Browse Items · Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

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Leo the late bloomer

Kraus, Robert

Leo is a young tiger that is developing slowly. His father watches him over a season and notices that Leo does not grow. One day, Leo blooms and he is the best tiger in the whole kingdom.

Tags

acceptance, animals, body image, change, conflict resolution, coping, differences, family, food, growing up, nonverbal communication, parents, self esteem, tiger, verbal communication

The story is about the famous elephant Babar and his adventures in getting married. It illustrates how he introduces his bride to family and friends, the wedding ceremony, and the celebration afterwards. This book was entirely in French and the pictures tell the story.

Tags

acceptance, adventures, animals, celebration, conflict resolution, decision making, friendship, language, love, marriage, multicultural, nonverbal communication, verbal communication, wedding

The cat barked?

Monks, Lydia

A cat thinks that it would be more fun to live a dog's life. She thinks it would be nice to go on walks in the park, bark, and guard the house from thieves. The cat's owner reminds her about seeing in the dark, climbing trees, and taking naps.

Tags

acceptance, animals, cat, comparisons, contentment, differences, dog, feelings, park, self esteem, wish

Marshmallow

Newberry, Clare Turlay

A cat is used to being the center of attention. He must learn to share his home with a rabbit. The two learn they have a lot in common and become great friends.

Tags

acceptance, animals, assertiveness, cat, conflict resolution, differences, feelings, friendship, happiness, individuality, jealousy, rabbit, refusal skills, self esteem, sharing, verbal communication

Mrs. brice's mice

Hoff, Syd

Mrs. Brice has twenty-five mice. The mice do everything that Mrs. Brice does. There is one very small mouse that will not work. However he saves all the mice from a vicious cat.

Tags

acceptance, animals, cat, critical thinking, differences, fear, feelings, mouse, nonverbal communication, pets, teamwork

Good-bye, house

Ballard, Robin

A little girl copes with moving to a new house with mama and papa. Before they leave for the new house, the girl says good-bye to the old house and all the rooms in it. When they arrive at the new house, she decides the change is not as bad as she thought.

Tags

acceptance, animals, cat, change, coping, courage, family, feelings, food, growing up, nonverbal communication, nutrition, parents, sadness, stress management, toys, transportation, truck, worry

Down dairy farm road

Martin, CLG

After making veterinary rounds with her grandfather, Junie Mae realizes that money and curly hair are not the most important thing in life when she sees how her grandfather is paid in food.

Tags

acceptance, animals, careers, community, doctor, farm, food, grandparents, history, learning, neighbors, nutrition, pets, responsibilities, understanding

Mr. mcmouse

Lionni, Leo

Mr. Timothy McMouse, a city mouse, runs away to the country. He meets a group of field mice who live in a castle and tries to fit in. Timothy cannot pass the test of the country mice. When Timothy saves himself and another mouse from the cat, he is given an honorary Field Mouse License.

Sweet strawberries

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds

A man and his wife set off in their wagon to go to the market. On the way there the husband is very rude and impatient to everyone he comes across on the trip. During the trip, the man's wife tells her husband how much she would love to have some strawberries from the market but he tells her to stop complaining. At the market, the husband exchanges his fish for flour and his wife is very upset and doesn't talk to him on the way home. The next trip to market, the husband is friendly to everyone he meets and buys a big basket of strawberries for his wife. He thinks everyone else has changed, not himself.

The mission bell

Politi, Leo

Diego is taught by Father Serra that there is always a mission in life. Diego learns that you must learn to accept and love people for who they are and in turn, they will teach you.

Tags

acceptance, animals, beliefs, desert, feelings, fishing, goal setting, hunting, love, mule, multicultural, native american, self esteem, spanish

I wish that i had duck feet

Lesieg, Theo

A boy wishes that he has several different unique body parts, such as duck feet, an elephant's nose, etc. Until he realizes that he is just glad to be himself.

