Romance
Available now!

And for younger, middle-grade readers…

Bea Mullins Takes A Shot
Emily Deibert
Random House Children’s Books / Yearling
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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As we move through December and the holidays begin to hit in full swing, it can feel like everything is happening all at once. When things get overwhelming, this week’s collection of social emotional learning books can help us slow down and breathe. From the human to the ursine, these books feature characters who learn to manage themselves, their emotions, and their impact on the world. Our feature pick is The Gift of the Broken Teacup: Poems of Mindfulness, Meditation, and Me by Allan Wolf, illustrated by Jade Orlando. Wolf takes big, complex topics like persistence and integrity and distills them into bite-sized pieces of poetry to help young readers internalize them. Many poems focus on specific skills that practice as they work on practicing these traits in their lives. Orlando’s illustrations provide a soothing backdrop for the messages each poem imparts along a child’s journey of mindfulness and meditation.

Check out more books for social emotional learning below!

A Cure for the Hiccups
Jennifer E. Smith
Illustrated by Brandon James Scott
Random House Children’s Books/Random House Studio
Available now!

Bear
Natalia Shaloshvili
The Quarto Group/Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Available now!

How to Say Thank You
Jean Reagan
Illustrated by Lee Wildish
Random House Children’s Books/Alfred A. Knopf
Available now!

Love Can Be
Yuli Yav
Illustrated by Antonia Woodward
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Little Simon
Available now!

The Gift of the Broken Teacup: Poems of Mindfulness, Meditation, and Me
Allan Wolf
Illustrated by Jade Orlando
Candlewick Press
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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It’s December, and here at the Butler Center we’re ready to let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! We’re celebrating all things cold and snowy this week with a look at some of the winter picture books in our collection. Our feature pick is Snow Kid by Jessie Sima. When a snow kid is built and named Twig by the group of kids who created them, they’re quite happy to be Twig. But after the kids leave and Twig heads out on their own adventure, they begin to grow and change. Are they still Twig after all these changes? This heartwarming story asks what it means to be yourself, and celebrates the joys of growing up and discovering who you want to be.

Check out more winter books below!

Fox and Owl’s Winter Adventure
Jackie Lui
Illustrated by Moonlie
The Quarto Group/words&pictures
Available now!

Is This… Winter?
Helen Yoon
Candlewick Press
Available now!

My Little Deer
Hannah Eliot
Illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Little Simon
Available now!

Snow Kid
Jessie Sima
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Available now!

Winter is Wonderful
Emma Dodd
Candlewick Press/Templar Books
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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Happy (almost) Thanksgiving, friends! In honor of this holiday’s incredibly iconic fowl, our Butler Bookshelf this week features a feast of bird stories, both non-fiction and picture, to satisfy all of your Turkey Day needs. What better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than with a spread? … Of books, that is! Our feature pick of the week is The Crane and the Keeper, written by Meeg Pincus and illustrated by Gillian Eilidh O’Mara, inspired by the true tale of zookeeper Chris Crowe (talk about nominative determinism!) and Walnut, one persnickety white-naped crane. As a rescued and hand-reared crane, Walnut is incredibly feisty and has no interest in her fellow birds, although keepers are eager for her to mate since white-naped cranes are nearing endangered. But with patience from brand-new birdkeeper Chris Crowe, the two begin an unlikely friendship… and courtship, in Walnut’s eyes! Thanks to Chris, she’s able to successfully lay eggs after years of not trying, and goes on to have eleven babies, along with a loving, caring, and unique bond to Chris. Talk about co-parenting!

Check out some other silly (and sweet!) tales of birds galore below.

Tiny Owl’s Scary Day
Petr Horáček
Candlewick Press
Available now!

The Lonely Goose
Lela Nargi
Illustrated by Anne Hunter
Random House Children’s Books / Random House Studio
Available now!

Seven: A Most Remarkable Pigeon
Sandra Nickel
Illustrated by Aimée Sicuro
Candlewick Press
Available now!

The Crane and the Keeper: How an Endangered Crane Chose a Human as Her Mate
Meeg Pincus
Illustrated by Gillian Eilidh O’Mara
Candlewick Entertainment / Smithsonian Kids
Available now!

Born Inside a Nest So Small: Conversation with a Hummingbird
Iza Trapani
Charlesbridge
Available now!

And from all of us at the Butler Center, have a Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃 Wishing you and your family all the best!

