Butler Bookshelf

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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

Butler Bookshelf

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For this week’s Butler Bookshelf, we’re highlighting some of the books in our board book collection! Perfect for babies and toddlers, our board books cover a wide range of topics, like airplane travel and the love of grandparents around the world. This week’s featured book, Gus & Sully Watch the Weather, written and illustrated by Steve Light, follows friends Gus and Sully as they talk about what the weather might be like that day. They explore all kinds of weather, from sunny to snowy to foggy. Light uses beautiful watercolor, pen, and ink illustrations to bring weather to life in this book. Gus & Sully Watch the Weather is perfect for introducing babies and young children to weather conditions, and the end gives kids a great prompt to look outside and describe the weather that day.

Check out more of our board books below!

Baby on Board: Airplane
Written and illustrated by Sebastien Braun
Published by Templar Books
Available now

The Earth Book
Written and illustrated by Hannah Alice
Published by Nosy Crow Ltd
Available now

Global Baby Grandparents (Global Babies)
Written by Maya Ajmera
Published by Charlesbridge
Available now

Gus and Sully Watch the Weather
Written and illustrated by Steve Light
Published by Candlewick Press
Available now

Hey! What’s That?
Written and illustrated by Sandra Boynton
Published by Boynton Bookworks
Available now

Peek-a-boo, Thumper!
Written by Disney Books
Illustrated by Jerrod Maruyama
Published by Disney Press
Available now

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. 

Butler Bookshelf

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Now that school has started, so has the lesson planning! Whether you want to keep the lessons going at home or you’re looking for books to add to your classroom, we have a lot of new nonfiction books to share, including Wild Brunch: Poems About How Creatures Eat by David L. Harrison and illustrated by Giles Laroche. Harrison uses fun poems to explain how different animals across the world eat their food every day. He covers a wide range of animal species, from sea creatures, like narwhals, to land animals, like aardvarks; he also features a variety of flying animals, like turkey vultures, Mexican free-tailed bats, and houseflies. Harrison even includes a poem about mayflies, who only live for one day and don’t eat at all! Harrison includes a back matter that goes into more detail about each animal he writes about and their eating habits, sharing sources for where readers can learn more. Accompanied by Laroche’s detailed collages, Wild Brunch is sure to delight and educate any animal enthusiast!

Check out more of our nonfiction collection below!

50 True Tales From Our Great National Parks
Written by Stephanie Pearson
Illustrated by Madeline Kloepper
Published by Wide Eyed Editions
Available now

Evidence!: How Dr. John Snow Solved the Mystery of Cholera
Written by Deborah Hopkinson
Illustrated by Nik Henderson
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Available now

Radar and the Raft: A True Story About a Scientific Marvel, the Lives it Saved, and the World it Changed
Written by Jeff Lantos
Published by Charlesbridge
Available September 24th, 2024

The Shape of Things: How Mapmakers Picture Our World
Written by Dean Robbins
Illustrated by Matt Tavares
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Available now

Wild Brunch: Poems About How Creatures Eat
Written by David L. Harrison
Illustrated by Giles Laroche
Published by Charlesbridge
Available now

How It Works: A Review of Bounce!: A Scientific History of Rubber

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Bounce!: A Scientific History of Rubber
Sarah Albee
Illustrated by Eileen Ryan Ewan
Charlesbridge
October 22, 2024
Age 6-9

Used for everything from bike tires to raincoats, rubber plays a major role in things springy, stretchy and bouncy in ours daily lives. Follow its history from the discovery by indigenous Central American tribes (who farmed natural rubber latex from local plants), adoption by Europeans (imagine the difference when their soccer balls could bounce!), and the evolution in its usefulness into the multipurpose substance we can’t live without today. Part narrative nonfiction and part traditional nonfiction, Bounce combines a fascinating story of invention with “The Science!” interjections that explain the how or why of a narrative detail (what is it that makes rubber sink or float?).

Award-winning nonfiction author and former basketball-player (who appreciates a bouncy ball more?), Sarah Albee explores the history and science behind a very common part of everyday life. With a panel of expert readers—chemists, materials scientists, and engineers—Albee dives deep into both the story and the scholarship with accessible language and delightful facts. The extensive and respectful backmatter includes sections on tribal naming preferences, acknowledgement of the troubling issues of slavery and the environmental impact of rubber production, a timeline that dives deeper into some details from the narrative, and a thorough bibliography and source notes. Intricate yet fluid pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations connect closely to the text descriptions with detailed images of the action, movement in the line work, and expressive faces. Eileen Ryan Ewan uses color to help show the passage of time, moving from muted and historically accurate colors to more vibrant shades in the modern spreads. This engaging and fact-filled picture book would be a perfect accompaniment to introductory science lessons on the properties of matter or chemistry in upper elementary school or for the budding scientists in any library.

