Butler Bookshelf

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Some days you just can’t catch a break. This week, the Butler Bookshelf is full of misfortune, misadventure, and plain old mistakes. From body swaps to mixed-up stories to crash landing houses, these middle grade novels are all about the times where everything seems to be going wrong. Our feature pick is The Magician Next Door by Rachel Chivers Khoo, illustrated by Alice McKinley. 10-year-old Callie isn’t happy about moving to Northern Ireland. All of her friends, and all of her memories of her late mom, are back in London, the only home she’s ever known. But when a house crashes upside down in her yard, she’s forced to ally with her new next door neighbor Sam to save the Wanderdust which powers the magical house and keeps its eccentric inhabitant alive. Along the way, she discovers that home is more than a place, it’s people, too. Perfect for adventurous fantasy lovers, The Magician Next Door is sure to excite young readers while allowing them to explore what “home” really means.

Check out more goes-wrong fiction below!

Montgomery Bonbon: Murder at the Museum
Alasdair Beckett-King
Illustrated by Claire Powell
Candlewick Press
Available now!

The Magician Next Door
Rachel Chivers Khoo
Illustrated by Alice McKinley
Candlewick Press
Available April 22nd, 2025

Skylar and the K-Pop Principal
Luan Goldie
Candlewick Press/Walker Books US
Available now!

Snow White and the Dragon (or, Sleeping Beauty and the Seven Dwarfs)
Kim Bussing
Random House Children’s Books
Available now!

The Unfortunate Wishes of Nelly Young
Beth Garrod
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Available now!

How To Release Your Grumbles: A Review of Grumble Boats 

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Grumble Boats 
Written by Susannah McFarlane 
Illustrated by Tamsin Ainslie 
Published by Charlesbridge 
Ages 3-6 
Available April 15, 2025 

Who helps you release your grumpy feelings? Emma doesn’t know how to release her grumbles when her parents don’t let her go to the pirate party with her brother. After Emma is dropped off at her grandma’s house, Grandma sees how upset Emma is and quickly comes up with a solution. Together, they walk to the beach, draw their grumbly and grumpy feelings, and watch them sail away after folding them into paper boats. After they say goodbye to their grumbles, Emma feels much better and is ready for a fun day of playing and eating grilled cheese with Grandma. 

Susannah McFarlane presents readers with a simple yet well-written story about a young girl coping with her grumpy feelings. With straightforward text, she shows why Emma is upset and the effort that Grandma puts into cheering her up. Through Grandma’s character, McFarlane writes about an easy way to release your feelings: by drawing them out and releasing them to sea. She thoughtfully shows Grandma helping Emma move on from her grumpiness without invalidating her feelings by reassuring her that she would have been an excellent pirate as they watch their grumbles float away. There are also instructions at the end that show readers how to make their own grumble boats so they can participate in this practice in mindfulness. Ainslie’s watercolor and pencil illustrations pair well with the text to bring Emma’s world to life, illustrating Emma’s grumpy facial expressions especially well. The illustrations are detailed, and Ainslie utilizes a muted full-color palette, which has the same calming effect that Grandma’s grumble boats have on Emma’s feelings. Grumble Boats is a lovely addition to any classroom library or program to give young readers a chance to learn about healthy emotional regulation. 

Butler Bookshelf

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Graphic novels are a great way to escape into a different world and go on an adventure. You can go on an adventure in outer space, revisit a classic Dr. Seuss story, or explore a cozy new world with flying horses like in this week’s feature, A Song for You & I by K. O’Neill. In this fantasy graphic novel, O’Neill explores themes of self-discovery and bravery. Rose is a ranger-in-training who is disappointed by their final assignment before the graduation-like Name Carving ceremony that will allow them to be a ranger to protect all people. They are tasked with protecting Lamb’s Ear Meadow, an idyllic, sleepy region that is nothing like the danger and excitement they were hoping for. Soon, they develop a friendship with the shepherd Leone, who helps Rose to discover who they really are and be brave enough to show it to the world. O’Neill’s writing, though sparse, is touching and offers readers a connection to the characters, but their illustrations are the star of the show. The digital sketch-style drawings, made in Procreate, are crafted with a pleasing, full-color palette that beautifully builds the world and expertly shows the emotions that Rose and Leone feel over the course of the story. The vibrancy allows readers to smell the sea-salty air, hear Leone’s fiddle playing, and see the inner turmoil Rose is going through, as well as the triumph when they comes out as Rowan in the Name Carving ceremony. A sweet, delightful book for readers of all ages, A Song for You & I is a wonderful addition to a library looking for stories with themes of identity and acceptance. 

Check out more graphic novel titles below! 

A Copycat Conundrum (The Misfits 2) 
Written by Lisa Yee 
Illustrated by Dan Santat
Published by Random House Children’s Books
Available now!

Great Space Iguana (Hilo 11) 
Written and illustrated by Judd Winick 
Published by RH Graphic
Available now!