Butler Bookshelf

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This week’s Butler Bookshelf is all about the silly! We’re taking a look at some new picture books that are pretty much guaranteed to… well, at least give you a giggle! There’s a little bit of everything for everyone here: an acorn-less gray squirrel who’s going nuts (literally!), a wise bug broadcasting insect advice on air, an overzealous little penguin pursuing polar bear for dinner, and one little girl’s grocery store banana bonanza. Our feature pick this week is Little Red and Big, Bad Fred, a creatively silly & heartfelt take on the classic Little Red Riding Hood tale, written and illustrated by Ashley Belote. Little Red loves going to his Great-Grandpa’s house, especially since it means he gets to see his furry friend Fred along the way! But the one thing Little Red doesn’t know is… Fred’s a hungry, hungry wolf and thinks Little Red would make a scrumptious midday snack! One winter day, Fred hits his head, and Little Red brings him to Great-Grandpa’s for help. With sharp, shiny fangs and big, big claws, the two realize he must be a dog! They buy him kibble, play fetch, and after lots of belly rubs, Fred realizes that maybe Little Red wouldn’t be the perfect meal, but rather the perfect best friend.

Check out some more silly, laugh-out-loud picture books below!

Little Red and Big, Bad Fred
Ashley Belote
Random House Children’s Books / Random House Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Gray Squirrel Loses It!
Cassandra Federman
Random House Children’s Books / Random House Books for Young Readers
Available now!

On the Air with Dr. Doodlebug
Susan E. Goodman
Illustrated by Merrill Rainey
Astra Books for Young Readers / Hippo Park
Available now!

I’m Going to Eat a Polar Bear
Karl Newson
Illustrated by Nicola Kinnear
The Quarto Group / Happy Yak
Available now!

A Quick Trip to the Store
Sam Wedelich
Random House Children’s Books / Knopf Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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Romantasy (a portmanteau of romance and fantasy) is the undisputed ruler of Booktok, and the genre dominating bookshelves everywhere. This week, we’re celebrating all things magical, fantastical, and romantical by highlighting some of the young adult romantasy in our Butler collection. Our feature pick is The Nightblood Prince by Molly X. Chang. The night that Fei was born, a prophecy sealed her fate as the Empress of all Empresses who will one day rule over a united continent. Sealed away in the palace walls and promised in marriage to the Emperor’s son, Fei wants nothing more than to reclaim her own destiny. But as her childhood friend and betrothed wages war against a powerful, supernatural prince from a neighboring kingdom, she is forced to confront the truth of her prophecy — and the truth of her heart’s desire.

Check out more YA romantasy below!

A Forgery of Fate
Elizabeth Lim
Random House Children’s Books/Alfred A. Knopf
Available now!

A Match Made in Hell
Charlotte Ingham
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Available now!

An Embroidery of Souls
Ruby Martinez
Random House Children’s Books/Alfred A. Knopf
Available now!

The Nightblood Prince
Molly X. Chang
Random House Children’s Books/Random House Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Witchkiller
Ashlee Latimer
Scholastic/Scholastic Press
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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Graphic novels are a favorite among students, teachers, and librarians alike. Spanning a variety of genres, stories, and art styles, anyone can find their perfect graphic novel match. We have no shortage of them here in the Butler Center, so this week we’re taking a look at some of our middle grade graphic novels. Our feature pick is The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang by Stan Yan. Eugenia Wang has never been allowed to celebrate her birthday on the day itself, because her mother believes the date, April 4th, is unlucky due to Chinese superstition around the number 4. Genie plots to throw a party on her actual 13th birthday and to apply to an art summer camp behind her disapproving mother’s back. But while she plans, she begins having visions of death and disaster striking on her birthday, which bleed through into the comic she draws for her art camp application. As the visions continue and her birthday draws closer, Genie begins to suspect the visions are a supernatural warning — and she needs to figure out how to stop their events from coming true.

Check out more middle grade graphic novels below!

Grumpy Monkey School Stinks!: A Graphic Novel
Suzanne Lang
Illustrated by Max Lang
Random House Children’s Books/Random House Studio
Available now!

The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang
Stan Yan
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Olympics: The Graphic Novel
Chris Grabenstein
Illustrated by Douglas Holgate
Random House Children’s Books/RH Graphic
Available now!

My Life as an Internet Novel
A Hyeon and Yu Han-Ryeo
Random House Children’s Books/RH Graphic
Available now!

