Welcome to the online presence of the Butler Children's Literature Center, housed within Dominican's School of Information Studies, Crown Library room 214. Here, we celebrate the best in books for youth and those who delight in sharing them. For Fall 2026, BCLC will offer collection access to the Dominican community and general public during posted open hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 9am-4pm, and by appointment with the Curator. Contact Jen Clemons at butler@dom.edu or jclemons@dom.edu to make arrangements.
The Blackwoods Brandy Colbert Harper Collins/Balzer+Bray Age 14+ October 3, 2023
The Blackwood family is Black Hollywood royalty, with an acting legacy spanning generations. When Blossom Blackwood, the family matriarch, passes away, the remaining three generations of her family must contend with the celebrity, jealousies, and pressure that comes from a lifetime of ambition and secrets. In the 1940s, Blossom dreams of being an entertainer, even if there weren’t many options available to a talented and ambitious young black woman in Hollywood. Years of hard work and sacrifice, fierceness and faith, brought her success. Blossom’s great-granddaughters, the beneficiaries of her struggle, handle her passing and her legacy in very different ways. Ardith is a successful young actress, close to Blossom through both faith and friendship, and struggles to process her loss and trust those around her to help. Hollis, the child (grandchild and great-grandchild) of famous faces, just wants to fly under the radar of her family’s stardom. The girls and their family struggle to reorient themselves when the revelation of a long-buried family secret challenges what they think of themselves and their relationships.
In this complex young adult drama, Colbert uses a dual timeline and three distinct narrators to explore how ambition, fame, and identity can impact how we trust others. Blossom is forced to make heartbreaking choices to pursue her goals—breaking off a relationship where she isn’t supported and leaving her young son with his grandmother for the chance to act off-Broadway. In her narrative, faith in herself and her family, and a desire to build a legacy, drive her ambition. In chapters focused on Ardith and Hollis, the teens struggle to live up to that legacy and do it in a media landscape that undermines their ability to trust new friends and old. Each contends with the problems of their time—discrimination, invasion of privacy, and living with the consequences of their choices—in an effort to control their own narrative. Colbert celebrates the power of perseverance and family in an emotional tribute to strong women everywhere.
Did you know that Gail Carson Levine’s inspiration for the Newbery Honor book Ella Enchanted was part love for the Cinderella story and part annoyance—“She’s so disgustingly good! And why does she take orders from her horrible stepmother and stepsisters?” (Levine). Well, we might not all be able to create award-winning alternatives to our favorite books, but we sure can find some amazing options for taking our own favorite stories in new directions.
Butler Youth Services Scholar Andreya Costello took inspiration from Julia Smith’s reader’s advisory book map from Booklist Online centering Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston. Starting the map with Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, a beloved book from her childhood, Costello attempted to connect it with more recent and diverse works written for a teen audience to take the story in new directions. Readers can follow the paths connecting each book by genre, theme, mood and more.
The Butler Youth Services Scholarship for Underrepresented Groups in the Field of Library and Information Science is awarded each year to a student seeking to earn an MLIS with a focus in children’s services for public or school libraries with the goal of increasing diversity in the profession. Preference will be given to graduates of a Dominican University undergraduate program who are from a background underrepresented in the field of library science. This competitive award considers merit, academic excellence, leadership qualities, and the desire and disposition to work with young people as part of the applicant selection process. The project above was created in association with the scholarship award. More information on the award and application process can be found HERE.
What a Desi Girl Wants Sabina Khan Scholastic July 18, 2023 Age 12+
Induced by curiosity, guilt, and a very persuasive Dadi, Mehar flies from her boring home in Kansas to her family’s nawabi palace in Agra, India, for her father’s lavish wedding festivities. In a South Asian and LGBTQ twist on What a Girl Wants (Warner Bros., 2003), which is itself an adaptation of the 1955 play The Reluctant Debutante by William Douglas-Home, Mehar attempts to reconnect with a distant father, undermine her social-climbing future step-mother and step-sister, and foster a blossoming relationship with her Dadi’s lovely and shy personal assistant, Sufiya. As she bonds with her father, gets to know Naz and Aleena (the future steps), and grows closer to Sufiya, her original motivations come into question and she discovers both stronger relationships and humility through the journey.
Complex family dynamics drive the plot of this emotionally charged YA dramady. Mehar doesn’t fully understand her parents’ relationship and the reasons they split. She makes assumptions about the way Naz and Aleena are using her father. And she underestimates the family obligations and social restrictions that drive Sufiya’s reluctance to out herself. Khan writes Mehar as confident and clueless in turn, ruled by her desires and goals in a way that conflicts with Indian cultural expectations. She is a flawed, yet likable protagonist that stands out against the less developed secondary characters. The juxtaposition of her t-shirts and jeans against the lavish palace, wedding finery, and luscious foods adds to the sense of her straddling cultures with varying degrees of success. As Mehar settles in and struggles less, she grows in maturity, owning up to her mistakes and mending fences to get what she really wants—connection.
