Category Archives: identity

Deceiving Appearances: A Review of Selkies & Skeptics

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Selkies & Skeptics 
Elias Cold 
Page Street YA, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers 
Ages 13+ 
Available November 17, 2026 

Sixteen-year-old Luella didn’t mean to send a letter she wrote about selkies to the “Society for the Protection of Faeries,” but her greedy and cruel father had other ideas. Luckily, once the Society arrives at their lighthouse, she does manage to fabricate evidence. In return, the Society, along with the kind delivery ferryman Murphy, help the adventurous Luella escape her father’s clutches. As she takes in the outside world, Luella loves her newfound freedom and friends, especially Enoch, a transgender boy and the Society’s founder. However, this new life comes with a price. Winifred, who’s fiercely protective of the Society, knows Luella fabricated her evidence, and she’s suspicious of Luella’s intentions. When her lies catch up to her, Luella leaves her friends to confront her isolating past. In her journey, she builds enough courage to rejoin the Society and hopes to fix what’s been broken. Cold presents an intriguing parallel with Luella and Winifred. They both are escaping abusive situations, but while Luella is optimistic and kind, Winifred is more distrusting and cynical. Their interactions cause suspense and excitement in the story. Cold’s vastly different characterizations of the male characters create dramatic tension in the plot as well. Luella’s father only sees value in her when she dives in and steals from the shipwrecks. His physical threats and guilt tripping will have readers understand Luella’s motivation to leave and her need to keep her past secret. Murphy and Enoch provide a stark contrast to the father’s violent nature by valuing her autonomy. Their respect for Luella’s decisions make them more admirable characters. Cold also portrays emotionally realistic consequences when friendships are built on false pretenses. When Luella reveals her con, the group feels betrayed, and Enoch feels especially devastated. The melodrama is so ferocious that readers will feel heartbroken when the guilt-ridden Luella felt she had no other choice than to leave the Society to confront her father alone. However, there is reconciliation, a touching reunion, and a promising budding romance that gives the reader optimism for everyone else’s futures. The story features neurodivergent, gay, and transgender characters. Selkies & Skeptics is a genuine, thrilling romantic fantasy that will spark readers’ fascination for magical creatures.

Butler Bookshelf

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The teenage years are a challenging and exhilarating whirlwind of change. As teens take on new responsibilities and define who they are, they may discover that their personal values do not align with their family’s values. Through authentic portrayals of this complex stage, books can offer guidance while creating opportunities to practice empathy and conflict resolution skills. This week, we included titles from our teen fiction collection featuring teenage protagonists navigating generational trauma, immigration, teen parenthood, grief, and estranged family members. Our Pick of the Week, Like Glass by Jen Ferguson, follows the journey of sixteen-year-old Tatum “Tate” Nova Lambert as she travels to Chamonix, France to reconnect with her father, whom she hasn’t spoken to since her sister’s death. When he fails to pick her up at the airport, Tate quickly realizes that healing her family won’t be easy. As she confronts painful memories, forms new relationships, and experiences new waves of grief, Tate must decide if she can forgive her father and let go of the past.

Check out more family-focused teen fiction books below:

Like Glass
Jen Ferguson
HarperCollins Children’s Books/Heartdrum
Available now!

Foreigners
E.L. Shen
HarperCollins Children’s Books/Quill Tree Books
Available now!

My Killer Family Reunion
Dinesh Thiru
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Atheneum
Available now!

In the Country I Love
Alaa Al-Barkawi
Peachtree Publishing Co/Peachtree Teen
Available now!

The Lovers, The Liars, and Me
DeAndra Davis
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Atheneum
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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With October around the corner comes the creepy, kooky, mysterious, and spooky season known as Halloween. There are at least two kinds of scary in youth literature. Some books feature uncanny but cute stories and characters, that make the season less scary, especially for younger readers. The middle-grade novels featured in this week’s Butler Bookshelf lean more toward eerie, unsettling, and downright frightening. This week’s feature pick is a new adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel Little Women: Little Monsters by Máire Roche. Meg March and her younger sisters, Jo, Beth, and Amy, have more to worry about than being children in foster care. The March sisters are monsters. To make matters worse, a mysterious creature has been terrorizing their new town, and Meg can’t always remember where she is when she transforms. Will the March sisters find their way while still keep their real identities a secret, or will it all come crashing down?

Check out this and other monstrous titles:

Little Monsters
Máire Roche
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/ALADDIN
Available now!