Someone’s Gonna End Up Crying
Jo Knowles
Illustrated by Glynnis Fawkes
Candlewick Press
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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For this week’s Butler Bookshelf, we’re exploring all things mythological. From the fire-breathing dragons who can’t quite seem to keep their underpants burn-free to the little girl who’s unsure what to do with a seemingly-stranded unicorn… (The carnival? A pet store maybe?), each of these picture book picks feature some fantastical creatures and the chaos (or magic!) that ensues. Our feature pick this week is The Bakery Dragon and the Fairy Cake, written and illustrated by Devin Elle Kurtz, the second book in her best-selling (and authorial debut!) series. Ember the dragon is an excellent baker, so it’s no surprise when Princess Turnip arrives with the daunting request that he shall be the one to bake for the Fairy Queen’s birthday party. Only one small problem: The Queen wants a “birthday cake” and Ember’s never heard of “birthday cake” before! Apparently, it’s supposed to be: sweet, tall, and… full of candles?! Despite some failed attempts and a few tears (and thanks to a handy-dandy gaggle of fellow dragons who are more than willing to sample the burnt extras…), Ember is determined to let them eat cake. The fairies, that is.

Check out some more mythical creature tales (tails) below!

The Angel and the Mermaid
Becky Cameron
The Quarto Group / Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Available now!

Dragons Love Underpants
Claire Freedman
Illustrated by Ben Cort
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing / Aladdin
Available now!

The Bakery Dragon and the Fairy Cake
Devin Elle Kurtz
Random House Children’s Books / Knopf Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Sometimes You Find a Dragon
Viviane Schwarz
Candlewick Press
Available now!

Unicorn Post
Emma Yarlett
Candlewick Press
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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October marches forward, a chill fills the air, and Halloween creeps ever closer. In the past few weeks, we’ve looked at middle grade horror and Halloween picture books, and this week we’re topping it off with a look at some of the young adult horror novels in our collection. Our feature pick is The Transition by Logan-Ashley Kisner. After Hunter gets top surgery, he’s prepared to deal with the healing process. What he’s not prepared for, though, is being attacked by a huge and mysterious animal just after getting his drains out. Without warning, Hunter’s body is revolting against him, turning into something else without his permission. After they find out, his friends Gabe and Mars are in a race against the clock to find a cure before his transformation is complete. But the siren song of the wolf inside him calls out to Hunter, offering him a life where he doesn’t have to worry about his trans body or the transphobic bullies who are constantly escalating their attacks.

Check out more young adult horror novels below!

The Dead of Summer
Ryan La Sala
Scholastic/PUSH
Available now!

Let’s Split Up
Bill Wood
Scholastic/Scholastic Press
Available now!

The Protegee
Erica Ridley
Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Press
Available now!

The Transition
Logan-Ashley Kisner
Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Press
Available now!

Who’s All Going (to Die)?
Lisa Springer
Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Press
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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For this week’s Butler Bookshelf, we’re celebrating all things super! No matter what your taste in superheroes is, these middle grade novels have you covered with everything from donut-throwing drag queens to anthropomorphic pancakes. Our feature pick is Donutella Hamachi and the Library Avengers by Kim Chi and Stephan Lee, with illustrations by Utomaru. Jae Han loves his local library, where he can hang out with his friends, read all of his favorite writer Park Seon Woo’s graphic novels, and write his own comics about his stunning donut-themed drag queen superhero, Donutella Hamachi. When the mayor announces that the library will be shut down to make way for a new mall, it seems like Jae Han and his friends have lost the only place they can truly be themselves. But Jae Han has an idea that might just let them save the library after all — an arts showcase that can attract attention to the library and let all the creative people in town show off their talents. It’s time to channel Donutella’s bravery and fierce attitude to save the library before it’s too late!

Check out more middle grade fiction about superheroes below!

Donutella Hamachi and the Library Avengers
Kim Chi and Stephan Lee
Illustrated by Utomaru
Candlewick Press/Walker Books US
Available now!

Superworld 2: Destructo World
Yarrow Cheney and Carrie Cheney
Random House Children’s Books/Random House Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Max Meow: When Pancakes Go Bad (Really Bad!)
John Gallagher
Random House Children’s Books
Available now!

Shadow Warrior
Shogo Aoki
Scholastic/Graphix
Available now!

The (Not So) Superheroes
Swapna Haddow
Illustrated by Minky Stapleton
Scholastic
Available now!