TheQueens of New York E.L. Shen HarperCollins, Quill Tree Books June 23, 2023 Age 13+
Yours, mine, theirs—unrealistic expectations will get you every time. Jia is an aspiring manga artist with dreams bigger than running her parents’ Chinatown dumpling restaurant. Ariel is a genius, headed for a parent-approved STEM program and early admission to college, but all she really wants is closure after her sister’s death. Everett is bound for Broadway and determined to make it, even if it means fighting through the undisguised racism she sees in her theater program. Over one summer, the girls support each other through hard decisions and horrible situations no matter if they’re sitting together wrapping dumplings or separately traveling the world.
Shen sets teenage dreams and goals against the expectations of Asian American families, community, and culture in steamy, summertime Flushing, Queens. Weaving themes of racism, loss, guilt, and bravery through the narrative, she crafts a story of friends that will be there through it all, near or far. Each of the young women face a test of their ambition—Jia shows her parents she deserves to go to college, Ariel leaves for South Korea to find the answers her parents are keeping from her, Everett must stand up to the mockery and racism she sees in her theater world—and each knows she can lean on the others for strength to do what’s needed. Chapters alternate between the narration and story of each of the main characters, divided by text and email communications that showcase their extraordinary friendship. Thoughtfully written and deeply nuanced characters will have readers cheering for their satisfying wrap ups. An ode to growth and bravery, and the friends that make it all less scary.
Imogen, Obviously Becky Albertalli Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins Available May 2, 2023 Age 14+
During a Spring Break visit with her slightly distant best friend, introspective Imogen’s emersion in college life is complete—first proper party, first drink, first made up queer relationship. But Imogen is the best ally, and doesn’t hesitate to support Lili in any way she needs, even as a faux backstory. As she gets to know and like Lili’s friend group, especially cute and flirty Tessa, the lie weighs on her conscience as an appropriation. But maybe she’s comfortable in the role of bisexual because she’s more than just an ally?
In a very personal exploration of the “ways” to be queer, Becky Albertalli makes space for readers sure of their identity and those still figuring themselves out. Her author’s note shares her own “queer awakening,” that like Imogen’s, moves from very-straight-woman-allyship, to a slow connect the dots of experiences that helped her make sense of her feelings and her identity. The narrative centers Imogen’s experience and emotions as she reconnects with Lili, makes new friends, and loses old ones in her self-discovery. At the same time, a well-developed cast of secondary characters creates an ensemble cast feeling, their clever and fast-paced dialog bringing the college campus and relationships to life. Themes of friendship, gatekeeping, and identity are woven throughout the thoughtful and often sharply funny text that is as much coming out story as growing up story.
I Kick and I Fly Ruchira Gupta Scholastic April 18, 2023 Age 12+
Fourteen-year-old Heera’s life in Girls Bazaar is one of poverty, degradation, and eventual prostitution. But Heera knows she’s meant for something more than the struggles of the Nat caste she was born to. Fights at school and home lead her to safety, and kung fu, at a local hostel for at risk girls. Through king fu practice and competition, she builds skill and confidence that start a domino effect of changes in her life, her family, and her community.
Inspired by her experiences with an anti-trafficking NGO in India, Ruchira Gupta’s novel, the hostel, character ideas, and martial arts influence all spring from the community she serves. Gupta tells their inspiring story from Heera’s no nonsense point of view, making the brutal setting and secondary characters even more heartbreaking. Stark descriptions of Girls Bazaar, from the filth, to the substance abuse, to the organized crime, paint a harsh picture of Heera’s world. Her struggles with hunger, school, and family expectations to contribute focus her motivation and reveal her guilt about trying to break free. Innately independent, but committed to her family, Heera builds a confidence and self-worth through kung fu that push her through fear and doubt, and to succeed for all their benefit. Moments of triumph, like kung fu wins and rescuing a friend, help to balance darker themes of human trafficking, abuse, and deprivation, and keep the plot from veering too dismal.
What may feel like small steps—and kicks, and blocks, and punches—move Heera and her family toward independence in an empowering story of perseverance and self-worth.
Big Tree Brian Selznick Scholastic Press Ages 7 and up April 4, 2023
Louise and Merwin, two Sycamore seeds, have always assumed they would live with their Mama for a long time before setting down their roots. However, when the mysterious voice of the Old One whispers of impending danger to Louise, and strange incidents start happening in the forest, Louise and Merwin are thrust into an unknown world away from their Mama. Forced to explore the changing and dangerous world around them, the siblings face dinosaurs, meteors, and volcanoes to find a safe place to grow. When the voice of the Old One becomes louder to Louise, she realizes that they may have a higher purpose—to save the world.
