Category Archives: 3-4

Butler Bookshelf

by

0

The first day of school is just around the corner, but the adventurous summer fun never ends here at the Butler Center. This week we’re featuring middle-grade adventure novels from our Children’s Fiction collection! Our feature pick of the week is Wilderness Hacks by Joslin Brorsen. Twelve-year-old Sadie Hahn didn’t picture herself on a raft with world famous YouTube star Radley “Rad” Shaw after winning a contest, but she’ll do anything to cheer her younger brother and Rad Shaw superfan, Silas, who was too young to compete. Rad, on the other hand, has millions of online followers but no real-life friends, and to make matters worse, he doesn’t give Sadie a good first impression. Things quickly devolve into disaster when their scripted rafting adventure goes off script, leaving both tweens to need to put aside their differences to survive in the wild.

Check out this and other adventurous titles here!

Wilderness Hacks
Joslin Brorsen
Alfred A. Knopf/Random House Children’s Books
Available now!

The Misfits: A Sea Monster Conundrum (The Misfits Book: 3)
Lisa Yee
Illustrated by Dan Santat
Random House Books for Young Readers/Random House Children’s Books
Available now!

Anna-Jane and the Endless Summer
Paige Classey
Random House Books for Young Readers/Random House Children’s Books
Available now!

RV There Yet?
Suzanne Nelson
Alfred A. Knopf/Random House Children’s Books
Available now!

Alex Wise Vs. The Gods of the Apocalypse (Alex Wise Book: 3)
Terry J. Benton-Walker
Labyrinth Road/Random House Children’s Books
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

by

When a story is silly and gets readers laughing, it makes reading more enjoyable. Every reader needs some silliness every now and then, and the picture books in this week’s Butler Bookshelf are filled with animals at their silliest. This week’s feature pick is Incredibly Fast and Not at All Fun written and illustrated by Tadgh Bentley. All Bear wants is to get to his honeybees fast without walking through the hustle and bustle of the woods, so he invents the Honey Runner, which is very steep, very fast, and not the most comfortable way to get to his bees. However, his invention soon draws attention from the other woodland creatures, much to Bear’s confusion, and the more Bear tries to keep the critters away, the more chaos that ensues.

Check out this book and more below!

Incredibly Fast and Not At All Fun
Tadgh Bentley
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Atheneum
Available now!

Farm Shark
Bill Canterbury
Illustrated by Maddie Frost
Random House Children’s Books/Doubleday Books for Young Readers
Available now!

When Brian Met Terry
Russell Kane
Illustrated by Erica Salcedo
The Quarto Group/words & pictures
Available now!

Cats in Conductor Hats
Sudipta Bardham-Quallen
Illustrated by Leeza Hernandez
Random House Children’s Books/Random House Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Bearsuit Turtle Plays a Game
Bob Shea
ABRAMS/Abrams Books for Young Readers
Available now!

The World Around Us: A review of Maptacular!

by

Maptacular!
Laura Baker
Illustrated by Jorge De La Paz
Lonely Planet Kids
November 10, 2026
Age 8-12

Most maps divide the world by country borders, but what if it were split by favorite ice cream flavors, tallest trees, or global distribution of video gamers? Prolific children’s nonfiction author, Laura Baker, along with travel guide powerhouse Lonely Planet, offers middle grade readers this fascinating, infographic-like twist on cartography. Maptacular! features 70+ maps with chapters focused on countries, people, nature, transportation, history, and technology, then subdivided further into 2-page spreads exploring a single topic or question, such as “Do You Need a (School) Uniform?” or “Marco Polo’s Voyage.” The amount of easily digestible text varies from spread to spread, but most include a helpful key for understanding the map and fun facts associated with the topic, like that Australia is home to 28 million people and 40 million kangaroos (p24). Without a strong narrative structure, the title allows for consuming intriguing details at a reader’s own pace, either moving slowly through the ideas and images, or dipping in and out like a reference text, while wildly varied topics nurture curiosity about both the earth and the global community. Baker introduces deeper topics for consideration in age-appropriate ways, like that maps are organized the way they are (with Europe in the center) because they were developed by European explorers, gently encouraging readers to look at other things from a new perspective. De La Paz uses graphic design-inspired digital images in a candy-colored palette to clearly express the facts of each topic. Clean image overlays help simplify complex ideas, like the way Mercator Projection maps stretch out the land at the top/bottom of the globe. The inclusion of several wayfinding aids, an about section (explaining the parts of each spread), a world map, glossary, and resource list support both new nonfiction readers and those looking to dig deeper into a topic.

A vivid, info-packed guide for geography buffs and fun fact collectors alike.

Butler Bookshelf

by

Here at the Butler Center, our nonfiction collection features books about people who changed the world in their own ways. The women featured in these nonfiction titles made their mark whether it’s through their words, their artwork, or their dancing. This week’s feature pick is Remember Her Name!: Debbie Allen’s Rise to Fame written by Tami Charles and illustrated by Meredith Lucius. This picture book highlights the early life of world-renowned dancer, choreographer, and actress Debbie Allen. Charles lyrically tells the story of how Allen found acceptance taking dance classes in Mexico City and bringing her talent back to her old home in Houston, TX, where black girls weren’t allowed in prestigious dance schools because of racism and Jim Crow laws.

