As we begin the start of the school year, we want to highlight books in our collection that can help get readers of all ages excited about science, math, and physics. With soft, whimsical illustrations by Gabriel Evans, Caisley’s picture book Imagine Counting All the Stars tells the story of a young girl, Maddie, who loves patterns, counting, and shapes. But most of the other girls in her class aren’t excited about math—instead, they like decorating cookies or playing with dolls. Maddie hopes that she can find a friend someday that shares her interests. When she visits the observatory with a new classmate, Priya, who is equally enthralled in the number of stars they can see in the sky, Maddie thinks she just might have found a new friend. This sweet story speaks to the power of friendship while empowering young girls to follow their interests in math, science, and the wonders of space.

Check out more of our STEM-related books in our collection below!

Imagine Counting All the Stars
Written Raewyn Caisley
Illustrated by Gabriel Evans
Published by Candlewick Press
Available now

Numbers Queen
Written by Margery Cuyler
Illustrated by Stacy Curtis
Published by Aladdin
Available now

¿Quién Salta Más?/Who Jumps More?
Written and illustrated by Grace Lin
Published by Charlesbridge
Available now

Sir Cumference Speaks Volumes
Written by Cindy Neuschwander
Illustrated by Wayne Geehan
Published by Charlesbridge
Available October 15th, 2024

Unlocking the Universe: The Cosmic Discoveries of the Webb Space Telescope
Written by Suzanne Slade
Published by Charlesbridge
Available October 8th, 2024

Up Close and Incredible: Human Body
Written by Isabel Thomas
Illustrated by Damien Weighill
Published by Wide Eyed Editions
Available now

We’re taking a brain break in this moment between semesters, but stay tuned for more reviews, recommendations, the Butler Center Fall Open Hours schedule, new events, and more. See you next week for the start of the fall semester. Cheers, the BCLC Staff

It’s almost time for school, so this week, we are highlighting books that talk about or take place at school. For instance, Getting Ready for Kindergarten is aptly named as readers follow a young girl in all the steps she takes leading up to the first day of Kindergarten. From shopping for new shoes with her mom to packing her backpack the night before, she feels ready. But the night before, she starts to worry about what her teacher and classmates will be like. Once she meets a friendly new classmate on the bus, she releases her fears and feels excited once again about the start of the year.

Check out more of our school-themed books from our collection below!

Bizzy Bear: Preschool
Illustrated by Benji Davies
Published by Candlewick Press
Available now

Free to Learn: How Alfredo Lopez Fought for the Right to Go to School
Written by Cynthia Levinson
Illustrated by Mirelle Ortega
Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Available now

Getting Ready for Kindergarten
Written by Vera Ahiyya
Illustrated by Debby Rahmalia
Published by Random House PICTUREBACK Book
Available now

Getting Ready for Preschool
Written by Vera Ahiyya
Illustrated by Debby Rahmalia
Published by Random House PICTUREBACK Book
Available now

Hello, Crayons!: And Other School Friends
Written by Hannah Eliot
Illustrated by Anna Clark and Daniel Clark
Published by Little Simon
Available now

Look How Much I’ve Grown in KINDergarten
Written by Vera Ahiyya
Illustrated by Joey Chou
Published by Random House Studio
Available now

Scorch, Hedgehog of Doom 
Written by Cate Berry 
Illustrated by Margherita Grasso 
Page Street Publishing/Page Street Kids 
July 16, 2024 
Ages 4-8 

Scorch, the class hedgehog, longs to be a ferocious hedgehog, horrifying those around her with her viciousness, but the world only sees her as cute and adorable. Scorch pulls out all the stops to make everyone see her ferocity, like practicing chokeholds and cartwheel kicks. Scorch puts all her effort into terrifying the students, but each ferocious display is met with choruses of “Aw!” Eventually, Scorch learns that her cuteness is “forged in fire” (p. 20). Scorch sees that she doesn’t have to choose between ferocious or adorable. She can be “ferociously adorable” (p. 24). 