Pros and illustrations make this a non-traditional children’s fiction book as it uses both as an integral part of the story; with pages switching from pros, illustrations, and to a combination of both. The black and white charcoal illustrations bring another layer to the story while giving a changing perspective shift from microscopic to galactic view of the world and its creatures. The illustrations are ordered to show the motion of objects, animals, and plants giving life to the story, especially when whole pages portray the walk of a dinosaur past the forest (Pgs. 70-81). Through great changes, Merwin and Louise must change their perspective to adapt to the world around them. Merwin becomes pragmatic and protective of Louise, who is being guided to safety by the Old One, and mostly leads them astray of the Old One’s plan. Louise basks in the new sensations of the world and delves more into trusting and listening to the world around them. Eventually, learning to trust in one another, they both listen to the Old One and prepare for the chance to save the world. In this adventure, Selznick gives a voice to the world by using the Old One as a wise and protective being that wishes to help all its children, while also teaching them that death is just one part of the Cycle of Life. Selznick includes backmatter on the original idea of this book, the science behind key characters, and an acknowledgment of all the scientists and specialists that have helped him research in preparation for this book. As Louise guides Merwin, Big Tree will guide readers to listen to the sound of the world and care for our fragile planet before it’s too late.
The Whispering Dark Kelly Andrew Scholastic Press October 18, 2022 Ages 14 and up
Being Deaf, Delaney Meyers-Petrov has always been seen as fragile, but when she gets accepted into the mysterious Godbole School, with its history of teaching students how to roam between worlds, she jumps on the chance to prove herself. Meeting Colton Price again at the school was not part of the plan. Colton Price’s life has orbited around one person ever since he woke up from death at her feet – Delaney’s. Forced together on campus, but forbidden from interacting, Colton struggles to keep away from her. They form an uneasy alliance to discover why students are dying gruesome deaths and brace themselves for an age-old enemy that has risen from the shadows of the school’s dark history.
Described by the publisher as a romantic fantasy, it reads more as a mystery thriller, with its strange murders and supernatural entities, with only subtle themes of romance. Andrew skillfully builds tension that makes readers need to find out the cause of the deaths and the secrets of the school to be appeased. The story could have been more effectively told in the first-person, by the alternating narrators, to provide in-depth understanding of each character. Its third-person narration waters down the emotion and hinders evolving character arcs. Delaney sees herself as fragile in the beginning and doesn’t tell friends or professors that she’s Deaf, which hurts her relationships and grades. Even in the end, she doesn’t tell people around her. Elements like the frequently changing narrators and elaborate language are disorienting and add to the mystery. The puzzling secrets of the school that only Colton seems to know but are hidden outside the grasp of the reader until the rushed resolution are an additional element of suspense. This perplexing story will make young adult/new adult readers ponder what they would come back to life as after a deathly experience: a better version of themselves or something possessed by evil.
What the Fact?: Finding the Truth in All the Noise Dr. Seema Yasmin Simon & Schuster for Young Readers September 20, 2022 Ages 12 and up
In What the Fact?, Dr. Seema Yasmin reveals how people interact with trillions of bytes of data every second and, depending on if it’s fact or fiction, can spark a viral information outbreak leading to fear or hatred. By using a virus as a metaphor for the spread of false information, Yasmin states why people fall for false information and biases, how news sources have changed over decades, and how social media has become the biggest influence on minds, both young and old. From beginning to end, Yasmin encourages readers to be freethinkers and be suspicious of information received from social media, social circles, or any supposedly credible source.
Throughout the book, the author uses a humorous but down-to-earth tone that encourages readers to keep reading and provides small sidebars that give brain breaks between the chunks of information. Using graphs, pictures, and historical references all backed up by a thorough list of sources in the appendix, the novel is helpfully organized by topic, such as COVID-19, historical events, and governmental issues. Yasmin’s vast experience in fact-based fields—she attended medical school at Cambridge University, worked as a disease detective for the US government and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize—has her well-versed in sorting through the noise for the facts beneath. Technical terminology is explained in a way that educates readers on how it is being used and defined, making it easy to follow along. Yasmin, very early in the book, states that this book is just a magnifying glass into how beliefs, thoughts, ideas, actions, etc. are influenced by approximately “1,099,511,627,776,000” (pg. 2) bytes processed and stored in the brain and that this is not a book that is going to tell readers how to think. This information-rich book describes the exhaustion and confusion of being aware of all information, yet bolsters all types of readers to gain skills in critical thinking, media, and digital literacy so they can thoughtfully navigate the information-rich world we live in.
