Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

The heart of the lion | by Watson, Pete

An American boy comes to understand and admire the rich culture and traditions of West Africa.

Keywords: africa, african, animals, art, baboon, butterfly, chicken, cooking, courage, culture, customs, dog, elephant, family, food, friendship, hunting, lion, magic, multicultural, parade, parents, scorpion, sharing, teasing, traditions, tree, uniqueness, verbal communication, village

Kofi and his magic | by Angelou, Maya

A young Ashanti boy describes some of the wonders of his life in and around the West African village of Bonwire.

Keywords: africa, beach, bodies of water, celebration, colors, culture, customs, dancing, differences, dreams, imagination, instruments, language, magic, multicultural, music, ocean, pattern, photograph, travel

The steel pan of Harlem | by Bootman, Colin

The city of Harlem has rats everywhere in houses, subways, restaurants, stores and business, and the citizens are fed up! One day, a steel pan man comes to the subway station and when he plays his music everyone is entranced, even the rats. He tells the mayor that he will fix the rat problem if the mayor pays him a million dollars. The mayor reluctantly agrees and the man keeps his promise. However, the mayor, does not keep his end of the bargain, so he is given what he deserves!

Keywords: african american, anger, animals, body parts, cat, citizen, conflict resolution, dancing, exercise, feelings, frustration, instruments, magic, money, multicultural, music, neighbors, politics, rat, subway, transportation, trust

Dona flor | by Mora, Pat

A vicious animal is causing panic among the villagers. Done Flor, a giant woman with a heart of gold, helps find the reason behind the mysterious beast.

Keywords: bravery, conflict resolution, courage, critical thinking, friendship, giants, giving, magic, mythical, neighbors, problem solving, relationship, verbal communication, village

Magic beach | by Johnson, Crockett

Two children draw different words in the sand. As the tide washes over the word, the object written in the sand appears. They explore the land they created by writing in the sand.

Keywords: adventures, alphabet, animals, beach, beverage, bodies of water, books, cabin, cow, critical thinking, decision making, fantasy, farm, fish, fishing, food, horse, hunger, magic, nutrition, peer resistance, picnic, royalty, sand, sea, shells, storytelling, tree, verbal communication, village, writing

The rabbi and the twenty-nine witches | by Hirsh, Marilyn

Once a month, when the moon is full, twenty-nine of the meanest, scariest, ugliest, wickedest witches that ever lived came out of the cave to terrify the villagers...until one day the wise rabbi invents a plan to rid his village of those wicked witches forever. The rabbi's clever plan works with hilarious results!

Keywords: animals, cat, cave, community, dancing, evil, fear, inventions, Jewish, magic, moon, numbers, problem solving, rain, religion, village, vulture, witches

In control, Ms. Wiz? | by Blacker, Terence

It all seems so simple. To stop the local library from being closed down, Ms. Wiz sprinkles her special powder over a few books to bring them to life. But soon the greediest man in the world, some Flopsy Bunnies, and a very royal couple are on the loose. Jack and Podge are worried- this time, is Ms. Wiz really in control?

Keywords: books, careers, feelings, greed, humor, library, magic, reading, worry

Paul | by Kuskin, Karla

Using his imagination, Paul goes on a fantastic trip looking for his magical grandmother. Along the way, he sings a song that his grandmother eventually loves.

Keywords: animals, family, fantasy, grandparents, imagination, magic, song, travel

The legend of rosepetal | by Bretano, Clemens

Prince Evermore asks Princess Rosalina to marry him. She says no and that it would be as impossible as a rose marrying a pumpkin. When he makes a rose marry a pumpkin, Rosalina feeels guilty about her selfishness.

Keywords: conflict resolution, happiness, magic, marriage, peer resistance, royalty, verbal communication

The tough princess | by Waddell, Martin

This book is about a princess who is forced by her parents to find a prince the traditional way -- going under a spell -- so she can be rescued by a prince. She does not like this idea, so she finds her own way to meet a prince.

