Category Archives: Butler Bookshelf

Butler Bookshelf

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It’s hard to believe it, but school is just around the corner! This change can be uncomfortable for kids of any age, whether they’re starting school for the first time, going to a new school, or starting a new grade. Books are a great way to help kids learn what to expect when it’s time to hit the books again, so we have put together a list of books for young readers about starting school. These books are great for kiddos that while it’s okay to be nervous about school, there are all kinds of fun things to learn and do there. In No School for Me! (Change Is Hard) by Natasha Yim and illustrated by Cory Reid, Little Turtle is upset about starting preschool. The change is scary, and Little Turtle just wants to stay home. But when Mama Turtle drops Little Turtle off at school, Little Turtle soon learns that change can be fun, too! Little Turtle makes friends and can’t wait to go back to school to eat snacks, make art, and play outside. Yim validates the nervous feelings young readers may have about school by showing Little Turtle’s reluctance, but she slowly shows how fun school can actually be. Reid’s full-color, pastel illustrations pair well with Yim’s text to create a comforting story about all the different ways that change can feel.

Check out more back to school books below!

Getting Ready For First Grade
Written by Vera Ahiyya, The Tutu Teacher
Illustrated by Debby Rahmalia
Published by Random House PICTUREBACK
Available now!

Gus & Sully: Ready for School
Written and illustrated by Steve Light
Published by Candlewick Press
Available now!

No School for Me! (Change Is Hard) (Chicken Soup for the Soul Babies)
Written by Natasha Yim
Illustrated by Cory Reid
Published by Charlesbridge
Available now!

Today at School: With Yesterday and Tomorrow
Written by Jessica Young
Illustrated by Renee Kurilla
Published by Alfred A. Knopf
Available now!

Trusty Bus
Written by Elizabeth Weiss Verdick
Illustrated by Jeff Harter
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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For this week’s Butler Bookshelf, we’re celebrating books about identity, individuality, and being your authentic self. Our feature pick is So Devin Wore a Skirt by Shireen Lalji, illustrated by Lucy Fleming. Nanabapa’s birthday party is today, and the rest of Devin’s family have picked out their outfits for the party. Devin is going through all of his clothes, but he just can’t find something to wear. When he spots his sister’s skirt lying out, he thinks he’s finally found his perfect outfit. But what will everyone say? At first he tries to hide the skirt, but once his family sees it, he discovers that his family are happy to see him wearing whatever makes him happy.

Check out more picture books about being yourself below!

Alfred Blooms
Carrie Kruck
Illustrated by Carmen Mok
Random House Children’s Books/Random House Studio
Available now!

Kente for Jojo
Bernard Mensah
Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon
Random House Children’s Books/Alfred A. Knopf
Available now!

The Littlest Drop
Sascha Alper
Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pinkney
Random House Children’s Books/Anne Schwartz Books
Available now!

Many Things at Once
Veera Hiranandani
Illustrated by Nadia Alam
Random House Children’s Books/Random House Studio
Available now!

So Devin Wore a Skirt
Shireen Lalji
Illustrated by Lucy Fleming
The Quarto Group/Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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July is Disability Pride Month, and we’re celebrating by highlighting a selection of the Butler Center’s picture books about disability. Our feature pick is Marcel With a Splash by Julia Sorensen, translated by Shelley Tanaka. When Marcel is born, he seems just like any other baby, except for his webbed toes. Soon, though, his doctors notice signs that he has Down syndrome. Too young to know or care what these words mean, Marcel grows and learns at his own pace in his pre-school days. Filled with evocative colored pencil illustrations, Sorensen’s book follows Marcel through his early life, his struggles, and his triumphs.

Check out more picture books on disability below!

Ady and Me
Rich Pink and Roxy Pink
Illustrated by Sara Rhys
The Quarto Group/words & pictures
Available now!

All About Brains: A Book About People
Lake Bell
Illustrated by Rachel Katstaller
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Available now!

Marcel With a Splash
Julia Sorensen
Translated by Shelley Tanaka
Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press
Available now!

Seven: A Most Remarkable Pigeon
Sandra Nickel
Illustrated by Aimee Sicuro
Available now!

