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Alexandria High School Students Author Children’s Book About Bullying

Book trailer to star actress Mila Weir of Nickelodeon's "Blue's Clues"

Authors and sisters Nalani (left) and Leila Butler (Photo: BookButler Publishing Company)

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Are your children fans of the new book “Paige Saves the Day”? Here’s some exciting news. The authors are local to Alexandria. Nalani Butler, who graduated from Hayfield Secondary High School this year, and her sister Leila, a rising senior, wrote the book during a summer break.

One might wonder how the sisters found time to write a book. In high school, they were involved in cheerleading, played lacrosse, and served as captains of different honors societies, to name a few roles. They still plan to write together when Nalani heads to the University of Virginia this fall.

“Paige Saves the Day” centers around a child who uses creativity to counter bullying. Paige creates stories for her family and friends in which she and her dog are superheroes. And the duo always, as the title says, saves the day.

The first book in what is planned to be a series, the Butler sisters had the idea to create culturally diverse characters that would help explain complex issues to kids.

“When developing the series, we felt it was important to incorporate themes currently impacting kids that sometimes may be uncomfortable for adults to discuss,” stated Leila Butler.  “We hope the books will make it easier for kids and adults to openly discuss these themes,” added Nalani.

Actress Mila Weir, her character Paige, and the book’s cover. Photo collage: BookButler Publishing Company)

In the future, the authors want to cover topics such as self-esteem, diversity, and friendship.

And there’s more cool news. A trailer will be filmed later this month to accompany the book. Slated to star as Paige is six-year-old Mila Weir. Her credits include Nickelodeon’s “Blue’s Clues” and a Washington Nationals promo. Filming is expected to start later this month in the Northern Virginia area with director Kyle Catchings of Koncert King Productions.

For more information on the Butlers and their book, visit BookButler Publishing Company HERE.

“Paige Saves the Day” is available through BookButler, Amazon, and select retail stores.

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Kevin Dauray

Kevin is Publisher's Assistant with The Zebra Press. He has been working for Alexandria's "Good News" newspaper since 2019. A graduate of George Mason University, he earned a bachelor's in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. He also studied at the Columbia School of Broadcasting and holds a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marymount University. He is an alumnus of T.C. Williams High School. Go Titans!

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