Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Fox's dream | by Tejima, Keizaburo

A fox, who is on his own, struggles to survive during the winter. He is cold, hungry, and misses his family. In the end, he meets a friend and realizes that he is no longer alone.

Keywords: animals, family, feelings, fox, hunger, loneliness, sadness, seasons, survival, winter

Doctor on an elephant | by Kroll, Steven

The true life story of Dr. John Symington is detailed during his work in the province of Bengal. During his life on a tea plantation, he cares for many sick people.

Keywords: animals, beverage, doctor, elephant, illness, indian, multicultural, rain, river, survival, tiger

Turtle spring | by Zagwyn, Deborah Turney

One summer, as young Clee finds herself lost in the shuffle with the arrival of a new baby brother, Uncle Fishtank Hal comes to the rescue when he asks her to care for his special southern-breed turtle. For Clee, caring for the turtle is like therapy to cope with the new changes in her life. That is until the turtle dies due to the harsh cold winter and Clee is forced to bury him out in the yard. Without the turtle, Clee spends time with her new brother and learns to enjoys his company. In spring however, the turtle springs back to like in the compost pile and Clee gains a new outlook on the…

Keywords: affection, author's note, autumn, baby, caring, change, closeness, cold, coping, disappointment, environment, excitement, family, feelings, friendship, geography, grief, guilt, happiness, hibernation, jealousy, loneliness, nonverbal communication, parents, radio, reptiles, sadness, seasons, siblings, snow, spring, stress management, summer, surprises, survival, technology, telephone, turtle, weather, wind, winter

Magic dogs of the volcanoes | by Argueta, Manlio

The people of El Salvador are protected by cadejos, which are magic dogs that are descendents of the volcanoes. Two ancient volcanoes help the cadejos when Don Tonio and his 13 brothers send soldiers to destroy the cadejos. This book contains both Spanish and English text.

Keywords: animals, conflict, cooperation, dog, family, geography, geology, helping, language, mountains, multicultural, siblings, spanish, survival, verbal communication, volcano

Mousekin's christmas eve | by Miller, Edna

Mousekin is startled one night to find that the warm home he once inhabited is now empty. He sets out in the snow in search of a new home. Mousekin is delighted when he finds a warm home with a Christmas tree and plenty of food.

Keywords: animals, change, christmas, courage, critical thinking, goal setting, holidays, loss, mouse, problem solving, shelter, snow, stress management, survival, worry

Nene | by Coste, Marion

The female nene keeps watch over her eggs, while the male nene stays close by watching for danger. When the eggs finally hatch, the birds must keep close watch over the baby goslings so that no cats, rats, or mongooses eat the young. The family must stay in this area for a few months, waiting until the babies get their flying wings. Not all of the goslings survive the wait, but when all the new feathers grow in, the family flies from the land near the ocean to the mountain.

Keywords: animals, author's note, birds, birth, bodies of water, cat, challenges, change, escape, family, goose, habitat, mountains, ocean, parents, protection, rat, seasons, summer, survival, winter

The great shaking | by Carson, Jo

A bear tells the story of the great earthquake of 1811 In its own unique way, the bear describes the possible reasons for the earthquake and the changes that are made by the earthquake.

Keywords: bear, change, critical thinking, earthquake, nature, racism, shelter, survival

The unbreakable code | by Hoagland Hunter, Sara

A young boy is insecure about moving away and leaving what is familiar to him. His grandfather tells about the time when he felt the same way and how he grew proud of his accomplishments.

Cold feet | by DeFelice, Cynthia

Playing the bagpipes is Willie McPhee's favorite form of entertainment, but because his audience is unable to pay for his entertainment, Willie is forced to leave. On his journey to find money, he becomes tired and his clothes wear out. Across the forest he sees a dead man and since his shoes are torn, he takes the dead man's boots. As he approaches a house to find hospitality, see how the dead man comes back to haunt him.

Keywords: animals, author's note, behavior, body parts, caring, clothing, cold, compromise, consequences, cow, critical thinking, death, decision making, exercise, folktale, giving, instruments, snow, sounds, storytelling, survival, travel, walking, weather, winter

A small tale from the far far north | by Sis, Peter

An ambitious man travels to the Artic and becomes friends with the Eskimos. He learns how to survive in the harsh climate. He also is able to help solve some problems for them.