Wanda Hears the Stars: A Blind Astronomer Listens to the Universe
Amy S. Hanson with Wanda Diaz Merced
Illustrated by Rocio Arreola Mendoza
Available August 19, 2025

Butler Bookshelf

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Today marks the start of National Anti-Boredom Month during the month of July. To celebrate, we are sharing a list of books for all ages that may just hold the perfect cure for boredom. Whether it’s a book to teach a little one how rocks change or a thrilling young adult novel full of twisty secrets to uncover, there are books on this list to educate, entertain, and encourage creativity this month and beyond. An especially adventurous title on this list is The Teeny-Weeny Unicorn’s Great Big Wish by Shawn Harris. In this charming picture book, readers meet the teeny-weeny unicorn again on his newest quest. This time, he’s trying his hardest to become big like he’s always wished he could be. When a fairy princess hears about his wish, she tells him that it will come true he finds something “teeny-weeny-er” (11). The teeny-weeny unicorn searches and searches until his finds a tiny bud. By the time he gets back to the princess, the bud has blossomed–and his little sibling wobbles out! Paired with Harris’s bright and colorful chalk pastel illustrations, this sweet picture book is just right for any soon-to-be big siblings.

Check out more boredom-busting books below (and follow our blog and social media pages to discover more new reads everyday)!

At Last She Stood: How Joey Guerrero Spied, Survived, and Fought for Freedom
Written by Erin Entrada Kelly
Published by HarperCollins Publishers/Greenwillow Books
Available now

Rocks’ Journey
Written by Sally M. Walker
Illustrated by Kim Smith
Published by Candlewick Press/mit Kids Press
Available now

Snowglobe 2
Written by Soyoung Park
Translated by Joungmin Lee Comfort
Published by Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Press

Squeak Seeks!
Written by Peter Curtis and Patty Michaels
Published by Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/SIMON SPOTLIGHT
Available now

Survive This Safari
Written by Natalie D. Richards
Published by Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Press
Available now

The Teeny-Weeny Unicorn’s Great Big Wish
Written and illustrated by Shawn Harris
Published by Random House Children’s Books/Alfred A. Knopf
Available now

Butler Bookshelf

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For this week’s Butler Bookshelf, we’re celebrating cultures from all around the world! These books feature a wide variety of cultural traditions that bring people and families together, from Brazil to Korea to Iran. Our feature pick is A Festa for Luana, by Joana Pastro and illustrated Duda Oliva. Luana is excited to spend the summer visiting her grandparents in Brazil, and she arrives just in time for the Festa Junina — a monthlong festival of celebration. As she reckons with what it means to be Brazilian and American, Luana comes up with her own special ways to combine and celebrate the two cultures. Paired with Oliva’s vibrant soft pastel illustrations, A Festa for Luana captures the warm feeling of being at home within a family and a culture.

Check out more books about world cultures below!

Down on the Bayou
Glenda Armand
Illustrated by Alleanna Harris
Random House Children’s Books/Crown Books for Young Readers
Available now!

A Festa for Luana
Joana Pastro
Illustrated by Duda Oliva
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Picking Tea With Baba
Xu Bin
Translated by Shan Chen
Illustrated by Yu Yin
Charlesbridge
Available now!

Rose Weaves a Garden
Rashin Kheiriyeh
Random House Children’s Books/Anne Schwartz Books
Available now!

Shoes Off, Please
Helena Ku Rhee
Illustrated by Myo Yim
Random House Children’s Books/Random House Studio
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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For this week’s Butler Bookshelf, we’re taking a trip outside to explore the outdoors and observe the world around us. Whether you’re listening for bird calls, searching for a giant sea creature, or watching a murmuration of starlings, there is always something amazing to discover in nature. In this week’s feature, A Forest Song by Kisten Hall and illustrated by Evan Turk, readers take a journey through the forest, noticing and appreciating the world around them. Hall utilizes the words of other famous poets in this cento poem to inspire young kids to think deeply about their natural world and observe the beauty that surrounds them. Featuring lines from writers like Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Oliver, and Lucy Maud Montgomery, Hall’s poem beautifully illustrates the vast wonders of the forest. Turk’s stunning gouache illustrations pair perfectly with Hall’s poetry, using bright colors to bring the forest to life. With whimiscal poetry and immersive illustrations, A Forest Song will inspire readers to step outside and soak in the world around them.