Tags

acceptance, animals, birds, body image, creativity, decision making, elephant, goal setting, imagination, self esteem

Wemberly worried

Henkes, Kevin

A young mouse named Wemberky worries about everything. Now she faces her biggest worry, the first day of school. Find out what Wemberly will do with so many worries to worry about!

Tags

acceptance, animals, bath, bedtime, birthday, body parts, butterfly, car, change, confidence, conflict resolution, dolls, emotions, encouragement, family, feelings, friendship, grandparents, halloween, happiness, holidays, imagination, mouse, noise, parents, party, playground, playing, rabbit, relief, school, self esteem, shyness, stress management, verbal communication, worry

Keeping up with cheetah

Camp, Lindsay

Hippopotomus and Cheetahare best friends and Hippo always laughed at Cheetah's jokes. Cheetah decides to find new friends who can run and keep up with him because Hippo cannot. In the end, however, Cheetah realizes what a good friend he has in Hippo.

Tags

acceptance, animals, appreciation, cat, conflict resolution, differences, friendship, hippopotamus, self esteem

The cats of mrs. calamari

Stadler, John

Mrs. Calamari moves into a new apartment and the landlord tells her No cats allowed! Mrs. Calamari is not about to put her cats out on the street, she'll have to think of something. Mrs. Calamari and her cats become friends to the landlord and he accepts them.

December

Bunting, Eve

A mother and son huddle together in a cardboard box on Christmas Eve when a mysterious woman knocks on their door. They give her a place to sleep, a small cookie, and a coat for a blanket. On Christmas morning, an angel appears and changes their life forever.

Tags

acceptance, angel, appreciation, caring, celebration, christmas, community, coping, dreams, faith, family, five senses, giving, holidays, homeless, hunger, love, miracle, plants, pride, sharing, shelter, sounds

King long shanks

Yolen, Jane

King Long Shanks is known for his fine, long and strong legs and he is quite proud of them. One day two tailors arrive at the palace promising they can make an outfit to show off his legs!The outfit also promises to be a true test of loyalty for the people of the kingdom.

Tags

acceptance, amphibians, assertiveness, attention, business, celebration, communication, confidence, curiosity, embarrassment, entertainment, fable, fly, frog, humor, insects, nonverbal communication, rhyme, royalty, self esteem, sewing, support, trick

So far from the sea

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.

Tags

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

The little old man and his dreams

Ross, L

A little old man's wish before his death is to attend his granddaughter's wedding and see her happy with her new husband. His journey is plagued with troubles and his gift of pearls is stolen.

Tags

acceptance, aging, conflict resolution, coping, death, decision making, determination, dreams, family, goal setting, grandparents, Jewish, nonverbal communication, presents, religion, robbery, travel

Stranger in the mirror

Say, Allen

Sam, a young Asian American boy, realizes first hand what it is like to be an old man. He wakes up one morning with a much older look, but is the same young boy on the inside. He has a difficult time convincing his family and friends that he is the same boy they all know.

Tags

acceptance, aging, appearance, asian american, change, conflict resolution, confusion, coping, culture, differences, doctor, dreams, exercise, family, feelings, generations, health, identity, loneliness, mirror, parents, running away, sadness, school, siblings, skating, stereotypes, teasing

Star mother's youngest child

Moeri, Louise

Both an old woman and a star want to experience Christmas. The star's mother turns him into an ugly child and sends him to earth. There, he and the old woman share their first Christmas with someone.

Tags

acceptance, aging, appearance, christmas, conflict resolution, feelings, holidays, loneliness, sharing

Mrs. katz and tush

Polacco, Patricia

Larnel unexpectingly finds himself befriending an old, Polish woman. From Mrs. Katz, he learns Jewish history and begins to appreciate his own African roots.

Tags

acceptance, african american, death, friendship, history, Jewish, multicultural, polish, religion

Something beautiful

Wyeth, Sharon Dennis

A little girl looks out her window only to see broken glass and trash in the court yard. She remembers her mother once told her everyone should have something beautiful. She sets out to look for something beautiful in her neighborhood.

