Best Selling Books by Dorothy Butler

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.

On reading books with babies and young children.

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.

Butler and Clay present easy and informal ways to prepare a child to begin reading and to help him or her respond positively to written words.

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

Both good and bad luck accompany Mabel as she tries to get across her island to her new home.

"A collection of stories and poems by New Zealand writers, but for children all around the world. Mysterious and chilling, dramatic and exciting, warm and funny by turns: there''s something here to entertain every child. And as an added bonus he or she will learn more about the beautiful land of New Zealand."--Page 4 of cover.

My Brown Bear Barney is a classic New Zealand story much loved by generations of kiwi children.This year Barney turns 21 and the original story has been reissued to celebrate.This wonderful story introduces us to Barney and the adventures he takes part in. He is never far from the action - even when it means going places he possibly shouldn''t!

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.

Barney the brown bear accompanies his owner to Harold Hinkel''s birthday party, where he suffers several indignities at the hands of Harold''s little sister Poppy. By the creators of My Brown Bear Barney.

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.

Happily, Mabel and Ned are the parents of a new baby, but unhappily, they are not good at taking care of her. And thus begins a tale.

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

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.

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.

Picture book about a very special cat.

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

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.

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

This children''s counting book has a strong theme: the counting is based on birds, but there are also many other objects, in the pictures, to be counted.

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

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

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

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 tale of the family cat, Ginger, and her prized possession.