Welcome to the online presence of the Butler Children's Literature Center, housed in Dominican's SOIS (Crown Library room 214). Here, we celebrate the best in books for youth and those who delight in sharing them. For Summer 2025, BCLC will offer collection access to the Dominican community and general public during posted open hours: Tuesday and Thursday 9am to 4pm, Wednesday noon-4pm, Friday 9am-5pm and by appointment with the Curator. Contact Jen Clemons at jclemons@dom.edu to make arrangements or you can still reach us at butler@dom.edu.
This week we are featuring several books that are available Today!Right now! On the bookshelf you will find The Katha Chest. This picture book follows Asiya, a young girl learning about her aunts’ and grandmother’s memories through playing with their handmade quilts made from their worn saris. A beautifully illustrated tale about loving the memories you make and the ones that make them with you. Check it out along with the other titles below!
The Book that Did Not Want to Be Read Written and Illustrated by David Sundin Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers Available Today!
The Katha Chest Written by Radhiah Chowdrury and Illustrated by Lavanya Naidu Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers Available Today!
Listen to the Language of the Trees: A Story of how Forests Communicate Underground Written by Tera Kelley and Illustrated by Marie Hermansson Published by Source Books Available Today!
My Own Way: Celebrating Gender Freedom for Kids Written by and Illustrated by Joana Estrela Published by Wide Eyed Available Today!
Once Upon a Tim Written by Stuart Gibbs and Illustrated by Stacy Curtis Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers Available Today!
Turning Written by Joy L. Smith Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers Available Today!
Goodnight, Butterfly Ross Burach Scholastic Press March 3, 2022 Pre-k to 3rd grade
In the third installment of Ross Burach’s Butterfly series, the titular Butterfly is awakened in the middle of the night by Porcupine as they are eating their breakfast. Initially, Butterfly is ecstatic at the new experience of being awake at night, learning about what it means to be nocturnal through word play and asking more questions than poor Porcupine can handle. The art shows this through an abundance of brightly colored images in Burach’s signature naïve style of mixed media art. However, as Butterfly tires, the fast pace of the early pages slows down significantly. The puns and traditional wordy jokes of the front half are replaced by sight gags, like Butterfly accidentally mistaking Porcupine for a pinecone. Questions from Butterfly peter out, even if Butterfly is still trying to make night time adventures for the pair to get into, and Porcupine is able to give some advice about falling to sleep. Burach shows the switch in tone using the color of the space between illustrations from a white to the more calm colors of lavender and indigo towards the end of the book. Burach’s use of framing and pace in service of comedy is impeccable. In early jokes, he uses cluttered dialogue and page turns to build tension while releasing it through punchlines. These are given room to breathe by the switch to a single, simpler composition for a spread. While the jokes are less set up later in the story, to aid in winding down, the page turns are still used to hide silly fun, like Butterfly using a book as a bed. In the last few pages, Butterfly finally decides to stop fighting sleep and Porcupine encourages them to think about calming ideas, teaching readers that if you want to go to sleep, it’s better to focus on calm ideas instead of questions you cannot answer. A colorful and funny addition to any bedtime book collection, just be careful, it might be too much fun to fall asleep to.
Valentine’s Day is coming up soon! This week’s Butler Bookshelf celebrates the holiday with books about Valentine’s Day as well as books about love itself, in all forms. Love Grows Everywhere by Barry Timms and Tisha Lee showcases love between families, neighbors, friends, romantic partners, and more through a family that grows and sells plants in their local community. Check it out along with the other titles below!
Valentine’s Day Jitters Written by Julie Danneberg and Illustrated by Judy Love Published by Charlesbridge Available now!
All the Right Reasons Written by Bethany Mangle Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books Available February 15, 2022
Glimpsed Written by G.F. Miller Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Available now!
Bananas for You! Written by Sabrina Moyle and Illustrated by Eunice Moyle Published by Abrams Available now!
Rebel Boys and Rescue Dogs, or Things That Kiss with Teeth Written by Brianna R. Shrum Published by Sky Pony Available now!
Love Grows Everywhere Written by Barry Timms and Illustrated by Tisha Lee Published by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books Available now!
