Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Pink paper swans | by Kroll, Virginia

An eight-year-old girl learns how to make things out of paper by using the ancient Japanese art of origami. She eventually helps her elderly neighbor with this project during the summers.

Keywords: aging, art, helping, japanese, multicultural, neighbors, seasons, summer

The music in derrick's heart | by Battle-Lavert, Gwoddolyn

Derrick, a young African American boy, learns to make music on the harmonica. Uncle Booker T., a talented musician, spends each day, one hot summer, teaching Derrick the art of playing the harmonica. Finally, after much practice and determination, Derrick discovers the secret of Uncle Booker T.'s music: it comes from the heart.

Keywords: african american, arthritis, band, dancing, determination, diseases, exercise, five senses, generations, instruments, learning, multicultural, music, patience, play, playing, practice, seasons, sleep, sounds, summer

Shaker boy | by Ray, Mary Lyn

At age six, Celeb comes to live with the Shakers and he spends the rest of his life in their unique culture. He learns their ways, their songs, and is inspired by angels.

Keywords: angel, animals, autumn, birds, chicken, cow, dancing, death, faith, family, food, goal setting, god, hard work, helping, manners, multicultural, music, mythical, nature, nonverbal communication, nutrition, parents, school, seasons, self esteem, shakers, siblings, skills, song, spring, summer, taste, toys, verbal communication, winter, woods

Moonstick: The seasons of the sioux | by Bunting, Eve

A young Sioux is taught the way of life by his father. The young boy is too young to do many things, but one day he will be able to do what he is taught. When the seasons change, he makes another notch in his moonstick.

Keywords: author's note, change, family, growing up, learning, moon, multicultural, native american, parents, poetry, rhyme, seasons, self esteem, spring, summer, traditions, verbal communication, winter

The garden of happiness | by Tamar, Erika

A multicultural community works together to clear out an empty lot and turn it into a garden. Marisol plants a sunflower seed in the garden, and watches how it grows and changes through the seasons, contributing to The Garden of Happiness.

Keywords: assertiveness, autumn, community, feelings, flowers, garden, goal setting, happiness, multicultural, nonverbal communication, pride, sadness, seasons, stress management, summer, verbal communication

Bigmama's | by Crews, Donald

Each summer, young Donald Crews takes a train ride and car ride to Bigmama's farm. He plays with the his cousins on the big porch, then explores the shed, outhouse, toolshed, stable, barn, and pond for fishing. His family gathers around a big table to eat and celebrate being together.

Keywords: african american, animals, barn, bodies of water, car, family, farm, fishing, food, horse, multicultural, nutrition, play, pond, recreation, seasons, summer, train, transportation, travel

Lemonade parade | by Brooks, B.

In summer, a few young children set up a lemonade stand. A father dresses up as different customers so the children will earn money.

Keywords: beverage, counting, family, food, helping, money, numbers, nutrition, parents, seasons, sleep, summer, sun

Emma at the beach | by Stevenson, James

A friendly witch, Emma, is tormented by two mean witches, Dolores and Lavinia. Emma and her clever friends find a way to get sweet revenge.

Keywords: beach, conflict resolution, decision making, friendship, mischief, problem solving, revenge, seasons, stress management, summer, witches

Mrs. merriwether's musical cat | by Purdy, Carol

Mrs. Merriwether gives piano lessons to neighborhood children. Their ordinary lives are transformed when a cat joins the piano lessons and helps keep the beat of the music. The cat even brings her three kittens to the lessons.

Keywords: animals, birth, cat, community, conflict resolution, goal setting, learning, music, neighbors, nonverbal communication, practice, rhythm, seasons, summer, surprises, verbal communication

Ralph's secret weapon | by Kellogg, Steven

During his summer vacation with his eccentric aunt, Ralph is forced to take bassoon lessons. When he succeeds at charming snakes, Aunt Georgiana sends Ralph to charm a sea serpent for the navy!The music only makes the monster angry, but Ralph saves the day with his secret weapon.