Butler Bookshelf

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For those who love the majestic, mysterious dinosaurs that roamed Earth millions of years ago, we have quite the collection of books that highlight these prehistoric creatures. Take Dinosaurs Can Be Small, a nonfiction picture book about the lesser-known smaller sized dinosaurs. Zooligist Darrin Lunde educates readers about dinosaurs like the Compsognathus, a tiny insect-eating dinosaur, who all had different evolutionary benefits despite their smaller size. This book is not only a vastly informative introduction to many interesting dinosaurs, but it also speaks to how powerful even the smallest creatures can be.

For more books about and featuring dinosaurs, check out some of the books in our collection below!

Baby Loves Paleontology
Written by Ruth Spiro
Illustrated by Irene Chan
Published by Charlesbridge
Available now

Big Babies
Written and illustrated by Patrick O’Brien
Published by Charlesbridge
Available now

Dinosaurs Can Be Small
Written by Darrin Lunde
Illustrated by Ariel Landy
Published by Charlesbridge
Available September 17, 2024

How Do Dinosaurs Say Trick or Treat?
Written by Jane Yolen
Illustrated by Mark Teague
Published by Scholastic Press
Available now

National Geographic Kids Puzzle Book of Dinosaurs
Written by National Geographic Kids
Published by National Geographic Kids
Available now

When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth
Written by Sean Taylor
Illustrated by Zehra Hicks
Published by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Available now

No Matter What: A Review of If Anything Happens To Me by Luanne Rice 

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If Anything Happens To Me 
Written by Luanne Rice 
Scholastic Inc/Scholastic Press 
Ages 14-17 
Available September 17, 2024

Eight months ago, Eloise Parrish’s body was found in the woods, and her killer still hasn’t been found. Her older sister, Oli, is still reeling in her grief and anger, and she’ll stop at nothing to find Eloise’s killer. When Oli finds Iris, a girl left for dead in the same spot her sister’s body was found, Oli knows she’s closer than ever to getting justice for Eloise. The only problem? Iris has no memory of her life or how she came to be in the woods. Together, Oli and Iris piece together what happened to her and realize that the perpetrator still has Iris’s little sister, Hayley. As they race against time to find Hayley and solve the mystery, Oli learns more about her hometown than she ever knew before, including who she can or can’t trust.  

Luanne Rice’s newest thriller keeps readers hooked until the last page. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep readers engaged, starting with introducing the newest victim of her sister’s killer to incorporating supernatural elements. Rice uses themes of sisterhood and sibling bonds to explore how the love and determination that grow from them can cause good or evil actions. While the characterization, especially in the sister relationships, feels a bit predictable at times—both sets of sisters are opposites of each other—the character development was well-rounded and satisfying. The story ends with Oli and her friends healing from their experiences and hopeful for the future. Rice creates an immersive setting by describing the natural New England flora and fauna through Oli’s naturalist hobby she shares with her friends and sister. The supernatural elements in the story add charm and whimsy to this idyllic setting that offsets the darker points of the story. These elements also add higher stakes to the mystery and a stronger bond between Oli and Eloise. Using descriptive language, magical elements, and characters that readers can root for, Rice creates a compelling mystery with enough darkness to keep readers interested and enough love to keep them hopeful at the end. 

Butler Bookshelf

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Many children’s books have recently taken on a more direct approach to helping young ones deal with their emotions, professionally known as social-emotional learning. This week, we are featuring both fiction and nonfiction books with themes of social-emotional learning. Inspired by the beloved movie Inside Out 2, Luna Chi’s picture book portrays the characters—anthropomorphized emotions that live inside the mind of a girl named Riley—as they get ready for bed. Joy has finished her bedtime routine, Disgust is keeping watch on night duty at the emotion console, and the rest of the emotions are tucked comfortably into their beds starting to drift off to sleep. However, Anxiety can’t seem to fall asleep, and she eventually wakes everyone else up with her pacing, worrying, and general unrest. For any reader who has had a hard time falling asleep, this fun, hilarious, and hopeful picture book will help show readers how to calm their minds when they are feeling restless before bed.

For more books in our collection about social-emotional learning and self-care below!

