Butler Bookshelf

June 17, 2026 by bclyp

Part of our nonfiction collection highlights extraordinary people that made their mark on the world. This week we at the Butler Center are highlighting the books that spotlight extraordinary black people who created an impact that made the world a better place, in celebration of Juneteenth. Our feature pick is A Doctor at Heart: The Story of Groundbreaking Scientist and Teacher Vivien Thomas by Joan Schoettler and illustrated by Steffi Walthall. In spite of poverty and racial injustice, scientist and professor Vivien Thomas revolutionized the field of heart surgery and paved the way for other aspiring medical professionals to follow.

A Doctor at Heart: The Story of Groundbreaking Scientist and Teacher Vivien Thomas
Joan Schoettler
Steffi Walthall
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Beach Lane Books
Available now!

Outspoken: Paul Robeson Ahead of His Time: A One-Man Show
Carole Boston Weatherford
Eric Velasquez
Candlewick Press
Available now!

Fighting with Love: The Legacy of John Lewis
Lesa Cline-Ransome
James E. Ransome
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Beach Lane Books/A Paula Wiseman Book
Available now!

Black Lives Great Minds of Science
Tonya Bolden
David Wilkerson
ABRAMS/Abrams Fanfare
Available on September 9, 2026!

Little People, BIG DREAMS: Oprah Winfrey
Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Sera Latterell
The Quarto Group/Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

June 9, 2026 by bclyp

Pride month is here again, and what better way to celebrate than to peruse some LGBTQ-related literature! This week on Butler’s Bookshelf we’re featuring LGBTQ YA novels from our Teen Fiction collection! Our featured pick is Sweet Clarity by Rhiannon Richardson. When Clarity Jones returns home from summer camp, she vows to hide her sexuality from a world that might not accept her to please her parents and not lose any more friends, but when her relationship with Hannah Fitzpatrick, who Clarity had her first kiss with at the summer camp, is threatened, Clarity must come to terms with who she’s pretending to be vs. who she really is deep inside.

Check out more YA LGBTQ Romance below!

Sweet Clarity
Rhiannon Richardson
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Charmed and Dangerous
Shelly Page
Random House Children’s Books/Joy Revolution
Available now!

Marisol Acts the Part
Elle Gonzalez Rose
Random House Children’s Books/Joy Revolution
Available now!

Love Makes Mochi
Stefany Valentine
Random House Children’s Books/Joy Revolution
Available now!

I Can’t Even Think Straight
Dean Atta
HarperCollins Publishers/Quill Tree Books
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

October 1, 2024 by bclyp

Diverse stories are an important part of literature for all ages, especially for kids. October is Global Diversity Month, so this week’s Butler Bookshelf highlights some fiction and nonfiction books from authors around the world. One of these books is Look! Look! written by Uma Krishnaswami and illustrated by Uma Krishnaswamy. Krishnaswami tells the story of a young Indian girl discovers a slab of stone in the weeds, and she calls her friends to come and take a look. They work together to clean the weeds, garbage, and other stones up. Soon, more and more people from their village and other villages nearby help them uncover an old step well. Once the well is cleaned up, rain fills the well, and the previously dry and dusty land comes back to life as plants begin growing again and the animals return. Accompanied by colorful, geometric illustrations done in acrylic, poster color, and water color by Uma Krishnaswamy, Look! Look! is a delightlful story that educates readers on ancient Indian step wells and shows how they can potentially be a solution for handling floods and providing water in India.

Check out more books from diverse authors below!

Hooray for She, He, Ze and They!: What Are Your Pronouns Today?
Written by Lindz Amer
Illustrated by Kip Alizadeh
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Available now

Look! Look!
Written by Uma Krishnaswami
Illustrated by Uma Krishnaswamy
Published by House of Anansi Press
Available now

My Olive Tree
Written and illustrated by Hazar Elbayya
Published by Anne Schwartz Books
Available now

Old Wounds
Written by Logan-Ashley Kisner
Published by Delacorte Press
Available now

Tala Learns to Siva
Written by Kealani Netane
Illustrated by Dung Ho
Published by Orchard Books
Available now

Empathy in Action: A Review of Our World is a Family: Our Community Can Change the World

March 3, 2022 by bclyp

Our World is a Family: Our Community Can Change the World
Miry Whitehall and Jennifer Jackson
Illustrated by Nomar Perez
March 8, 2022
Sourcebooks Explore
Ages 3+