Keywords: critical thinking, learning, monsters, music, seasons, secrets, stress management, summer, vacation

Island winter | by Martin, Charles E.

Heather has to stay on an island during the winter. She misses her summer friends.

Keywords: assertiveness, change, conflict resolution, coping, feelings, friendship, island, sadness, seasons, summer, winter

Skrallan and the pirates | by Lindgren, Astrid

Skrallan loves to spend her summers on the island of Saltcrow with her family and friends. A curious two-year old, she gets into mischief as she plays with her grandfather and other children.

Keywords: family, grandparents, island, multicultural, parents, pirates, play, sea, seasons, siblings, summer, swedish

A kitten's year | by Day, Nancy Raines

A kitten explores her environment during her first year of life. She uses her senses to absorb the surroundings and playfully interacts with the world around her. Month after month the kitten grows and develops into a cat.

Keywords: animals, autumn, cat, christmas, curiosity, feelings, flowers, halloween, holidays, month, nonverbal communication, seasons, sequence, spring, summer, thanksgiving, time, toys, winter

Anno's counting book | by Anno, Mitsumasa

Daily activities in a countryside village are shown through the numbers 0 through 12

Keywords: autumn, bicycle, biking, christmas, community, counting, decision making, goal setting, holidays, numbers, seasons, sequence, shadows, similarities, snow, sports, spring, summer, transportation, weather, winter, witches

All ready for summer | by Adelson, Leone

Let's watch different animals come out of hibernation and observe the changes in nature during spring and summer.

Keywords: animals, change, feelings, hibernation, nature, nonverbal communication, seasons, spring, summer

Lester's dog | by Hesse, Karen

Two boys are afraid to go by the house where the fierce dog, Lester, hides under the porch. On their adventure they cross busy streets then find a baby kitten. They try to save the kitten and find an excellent home for it.

Keywords: adventures, animals, birds, car, cat, conflict resolution, critical thinking, dog, exercise, family, feelings, happiness, helping, insects, nonverbal communication, parents, robin, running, safety, seasons, self esteem, shelter, stress management, summer, transportation, walking

Waiting for hannah | by Russo, Marisabina

Hannah wants to know how her mother spent her time before she was born. Hannah's mother talks about the hot summer when she got proper exercise, food, and recreation so she could have a good delivery.

Keywords: excitement, exercise, family, food, health, love, nutrition, parents, pregnancy, storytelling, summer, verbal communication

A long long song | by Delessert, Etienne

Acrobats and musicians appear out of nowhere and perform on the front steps of a town hall. The show takes place in a small New England village. Those who see them perform never forget who they are.

Keywords: autumn, community, gymnastics, music, performance, seasons, snow, song, sports, spring, summer, weather, winter

Reunion | by Essley, Roger

Jon is spending the last day at his grandmother's cottage. Before she takes a nap, she tells Jon to look at some old photographs from 1915 To Jon, the photos are dull, gray, and gloomy. Jon hears some voices and falls into a photograph where he meets Paul. Where Paul sees colors, Jon sees gray. The two boys share some adventures as different photos come to life. Finally, Jon sees the color in the photographs, and finds out that Paul was his great-grandfather.

Keywords: exercise, fantasy, farm, grandparents, lake, play, seasons, skating, summer, swimming, winter

The summer my father was ten | by Brisson, Pat

A father and his daughter plant a garden every year, and every year she hears the story of how the ritual started. When her father was ten, he and some friends destroyed a neighbor's garden. In the father's guilt, he makes amends with the neighbor, and gains a friend.

Keywords: aging, baseball, behavior, community, conflict resolution, decision making, feelings, flowers, food, forgiveness, friendship, garden, growing up, italian, mischief, multicultural, neighbors, nutrition, opera, sadness, sharing, sports, storytelling, summer, tobacco, traditions

Browse Abstracts (197 total)