Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Grandma's latkes | by Drucker, Malka

Molly tries to beat her grandmother at grating potatoes, but her grandma is too fast. As Molly and her grandmother make latkes for Hanukkah, her grandmother tells a story about why they celebrate Hanukkah.

Keywords: celebration, family, food, grandparents, hanukkah, holidays, Jewish, multicultural, nutrition, preparation, recipe, storytelling, traditions

Kite flier | by Haseley, Dennis

A young man leaves home, marries, and begins to fly kites. He teaches his son the joy of kite flying, and with each changing event in their lives, a new kite is launched. When the son wants to travel, too, they make a very symbolic kite for both of them.

Keywords: conflict resolution, critical thinking, death, feelings, freedom, happiness, kite, loneliness, loss, nonverbal communication, play, sadness, stress management, traditions, travel, weather, wind

Make a wish, molly | by Cohen, Barbara

A young Russian Jewish girl has difficulties assimilating with the American culture. Making friends is difficult for Molly when other children cannot understand her background. A special birthday celebration finally brings the girls together.

Keywords: birthday, change, conflict resolution, feelings, holidays, Jewish, multicultural, peer resistance, self esteem, stereotypes, traditions

Our house on the hill | by Dupasquier, Philippe

Every month of the year, this family has seasonal traditions that they do together.

Keywords: family, seasons, traditions

A hanukkah treasury | by Kimmel, Eric

Hanukkah is to me the time for lighting the menorah, spinning the dreidel, and remembering heros from the past. Poetry, music, and recipes help keep the Hanukkah tradition alive!

Keywords: acceptance, accomplishment, adventures, ambition, american, animals, anticipation, appreciation, assertiveness, beliefs, bias, bravery, celebration, ceremony, challenges, change, charity, closeness, communication, conflict, conflict resolution, cooking, courage, critical thinking, culture, customs, decision making, destruction, determination, discrimination, elephant, family, feelings, folktale, food, freedom, games, goal setting, god, grandparents, grief, hanukkah, happiness, hebrew, heroism, history, holidays, hope, immigrants, independence, individuality, israelian, Jewish, kindness, language, love, loyalty, memories, miracle, moose, moving, multicultural, music, parents, peace, pilgrims, poetry, polish, politics, poverty, prayer, prejudice, presents, racism, religion, russian, sadness, secrets, siblings, snow, song, spiritual, storytelling, toys, traditions, war, weather

Cornrows | by Yarbrough, Camille

The traditions and history of African American family life are shared throughout history.

Keywords: african american, critical thinking, customs, family, farm, hard work, history, multicultural, parents, self esteem, siblings, traditions

Beni's family treasury: Stories for the jewish holidays | by Zalben, Breskin Jane

Beni is so excited because he's finally old enough to really understand his Jewish heritage and the traditions of his faith. In his quest for understanding, he encounters a number of situations, from learning the beauty of togetherness after reconciling with his feuding cousin, Max, to recreating the Pukim in a play with his friends and cousins. Through all of this, Beni truly begins to see the magical feeling of togetherness and heritage that his religion encompasses.

The quilt story | by Johnston, Tony

A quilt is passed from one generation to the rest. It holds many of the same meanings for each generation.

Keywords: conflict resolution, family, feelings, generations, growing up, happiness, memories, nonverbal communication, quilt, traditions

Manners can be fun | by Leaf, Munro

Stick figures are used to demonstrate good manners and how to act properly for play, home, and visits.

Keywords: assertiveness, decision making, family, happiness, manners, nonverbal communication, peer resistance, responsibilities, self esteem, traditions, verbal communication

Basket | by Lyon, George Ella

Over the years, Grandma's basket becomes embedded in many family legends. The basket is passed through four generations. The spool of thread found inside the basket is symbolic of the generations threaded together by love.

Keywords: death, family, grandparents, history, loss, love, nonverbal communication, song, traditions, verbal communication

The stars in my geddoh's sky | by Matze, Claire Sidhom

Alex enjoys a brief but special visit of his grandfather to the United States from the Middle East. They spend a lot of time together as Alex learns of his grandfather's homeland, customs, religion, and language.