The Feeling of Falling in Love Mason Deever Scholastic/Push August 2, 2022
When his perfect friends with benefits situation is complicated by feelings—yikes—Neil panics. But instead of talking things out, he determines the best way to help Josh get over him is to fake a new relationship with the roommate he barely tolerates. A conscientious student and budding musician, Wyatt agrees to the plan in exchange for a potential audition with Neil’s music exec brother. But a family wedding in Beverly Hills is a long way, in every way, from their North Carolina boarding school. And if Neil thinks he’s a complicated mess, introducing sweet, sensitive Wyatt to his mother’s performative allyship and his grandparents’ transphobia only adds to it. As fake feelings turn real, Neil realizes he deserves better than he’s had and that Wyatt deserves better too. So it’s time to be better. Though not an especially sympathetic character, Deaver draws Neil as a messy and emotional jerk who is ultimately capable of change. Tenderly awkward Wyatt is an adorable foil and rounds out Neil’s found family of LGBTQ friends and support. This train wreck turned love story is full of snarky humor, complex friendships, and just the right amount of angsty YA romance.
Love from Scratch
Love from Scratch Kaitlyn Hill Penguin Random House/Delacorte April 5, 2022
Landing a coveted summer marketing internship with the foodie channel Friends of Flavor is a dream come true for super-fan Reese Camden. The Seattle media company is worlds away from her Kentucky home and the social media trolling nightmare that was her high school years. Thrown into a video with fellow intern and charming cooking wiz, Benny Beneventi, turns her summer upside down. Her safely behind-the-scenes job is suddenly not so hidden when their video is a viral sensation and becomes a regular feature on the channel. And friendly competition turns serious when the two are pitted against each other for the chance to stay on with the company come fall. What’s more important, her career goals or her potential romance? Hill throws plenty of obstacles in Reese’s way (internet trolls, sleazy executives, and LOTS of self-doubt), balanced by supportive friends and goofy, but loveable Benny. Reese’s work ethic, perseverance, and her desire to make a difference for the channel, keep things from getting too saccharine. A perfect sweet and salty combo!
My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding
My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding Sajni Patel Abrams/Amulet April 19, 2022
Music college dreams hit family responsibility reality for hip hop violin phenom, Zuri Damani. Her college hopes seem dashed for good by a rejection letter from Juilliard, but a local competition offers a second chance if only she can fit it into a week packed with wedding prep, wedding photography, and LOTS of wedding parties. And hide it all from her very traditional, law-school-plotting parents. When her biggest competition turns out to be the heartthrob cousin of her future brother-in-law, Zuri turns challenge into inspiration. Support from a big, sneaky group of cousins and a growing rivalry/friendship with Naveen (the heartthrob) push her to get creative to follow her dreams and be there for her family. Well drawn primary characters, exhibiting all the insecurities, bravado, and creativity of teenagers, are balanced by very involved, if sometimes domineering adult family members. Full of vibrant colors, music, and smells that drift tantalizingly off the page, Patel pulls the reader right into the party and all the chaos you’d imagine from an 8-day wedding extravaganza.
Nothing Burns as Bright as You
Nothing Burns as Bright as You Ashley Woodfolk Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Versify April 5, 2022
This stark and beautiful novel in verse follows two unnamed queer black girls in a dual-timeline look at how they came together and how they burned it all down in the end. As their relationship moves beyond just friendship, their unhealthy and unbalanced dynamic begins to wear them both down. The neediness and desperation of the narrator and episodes of aloofness from a love interest only referred to as “You” foreshadow the moment one draws the other over the edge of self-destruction. The girls start a fire in a school dumpster, leading to the eventual destruction of their relationship. Woodfolk uses fire imagery throughout the novel, evoking volatile emotions, incredible passion, and actual acts of arson. Verses often flash back to their very different childhoods and follow a winding path exploring struggles with adultification, neglect, and the need to be seen. Spare language and many quick, yet powerful verses create a quick read that packs a powerful punch.
Rivals
Rivals: American Royals III Katherine McGee Random House May 31, 2022
In an alternate reality America, a royal family—the Washingtons—rules the country and they provide all the drama and romance one might expect of young royals. Newly crowned Queen Beatrice is learning how to rule while navigating a relationship with a disgruntled fiancé, who will always come in second place to her job. After years of being the Party Princess, Samantha has finally fallen in love with a future Duke, but with her relationship under a microscope, she might just be ready to run away from her royal duties for good. Prince Jefferson, the family heartthrob, has his pick of girls: Daphne, his on again off again girlfriend; Nina, his friend, turned lover; and Gabriella, a ruthless noble bent on becoming a princess. Three intertwined storylines follow the siblings as they deal with life, love, and friendship in the royal spotlight. McGee weaves themes of love and angst, with grief, guilt, and glamor to create an emotional connection to characters that might otherwise seem far removed from us commoners. This third installment in the series builds on their glittering world and complicated relationships, and ends on the perfect cliffhanger to leave royal-watchers on the lookout for volume four (coming 2023).