Green Eggs and Ham Take a Hike 
Written and illustrated by James Kochalka
Published by RH Graphic
Available now!  

Steve L. McEvil and the Twisted Sister (Steve L. McEvil 3) 
Written and illustrated by Lucas Turnbloom 
Colors by Marc La Pierre and Lucas Turnbloom 
Published by Crown Books for Young Readers 
Available now! 

A Song for You & I 
Written and illustrated by K. O’Neill 
Published by RH Graphic 
Available now! 

Butler Bookshelf

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For this week’s Butler Bookshelf, we’re sharing books all about animals! From the timeless-ness of super-agers like tortoises to the unique qualities of different animal poop, these books hold interesting information for animal lovers of all ages. In this week’s feature, In the Desert, readers travel to the Sahara Desert through author David Elliott’s playful poems and Gordy Wright’s rich illustrations. Elliott uses creative poetry to place readers in the viewpoint of different animals that live in the Sahara Desert, like the Saharan cheetah, the Anubis baboon, and the dung beetle. The short poems entertain kids as they learn about what Saharan animals eat and how they spend their time through natural rhythm and fun rhymes. At the end, Elliot includes a few sentences that further explain the unique characteristics of these animals. Wright’s paintings beautifully illustrate the environment in the Sahara Desert with a full-color palette. Wright utilizes a realistic art style that gives young readers an accurate portrayal of how these animals look. Paired together, Elliott’s poems and Wright’s paintings are sure to fascinate and educate readers of all ages.

Check out more books about animals below!

In the Desert
Written by David Elliot
Illustrated by Gordy Wright
Published by Candlewick Press
Available now!

Innovative Octopuses, Half-Brained Birds, and More Animals With Magnificent Minds
Written by Christina Couch
Illustrated by Daniel Duncan
Published by MIT Kids Press
Available now!

Meet the Mini-Mammals: A Night at the National History Museum
Written by Melissa Stewart
Illustrated by Brian Lies
Published by Beach Lane Books
Available now!

Small World: Meet 30 of Earth’s Tiniest Creatures
Written by Nick Crumpton
Illustrated by Rosie Dore
Published by Wide Eyed Editions
Available now!

Whose Poop Is That? (Board Book Edition)
Written by Darrin Lunde
Illustrated by Kelsey Oseid
Published by Charlesbridge
Available now!

Native Joy: A Review of Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories

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Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories
Edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith
HarperCollins Children’s Books/Heartdrum
Ages 13+
Available August 26. 2025

Sandy June’s Legendary Frybread Drive-In is everywhere and nowhere all at once. It appears to anyone who needs it, regardless of where they are, bringing together Indigenous people from a variety of places and backgrounds. Each piece of this anthology takes place against the backdrop of Sandy June’s, as teenagers from everywhere from Alaska to Hawai’i visit and grow. The short stories and poetry in the collection brush up against each other, creating a picture of the people and places which make up Sandy June’s.

Published by Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books for which Leitich Smith serves as author-curator, and in partnership with We Need Diverse Books, Native joy and the centering of Indigenous voices is at the heart of Legendary Frybread Drive-In. The teenage characters come from a wide variety of tribal backgrounds, with which they have varied and complex relationships. As they deal with hallmark challenges of young adulthood such as grief, love, jealousy, friendship, and family, they make connections with, beyond, and between Indigenous cultures.

The relatable struggles of the characters in this anthology will appeal to any young reader who wishes to read about teens facing challenges similar to their own. For Indigenous readers, it will provide a mirror of their own experiences, while for nonindigenous readers, it provides a window to others’. Cynthia Leitich Smith, in her end note, encourages readers who are unfamiliar with Indigenous literature to use this book as a jumping-off point to explore more. With contributors both established and new, it provides a variety of authors for curious readers to look into, should they want to read further.

Butler Bookshelf

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Here at the Butler Center, we love books – and what’s a book without a writer to write it? This week we’re getting meta with books about writing. Covering everything from poetry to plays, these books are sure to inspire any budding creative. Our feature pick is Werewolf Hamlet by Kerry Madden-Lunsford. Angus Gettlefinger loves a lot of things – werewolves, old Hollywood, Shakespeare, and his older brother, Liam. But lately, Liam has changed, and is acting more like a creature of the night than the big brother Angus loves. Angus hatches a plan to put on a play with his 5th grade class: Hamlet, but with werewolves. Werewolf Hamlet. Maybe, when he sees it, Liam will realize he’s changing, just like the Werewolf Hamlet in Angus’ play. Maybe everything will go back to normal. An emotional look at addiction and the toll it takes on a family through the eyes of an over-imaginative 10 year old, Werewolf Hamlet will serve as a mirror for readers who have faced struggles similar to Angus’, and a window into new experiences for those who have not.

Check out more books to inspire your inner writer below!

Dear Bookstore
Emily Arrow
Illustrated by Genevieve Godbout
Candlewick Press
Available now!