Go to Sleep, Anxiety!
Written by Luna Chi
Illustrated by Gurihiru
Published by Disney Press
Available now

Gray
Written by Laura Dockrill
Illustrated by Lauren Child
Published by Candlewick Press
Available now

Kit and the Missing Notebooks: A Book About Calming Anxiety
Written by Chris and Linsey Wheeler
Illustrated by Carmen Saldaña
Published by Zonderkidz
Available now

Look
Written by Gabi Snyder
Illustrated by Samantha Cotterill
Published by Paula Wiseman Books
Available now

That Always Happens Sometimes
Written by Kiley Frank
Illustrated by K-Fai Steele
Published by Alfred A. Knopf
Available now

Wonderful Me: A First Guide to Taking Care of Yourself
Written by Nancy Shapiro
Illustrated by Vânia Sacramento
Published by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Available now

Welcome to Fall (Semester)

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It’s the beginning of a new academic year, with all the excitement, new students, and parking woes that come along with it (why does the parking thing surprise me every year?).

This fall, BCLC will host some of our regularly scheduled annual events, as well as welcome back some past favorites, and offer some new opportunities to engage. We hope you’ll join us.

Fall Open Hours:

You can find the Butler Center open to Dominican students, faculty, staff, and the public during weekly open hours. Stop in for visits/studying/research on Monday 2pm-5pm and Tues-Thurs 1-4pm, Or reach out to make a special appointment. Watch for expanded hours later this fall.

BCLC Welcomes New Butler Scholar:

This summer, Vanessa Crisostomo was awarded the Butler Youth Services Scholarship for Underrepresented Groups in the Field of Library and Information Science.

BYSS Announcement: Vanessa Crisostomo

Vanessa Crisostomo is a high school teacher at Prosser Career Academy. She is a graduate of Chicago Public Schools and received her bachelor’s in education from Northeastern Illinois University in 2018.  Her professional experiences include facilitating team building for schools and groups, and 6 years in classroom instruction with four years of IB experience. Vanessa is pursuing her master’s in library science with the School Library Media endorsement. She is passionate about helping to increase access to programs, resources, and librarians in school. Vanessa is inspired by her students and hopes to bring back resources, strategies, and knowledge.  

Please join us in welcoming Vanessa to the Butler community. We wish her the best in her role as a Butler Scholar. Visit our website for information about the scholarship program and application procedures.

Look for Us at AISLE:

BCLC will join the DU School of Information Studies at the AISLE Annual Fall Conference November 7th -9th in Tinley Park. You’ll find us all over the place, but watch out for these opportunities:

  • The Dominican SLMP booth
  • The SOIS Alumni Reception (stay tuned for more info)
  • In a learning session dedicated to BCLC collections and resources:
    • Butler Children’s Literature Center—Research and Review Resources Friday, November 8th Session 2 at 9:15 am—in North Pavilion 1
    • From the conference schedule: “Did you know there was a local center for the study of children’s literature right in your own backyard? The Butler Children’s Literature Center commits itself to imagination and wonder, encouraging and supporting adults in libraries, classrooms, childcare centers, and homes to engage young people with good books. Meet the Curator and discover the programming, tools, and collection resources on offer at the Center, including book reviews, lectures, community events, new book collections (spanning board books to young adult titles), special book collections (including the Ellin Greene Storytelling Collection and the Effie Lee Morris African American Children’s Book Collection), and an annual book sale. Located in the Rebecca Crown Library at Dominican University, the Center supports students in library science and education, as well as local librarians, teachers, caregivers, and book lovers. Get to know the BCLC now, then schedule a visit to explore the collections for yourself.”

It’s (Almost) Book Sale Time:

Butler Book Sale Announcement

Save the date for the annual Butler Book Sale. Join us December 4th-7th for book recommendations, holiday shopping, and refreshing your library, classroom, or personal collection. All sale proceeds support Butler Center programming and events.

Stay Tuned for More Fall Fun:

We’re excited to bring back the Ellin Green Memorial Storytelling Tea. Gather with fellow storytellers and story lovers to celebrate this lovely tradition and the woman who donated (and still inspires) the Folk and Fairy Tale research collection here at the Butler Center. Details and registration information coming later this fall.

In a new addition to BCLC fall programming, the Center will host drop in Creative Days for writers and illustrators from the DU community and beyond to spend time on their work in company with other artists and in a space dedicated to the best in youth literature. Dates to be announced soon.

More About the Butler Center:

The Butler Children’s Literature Center is Dominican University’s examination center dedicated to the research and review of literature for young people. A non-circulating library collection, the staff is here to assist you in locating books that address specific themes, age groups, or reading levels in the rotating review collection and exploring or research in the permanent collections.

The Butler Center is located in the Rebecca Crown Library, room 214, on Dominican’s main campus at 7900 W. Division Street in River Forest, Illinois. Directions and a campus map are available here. The Butler Center is administered by Dominican’s School of Information Studies and is generously supported by the donations from the community. If you’d like to make a gift toward the Center’s continuing success, please contact Jen Clemons, Butler Children’s Literature Center Curator, for more information.

We hope you’ll visit or join us for an event, and stay tuned for our news and upcoming events.