Kiki and the New Magic (Kiki’s Delivery Service Book 2)
Eiko Kadono
Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Press
Available now!

Remember Me, Daphne
Celia Krampien
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Atheneum
Available now!

The Doll House
D.W. Gillespie
Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Press
Available now!

The Replay Trap
Juliana Brandt
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/ALADDIN
Available now!

Superb for the Job: A Review of Sheba the Alley Cat

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Sheba the Alley Cat 
Lauren Fornoles 
Illustrated by Natalia Gubanova 
Little Leaflet Press 
Ages: 4+  
Available: October 6, 2026 

When Sheba, a black cat, sees a job opening in the Meow Times for a ‘friend and travel companion’ for Hilda Broomwick (who seems nice and is totally not a witch), she finds an opportunity to see the world outside her humdrum alley. She packs her things and makes her way to the address listed in the paper: a house covered in cobwebs and has only one lit window. Despite her lack of travel experience, Sheba’s enthusiasm and bone-collecting skills might land her the job of a lifetime. Natalia Gubanova’s use of dark blue sky, pumpkins outside Hilda’s house, bats flying all over the place, and Hilda’s overall witchy appearance create a gentle Halloween theme. The hand-drawn look of Gubanova’s digital illustrations and muted colors generate a serene and charming atmosphere. Lauren Fornoles’s positive phrasing about Sheba’s excitement for the job complements Gubanova’s cute-spooky drawings. When Sheba reads “Welcome” near the front door, she fails to see the bottom text that reads, “if you dare,” creating depth to the story’s humor. The underlying message of being appreciated for one’s unique traits adds an emotional layer to the otherwise whimsical text. Sheba feels discouraged when she tells Hilda she hasn’t had a lot of travel experience. However, when Hilda mentions she needs special bones for her spells, Sheba realizes she can make a personal contribution, and her confidence returns stronger than ever. In short, Sheba the Alley Cat is a sweet seasonal story with a dash of social emotional learning, great for a Halloween collection or story time. 

Below the Surface: A Review of Dive 

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Dive 
Written by John David Anderson 
Published by Walden Pond Press/HarperCollins Publishers 
Ages 9-13 
Available August 19, 2025 

Thirteen-year-old Kass feels frustrated with her life. She and her best friend are drifting apart, and her parents’ marriage is strained by money problems. Even Kass’s safe space in the pool as a competitive diver causes her stress as she struggles to master a dive that her teammate, Amber, could perform in her sleep. Disheartened, Kass’s life changes when she finds Miles, a seventeen-year-old high school dropout, dumpster diving near her bus stop. Intrigued, Kass starts taking “lessons” from him on how to scavenge, looking for the value in discarded objects. Along the way, Kass learns the importance of looking past her assumptions to find the deeper story. 

John David Anderson delivers a heartwarming story about looking past appearances to find deeper connections with the people and places around you. Through Kass’s character arc, Anderson explores what it means to test boundaries and make mistakes as a way toward self-discovery. Miles and Amber further propel Kass’s development as they teach her that her assumptions of others aren’t always true. Anderson utilizes cheeky teenage humor to bring levity to the emotional, serious situations that Kass finds herself in, like the effects of her parents’ struggling marriage. The novel is fast-paced, covering only a couple of weeks of Kass’s life, but its impression is long-lasting. Both moving and thought-provoking, Dive by John David Anderson is a mirror for many tweens and young teens trying to figure out where they land in the world. 

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

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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. 

Determine Your Own Destiny: A review of Inkbound: Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo

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Inkbound: Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo
Philippa Leathley
Illustrated by Brie Schmida
Clarion Books/HarperCollinsChildrens
January 28, 2025
Age 8-12

Born to a family of magical bent and eccentric names, Meticulous “Metty” Jones yearns for her tenth birthday and the receipt of a hand tattoo that will tell her fate—as a magical murderer. Hidden away for a year because of it, 11-year-old Metty finds her stoic father (Captain Moral Jones) missing and her unconventional Aunt Mag (Magnificent Jones) whisking her off to the magical, ink-fueled city of New London just ahead of the mysterious Black Moths that are searching for her. Along with a motley crew of friends, brave and curious Metty is determined to find her father, evade the dreaded Moths that pursue her, and change the fate she does not accept. Learning she is meant to bring life, instead of death, sets her on a path in opposition to the Black Moths, who would use her gifts for their own questionable purposes.