We know that young children have lots of questions. Our World is a Family is a simple and sweet explanation of immigration for the youngest and most curious among us. Where might the new people in our neighborhood come from? Why and how do they leave their homes for new ones? Whitehall and Jackson gently explore these questions, and perhaps more importantly, the complex emotions involved in their answers. Vignettes of everyday activities provide examples of before and after homes, and how we can all make a community feel like a more inclusive and welcoming new home. Mini language lessons spread throughout the text provide examples of our similarities and differences. We all say “hello” and here is how—hello, ni hao, jambo, bonjour. And while a language note for each might have been helpful, the bright and joyful spreads are a delight. Superimposed over a map of the world, the diverse cast of children and adults is introduced as a vibrant and varied rainbow of humanity. Perez utilizes a combination of simplistic figures over a more structured and well-drafted backdrop, a juxtaposition that adds softness and humanity to the characters. An author’s note directs adult readers to a resource site to support honest and age-appropriate conversations about migrants and refugees.

A simple explanation for the universal truth that no matter where we come from, we all want to feel welcome where we are.

Pass or Play?: A Review of The Passing Playbook

May 20, 2021 by bclyp

The Passing Playbook
Isaac Fitzsimons
Dial Books, Penguin Random House
June 1, 2021
Ages 12 and up

After transitioning at his old school leads to threats, Spencer Harris gets a second chance at a progressive, private (read: expensive) school. Thinking things will be easier if he can just pass; he plans to keep his head down and make his family’s sacrifice worth it. But when his teenage temper flares, an errant kickball to the head of the soccer team captain gets the attention of the head soccer coach. Spencer gets recruited for the team and develops a relationship with rival, turned boyfriend, Justice Cortes. All his under-the-radar plans may be for naught, when paperwork reveals the F (for female) on Spencer’s birth certificate. Sharing his identity risks his status on the team, his budding romance, and possibly his safety. But maybe being true to himself, and standing up for other trans kids in the process, is worth the risk.

This #OWNVOICES title by debut author (and soccer fan) Isaac Fitzsimons is a fun and complex illustration of a biracial, queer, trans boy who is also a soccer star, fantastic big brother, and irrational teenager (not always in that order). And an exploration of how he balances those identities with the consequences of not being himself. Spencer knows he’s “had it pretty easy, all things considered” with supportive family and friends who try, despite not always getting it right (265*). His support system stands in grave contrast to Justice’s ultra-religious and homophobic family. Secondary characters like sweet, but closeted Justice; snarky, but supportive best friend Arden; and tough, but tender Coach Schilling add balance and complexity to the cast and layers to the plot. But Fitzsimons truly let’s Spencer shine—as a soccer star, queer advocate, and thriving teenager.

*Quote from ARC.

Faults and Aftershocks: A Review of Odessa

August 13, 2020 by mariaveronica

Odessa
Written and illustrated by Jonathan Hill
Published by Oni Press
Available November 10, 2020
Ages 13+

Eight years ago, Vietnamese-American Ginny Crane’s earth shattered—and not just because an earthquake ripped the West Coast apart, tearing apart the land and communities. No, Ginny’s world was shaken when her mother left her family, taking off without a word. In the years that followed, Ginny and her dad took care of her two kid brothers, acclimating to a new way of life. Now, on her eighteenth birthday, Ginny receives a package from her mother, Odessa. Ginny knows this is her chance to find her mother. Ginny takes off in the middle of the night, leaving her family behind. Her brothers, Harry and Wes, however, tag along on her journey; they miss their mother, too. As the trio bushwhack their way through a post-apocalyptic America, they struggle with who they can and cannot trust. They encounter rival gangs—all bent on keeping their territory intact—and join forces with an enigmatic man called Four Dollars. Jonathan Hill’s images in Odessa are salmon-saturated and filled with exquisite detail. The landscape is decimated, and the population is weary. Hill’s drawings capture the fatigue and manic energy that is integral to their survival. The Crane family is full of love and secrets: the mysterious Four Dollars is actually the siblings’ long-lost Uncle Hank. Uncle Hank, in turn, is deeply connected to the warring factions that plague the Crane’s journey. As family mysteries are unearthed, the Cranes encounter violence and death. Hill ends the story with a new beginning: the remaining Cranes must set forth into Middle America to find the truth. This new #OwnVoices graphic novel from Oni Press is a taut and exciting exploration of perseverance, truth, and unbreakable bonds.

Butler Bookshelf

July 21, 2020 by bclyp

This week on the Butler Bookshelf, we’re eager to read a picture book on the Queen of Soul herself–Aretha Franklin! Author Katheryn Russell-Brown and illustrator Laura Freeman take readers on a journey back to Aretha Franklin’s childhood and her rise to legendary status in A Voice Named Aretha. For more great reads, check out the list Below!

