A Coretta Scott King Author Honor BookA We Need Diverse Books Walter Dean Myers Honor BookAn ALA Notable Children's BookAn NPR Best Book of the YearA New York Public Library Best Book of the YearA Chicago Public Library Best Book of the YearA Boston Globe Best Book of the YearA Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the YearA School Library Journal Best Book of the Year★"A one-of-a-kind masterpiece of literature. This must-read biography belongs on every library shelf and will redefine the way readers engage with biographical texts.”—SLJ, starred review ★"A biography that’s as unique in form and content as the groundbreaking sci-fi/fantasy author herself.... Informational and inspirational, this innovative work will draw committed Butler fans and entice those unfamiliar with her work to seek it out."—Horn Book, starred review ★"Zoboi has created a necessary addition to school and public library collections through this memorable look at how writers incorporate their lives into their work."—Booklist, starred review★"A radiant biography spotlights the life of science fiction great Octavia Butler through a compilation of poetry, prose, quotes and photos."—Shelf Awareness, starred review★"An inspiring look at the formative years and work of a literary giant that’s sure to capture young readers’ attention."—Kirkus, starred review★"This title truly has something for every reader."—SLC, starred review "Here’s a true statement for you: If you live a good life and are true to yourself and persevere, you might, you MIGHT, be lucky enough to get someone like Ibi Zoboi to write your biography for kids."—Betsy Bird, Fuse #8 "Zoboi movingly highlights the importance of empathy in Butler’s work and her role as a mentor and source of inspiration for countless other Black creatives."—BookPage"A fittingly expansive tribute to Butler’s visionary mind and the childhood that sowed it."—Publishers Weekly"Zoboi pairs elegantly crafted poems with direct, informative prose to create an emotionally charged look at a Black woman who changed the literary landscape, writing in a genre dominated by white authors and white characters. [T]his is a compelling blend of artistry and nonfiction that will likely send readers directly to Butler’s books."—BCCB

Stardust What if on the day she was born there was a quiet storm of tiny shimmering dust that settled on tree leaves, on flower petals, on rooftops, on the ground, on the shiny work shoes, and glided through open windows to settle on hardwood floors? Maybe there was a storm of stardust and this was how Laurice James Butler and Octavia Margaret Butler gave birth to a baby girl named Octavia Estelle Butler, a star child.  Dawn Laurice James Butler, who worked as a shoeshine man, and Octavia Margaret Butler, who worked as a live-in domestic servant, were married on May 17, 1931, in Los Angeles, California. On June 22, 1947, in Pasadena, California, they gave birth to a baby girl whom they named Octavia Estelle Butler. Laurice died on February 16, 1951, when Octavia was almost four years old. She knew very little about her father. She was raised by her mother and grandmother—two hardworking and God-fearing matriarchs. For a brief period, she also lived with her two uncles, each like a father to her. Octavia Margaret Butler, her mother, was the greatest constant in her life. She was born in Louisiana in 1914 and lived on a sugarcane plantation before migrating with her family—and hundreds of thousands of other African Americans—to Southern California as part of the Great Migration that was reshaping cities in the North and West.