Check out more books that showcase the outdoors below!

A Forest Song
Written by Kirsten Hall
Illustrated by Evan Turk
Published by Random House Children’s Books/Random House Studio
Available now

The Pony and the Starling
Written by Jennifer McGrath
Illustrated by Kristina Jones
Published by Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press
Available now

The Search for Carmella: What Mystery Lurks in the Deep?
Written and illustrated by Chloe Savage
Published by Candlewick Press
Available now

A Sky That Sings
Written by Anita Sanchez & George Steele
Illustrated by Emily Mendoza
Published by Lee & Low Books
Available now

Wave Warrior and the Reef Rescue
Written by James Sellick
Illustrated by Patrick Corrigan
Published by The Quarto Group/Ivy Kids
Available now

Butler Bookshelf

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For this week’s Butler Bookshelf, love is in the air! Whether on the streets of Paris or in the halls of the university, these teen romances are all about the feeling of finally finding that special someone. Our feature pick is Brielle and Bear: Volume 1 by Salomey Doku. At Once Upon a Time University, Brielle Da Rosa spends her days working in the campus bookstore and daydreaming. When she meets rugby team co-captain Bear, it seems like she may finally be living out her very own fairytale romance. As they get closer, Brielle discovers that there’s more to Bear than meets the eye, and that he’s keeping secrets from everyone, including her. With a wide cast of diverse and colorful characters, this graphic Beauty and the Beast retelling invites readers into a world of fantasy and romance, with a heaping helping of university drama sprinkled on top.

Check out more romances for teen readers below!

All Paths Lead to Paris
Sabrina Fedel
Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Romance
Available June 17th, 2025

Brielle and Bear: Volume 1
Salomey Doku
Random House Children’s Books/RH Graphic
Available now!

The Education of Kia Greer
Alanna Bennett
Random House Children’s Books/Alfred A. Knopf
Available now!

A First Time for Everything
K.L Walther
Sourcebooks/Sourcebooks Fire
Available now!

Solving for the Unknown
Loan Le
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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One of the best ways to learn about the experiences of other people is to read biographies. Whether they’re an athlete, scientist, musician, or poet, a person’s biography is sure to expose readers to different ways of life and help them build empathy for others. This week, the Butler Center has created a list of some of our favorite biographies for young readers published so far this year, like Edie for Equality: Edie Windsor Stands Up for Love written by Michael Genhart and illustrated by Cheryl Thuesday. This biography tells the story of Edie Windsor, a lesbian woman who helped pave the path for marriage equality for same-sex couples. Edie was born in 1929, and in 1963, Edie met the love of her life, Thea Spyer. Edie and Thea spent many decades together, eventually marrying in Canada in 2007, two years before Thea passed away from health complications. After Thea passed, the government tried to stop Edie from inheriting her property and money because it didn’t recognize their marriage as legal. With the help of her lawyer, Roberta “Robbie” Kaplan, Edie successfully sued the United States government. Her lawsuit was the first step in overturning the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, a law that was eventually completely voided in 2022 with the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act. Through Edie’s hard work, activism, and her love for Thea, important steps were made towards marriage equality for all people in the United States. Genhart expertly intertwines Edie’s personal story with LGTBQ+ history, which helps readers understand the world Edie was living in and how she eventually came to become an important LGBTQ+ activist. Paired with Thuesday’s vibrant and colorful mixed-media illustrations, Edie’s world comes to life to inspire readers to stand up for themselves and those they love. Genhart also includes extensive backmatter detailing the history of the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, the DOMA, and the United States Supreme Court. Both inspiring and informative, Edie for Equality is a great addition to any library collection.

Check out more inspiring biographies below!

Birdlore: The Iridescent Life of Florence Merriam Bailey
Written by Jess Keating
Illustrated by Devon Holzwarth
Published by Random House Children’s Books/Alfred A. Knopf
Available now!