Arlo Finch in the Kingdom of Shadows
Written by John August
Published by Roaring Brook Press
Available now!

Machines in Motion: The Amazing History of Transportation
Written by Tom Jackson
Published by Bloomsbury
Available now!

Hop Little Bunnies
Written by Martha Mumford and illustrated by Laura Hughes
Published by Bloomsbury
Available now!

A Voice Named Aretha
Written by Katheryn Russell-Brown and illustrated by Laura Freeman
Published by Bloomsbury
Available now!

A Beginner’s Projects in Coding
Written by Marc Scott and illustrated by Mick Marston
Published by Bloomsbury
Available now!

A Way with Wild Things
Written by Larissa Theule and illustrated by Sara Palacios
Published by Bloomsbury
Available now!

Sharing Languages and Stories: A Review of The Day Saida Arrived

June 18, 2020 by mariaveronica

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The Day Saida Arrived
Written by Susana Gómez Redondo, illustrated by Sonja Wimmer, and translated from Spanish into English by Lawrence Schimel
Published by Blue Dot Kids Press
Available Sept 15, 2020
Ages 3-7

When Saida arrives, she does not speak any English. In fact, she does not speak at all. Sad and silent, the young narrator wants to find words that will help Saida alleviate her sadness. She cannot find them anywhere. So instead, she draws a welcome; in return, Saida draws a smile. The young narrator continues to search and search for Saida’s words, and she learns that Saida is from Morocco. Her mother shows her on a globe. Her father explains that Saida’s words and language are different; she speaks Arabic. The next day, she and Saida write to each other in their native languages. They touch objects in their classroom and write their own version of the name on the blackboard. They work on their “B” sounds and rolling their “Rs” and differentiating between “E” and “I.” They laugh and giggle through their mistakes. As the two friends share their languages, their snacks, and their stories, they plan for when they will travel to Morocco together.

Susana Gómez Redondo spins a beautiful tale. The words curl and warm themselves around the two young strangers and glow as their bond develops. Repetition of the phrase, “The day Saida arrived,” gives the story a timeless quality that is rooted only in the pair’s friendship. The artwork by Sonja Wimmer is exquisite and vivid. Drenched in emotion, Wimmer conjures up the emotions felt by Saida when she is unable to express herself. The illustrations are fantastical: the friends climb onto a hippopotamus, walk a clothesline as a high wire, and sail away on a hot air balloon. Words in English and Arabic dance around the pages. Some Arabic letters sprout wings and fly. The illustrations create a magical and otherworldly exploration of the friends’ journey to understanding one another. The picture book’s backmatter contains a chart of both the Arabic and English alphabet.

Butler Bookshelf

June 16, 2020 by bclyp

This week on the Butler Bookshelf, we meet Jabari! Jabari is so, so ready to jump off the diving board. He’s done everything he is supposed to: finished swimming lesson, passed the swim test, plus he is an excellent jumper! Despite this, he is still nervous. With his father’s encouragement, Jabari takes on his fear. Written by Gaia Cornwall and translated into Spanish by Georgina Lázaro, Jabari Salta is a sweet picture book that is perfect for Father’s Day. For more great reads, check out the list below!

BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself To Freedom
Written by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Michele Wood
Published by Candlewick
Available now!

Jabari Salta (Spanish edition)
Written and illustrated by Gaia Cornwall, translated by Georgina Lázaro
Published by Candlewick
Available now!

Madame Badobedah
Written by Sophie Dahl and illustrated by Lauren O’Hara
Published by Walker Books
Available now!

Don’t Worry Little Crab
Written and illustrated by Chris Haughton
Published by Candlewick
Available now!

Cats in the Crater: My FANGtastically Evil Vampire Pet
Written by Mo O’Hara and illustrated by Marek Jagucki
Published by Feiwel & Friends
Available now!

Big Ideas For Young Thinkers: 20 questions about life and the universe
Written by Jamia Wilson and illustrated by Andrea Pippins
Published by Wide Eyed Editions
Available now!

Resources to Help Combat Racism

June 1, 2020 by bclyp

Here at the Butler Center, instead of our regular Butler Bookshelf, we are turning our attention to lifting up resources to help combat racism. As a Sinsinawa Dominican-sponsored institution, Dominican University prepares students to pursue truth, to give compassionate service, and to participate in the creation of a more just and humane world. The Butler Children’s Literature Center carries out its own mission as a reflection of that inspiration.

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