Keywords: assertiveness, conflict resolution, creativity, critical thinking, family, independence, magic, marriage, parents, peer resistance, rescue, royalty, traditions

Fish soup | by LeGuin, Ursula K.

The thinking man and the writing woman are good friends. They decide to find a child to run messages between their homes and to catch fish for their fish soup. The child is created by their imaginations and a touch of magic.

Keywords: fishing, food, friendship, imagination, magic, nutrition, recreation, travel

Well, i never! | by Pearson, Susan

One day things become very strange for a family living in Iowa. Nothing seems to go as planned. They finally figure out that this is because their farm has floated up into the sky. They get their farm back to earth by weighing it down.

Keywords: chaos, clouds, conflict resolution, confusion, decision making, family, fantasy, farm, grandparents, humor, magic, parents, problem solving, siblings

The miracle of the potato latkes | by Penn, Malka

Tanta Golda is a Russian woman who makes the most delicious potato latkes in Russia. This year, there is only one tiny potato from the harvest. Tanta doesn't know what to do. When a beggar comes to her door, she feeds him the one potato. The beggar brings her good luck, and there are potato latkes for everyone!

Keywords: celebration, feelings, food, hanukkah, happiness, holidays, magic, multicultural, nutrition, preparation, recipe, russian, sadness

Anno's magical abc: An anamorphic alphabet | by Anno, Masaichiro//Anno, Mitsumasa

Children's eyes are opened to the excitement of seeing and learning the alphabet in a different way. Although initially distorted, the letters can be easily viewed when using a silver tube as directed.

Keywords: alphabet, angel, creativity, japanese, letters, magic, multicultural, mystery, pirates, sequence, ship, transportation

Moonfall | by Whitcher, Susan

Sylvie is a little girl who believes that the moon is magic. Even after her parents try to explain how big and far away the moon is, Sylvie still believes that the moon fell behind the neighbor's lilac bush. Sylvie believes that she saves the moon.

Keywords: family, magic, moon, neighbors, night, parents, sky

The cucumber princess | by Wahl, Jan

The cucumber princess comes of age in this mysterious story with Aztec-style illustrations.

Keywords: art, assertiveness, awareness, conflict resolution, decision making, magic, mexican, multicultural, mythical, rain, royalty, self esteem, verbal communication

A sky full of dragons | by Wright, Mildred Whatley

Lee Chow's grandfather shows him the wonderful items in the magic Chest of Dragons. What Lee Chow really wants is marbles and the Chest of Dragons cannot provide them. Fortunately, the Spring Festival creates good times, friends, and the beautiful marbles Lee Chow desires.

Keywords: appreciation, art, celebration, chinese american, colors, conflict resolution, customs, dragons, family, friendship, games, giving, grandparents, happiness, kite, magic, manners, multicultural, park, playing, respect, verbal communication

The secret of the stones | by San Souci, Robert D.

John and Clara work very hard all day, but they have no children to love. One night Clara finds two little white stones and brings them home with her. When they came home the next night all of the chores had been done, and John and Clara must find out who their helpers are and how to help them!

Keywords: african american, animals, author's note, bones, cabin, chicken, conflict resolution, cow, decision making, escape, farm, folktale, food, hard work, magic, multicultural, nutrition, orphan, poverty, rocks, song, stream, verbal communication

The mountains of quilt | by Willard, Nancy

A young child believes that a magician lives above his grandmother in the mountains. Two worlds that seem so far apart are brought together into one when the grandmother and the magician help each other out.

Keywords: assertiveness, birds, clothing, crow, decision making, family, grandparents, helping, magic, mountains, mythical, nonverbal communication, parents, quilt, verbal communication

The wishing hat | by Fuchshuber, Annegert

A person's main intention in life should not be for money. Magic makes it fun though.

Keywords: assertiveness, clothing, magic, money, music, peer resistance, refusal skills, relaxation, unselfish, wish

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