Keywords: appreciation, cold, multicultural, native american, problem solving, protection, respect, survival, understanding

Brave potatoes | by Speed, Toby//Root, Barney

All the prize potatoes at the county fair have snuck out to ride the Zip!Hackemup the chef realizes that he needs potatoes in his stew. He spies the spuds and bags them in his burlap sack. But, because the potatoes don't have ears, they don't listen to Hackemup. They escape as the chef is cooking and the potatoes are once again free and brave potatoes.

Keywords: adventures, animation, cooking, fair, food, nutrition, rhyme, rhythm, survival, teamwork

Just you and me | by McBratney, Sam

Little Goosey and Big Gander Goose search for shelter from a storm. Together they visit several animals looking for the perfect place but don't want to hide with anyone else. They find a place, but end up sharing it with the other animals.

Keywords: animals, birds, family, forest, goose, mouse, nature, rabbit, rain, relationship, shelter, squirrel, storm, survival, tree, weather

Black cowboy, wild horses: A true story | by Lester, Julius

Using his amazing tracking ability, black cowboy Bob Lemmons is accepted by a herd of wild horses allowing him to corral them. Based on a true story, the reader gets a glimpse of the struggles that faced the cowboys in the plains of the United States.

Keywords: acceptance, african american, american, animals, birds, careers, challenges, cowboys, food, freedom, heroism, history, horse, multicultural, nature, snake, storm, survival, vulture, weather, wilderness

Elf owl | by Buff, Mary//Buff, Conrad

Desert life is described through animals, plants, and the weather patterns. There is always a need for water in the desert.

Keywords: animals, conflict resolution, desert, environment, nature, nonverbal communication, nutrition, plants, stress management, survival, water, weather

Heart of a tiger | by Arnold, Marsha D.

Keywords: animals, assertiveness, author's note, birds, bravery, cat, celebration, ceremony, conflict resolution, critical thinking, customs, elephant, friendship, goal setting, holidays, identification, jungle, monkey, multicultural, nature, parrot, self esteem, survival, tiger, traditions

What's alive | by Zoehfeld, Kathleen Weidner

Understand the simple distinctions between living and nonliving things. Experience the living things through plants and animals. Experience the nonliving things through objects such as a rock. The cycles of life and materials for living are explained as well.

Keywords: animals, birds, books, cat, death, dog, dolls, environment, food, jumping, nutrition, plants, sun, survival, water

Amos & boris | by Steig, William

Amos is a mouse who gets stranded in the middle of the ocean. Boris the whale, comes to his rescue and they become the best of friends. Each helps the other to survive.

Keywords: animals, bodies of water, death, differences, elephant, friendship, helping, mouse, ocean, similarities, sizes, survival, whale

A symphony of whales | by Schuch, Steve

A young girl named Glashka has the gift of hearing whale songs in her dreams. Upon discovering thousands of trapped blue whales in a freezing channel, it is up to Glashka and her small community to save them.

Keywords: animals, author's note, bodies of water, communication, community, conflict, conflict resolution, decision making, dog, eskimo, listening, multicultural, music, nonverbal communication, patience, radio, sea, survival, teamwork, technology, worry

Maggie's whopper | by Alexander, Sally

Maggie dreams of catching a whopper sized fish to compete with her older brother. With the help of her aging uncle, Maggie catches her fish and confronts an old bear in the mountains.

Keywords: aging, animals, assertiveness, bear, death, decision making, fishing, hunger, learning, mountains, nonverbal communication, recreation, self esteem, survival

The wild horses of sweetbriar | by Kinsey-Warnock, Natalie

A young girl tells her story of an encounter with wild horses. While living with her parents on the small island off the coast of New England, she discovers wild horses. During the harsh winter that they live there, she helps the horses survive.

Keywords: affection, animals, birds, bodies of water, caring, family, horse, loneliness, memory, ocean, parents, seagull, seasons, snow, survival, sympathy, unselfish, verbal communication, weather, weight loss, wind, winter, worry

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