Cate Berry’s engaging writing keeps readers entertained as Scorch struggles with how she wants to be seen compared to how others see her. Berry uses contradicting words, like “cute” and “ferocious,” to show the difference between Scorch’s perspective and the outside world’s perception of her. Berry further emphasizes this by showing Scorch vow to horrify the world in direct response to being called cute. Margherita Grasso uses bright, candy-colored art to aid this emphasis by utilizing perspective changes. Her adorable cartoon style depicts Scorch conquering the dangerous wilderness while the class sees her simply running around her tank. In the end, Berry’s words and Grasso’s art show that Scorch doesn’t have to fit into one box or another; she can be “KILLER cute” (p. 22). With beautiful art and a fun story, this book is perfect for a storytime about identity, hedgehogs, or class pets.  

This week, we are showcasing some picture books from our collection. These aren’t just any picture books, but they are works that involve food, from pickles to pasta! For instance, Baba’s Peach Tree is a touching tale about a migrant worker Baba, his daughter, and the peach tree they find behind their house in China. Baba considers the peach tree good luck, and over the years, that’s what it provides. Until one day, it no longer blossoms. Instead, Baba finds a job in the Big City, with better schools and opportunities for his daughter. This touching story is about family, dreams, and the little things in life like a peach tree.

Check out more of our picture books that weave in themes of food below!

Baba’s Peach Tree
Written by Marie Tang
Illustrated by Seo Kim
Published by Random House Studio
Available now

Duck Duck Taco Truck
Written by Laura Lavoie
Illustrated by Teresa Martínez
Published by Doubleday
Available now

Nana’s New Soul Food
Written by Will Power
Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
Published by Crown Books for Young Readers
Available now

Pasta Pasta Lotsa Pasta
Written by Aimee Lucido
Illustrated by Mavisu Demirag
Published by Beach Lane Books
Available now

Pickle Words: Crunchy, Punchy Pickles and Poetry
Written by April Pulley Sayre
Illustrated by Jialei Sun
Published by Charlesbridge
Available now

Tricky Chopsticks
Written by Sylvia Chen
Illustrated by Fanny Liem
Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Available now

Noodles on a Bicycle
Written by Kyo Maclear
Illustrated by Gracey Zhang
Published by Random House Studio
Ages 4-8
Available August 27, 2024

Everyday, kids in the neighborhood look forward to cheering on, chasing, and admiring the deliverymen precariously balancing high stacks of noodles with one hand while biking with the other as they leave for their daily deliveries. Based on the real life cycling deliverymen, known as demae, prominent in the 1930s to 1970s, this picture book follows these skilled workers as they navigate crowded city streets feeding the city. Through the playful perspective of a group of children, readers see the demae at work, “whizzing past other bicycles, soaring around curves, cresting hills, avoiding potholes” (p 15). As the sun sets, the children return home pleading for soba noodles, only to have their father, a cycling deliverymen himself, bring home noodles for everyone. 

Maclear draws from her childhood experience living in Nishi-Ogikubo, downtown Tokyo, as she reimagines Tokyo with demae speeding around street corners. Using repetitive language, alliteration, and onomatopoeia, Maclear immerses readers into the bustling city streets. The plot is light and simple, and the acrobatics of the cycling deliverymen will have readers of all ages captivated. The playful, accessible language is accompanied by Zhang’s paintings, which appear as colorful, sketch-like vignettes of a child’s day following the delivery bicyclists. Endnotes include an author’s note about the history of soba delivery service on bicycles and a glossary of some Japanese words. This beautiful picture book tells a love story about the lesser known heroes of Tokyo’s past, leaving readers of all ages in awe, wonder, and joy.

Lately at the Butler Center, we have been getting a lot of new books that are hitting the shelves soon! A recent addition to our collection that can soon be added to yours is Rory the Remarkable Dragon by Kathryn Rammell. Rammell tells the story of Rory, who is different from all the other dragons at school. They find her differences remarkable, making her the most popular dragon, but the principal is sure that something isn’t quite right. When she uncovers the truth about Rory, she discovers that Rory’s differences make her perfect for treasure guarding. Using engaging text accompanied by colorful drawings, Rory the Remarkable Dragon celebrates remarkable uniqueness!