Janie Writes a Play: Jane Yolen’s First Great Story
Heidi E. Y. Stemple
Illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight
Charlesbirdge
Available now!

Ruthie Rose’s Big Idea
John Schu
Illustrated by Holly Hatam
Candlewick Press
Available now!

Werewolf Hamlet
Kerry Madden-Lunsford
Charlesbridge/Charlesbridge Moves
Available now!

You’re a Poet: Ways to Start Writing Poems
Sean Taylor
Illustrated by Sam Usher
Candlewick Press
Available now!

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. 

Butler Bookshelf

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Tomorrow is International Read To Me Day, and here at the Butler Center, we wanted to celebrate by sharing some new board and picture books that came out this year! Reading to young children has proven to be an important part of fostering literacy. Take a look through these delightful books and find the right one for your little one, like Your Island by Jon Klassen! In this charming board book, young readers build their own island that they can visit “whenever [they] want to go there” (25). Klassen introduces readers to their very own sun, palm tree, plants, and more items that bring their island to life. With whimsical ink and graphite illustrations, readers can learn about the basics of an island campsite and Klassen helps to build an imaginary oasis that young readers can enjoy while playing or reading the book again.

Check out more board and picture books below!

Maisy’s Planet: Maisy Loves Birds
Written and illustrated by Lucy Cousins
Published by Candlewick Press
Available now!

Our Gorgeous Baby
Written by Smriti Prasadam-Halls
Illustrated by Eve Coy
Published by Candlewick Press
Available now!

A Pocket Full of Rocks
Written by Kristin Mahoney
Illustrated by E.B. Goodale
Published by Alfred A. Knopf
Available now!

Seven Little Ducklings
Written and illustrated by Annette LeBlanc Cate
Published by Candlewick Press
Available now!

Your Island
Written and illustrated by Jon Klassen
Published by Candlewick Press
Available now!

Come Find Me: A Review of Frankie and Friends: The Lost Tooth

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Frankie and Friends: The Lost Tooth
Christine Platt
Illustrated by Alea Marley
Walker Books/Candlewick
March 18, 2025
Age 5-8

If Frankie loses a tooth while she’s away from home, how will the tooth fairy ever find her? Excitement over the very first loose tooth, and anxiety over its timing, inspire imaginative problem-solving by thoughtful and determined Frankie and her friends—a group of sentient toys—to ensure a visit from the tooth fairy. The group brainstorms solutions as they prepare for a long-awaited trip to accompany Mama to a journalism conference. When Frankie loses her tooth at the conference, she is joined by other aspiring young journalists to find her tooth and guarantee it makes it to her pillow.

With gentle prose and the excitement of her young protagonist, Platt centers the joys and concerns of a young elementary schooler and the importance of friendship in this third installment of the Frankie and Friends series. Introducing potentially new vocabulary in all caps, calls out the opportunity to decode the word based on clear context clues in the text. Though there is a definition list included in the backmatter. Themes of teamwork and communicating worries are spot on for the social-emotional learning of the target age group. Digital illustrations in a hand-drawn, colored-pencil style are vibrantly hued and full of pattern. Full page, full bleed images sit alongside smaller inset drawing to break up the text into manageable chunks, and closely mirror the text to aid in decoding. Depicting sweetly expressive faces and a loving bond in the African American family, Marley’s illustrations help place the series as one to depict an ordinary, happy childhood versus struggle and strife.

The latest Frankie and Friends offers newly independent readers a spunky heroine growing into her own with the loving support of her family and friends.

Butler Bookshelf

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Fairies and dragons and unicorns – oh my! This week’s Butler Bookshelf is all about magical creatures, from friendly unicorns to dangerously deadly mermaids. Our feature pick is Fairy Door Diaries: Eliza and the Flower Fairies by Megan McDonald and illustrated by Lenny Wen. Eliza loves reading about fairies, but after traveling through a fairy door, they become more than just words on a page – they’re real! The flower fairies are nervous to see someone so big, but after an introduction from the brave fairy Poppy, they’re excited to meet “Eliza of the Elves.” However, when a plot to steal their flower scents is put into motion, Eliza finds that she’s the only one who can save Poppy and her new flower fairy friends. This story full of magic, accompanied by Wen’s colorful illustrations, is sure to be a hit with lovers of everything flowery and fairy-filled.

Check out more books about magical beings below!

Fairy Door Diaries: Eliza and the Flower Fairies
Megan McDonald
Illustrated by Lenny Wen
Candlewick Press
Available now!

Hocus and Pocus and the Dragon Next Door
A.R. Capetta
Illustrated by Charlene Chua
Candlewick Press
Available now!

Momo Arashima Duels the Queen of Death
Misa Sugiura
Random House Children’s Books/Labyrinth Road
Available now!

The Fifth Mage
Megan Reyes
Random House Children’s Books/Labyrinth Road
Available now!

Unicornia: A Magical Birthday
Ana Punset
Illustrated by Diana Vicedo
Candlewick Press
Available now!