Remember Her Name!: Debbie Allen’s Rise to Fame
Tami Charles
Illustrated by: Meredith Lucius
Charlesbridge
Available now!

Beatrix and Her Friends: Celebrating the Life of Beatrix Potter
Anne Lambelet
Peachtree Publishing Co/Margaret Quinlin Books
Available now!

Footeprint: Eunice Newton Foote at the Dawn of Climate Science and Women’s Rights
Lindsay H Metcalf
Charlesbridge/Charlesbridge Teen
Available now!

Mary Oliver, Holding on to Wonder
Erin Frankel
Illustrated by Jasu Hu
Astra Books for Young Readers/Calkins Creek
Available now!

Marie’s Magic Eggs: How Marie Procai Kept the Ukrainian Art of Pysanky Alive
Sandra Neil Wallace
Illustrated by Evan Turk
Astra Books for Young Readers/Calkins Creek
Available now!

Searching for Security: A Review of Comet’s Nine Lives

by

Comet’s Nine Lives
Jan Brett
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, an Imprint of Penguin Random House
Ages 4-8
Available: October 6, 2026

 

When his first life slips away from him after eating some foxgloves, Comet the cat needs to find a home to keep his other eight lives intact. As his efforts turn into one misadventure after another, losing more lives in the process, Comet’s goal of finding a suitable shelter seemed further than ever. However, the safety he sought may be closer than he first thought. 

Jan Brett’s signature intricate and realistic art style shines once again in her latest picture book. Her trademark serene and cool watercolor illustrations and borders, which include seashells, sea creatures, seaweed, and wooden planks, capture the coastal ambiance of the story’s island setting. The watercolor paint isn’t super vibrant, but it is smooth and calm. Comet’s antics portrayed in the pictures spark exciting action despite the lack of bright colors. Brett’s prose doesn’t talk down to her audience. She uses sophisticated language in some areas, especially when a dog character feels outraged or frightened of Comet’s unwelcome presence. For instance, in one scene where a health inspector comes to an ice cream parlor and sees Comet, he proclaims, “Feline residues! Maximum infractions!” As Comet loses each life, Brett’s wording makes apt descriptions that match the situation presented in the illustrations. Overall, Comet’s Nine Lives is an exquisite read sure to charm both parents and young readers alike. Jan Brett fans would be proud to include this book in their collections. 

Butler Bookshelf

by

For this week’s Butler Bookshelf, we’re looking at picture books featuring fathers. These stories showcase how to express love for parents, father figures in this case, in a multitude of ways and how they care for their children in many ways, too. Our feature pick is Baba Palooza by A.D. Ghani and illustrated by Nadia Alam. Whenever Aziah rides her Baba’s taxi, she feels like a movie star. Since Baba works long hours, Aziah and her father make every second count. When Baba has to miss Aziah’s dance recital due to work, Aziah wants to give her father a surprise he’ll never forget.

Check out more picture books featuring fathers (and grandfathers) below!

Baba Palooza
A.D. Ghani
Illustrated by Nadia Alam
ABRAMS/Abrams Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Ways Papi Says I Love You
Delia Ruiz
Illustrated by: Carlos Vélez Aguilera
Charlesbridge
Available now!

Grumpy Monkey Father’s Day Fuss
Suzanne Lang
Illustrated by: Max Lang
Random House Children’s Books/Random House Studio
Available now!

Sunrise Sail
Charles Trevino
Illustrated by: Maribel Lechuga
Charlesbridge
Available now!

One Two Daddy Loves You
Shelly Becker
Illustrated by: Dan Yaccarino
ABRAMS/Abrams Appleseed
Available now!

Version 2.0: A review of The Continuation of Summer Dillon

by

The Continuation of Summer Dillon
Sarah Everett
HarperCollins Children’s
September 15, 2026
Age 8-12

What would you think of a replica android replacing your sibling? What if you were the replica? That’s how Summer 2.0 came to join the grieving Dillon family after their 11-year-old daughter’s passing. With downloads of Summer’s memories and mannerisms, she is not meant to replace, but to continue Summer’s life. That is, until a glitch in her code has Summer 2.0 developing her own likes (the color turquoise), dislikes (oatmeal-yuck), fears (being recycled), and a “forever plan” with dreams for her future—gaining her family’s love, becoming the perfect Summer, growing old, and visiting the Grand Canyon.

This middle grade, science fiction novel is an exploration of what makes us “us,” what makes us human. Sarah Everett’s characters embody all the joys and heartbreaks of life (for both humans and androids), with themes of grief, love, friendship, and individuality. She handles tough subjects delicately and with an 11-year-old’s worry about their place in the worlds of school and family. Fast prose, brief paragraphs, and journal-like footnotes addressed to Summer 1.0 and future Summers embody the voice of a vibrant, yet unsure young girl, with just a touch of AI omniscience. This juxtaposition poses questions about the ethics of artificial intelligence in an age-appropriate way and mirrors the changes tweens experience as they grow from childhood wants to the more complex understanding that comes with growing up. A bittersweet coming of age story to remind readers that we are all unique, we all have value, and we are all irreplaceable.

