Category Archives: Butler Bookshelf

Butler Bookshelf

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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!

Butler Bookshelf

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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!

Butler Bookshelf

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Whether you’re the kind that wakes up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on January 1st, ready to hit the gym, or perhaps someone who likes to go more with the flow and forgo a resolution list, a new year means new beginnings. And with new beginnings come hope, positivity, and all those warm & fuzzy feelings. To celebrate the new year, this week’s Butler Bookshelf is full of inspiring tales, ranging from sibling bonds to finding beauty in imperfection, complete with rich color & wonderful illustrations. Our feature pick this week is The Story and Science of Hope, written by Andrea Curtis and illustrated by Ana Suárez. Hope is more than just a feeling; it’s an essential part of our well-being. According to science. Packed with ancient history, new scientific research, and beautiful illustrations, The Story and Science of Hope is the perfect, awe-inspiring read to combat the uneasiness & anxiety that comes with an ever-changing, scary world. Hope’s scientifically found in the brain, so what better way to activate that feeling than with a cozy read?

Check out some more feel-good books to ring in 2026 below:

The Story and Science of Hope
Andrea Curtis
Illustrated by Ana Suárez
Anansi Press / Groundwood Books
Available now!

A Knot Is Not a Tangle
Daniel Nayeri
Illustrated by Vesper Stamper
Random House Children’s Books / Knopf Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Shaped By Love: An Ode to Mom Bods
Nikki Powers
Illustrated by Amanda Calatzis
Candlewick Press
Available now!

Together We Are Sunshine
Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
Illustrated by Raissa Figueroa
Random House Children’s Books / Random House Studio
Available now!

The Wonderful Things You Will Be (Special Edition)
Emily Winfield Martin
Random House Children’s Books / Random House Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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Christmas is just two sleeps away! Can you believe it?! Although we’ve covered our fair share of Yuletide tales this holiday season, they do say the more the merrier… so here are five more wonderful wintertime reads to keep you busy before Santa’s big day. Guaranteed to bring joy for even the Grinches and Scrooges. Our feature pick this week is Merry Mittens: A Moontime Cats Christmas Story, written by Jordan Morris and illustrated by Charlie Mylie. Nighttime neighborhood shenanigans are always on the agenda for car friends Carl, Biscuit, and Peewee. They love to cause mischief, but when a mysterious trail of snowy paws leads them right to a big, meow-ing gift box, the three cats decide to find this kitten—well, Christmas present—the proper home. Under someone’s tree, of course.

Check out some other Christmas books below!

Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem
Maya Angelou
Illustrated by Steve Johnson & Lou Fancher
Random House Children’s Books / Anne Schwartz Books
Available now!

Candy Corn Christmas!
Jonathan Fenske
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing / Little Simon
Available now!

Secrets From the North Pole: Discover the Magic of Christmas
Santa’s Head Elf and Saskia Gwinn
Illustrated by Daria Danilova
The Quarto Group / Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Available now!

Merry Mittens: A Moontime Cats Christmas Story
Jordan Morris
Illustrated by Charlie Mylie
Candlewick Press
Available now!

Listen to the Music at Christmas: A World of Magical Melodies
Mary Richards
Illustrated by Skylar White
The Quarto Group / Wide Eyed Editions
Available now!

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!