Edie for Equality: Edie Windsor Stands Up for Love
Written by Michael Genhart
Illustrated by Cheryl Thuesday
Published by Lee & Low Books
Available now!

Harry Styles (Little People, Big Dreams)
Written by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Illustrated by Lizzie Knott
Published by The Quarto Group/Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Available now!

The Totally Awesome World of Caitlin Clark: Learn All There Is To Know About Your Favorite All-Star
Written by Sara Weiss
Published by The Quarto Group/becker&meyer!kids
Available now!

Woods & Words: The Story of Poet Mary Oliver
Written by Sara Holly Ackerman
Illustrated by Naoko Stoop
Published by Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Beach Lane Books
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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This week’s Butler Bookshelf is all about being transported to new worlds with fantastical characters and creatures. In Lily the Pond Mermaid by Lucy Fleming, young readers have a look inside Lily’s world as she takes care of her pond and all the creatures who live in it. Lily spends her days helping damselflies and dragonflies strengthen their wings, finding yummy algae for snails, taking care of the butterflies’ plants, and protecting tadpoles from the hot sun. Occaisionally, Lily has to protect her pond from strange metal objects and save her friends from harmful traps. Even though Lily loves her job, her worries keep her up at night. After a big storm, Lily knows it’s time to speak up and ask her friends for help caring for the pond. Once she and her friends work together, Lily understands the importance of asking for help when you most need it. Told in simple text and whimsical, full-color digital illustrations, Lucy Fleming brings attention to pollution and seeking help when you need it. Lily’s determination to care for her pond will inspire young readers to work in their own ways to protect their environments from threats like pollution. Readers will also see the importance of leaning on others and asking for help when life gets too overwhelming as Lily learns that she doesn’t have to work alone. This sweet story about community and care will be a perfect fantastical addition to any picture book collection.

Check out more fantasy books for all ages below!

The Dragon’s Apprentice
Written by James Riley
Published by Labyrinth Road
Available now!

Fateless
Written by Julie Kagawa
Published by Harper
Available July 15, 2025

Lily the Pond Mermaid
Written and illustrated by Lucy Fleming
Published by Candlewick Press
Available now!T

Tidemagic: Isla Flit and the Impossible Key
Written by Clare Harlow
Published by Alfred A. Knopf
Available now!

Wee Unicorn
Written and illustrated by Meg McLaren
Published by Charlesbridge
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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For this week’s Butler Bookshelf, we’re taking a look at some of the nonfiction for young adult readers in our collection. Some of these books have been adapted for young readers from nonfiction published for adults, while others are original works written with a young adult audience in mind – but all of them are well-suited for young adult readers who want to know more about the world around them. Our feature pick is Death in the Jungle: Murder, Betrayal, and the Lost Dream of Jonestown by 2025 Butler Lecturer Candance Fleming. In the book, Fleming provides an in-depth look at the life of Jim Jones, the rise and fall of his Peoples Temple, the tragedy that occurred in Jonestown. Using the lives of specific survivors and victims as a throughline, she balances the (often shocking and upsetting) details with immense empathy, continually pushing back against unsympathetic narratives of the “cultists” of the Peoples Temple. With a focus on humanity and understanding, Fleming brings the story of Jonestown to light in a way that is both informative and impactful.

Check out more nonfiction for young adult readers below!

Climate is Just the Start
Mikaela Loach
Random House Children’s Books/Bright Matter Books
Available now!

Death in the Jungle: Murder, Betray, and the Lost Dream of Jonestown
Candace Fleming
Random House Children’s Books/Anne Schwartz Books
Available now!

Eve (Adapted for Young Adults): How the Female Body Shaped Human Evolution
Cat Bohannon
Random House Children’s Books/Bright Matter Books 
Available now!

Hick: The Trailblazing Journalist Who Captured Eleanor Roosevelt’s Heart
Sarah Miller
Random House Children’s Books/Random House Studio
Available May 27th, 2025

An Immense World: How Animals Sense Earth’s Amazing Secrets (Young Reader’s Edition)
Ed Young
Adapted by Annmarie Anderson
Illustrated by Rebecca Mills
Random House Children’s Books/Bright Matter Books
Available now!