It’s Better to Give: A Review of Just One Gift

by

Just One Gift
Linda Sue Park
Illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng
HarperCollins/Clarion Books
April 7, 2026
Age: 8-12

The language arts assignment is deceptively simple: If you could give a gift, what would it be? The recipient must fall into the assigned category (family, friend, or ?), and the gift must not be something they have ever asked for. When Ms. Chang’s middle school ELA class begins to think through their assignment, they discover that the thought put into a gift can reveal as much about the giver as the receiver. And that their gifts highlight emotions, priorities, and community in ways that may never have been imagined.

Inspired by the Sijo poetry style of Korea, composed of three lines and thirteen to seventeen syllables, each response is its own short story of connection and meaning. In this companion to The One Thing You’d Save, Park’s choice to arrange the title into an assignment explanation, followed by individual student responses, provides natural pauses between chapters to digest the consideration that went into each gift. It also helps to delineate between student voices and highlight the self-consciousness, enthusiasm, and growing thoughtfulness of the middle school years. The simple pencil sketches from the book cover and select interior pages (available online) showcase Sae-Heng’s clear and imaginative style, bringing the students’ vision to the page like one might doodle in their assignment notebook.

A thoughtful exploration of the meaning, importance, and joys of gift giving for middle schoolers beginning to understand the ways their actions—big and small—can affect the world around them.

*Final art not included in the ARC.

Estrellas: A Review of Wanda Hears the Stars

by

Wanda Hears the Stars: A Blind Astronomer Listens to the Universe
By Amy S. Hansen with Wanda Daíz Merced
Illustrated by Rocío Arreola Mendoza
Charlesbridge
August 19, 2025
Ages 6-9

Once Wanda found the stars, they’re all she ever wanted. Despite childhood diabetes and antipathy toward school, curious and strong-willed Wanda set her sights on college to study astronomy. But when diabetes took her sight, she needed coping mechanisms and creative thinking to continue pursuing her goals. With the aid of recorded radio waves—sonification—Wanda was able to “hear a path to the sky” and continue to explore the stars in new and exciting ways.

In this picture book biography, Amy Hansen follows the story of her friend, colleague, and co-author Wanda Daíz Merced from a childhood in Puerto Rico to a career researching and teaching around the world. The thoughtful text focuses on Daíz Merced’s determination and her doubts, allowing readers to see her vulnerability and witness her triumph in overcoming obstacles like wayfinding in a new place or proving her methods to the scientific community. Spanish quotations, vocabulary, and translations are cleverly woven through the text, especially during scenes set in Puerto Rico, bringing her heritage to vivid life. The lush digital illustrations, in a saturated, blue-dominated color scheme, feature a fluid combination of diverse people and sound-images with cosmic flourishes to complement the astral theme and role of sound in her life. A combination of small vignettes and double-page spreads lets the reader into both intimate moments and large-scale events in her life. Robust backmatter includes a glossary and Spanish translations, author and scientific notes, and extensive lists of sources and resources. As an advocate for STEM education and disability inclusion, Wanda Daíz Merced serves as a champion for diversity in the sciences, while her adaptability and perseverance make her a powerful role model for everyone.

Dare To Follow Your Joy: A Review of The Queen Bees of Tybee County 

by

The Queen Bees of Tybee County 
Written by Kyle Casey Chu 
Published by Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins Publishers 
Ages 8-13 
Available April 15, 2025 

Talented middle school point guard Derrick Chan has the perfect summer plan: go to basketball camp and practice every day so he and his best friend, JJ, can make the varsity team next year. His plan is upended when his dad can’t afford the tuition, so instead, Derrick is sent to his grandma Claudia’s in boring Heritage, GA. There, Derrick befriends roller skater Ro and queer photographer Giles. When he has an opportunity to help out with the town pageant, Derrick volunteers out of curiosity and is soon faced with an opportunity to be daring and authentically express himself to the world.  

The Queen Bees of Tybee County is an emotional and heartwarming story of one middle school boy’s journey to self-discovery. Every reader will be able to understand Derrick’s confusion and anxiety, and they’ll find comfort in the safe space that his loved ones give him to be himself. Simultaneously, Chu expertly makes Derrick’s experience specific to his queer Chinese American identity. He demonstrates the diversity of expression in the LGBTQ+ community by showing the different ways Derrick and Giles express their queerness, as well as the ways that racism has affected Derrick’s family members chasing their own dreams. All told from Derrick’s perspective, his sweet and genuine personality makes the story compelling. Community is the heart of this novel, and Chu creates a comfortable safe space in Giles, Ro, and Claudia for Derrick to explore his feelings before feeling safe to come out to JJ and his dad. Although the resolution is fairytale-esque, Chu doesn’t shy away from the reality of being queer and Chinese American by showing resistance from some townspeople when Derrick competes in the pageant. This touching story of self-love and acceptance is sure to inspire upper-elementary and middle schoolers everywhere to be proud of who they are.