Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Lucy comes to stay | by Wells, Rosemary

Mary Elizabeth loves her new puppy, Lucy. She discovers that puppies need special care and understanding.

Keywords: animals, caring, conflict resolution, dog, friendship, goal setting, nonverbal communication, pets, protection, responsibilities, self esteem, stress management, understanding, verbal communication

Crow boy | by Yashima, Taro

This is the story of a boy who does not communicate with anyone and spends much of his time alone. He finally meets a friendly teacher who realizes how special he is. By performing crow sounds, he shows everyone that he is from far away, and they sympathize with him.

Keywords: birds, crow, differences, nonverbal communication, school, self esteem, understanding

Harry in trouble | by Porte, Barbara Ann

Harry tells his own story about how he misplaces his library cards. He feels ashamed about not being responsible, but then learns that he is not the only one.

Keywords: assertiveness, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, forgetful, forgiveness, friendship, library, lost, problem solving, responsibilities, self esteem, stress management, understanding, verbal communication

Little miss spider | by Kirk, David

Families are different. Miss Spider knows best -- when finding her mother, love is the truest test.

Keywords: acceptance, adoption, affection, beetle, birds, caring, caterpillar, colors, critical thinking, family, feelings, happiness, insects, ladybug, loneliness, love, perspective, sadness, self esteem, spider, understanding

I'm the big sister now | by Emmert, Michelle

Nine year old Michelle describes the joys, loving times, difficulties, and other special situations involved in living with her older sister. Her sister, Amy, has cerebral palsy.

Keywords: assertiveness, coping, disability, family, illness, love, siblings, support, understanding, verbal communication

Why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears | by Aardema, Verna

A myth about why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears. A mosquito causes problems in the forest so everyone is mad at the mosquito. Mosquitoes now buzz in people's ears because they want to know if everyone is still mad at them.

Keywords: conflict resolution, decision making, folktale, insects, mythical, nonverbal communication, understanding

On the day his daddy left | by Adams, Eric J.//Adams, Kathleen

On the day his daddy leaves town, Danny wakes up early to write down a secret question, then he slips it into his pocket. He shows and talks about the secret question to his teacher, his mom, his friend, and even his dad. Each person tries to reassure Danny that his parent's divorce is not his fault. Danny's secret question flies away in the wind, but he still keeps asking other questions -- and he always will.

Keywords: author's note, beliefs, bicycle, biking, change, conflict, coping, critical thinking, divorce, exercise, family, feelings, friendship, guilt, loss, nonverbal communication, sadness, stress management, understanding, verbal communication, worry

Mandy's grandmother | by Skorpen, Leisel

When her grandmother comes to town, Mandy thinks she is sad and mean. After awhile, they begin to understand one another and learn from each other.

Keywords: assertiveness, conflict resolution, critical thinking, family, feelings, grandparents, learning, patience, refusal skills, sadness, sharing, travel, understanding, verbal communication

Gone is gone | by Gag, Wanda

A man wishes to trade a days work with his wife who does nothing all day. He soon learns he was wrong.

Keywords: family, farm, folktale, marriage, respect, understanding

But she's still my grandma! | by Rappaport, Doreen

Jessica convinces her hestiant parents to take her to visit her grandma in the nursing home. She is alarmed and hurt by how much her grandma has changed. The visit helps Jessica begin to accept her grandma's loss of memory and failing health.

Keywords: aging, alzheimer's disease, anticipation, diseases, family, feelings, grandparents, happiness, illness, memory, parents, sadness, understanding, verbal communication

Dad and me in the morning | by Lakin, Patricia

A young boy talks about going to watch the sunrise with his dad. He shares all the ways they can communicate with one another.

Keywords: beauty, decision making, disability, family, love, nonverbal communication, parents, sun, understanding, verbal communication

Black like kyra, white like me | by Vigna, Judith

A young girl finds out about racial discrimination when it rears its ugly head in her neighborhood.

Keywords: african american, assertiveness, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, differences, discrimination, friendship, learning, multicultural, nonverbal communication, peer resistance, prejudice, racism, refusal skills, self esteem, stress management, understanding, verbal communication

Sara's secret | by Wanous, Suzanne

Sara looks at the problem of people not understanding differences in an honest and straight forward way.

Keywords: acceptance, assertiveness, conflict resolution, decision making, differences, disability, diversity, family, homosexuality, honesty, nonverbal communication, peer resistance, relationship, secrets, sexuality, siblings, stress management, understanding, verbal communication

Grandfather's journey | by Say, Allen

A young man describes the journey of his grandfather between Japan and America. When the young man visits America, he falls in love with it. He begins to feel like his grandfather, and gains a better understanding of him through his journey and emotions.

Keywords: birds, change, decision making, family, feelings, grandparents, japanese, memories, multicultural, sadness, song, travel, understanding

Little jim's gift: An appalachian christmas story | by Houston, Gloria

Little Jim wants a tool set for Christmas so that he can prove to his father that he is a man. Father does not find time for Christmas until a church event opens his eyes to the season.

Keywords: caring, christmas, family, giving, goal setting, holidays, imitation, parents, peer resistance, performance, recognition, santa, seasons, self esteem, understanding, verbal communication, winter

Father's rubber shoes | by Yeo, Yumi

Yungsu's family moves from Korea to America. When Yungsu goes into his new town and sees children playing, he missed his friends from Korea. Yungsu tells his mother that he wants to go back to Korea, but his father explains that their life will be better in America.

Keywords: assertiveness, bedtime, careers, challenges, change, conflict resolution, coping, differences, family, feelings, food, friendship, homesickness, korean, listening, loneliness, loss, love, memories, multicultural, nutrition, parents, responsibilities, sadness, siblings, storytelling, understanding, verbal communication

My mother never listens to me | by Sharmat, Marjorie Weinman

A little boy's mother never pays attention to him so he does everything possible just to get her to notice him. Of all his crazy ideas and stories, he only tells one that will get his mother to listen.

Keywords: attention, boredom, family, imagination, listening, mischief, parents, storytelling, understanding

Albert's toothache | by Williams, Barbara

No one believes that Albert, the turtle, has a toothache, because turtles don't have teeth. His family thinks he wants attention and is being difficult. His grandmother visits and realizes that all Albert needs is for someone to believe him.

Keywords: assertiveness, conflict resolution, critical thinking, family, grandparents, illness, nonverbal communication, refusal skills, reptiles, self esteem, teeth, turtle, understanding, verbal communication

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

Did i ever tell you how lucky you are? | by Seuss, Dr.

Duckie believes he has the worst luck in the world until and old man tells him how lucky he really is. The old man on the cactus gives many examples of kids with bad luck. After he gives all of the examples, the old man wants Duckie to realize how lucky he really is.

Keywords: appreciation, awareness, comparisons, encouragement, listening, self esteem, understanding

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