Isla to Island Alexis Castellanos March 15, 2022 Atheneum Books for Young Readers Ages 10 and up
This wordless graphic novel follows Marisol, a young girl sent alone to the US when her homeland of Cuba becomes increasingly unsafe. When she first arrives in New York, she is miserable. The winter weather is nothing like what she is used to, and she does not understand anyone around her. As time passes, she comes to realize that home does not have to be restricted to one place. Marisol loves plants and teaches herself English by checking out books about nature from her school’s library. Her foster parents notice this interest and show her areas of New York that are reminiscent of home, even in the winter, like a botanical garden. As time passes and the seasons change, Marisol comes to see the same vibrant nature she loved in Cuba come to life in her new home. The story ends as she finally works up the courage to introduce herself to her peers at school, closing with an epilogue shown through photos the depicts her parents arriving in the US and Marisol herself eventually starting a family in the US.
The book is primarily wordless, with text being used at the start and ending to label photos that set the scene. As art is the primary storytelling vehicle, movement through the story occurs with varying paneling formats. The style of the art itself is simply with uncomplicated backgrounds making the story easy to follow. When Marisol first arrives in New York, the art becomes black and white, with occasional splashes of color when she sees things that remind her of home. Through this initial lack of color, the visuals embody how terrible Marisol feels. Over time, the color returns to the illustrations, initially through the plants that Marisol sees and books she reads that make her feel at home again. By the end, the illustrations are once again in full color. Back matter provides additional context to the wordless story. This includes an explanation of Operation Peter Pan, the real-life program that brought Cuban children to the US, along with an author’s note and list of historical sources for those who want to do further reading on the topic. Isla to Island presents a touching narrative about the immigrant experience without the use of text, which allows it to have appeal to young readers who may be overwhelmed by lengthy books about this important topic.
Today is the start of Lunar New Year! This year we ring in the year of the tiger! Check out featured titles by authors of Chinese heritage below including Friends Are Friends, Forever which tells the story of a young child who moves from China to America. In China, she spent every Lunar New Year making ornaments with her best friend and is initially unsure if she will have anyone to continue this tradition with in America. Inspired by the author’s immigrant experience, this picture book highlights the importance of friendship. Check it out along with other great titles below!
I Am Golden Written by Eva Chen and Illustrated by Sophie Diao Published by Feiwel & Friends Available now!
Eyes That Speak to the Stars Written by Joanna Ho and Illustrated by Dung Ho Published by HarperCollins Available February 15, 2022
Friends Are Friends, Forever Written by Dane Liu and Illustrated by Lynn Scurfield Published by Henry Holt and Co. Books for Young Readers Available now!
The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly Mei Written by Christina Matula Published by Inkyard Press Available April 5, 2022
New from Here Written by Kelly Yang Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Available March 1, 2022
Maizy Chen’s Last Chance Written by Lisa Yee Published by Random House Books for Young Readers Available now!
“For me, a huge part of Black history is celebrating who we are as a people. Celebrating us. Not that we are all alike – far from it. But there is a history we share – as powerful or as painful or as beautiful as it may be – that should be also be a part of our focus. When we talk about Black history, we should also talk about our folklore and mythology, and our culture as a whole. And how we can all contribute to history.” — Eden Royce
As I started pondering ideas for a Black History month book-list, I came across this Harper Stacks blog post from Eden Royce, author of Root Magic (a 2022 Walter Award Honor title). She thoughtfully encourages a broader celebration, not just a look at extraordinary figures, but a recognition of Black people and the rich folklore of their culture. Royce reminds us that these stories are for sharing–whether it’s on a back porch or in a library. Inspired by her shift in focus, I moved from the fabulous titles in our review collection to the treasures in Ellin Greene Folk and Fairytale collection. Below is a list of favorites (with links to the Dominican University catalog) that celebrate the stories and myths Royce lifts up, from some truly celebration-worthy Black creators, that would be make a wonderful addition to Black History Month lessons and programming.
This week’s Butler Bookshelf features recently released and coming soon titles! These include The View from the Very Best House in Town by Meera Trehan. This debut middle grade novel explores the troubled friendship of Sam and Asha, both autistic middle schoolers. As Sam is accepted into a prestigious school and Asha is not, their friendship is put at risk. In addition to being told from the perspectives of both Sam and Asha, the very best house in town also has its own perspective in this story.
Fossil Hunter: How Mary Anning Changed the Science of Prehistoric Life Written by Cheryl Blackford Published by Clarion Books Available now!
Ready for the Spotlight! Written and Illustrated by Jaime Kim Published by Candlewick Available now!
Wayward Creatures Written by Dayna Lorentz Published by Clarion Books Available now!
The Monarchs Written by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige Published by Clarion Books Available now!
