Welcome to the online presence of the Butler Children's Literature Center, housed in Dominican's SOIS and generously supported by the Butler Family Foundation. Here, we celebrate the best in books for youth and those who delight in sharing them. For Summer 2023, BCLC will offer collection access to the Dominican community and general public during posted open hours: Tuesday — Thursday 9 am-3 pm 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.
I Am a Bird Hope Lim Illustrated by Hyewon Yum Candlewick Press Available February 2, 2021 Ages 3-7
A young girl joyfully embraces her morning commute, imagining herself a bird flying to school on the back of her father’s bicycle. She waves to friends and neighbors, and sings to her fellow birds as they soar by. A stern older woman is the only thing to dim her smile, when curiosity fights with anxiety about the unknown person and her unfriendly behavior. Her stranger-danger only increases until the day they discover the woman feeding and singing to the girl’s beloved birds. Maybe they’re not so different after all. Hope Lim’s gentle tale of discovering kinship in the most unlikely place is perfect for our current moment of division. The juxtaposition of the little girl’s joy and the woman’s dejected countenance help build enough tension that the revelation of their commonality feels like a celebration. Hyewon Yum’s vibrant colored pencil and gouache illustrations blend an almost architectural precision with softer, freehand coloring and embellishments (and sweet birds). Her emotive faces amplify the story’s sentiment—the girl’s joy and anxiety, the friendliness of their South Korean community, and the woman’s transformation. A sweet reminder that we can all be happier when we focus more on our similarities than our differences.
I find I’m turning to books even more (than usual) this year; for edification, entertainment, and just plain escape from the real world. If that sounds like you, or someone you know, books could be a better-than-ever holiday gift. Or maybe a “just because you need a break from doom-scrolling” gift!
Between books, I’ve been working extra hard to feel like I am helping others, both in my immediate community and our bigger, book-ish community. Here are some of my favorite ways to contribute. I hope they’ll inspire you to help too!
From their website: Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores.
We believe that bookstores are essential to a healthy culture. They’re where authors can connect with readers, where we discover new writers, where children get hooked on the thrill of reading that can last a lifetime. They’re also anchors for our downtowns and communities.
As more and more people buy their books online, we wanted to create an easy, convenient way for you to get your books and support bookstores at the same time.
If you want to find a specific local bookstore to support, find them on our map and they’ll receive the full profit from your order. Otherwise, your order will contribute to an earnings pool that will be evenly distributed among independent bookstores (even those that don’t use Bookshop).
Fun Fact: To date, they have raised almost $8 million for independent bookstores.
Our experience: The site is user friendly, shipping was fast, and the price was less than that other online option.
From their website: Liberation Library provides books to youth in [Illinois] prisons to encourage imagination, self-determination, and connection to outside worlds of their choosing. We believe access to books is a right, not a privilege. We believe books and relationships empower young people to change the criminal justice system.
Fun Fact: The Liberation Library has partnered with 5 Chicago bookstores (City Lit Books, Open Books, Pilsen Community Books, Semicolon Books, and Women and Children First Bookstore) to engage in a form of mutual aid. You can purchase a gift card from a partner store, and the organization will buy books specifically requested by the kids.
Our experience: They also take donations of new or gently used paperbacks from your personal collection. BCLC is keeping an eye out for the titles on their current wish list.
From their website: Being able to read is the most critical skill for anyone who wants to fully claim and realize the freedoms America promises; this is why Freadom exists. Freadom is a social enterprise created to accelerate and amplify the awareness of and advance the cause for literacy. Freadom designs and sells high-quality, responsibly made apparel and products from which 100% of the net profit supports literacy initiatives throughout America.
Fun Fact: Founded by Brian Floriani, Bernie’s Book Bank Founder & Chief Advancement Officer, Freadom aims to invest $100 million in literacy initiatives like BBB.
Our experience: Each year, the Butler Center donates books to Bernie’s Book Bank to support their goal of getting books to children in low-income homes. And my new t-shirt is in the mail—can’t wait!
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