Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Beware of boys | by Blundell, Tony

A young boy is captured by a seemingly clever wolf while walking in the woods one day. When the wolf threatens to eat the boy, the boy creatively sends the wolf running in circles and ends up stumping him and escaping!

Keywords: adventures, animals, assertiveness, critical thinking, food, forest, nutrition, survival, wolf

Wagons west | by Gerrard, Roy

Buckskin Dan and his followers embarked on a wild and dangerous journey on the Oregon Trail. After many exciting adventures like fighting off outlaws and saving an Indian boy, the group finally settles in the Willamette Valley.

Johnny appleseed | by Lindbergh, Reeve

On his way to the western frontier, Johnny Appleseed stops to eat and chat with Hannah Goodwin and her family. His adventures bring many encounters with pioneers, Indians, and nature. When he is old, he returns to visit Hannah Goodwin who continues to tell children about Johnny Appleseed.

Keywords: accomplishment, adventures, ambition, appreciation, determination, exercise, exploration, folktale, goal setting, history, kindness, multicultural, native american, pioneers, rhyme, success, survival, unselfish, walking

The littlest matryoshka | by Bliss, Corinne Denias

Nikolai shipped his last carved matryoshka from Russia to a toy store in America. While on display, one of the six dolls gets bumped from the shelf and begins a great adventure away from her sisters. She survived the snow, the stream, a bird, and a cat before being found by the very girl who had bought her sisters, and they were all together once again.

Keywords: accidents, adventures, american, animals, author's note, beauty, birds, colors, dolls, family, hobby, hope, lost, missing, multicultural, russian, seasons, shopping, snow, squirrel, surprises, survival, toys

Tumble tower | by Tyler, Anne

Molly the Messy is a princess who lives in the tower of her family's palace. Her family is embarrassed about the fact that she never cleans her room. One day, the lake floods the palace and they must all stay in Molly's messy tower.

Keywords: acceptance, cleanliness, conflict resolution, parents, refusal skills, royalty, survival, verbal communication

Mik's mammoth | by Gerrard, Roy

A misfit in a tribe is accidently abandoned. He must try to survive on his own with a creature that he nurses to health.

Keywords: acceptance, cave, conflict resolution, differences, friendship, self esteem, survival

So far from the sea | by Bunting, Eve

Laura and her family are moving, so they are coming to visit the Manzanar War Relocation Center one last time. Years ago, this center was used to house anyone living in the United States that were of Japanese descent. These people were forced to leave their homes and come to the center because Japan bombed the United States. The center is bare now except for all of the memories and the cemetary, including her grandfather's grave.

Keywords: acceptance, airplane, american, anger, anticipation, assertiveness, author's note, awareness, bias, bravery, change, citizen, cold, community, conflict, confusion, critical thinking, crow, culture, death, differences, discrimination, diversity, family, fear, feelings, flowers, forgiveness, generations, ghosts, grandparents, growing up, history, illness, japanese, loss, memories, monuments, mountains, moving, prison, sea, sky, snow, survival, verbal communication, war

Tarzan | by San Souci, Robert

Family is defined differently when Tarzan is raised by a group of apes. Tarzan grows into a curious being. Confused by what he knows and what he is finding out, his confusion builds to power as he rules the apes. Can he forget his past to pursue his future?

Keywords: acceptance, adoption, africa, aggression, anger, animals, ape, appearance, assertiveness, author's note, challenges, conflict resolution, dancing, death, determination, differences, exploration, family, fight, growing up, jungle, kidnapped, lion, loyalty, multicultural, orphan, reading, survival, writing

Iva dunnit and the big wind | by Purdy, Carol

A pioneer woman named Iva Dunnit tries to save her house from the Big Wind. Her children use their wits and work with their mother to save their property from the wind storm.

Keywords: barn, conflict resolution, cooperation, critical thinking, decision making, family, farm, parents, pioneers, siblings, stress management, survival, weather, wind

Almost gone | by Jenkins, Steve

All living things are related in some way. The reality of human destruction, and its impact on the survival of animals are key components to the extinction of many animals in our environment. As each species disappears, the world as we know it, forever is changed. Will the little bird who visits your morning windowsill be next?

Erika's story | by Vander Zee, Ruth

After being thrown from a train as a baby during the Holocaust, Erika finds safety, love, and peace in the family that saves her.

Keywords: adoption, assertiveness, author's note, bravery, conflict resolution, courage, critical thinking, family, fear, feelings, germany, history, hope, identity, Jewish, loss, love, memories, multicultural, parents, prejudice, pride, rescue, sadness, self esteem, separation, storytelling, survival, train, transportation, verbal communication, war

Alia's mission | by Stamaty, Mark A.

Alia is the librarian of the Central Library in Basra, Iraq. When the war in Iraq begins to move closer and closer to Basra, Alia makes an important decision and takes huge risks to preserve the historical literaure of her country, as well as many other books in the library. The war progresses and Alia enlists the help of friends to do all they can to move and protect the contents of the library.

Hidden child | by Millman, Isaac

Over fifty years have passed, and Isaac finally tells his story. He is one of the few survivors of the Holocaust. Isaac experiences many tragedies during the war including losing both parents, friends, and being left to strangers, but finally, was adopted into a home. Although he changes his name, he is adopted in a home where people grow to love him.

Keywords: adoption, autobiography, conflict resolution, decision making, family, fear, feelings, france, friendship, germany, history, Jewish, loneliness, multicultural, nonverbal communication, parents, peer resistance, photograph, politics, prison, racism, relationship, religion, rescue, sadness, safety, self esteem, separation, survival, war

Cloudy with a chance of meatballs | by Barrett, Judi

Grandpa tells a bedtime story about a town where all the food came from the sky in rain, snow, hurricane, and tornado forms. It becomes a disaster, and people flee to a new town.

Keywords: animals, change, community, conflict resolution, food, grandparents, grief, happiness, humor, hurricane, moving, nonverbal communication, rain, sadness, snow, storm, survival, tornado, weather

Browse Abstracts (54 total)