On the Move: Home Is Where You Find It Written by Michael Rosen and Illustrated by Quentin Blake Published by Candlewick Available February 8, 2022
The View from the Very Best House in Town Written by Meera Trehan Published by Walker Books US Available February 8, 2022
Only a Monster Vanessa Len February 22, 2022 HarperTeen Ages 13-17
In this first installment of a planned trilogy, debut author Vanessa Len lays down the foundations of a world where monsters live among humans, appearing no different from their human counterparts. Monsters’ primary ability involves travelling through time, though in order to do so they must “steal time” from humans, shortening the lifespans of their victims. Beyond this ability that is shared by all monsters, each also has an additional ability shared by their family line. The story’s protagonist, Joan, is half-monster, half-human, and the monster half of her family has intentionally hidden the full extent of their abilities from her. Shortly after accidentally using her powers for the first time and learning the truth about them, Joan also learns that her crush, Nick, has sworn to destroy all monsters. Joan escapes a massacre, where the victims include most of her own family. As Joan teams up with another survivor of the massacre, she must quickly learn how to navigate not only her powers, but the entire society and hierarchy of monsters living hidden throughout London.
Despite being the first in a series, Only a Monster can stand on its own as the primary conflict is solved by the end of the book, with greater unresolved questions looming for those who will wait for its sequels. Its primary theme relates to morality, and the ambiguity of good versus evil, with the ever-present question being whether monsters are always evil, and heroes are always good. Another central theme is that of adapting to a new society. In the monster world, Joan feels out of place as she is half-human. Since her family hid the truth about monsters from her, Joan is not aware of monster society which has its own rules about what can and cannot be done regarding time travel, as well as urban legends which end up having truth to them as Joan learns more. She also alludes to feeling out of place in the human world as well due to being of mixed race. The supporting cast is also diverse, featuring characters of various ethnicities and sexualities. While the story gets dark, and features depictions of death, it is not overly graphic. Fantasy readers who enjoy time travel and related themes, such as alternate timelines, are sure to enjoy this fast-paced read.
This week’s Butler Bookshelf features some recent arrivals to the BCLC! These include Lawless Spaces, a novel in verse by Corey Ann Haydu that tells of Mimi’s coming of age through her own journaling and the discoveries she makes looking through the journals of the women in her family line. Check out more new and coming soon titles below!
The Princess in Black and the Mermaid Princess Written by Shannon and Dean Hale and Illustrated by LeUyen Pham Published by Candlewick Available February 1, 2022
Lawless Spaces Written by Corey Ann Haydu Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Available now!
Ear Worm! Written by Jo Knowles and Illustrated by Galia Bernstein Published by Candlewick Available January 25, 2022
Not That Pet! Written by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and Illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw Published by Candlewick Available February 1, 2022
Alice Waters Cooks Up a Food Revolution Written by Diane Stanley and Illustrated by Jessie Hartland Published by Paula Wiseman Books Available now!
Even Robots Aren’t Perfect! Written and Illustrated by Jan Thomas Published by Beach Lane Books Available now!
Wow in the World: Wow in the Wild: The Amazing World of Animals Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz Illustrated by Jack Teagle Harper Collins/Clarion Books April 12, 2022
All the fascinating, absurd, and disgusting facts of the award-winning podcast combined with vibrant illustration and photography make for a “wow-worthy” fourth installment of the series. Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz, hosts of the NPR podcast, pack this animal themed edition full of all the quizzes, interviews, listicles, job postings, and graphic novel spreads you could ask for with the goal of inspiring discovery. Broken into six sections, including birds, reptiles, mammals, sea creatures, bugs, and amphibians, the pair explores the extreme diversity and weirdness of the animal kingdom. But hilarity the series in known for doesn’t diminish the complex ideas they share, like the aerodynamics of bird flight and sophisticated animal communication methods. Easily digestible language and abundant illustrations, combined with plenty of poop facts, strike just the right note for the enjoyment and education of 8-12 year old audience. Jack Teagle’s full-color illustrations (including a cartoon Mindy and Guy) run the gamut from graphic novel-like spreads to illustrated diagrams and complement the hilarity of the text. The title includes extensive back matter like thorough source notes, photo credits, an exhaustive glossary and index, a suggested reading list, and QR code links to related podcast episodes. A final section on conservation, that could have been more robust, wraps things up with a brief list of action items for the inspired reader. An engaging and quick read, or fun-fact reference, for animal lovers and comedy fans alike.
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