White wash

Shange, Ntozake

Helene-Angel is the only person in her class to have to wait for her brother, Mauricio to walk her home. On their walk home, a group of boys decide to pick on her. Her brother is out-numbered so the boys paint her white. She is devastated and refuses to leave her room. Find out how her grandma helps her overcome her fears.

Tags

acceptance, african, aggression, american, apathy, appreciation, awareness, behavior, beliefs, bravery, challenges, chaos, family, feelings, frustration, mischief, multicultural, persistence, racism, resentment, stereotypes, support, uniqueness

Pushkin meets the bundle

Ziefert, Harriet M.

Pushkin lives with Kate and Michael. Kate and Michael took Pushkin everywhere and did everything with him. That is, until one day when Kate and Michael brought home a bundle. They started paying attention to the bundle and not to Pushkin. The bundle was a baby. Pushkin does everything in his power to get Michael and Kate's attention. The baby always cries, too. Finally, Pushkin decides to do some of his tricks and the baby started laughing. The baby and Pushkin were best friends from then on.

Tags

acceptance, affection, baby, baseball, change, competition, conflict, conflict resolution, dog, exercise, family, gymnastics, jealousy, loss, nonverbal communication, parents, relationship

Sophie and the new baby

Anholt, Laurence

A new baby is coming, and Sophie's going to be a big sister!She helps her mother and father prepare for the arrival of the baby, but when her little brother is born, she wishes that her family could give him back!Sophie slowly begins to realize that having a new brother might not be so bad after all.

Tags

acceptance, affection, anticipation, appreciation, attention, autumn, baby, birth, carriage, change, cold, conflict resolution, confusion, decision making, disappointment, dolls, family, feelings, giving, jealousy, loneliness, moon, morning, night, nonverbal communication, parents, patience, pregnancy, preparation, resentment, seasons, secrets, snow, spring, sun, verbal communication, walking, winter, woods

Today is shrew's day

Carrick, Malcolm

Shrew and Bullfrog are friends. Shrew is lively and Bullfrog is lazy. The book has many different stories about their lives and adventures together.

Tags

acceptance, adventures, conflict resolution, decision making, friendship, laziness, sharing, verbal communication

The adventures of connie and diego

Garcia, Maria

Connie and Diego are born multi-colored and get laughed at by their siblings. They travel to try to find a place where they fit in. They find that they are human beings and the place they belong is with their parents and family with the other humans.

Tags

acceptance, adventures, appearance, differences, family, learning, parents, self esteem, siblings, verbal communication

Metropolitan cow

Egan, Tim

Bennett Gibbons, the only calf in his neighborhood, often feels very bored and alone. When the Andersons, a family of pigs, move in next-door, Bennett instantly becomes friends with Webster, the youngest Anderson. Come join Bennett and Webster in the joy and pains of friendship.

Tags

acceptance, adventures, anger, animals, apology, beliefs, boredom, caring, courage, cow, culture, equality, family, feelings, forgiveness, friendship, fun, happiness, loneliness, neighbors, nonverbal communication, parents, pig, play, sadness, self esteem, stereotypes, verbal communication

The bird house

Rylant, Cynthia

A young girl goes everyday to watch the amazing blue house that an old woman lives in. The house is always surrounded by birds and one great barred owl. When the old woman finds the young homeless girl, she takes her in to live in the beautiful house.

Tags

acceptance, adoption, beauty, birds, bluejay, cardinal, companion, curiosity, emotions, finch, garden, hawk, heron, homeless, investigation, loneliness, observation, owl, pheasant, sparrow, spelling, swallow, thrush, woodpecker

A mother for choco (Une maman pour choco)

Kasza, Keiko

A lonely bird, Choco, tries to find his mother by going to a variety of animals and comparing features to see if they match. Choco finally comes across a bear who takes Choco as her baby.

