New Releases by Dorothy Butler

This book is a practical and spiritual guide to help build families, marriages, and faith.

Dorothy Butler Gilliam, whose 50-year-career as a journalist put her in the forefront of the fight for social justice, offers a comprehensive view of racial relations and the media in the U.S. Most civil rights victories are achieved behind the scenes, and this riveting, beautifully written memoir by a "black first" looks back with searing insight on the decades of struggle, friendship, courage, humor and savvy that secured what seems commonplace today-people of color working in mainstream media. Told with a pioneering newspaper writer''s charm and skill, Gilliam''s full, fascinating life weaves her personal and professional experiences and media history into an engrossing tapestry. When we read about the death of her father and other formative events of her life, we glimpse the crippling impact of the segregated South before the civil rights movement when slavery''s legacy still felt astonishingly close. We root for her as a wife, mother, and ambitious professional as she seizes once-in-a-lifetime opportunities never meant for a "dark-skinned woman" and builds a distinguished career. We gain a comprehensive view of how the media, especially newspapers, affected the movement for equal rights in this country. And in this humble, moving memoir, we see how an innovative and respected journalist and working mother helped provide opportunities for others. With the distinct voice of one who has worked for and witnessed immense progress and overcome heart-wrenching setbacks, this book covers a wide swath of media history -- from the era of game-changing Negro newspapers like the Chicago Defender to the civil rights movement, feminism, and our current imperfect diversity. This timely memoir, which reflects the tradition of boot-strapping African American storytelling from the South, is a smart, contemporary consideration of the media.

From one of our bestselling author/illustrator partnerships, a wonderfully whimsical story of a birthday party that doesn''t go quite according to plan. Dorothy Butler is an internationally recognised authority on children''s books and literacy. She is a graduate of Auckland University and was awarded an OBE in 1993 for services to literature. She has won numerous New Zealand, British, American and Japanese awards. Dorothy is the mother of a large family and lives in a lovingly restored heritage house in KareKare by the ocean. Lyn Kriegler is an American-born graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and holds an honours (BFA) degree in Fine Art and Illustration. She settled in New Zealand in 1974 and formed a happy working partnership with Dorothy Butler in 1978. They have since collaborated on many books together. Lyn lives and works from her studio, a converted stable, in KareKare Beach.

Dorothy Butler (OBE) is recognised internationally as an authority on children''s books and reading. She has won many major awards for her work in England, Japan, the United States and New Zealand and was declared a Distinguished Alumna of Auckland University. As well as her academic achievements, Dorothy has been a successful teacher, an innovative bookseller and the author of many much-loved children''s books, all the while raising eight lively children with her husband Roy. Now in her eighties, she lives in the heritage home in Karekare that her family lovingly restored. In All This and a Bookshop Too, Dorothy shares the story of her adult life. Picking up from the first volume of her autobiography, There Was a Time, Dorothy writes eloquently of her many consuming interests, her notable friendships and her family. This is both an affecting account of private triumphs and tragedies, and a salute to the golden age of children''s book publishing in New Zealand.

Young Joseph, who is disabled and uses a crutch, cannot help but envy his strong, active brothers. But then Joseph gets the chance to have an adventure of his own when he rescues a dog which is swept ashore near his home. Set in New Zealand in 1890 and based on a true story.

As a child living in Thames, Dorothy Butler''s mother, Emily (above right, with her younger sister) often stayed with a farming family who lived near Waihi. Emily always regretted that she was not at the farm when the incident related in Davy''s Ducks happened! But the story was included among those she told her own children, years later.

O''Reilly is a teddy bear who dreams of playing with real bears, so he sets off for the deep, dark forest to find them. But life as a real bear is not quite what he expects. Suggested level: junior.

Barney the brown teddy bear accompanies his owner to Harold Hinkel''s birthday party, where he suffers several indignities at the hands of Harold''s little sister Poppy. Full-color illustrations.

A autobiographical memoir of the childhood of the international award winning children''s book author, leading authority on children''s reading, and novelist. She was born in 1925 and brought up in a large working class family. Her focus was books and reading from an early age, and leading a full life in 1930s Auckland.

Visitors keep arriving with presents but will someone give Biddy the gift she longs for?

On her many travels, a small girl takes many things, especially her brown bear Barney.

Martha the toy monkey has her photo taken when the photographer takes a family portrait. Suggested level: junior.

The adventures of Martha the toy monkey who accompanies the young narrator everywhere. Suggested level: junior.

Illustrated book for young children which deals with unusual people; small, large, stout, thin, good, bad, hairy and so on. The conclusion is that peculiar people are not so strange after all. The main colour illustrations are supported by small cartoon illustrations at the bottom of each page. By the author of My Brown Bear Barney.

A rhyming story to be read to children. A boy and a girl march to a picnic, followed by more and more animals. Each page has one line of verse, and is illustrated in full colour.

A picture book that illustrates teddy bears of different kinds, describing them and their qualities in rhyme. Each page is illustrated in full colour.

A full colour illustrated story for young children, told in rhyming couplets, which contrasts country life and city life.

A story to be read to children about a day when lots of things went wrong and nobody really minded. Harriet and her little brother are to be taken to a birthday party, but nothing seems to be working properly. They make it in the end, and at the end of the day come happily home. Each page has a colour illustration, with the text printed below.

A little girl and her brown bear Barney have a busy week, getting into all kinds of mischief.

When Harriet receives a yellow umbrella from her Grandpa for her birthday, her family arrange the hose so that everyone at Harriet''s party can enjoy using the umbrella in the rain. Suggested level: preschool, junior.

Rupert and his family see many exciting things on their outings but no matter where they go, the zoo, the farm, the school fair, his little sister Isabella always gets lost. Suggested level: preschool, junior.