Leathley skillfully blends dark humor and mystery, with prose reminiscent of classic children’s literature in this first in a new series. Metty’s will to fight her fate is a journey of self-determination within a larger story of ethics—of our choices, of government power, and of how citizens choose to respond. Each in the diverse cast of characters is well-developed, sympathetic, and realistically flawed, so while Metty is clearly the protagonist, strong secondary characters ground these big questions in thoughtful dialog. When Aunt Mag tells her, “You are whatever you decide to be. Nobody controls your actions. Nobody but you.” (p 161), she is both encouraging Metty’s choices and attempting to protect her from her self-doubt.

Full of complex and creative world-building, a propulsive plot, and fierce friendships, it promises to draw readers looking for a Harry Potter-like combination of magic, adventure, danger, and community.

*Review based on ARC with no art included.

The Strength in Being Seen: A Review of Deer Run Home by Ann Clare LeZotte 

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Deer Run Home 
Written by Ann Clare LeZotte 
Scholastic Inc/Scholastic Press 
Ages 10-14 
Available October 1, 2024  

Effie Pappas is Deaf and linguistically isolated from her family, who don’t speak American Sign Language. Effie and her sister, Deja, are sent to live with their father at the end of the summer. When school starts, Effie’s ASL interpreter, Miss Kathy, begins to suspect that something is wrong with Effie’s home life. After Miss Kathy visits Effie’s home and sees the neglect, she is awarded temporary custody of Effie. Now that she finally has a safe home and a budding friendship with a new girl at school named Cait, Effie starts to open up about her experiences with her family. Miss Kathy eventually petitions for and wins permanent custody of Effie, giving her the security and family she never had. 

Ann Clare LeZotte’s Deer Run Home is a touching story that exposes the reality that d/Deaf children can experience growing up in hearing families without ASL. LeZotte draws on the real-life court case this novel is inspired by to thoughtfully depict the neglect that Effie experiences because her family won’t learn her language, as well as the difficulty Effie has with speaking up about the sexual abuse she endures at the hands of her stepfather. The sexual abuse happens before the novel begins and is thoughtfully described only once, but it serves as one of the obstacles Effie is able to overcome when she finds kindness and support from Miss Kathy and other adults at school. LeZotte takes advantage of the verse format to mirror ASL grammar and storytelling styles at some points. The verse is poignant and moving, and every word is intentional. Readers are drawn to Effie’s character, feeling every bit of her joy, sadness, fear, and loneliness. LeZotte also ties in a plotline of habitat loss for the local deer population, drawing parallels between the displaced deer and Effie’s feelings of loneliness and being lost. At once heartbreaking and empowering, Deer Run Home shows the healing and growth that comes with discovering your voice. 

Revenge or Mercy?: A Review of The Secret Battles of Evan Pao

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The Secret Battle of Evan Pao 
Wendy Wan-Long Shang 
Scholastic Press
Ages 8 to 12
June 7th, 2022 

Evan Pao and his family just want to start fresh, away from his father’s infamy and neighbors’ stares, and a small town in Virginia seems like the right place. But, Haddington, Virginia has its own Southern traditions and views that the Pao family and Evan don’t fit into, especially since Brady Griggs has it out for him as the only Chinese American boy in town. When Brady commits a hate crime against the Pao family but isn’t punished, Evan faces the choice of getting revenge or being a bigger person and having mercy.  

Told from multiple points of view from family, friends, and people around Haddington, these different perspectives reveal themes of racism, bullying, sexism, and their prevalence in the community. Shang treats grave and demeaning topics with realism and care, and a tone of hope that lends an uplifting feel to the weighty subjects. Although Evan knows he and his family don’t fit into the small town, he strives to show that some town traditions do relate to him and that Asian Americans have a legacy in the American South, just like everyone else. In the beginning, Evan struggles through many of the town’s prejudices that impact him and his family, and when it seems like he could give in to hate and subjugation, Evan overcomes these ‘secret battles’ within himself to reveal that forgiveness and mercy are vital for healing all wounds. Although the novel focuses on Evan as the main male protagonist, other characters are depicted as slowly adjusting their racially insensitive biases and worldview based on Evan’s influence. Evan proves that it only takes one brave person to break a cycle of hate and racial stereotyping in order to make a difference in the community. This deeply moving novel highlights the struggle young people have with self-identity, and how hard fitting into a new place can be, but that taking the initiative and being brave has its rewards.  

Pass or Play?: A Review of The Passing Playbook

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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.