Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Arthur's first sleepover | by Brown, Marc

Arthur is having his first sleepover in a tent in his backyard. Arthur and his friends Buster and Brian plan to watch for spaceships and aliens during the night. Arthur's sister plays a trick on the boys, and they come up with a plan to get her back.

Keywords: bedtime, camping, critical thinking, deception, excitement, family, fear, fun, night, parents, recreation, shadows, siblings, sounds, teasing, verbal communication

The magic pumpkin | by Martin, Bill Jr.

A pumpkin is picked from its patch on Halloween Eve to guard its picker and keep the foolies away. However, strange things start to happen and the jack-o-lantern turns out to be the leader of the foolies.

Keywords: deception, decision making, fear, feelings, halloween, holidays, mischief, nonverbal communication, plants, verbal communication

Feathertop | by San Souci, Robert D.

A witch makes a scarecrow and decides to play a joke on a judge. The judge does not like witches. The scarecrow, Feathertop, finds it hard to follow through with the witch's wishes.

Keywords: animals, cat, critical thinking, deception, decision making, feelings, happiness, love, nonverbal communication, obedience, sadness, scarecrows, verbal communication, witches

The ridiculous story of gammer gurton's needle | by Lloyd, David

Gammer Gurton's servant loses her needle while sewing Gammer's pants. One of Gammer's friends accuses the neighbor of stealing the needle. After duking it out with the neighbor, Gammer realizes his friend is lying and insists on his punishment.

Keywords: argument, clothing, conflict resolution, deception, friendship, neighbors, verbal communication

Molly mccullough and tom the rogue | by Stevens, Kathleen

Tom roams the countryside charming the farmers' wives and tricking farmers out of fruits and vegetables. He meets his match in a plain-faced, sharp tongued farmer's daughter.

Keywords: assertiveness, critical thinking, deception, decision making, farm, food, nonverbal communication, nutrition, robbery

The great white man-eating shark: A cautionary tale | by Mahy, Margaret

Norman was a good swimmer who was upset with all of the other swimmers who got in his way. He pretended he was a shark to get them out of his way.

Keywords: assertiveness, conflict resolution, critical thinking, deception, decision making, exercise, fear, feelings, fish, frustration, goal setting, nonverbal communication, shark, swimming, verbal communication

Fox outfoxed | by Marshall, James

It's Halloween and Fox and his friends are looking forward to it, until Fox's little sister wants to come along. They scare her away, but she plays a trick on them. This makes them wish they had been nicer to her.

Keywords: animals, creativity, deception, disappearance, fear, feelings, food, fox, halloween, holidays

Minnie maloney & macaroni | by Stamaty, Mark Alan

Ever since Minnie Maloney was a little girl she has been buying seven boxes of macaroni for good luck. Her sister Molly told her it was the only way to ward off bad luck. Find out if Minnie can get even with Molly for her trickery.

Keywords: deception, family, food, giving, kindness, memory, revenge, siblings, trust

Troll country | by Marshall, Edward

Elsie Fay Johnson is a little girl who is fascinated with trolls and would like to meet one. After she hears her mother's story, she finds herself in the same situation and must use quick thinking to get free.

Keywords: deception, family, games, mythical, parents, storytelling, trolls, woods

Roger takes charge | by Gretz, Susanna

Roger is left in charge of his little brother Nelson. Their neighbor, Flo, decides to take care of both of the boys. In the end, the two brothers trick her into getting in trouble.

Keywords: assertiveness, child care, conflict resolution, critical thinking, deception, decision making, family, neighbors, play, responsibilities, self esteem, siblings

The true francine | by Brown, Marc

Francine and all of her friends, including the new girl, Muffy, get the meanest teacher for third grade. Francine gets in trouble for cheating when it was really Muffy who cheats. Francine is kept from playing in the big softball game until at the last minute Muffy tells the truth.

Keywords: conflict resolution, deception, decision making, exercise, feelings, friendship, nonverbal communication, peer resistance, self esteem, softball, sports, stress management, teamwork, telephone, television, truth, verbal communication

They thought they saw him | by Strete, Craig

A little chameleon is very smart. He uses his wisdom to hide from all the different animals that try to capture and eat him. By changing colors quickly he is able to outsmart the animals.

Keywords: animals, birds, chameleon, change, colors, community, critical thinking, deception, desert, escape, fox, insects, jungle, owl, reptiles, snake

Liar, liar, pants on fire! | by Cohen, Miriam

A new boy in the first grade boasts and tells lies to impress his classmates. It backfires and the kids will not play with him because he is a liar. He makes friends at the Christmas party by being himself and telling the truth.

Keywords: appearance, conflict resolution, deception, friendship, honesty, nonverbal communication, party, school, self esteem, truth, verbal communication

The mean mouse and other mean stories | by Udry, Janice May

Various mean stories are told about mice, witches, tigers, a dwarf, and many others. The stories show how their meanness affects other people and how others put them in their place by tricking them.

Keywords: animals, assertiveness, conflict resolution, deception, decision making, dwarfs, mouse, storytelling, verbal communication, witches

Do you see a mouse? | by Waber, Bernard

There could not possibly be a mouse at the Park Snoot Hotel could there?The hotel staff did not see a mouse as they make their rounds through the hotel. When the mouse catchers extraordinaire, Hyde and Snide, come to the hotel, they do not find a mouse. The clever mouse gets to keep his nice home at the hotel because no one can find him.

Keywords: animals, attention, awareness, business, chaos, critical thinking, deception, mouse, shelter, sly, success, verbal communication

Roland, the minstrel pig | by Steig, William

Roland, a singing pig, travels far away to play for the king. Little does he know that a sly fox wants to eat him.

Keywords: animals, deception, fox, goal setting, lion, music, pig, royalty, self esteem, song, verbal communication

Wombat stew | by Vaughan, Marcia K.

A dingo catches a wombat and wants to make stew. A lot of other animals help to make the stew, but they all end up tricking the dingo.

Keywords: animals, critical thinking, dancing, deception, dingo, food, koala, lizard, nonverbal communication, platypus, revenge, song

Seven sillies | by Dunbar, Joyce

Six barnyard animals are tricked by a frog to jump into a pond.

Keywords: amphibians, animals, bodies of water, deception, farm, frog, mouse, pig, pond, self esteem, sheep, verbal communication

Seeing is believing | by Shub, Elizabeth

As a child, Tom is tricked by a leprechaun. As an adult, Tom is a married man who has a run in with Pisky who try to steal his horse. This time, Tom is not tricked.

Keywords: challenges, critical thinking, curiosity, deception, elves, magic, mythical, verbal communication

Moving | by Rosen, Michael

The family pet, a cat, is greatly disturbed when the family moves. The old familiar corners and hiding spots are gone and the new house is bare. After finding a hiding place, the cat stays in hiding to punish his family. Eventually, he is drawn to the smell of food. Soon, the new house feels like home.

Keywords: animals, cat, change, coping, deception, family, feelings, food, happiness, homesickness, moving, nonverbal communication, parents, sadness, shelter, siblings

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