Tags

acceptance, adoption, animals, baby, bear, birds, conflict resolution, decision making, differences, family, parents, self esteem

Tarzan

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?

Tags

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

Mommy far, mommy near: An adoption story

Peacock, Carol Antoinette

Elizabeth is a young Chinese girl who has been adopted by an American family. Elizabeth begins to question her adoption and wonders why her mommy in China did not keep her. Elizabeth's mother explains the adoption to her and loves that she has a mother who is far away and one who is close.

Who's whose?

Ormerod, Jan

Three families come together every day of the week to do activities help each other out. Some observe activities, do chores with others, or run errands with their friends. With so many people doing things together it is hard to keep track of who's whose!

Tags

acceptance, activities, african american, animals, behavior, cat, challenges, child care, community, cooperation, correspondence, Days of The Week, dog, exercise, family, food, grandparents, helping, multicultural, nutrition, parents, play, responsibilities, school, sharing, siblings, television

Bat boy and his violin

Curtis, Gavin

Reginald loves playing the violin. His father only has time to worry about the Duke's losing streak. Reginald passionately plays the violin to improve the baseball team's losing streak. Find out what else Reginald's love for the violin improves.

The eensy-weensy spider

Hoberman, Mary Ann

Travel beyond the waterspout -- out into the garden, pond, brook, shoe store, and even the park with this determined spring-loving spider. Sing the all-time classic tune or just read with rhythm!This book will catch you in its colorful web and keep you on your toes as you advance beyond the traditional limits.

Tags

acceptance, accidents, accomplishment, activities, adventures, affection, amphibians, anticipation, baby, bath, bedtime, beetle, birds, bodies of water, body parts, brook, bully, butterfly, caring, caterpillar, change, climbing, clothing, colors, community, companion, compromise, confidence, conflict resolution, cooperation, counting, courage, curiosity, cycle, dancing, decision making, determination, direction, discovery, dragonfly, duck, environment, exercise, family, fish, flowers, frog, fun, garden, grasshopper, injury, insects, instruments, language, morning, moving, music, nature, numbers, parade, parents, park, plants, pond, practice, rain, rhyme, routine, seasons, sharing, shopping, skipping, sleep, song, spider, spring, success, sun, swimming, travel, verbal communication, walking, weather, worm

The happy lion

Fatio, Louise

A lion in the zoo is happy because everyone comes to visit him. One day he decides to leave his cage and visit some of these friends. Outside of the cage, everyone is not so happy to see him. They are frightened of him, except for one boy who takes the lion back to the zoo.

Tags

animals, conflict resolution, fear, feelings, friendship, lion, self esteem, shelter, stress management, zoo

Biggest frog in australia

Roth, Susan L.

The biggest frog in Australia just woke up, and he is very thirsty!After he drinks all the water in the ground and the sky, there isn't any left for the other animals. The other animals now have to come up with a plan to get the water out of the frog!

Hans and Peter

Petrides, Heidrun

A teacher brings an African priest into her classroom to talk about the discovery of America.

Tags

african, careers, critical thinking, discovery, history, learning, multicultural, school

The dinosaurs are back: And it's all your fault edward!

Hartmann, Wendy//Daly, Niki

Edward and his brother are going to bed when his brother starts talking about the rock under Edward's bed. He tries to scare Edward by telling him that it's really a dinosaur egg and that the dinosaurs are going to come back and terrorize the town. Edward's smarter than that though, and he turns the story around on his brother. Soon, his brother is too scared to sleep!

Tags

community, critical thinking, dinosaur, fear, feelings, rocks, verbal communication

Please don't cry mom

DenBoer, Helen

Stephen becomes worried when he notices that his mother is sad all of the time and won't get out of bed. He and his father must learn about depression and how to help her cope with this illness.

Tags

conflict resolution, coping, depression, emotions, family, feelings, parents, sadness