Keywords: arab, baseball, companion, correspondence, excitement, family, feelings, grandparents, islam, language, market, nonverbal communication, prayer, presents, religion, reunion, sadness, stars, surprises, symbols, teaching, traditions, verbal communication

Waiting for the evening star | by Wells, Rosemary

As Berty grows up, life on the farm is full of simplicity, hardwork, and tradition. Berty's older brother, Luke, has aspirations of traveling to see the world. This makes life a little more complicated for Berty so he wishes upon an evening star.

Keywords: animals, birds, conflict resolution, cow, decision making, dreams, duck, family, farm, goal setting, grandparents, growing up, horse, nature, neighbors, parents, responsibilities, sheep, siblings, stars, teamwork, traditions, verbal communication, war, wish

Dragon kite of the autumn moon | by Reddix, Valerie

Every year, Tad-Tin and his grandfather make a special kite to fly on Kite's Day. This year Grandfather is sick, so it is up to Tin to sacrifice his special Dragon kite in order to carry all their misfortune away.

Keywords: assertiveness, autumn, butterfly, caterpillar, chinese, decision making, determination, dragons, excitement, family, feelings, folktale, food, goal setting, grandparents, health, illness, insects, kite, loss, love, moon, multicultural, mythical, nonverbal communication, nutrition, sadness, seasons, self esteem, stress management, traditions, verbal communication

The matzah that papa brought home | by Manushkin, Fran

A little girl and her family celebrate the Passover Seder in repeating rhyme form. The family feasts on matzah, bitter herbs, green vegetables, and haroset.

Keywords: author's note, celebration, family, food, holidays, Jewish, multicultural, nutrition, parents, passover, prayer, rhyme, song, traditions

Sitti's secrets | by Nye, Naomi Shihab

Mona's grandmother Sitti lives on the other side of the world. Even though they don't speak the same language, they find a way to communicate and become very good friends.

Keywords: critical thinking, differences, english, family, friendship, grandparents, language, multicultural, nonverbal communication, traditions, verbal communication

A gift for abuelita: Celebrating the day of the dead | by Luenn, Nancy

Rosita and her grandmother are very close. Rosita's grandmother teaches Rosita how to braid, garden, and make tortillas. When Rosita's grandmother dies, Rosita feels a great loss without her around and misses her terribly. Her family tells Rosita that she can make a gift to give to her grandmother on the Day of the Dead. Rosita braids a cord that is filled with love and memories for her grandmother.

Keywords: author's note, change, culture, death, family, food, garden, grandparents, language, loss, love, mexican american, multicultural, nutrition, parents, presents, reunion, siblings, spanish, stress management, traditions, verbal communication

Fox song | by Bruchac, Joseph

Jamie remembers her grandmother and all the things that they did together. These memories help Jamie deal with the loss of her grandmother.

Keywords: change, coping, critical thinking, death, family, grandparents, loss, love, memories, multicultural, native american, traditions

Jam day | by Joosse, Barbara M.

An annual family reunion involving berry picking and jam making, reminds Ben that he is part of a big family, even though his immediate family is small. It is also a noisy family of grandparents, cousins, uncles, and aunts.

Keywords: cooperation, critical thinking, family, food, grandparents, memories, noise, nutrition, party, self esteem, sounds, traditions

In the rain with baby duck | by Hest, Amy

In order to get to Grandpa's house for the traditional pancake breakfast, Baby duck has to walk in the rain. Baby duck doesn't like the rain but his grandpa shows him a way to enjoy it.

Keywords: compromise, conflict resolution, duck, exercise, family, food, generations, grandparents, jumping, learning, nutrition, parents, play, problem solving, rain, song, traditions, umbrella, verbal communication, walking, water, weather

One hundred is a family | by Ryan, Pam Munoz

Families can be made up of one to one hundred people joined by heritage, community, friendship, and love, all working together for a better life.

Keywords: community, counting, exercise, family, farm, food, generations, neighbors, numbers, nutrition, recreation, traditions

Browse Abstracts (123 total)