Check out some more books to add to your shelves soon!

Please Be My Star
Written and illustrated by Victoria Grace Elliot
Published by Graphix
Available September 3, 2024

Rory the Remarkable Dragon
Written and illustrated by Kathryn Rammell
Published by Orchard Books
Available September 17, 2024

The Salt Thief: Gandhi’s Heroic March to Freedom
Written by Neal Bascomb
Published by Scholastic Focus
Available September 3, 2024

Unico: Awakening
Created by Osamu Tezuka
Written by Samuel Sattin
Illustrated by Gurihiru
Published by Graphix
Available now

The School for Wicked Witches
Written by Will Taylor
Published by Scholastic Inc
Available September 17, 2024

The Girls of Skylark Lane
Written by Robin Benway
HarperCollins Children’s Books
Ages 8-12
Available October 1, 2024

Twelve-year-old twins Aggie and Jac have always understood each other. But when they move to Los Angeles and start a new school, their differences drive them apart. Aggie lives in anxiety about all the changes in her life—friends, school, and distance between her and Jac—while Jac focuses on her need to be an individual. To Jac’s dismay, the twins end up in the same gym class, where they surprise everyone with their softball skills. They quickly discover a group of classmates with a neighborhood softball team that practices after school, and Aggie and Jac suddenly jump from the new kids to the new teammates. Made up of enthusiastically chatty Tink, her equally chaotic younger sister Josephine, piano-player Marnie, an influencer’s daughter Dylan, and the quiet and self-assured Taylor, this “ragamuffin crew” warmly welcome Aggie and Jac into their circle (p 112). Over time, these softballers learn to be vulnerable with one another, giving Aggie and Jac permission to be themselves and still love each other.

This middle grade novel has a fun, lighthearted tone while also tackling deep themes of fitting in, change, and growing up. Benway alternates between the perspectives of the two equally central characters, Aggie and Jac, so readers have the option to relate to one, both, or root for their reconciliation. Although the plot centers around the ragtag group of softball teammates, Benway only includes a few scenes of softball practices. Instead, the action in the novel lies more within the interpersonal relationships: disagreements, sharing vulnerabilities, and moments where friends support one another. Furthermore, Benway includes a strong, positive queer representation—Aggie and Jac have supportive dads, and their teammate Taylor comes out as trans. Under the guise of a sports drama, this heartwarming coming of age novel will get readers thinking about what it means to be family.

Friends can come in all shapes, sizes, and species. Our friends comfort us, keep us company, and show us how strong we can be. In this week’s Butler Bookshelf, we are featuring books about friendship, like Saki Tanaka’s Between Words: A Friendship Tale. With colorful and whimsical illustrations made with watercolor and colored pencil, Tanaka tells the story of a young boy named Kai and his journey to making friends. Kai and his father live nomadically, and a constant language barrier has made it difficult for Kai to make friends in the new places they live. However, with the help of a magical friend and a special stone, Kai learns that words are not the most important tool for making new friends. Between Words: A Friendship Tale is a touching story with beautiful illustrations that shows the power and beauty of friendships that come in all forms.

Check out more books about friendships below!

Between Words: A Friendship Tale
Written and illustrated by Saki Tanaka
Published by Orchard Books
Available now

Even Better Than Sprinkles: A Story About Best Friends
Written by Linda Skeers
Illustrated by Heather Fox
Published by Random House Studio
Available now

Pig in Jeans
Written and illustrated by Brenda Li
Published by Orchard Books
Available now

The Secret Elephant: Inspired By a True Story of Friendship
Written and illustrated by Ellan Rankin
Published by Random House Studio
Available now

Shermy & Shake, the Not-So-New Kid
Written by Kirby Larson
Illustrated by Shinji Fujioka
Published by Candlewick Press
Available now