Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

A young woman named Isabella leads a strong and courageous life after being sold three times as a slave girl in the northeastern United States. After she is given a freedom day by a couple living nearby who knew of the 1827 New York law to set adults free, Isabella felt the "power of a nation" in court to win back her son who was unlawfully sold out of state. Isabella later heard God calling her to be a sojourner and spread her message about the value of freedom and what it had been like to be a slave. She would ask people "Is this any way to treat a human being"? Sojourner told her truth so well that she took the name Sojourner Truth and carried a white silk banner with the words "Proclaim Liberty" wherever she went.

Michael has bad dreams with many animals flooding his thoughts. A special quilt from the cedar chest is pulled out to play a game with his mother each night. A square from the quilt is chosen for sending a letter into dreamland. Michael's mother kisses him good night, and Michael has a wonderful dream. After Granny Rose comes to visit, Michael starts to dream in rainbows.

Bob shares the life story of his Uncle Jim, a deaf artist with immense talent and determination to find ways to communicate. During his childhood, Uncle Jim’s parents were unsupportive of his passion for art and they sent him to the Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind with his sister. Bob never learned to speak, read, write, or use sign language. Ultimately, Bob went to art school where he shared his Uncle Jim’s work which was displayed in a gallery and sold to the public.

A young girl has a special relationship with her Aunt May and Willy, her aunt's bird. The girl is only able to visit them twice a year, but always has an unforgettable time. When the girl's mother becomes ill the summer trip is cancelled and Aunt May plans to visit over Christmas. Unfortunately, a huge snowstorm makes the trip nearly impossible, but with the help of a Christmas friend Aunt May and Willy arrive safely.

Jesse really wants to visit his father who lives far away. Jesse and his dad write letters back and forth to pass the time until Jesse can visit in the summer.

Theo's favorite uncle, Gurney, moves west to try to find work. They correspond through letters, and Theo sends drawings of all his dream machines he has made up. Gurney builds Theo's machines to make an amusement park.

Brenda loses her teddy bear, Pete, on a bus. She thinks he's gone forever, but soon starts to receive postcards from him. Pete is traveling all over the world and having many adventures. He soon realizes he misses Brenda too much and returns home.

Even though they do not get to spend a lot of time together, a mom and her daughter write to communicate with each other using sticky notes left around their house. Right now, the girl does not want to go to sleepaway camp and she is trying to find every reason not to go. Whether it’s her cat, Lester, needing her too much or her short haircut, she really does not want to go camping. In the end, she finally does, and she loves it!

Lydia takes a train to go live with her Uncle Jim who doesn't smile. Lydia uses flowers and plants to bring joy to everyone. She writes home to her mother, father, and grandmother to describe to new experiences.

Yaffa loved helping her Grandma Alte in her photography studio in Poland. Many people had their photographs made during special events and celebrations, then they were mailed overseas to relatives before the Jewish New Year. After the Holocaust when 3500 Jewish souls were murdered by Nazi soldiers, Yaffa worked for 17 years to recover 6000 photographs and stories about people from Eishyshok, which is now a different town in Lithuania. Yaffa became a professor of history who rebuilt the lives of those lost by connecting with their loved one's photographs from six continents.

When bickering princes take the throne, the kingdom is split in two by a wall so that each brother rules half. The kingdom is divided and it is illegal for people to cross the wall. Since Tamala and Abalon are forbidden to see their grandmother and cousin on the other side of the wall, they decide to float over it in a hot air balloon. They work with their parents to collect materials, build the balloon, and wait for the perfect weather conditions. The family departs during the night, escapes military fire from soldiers, and surprises their relatives in the morning. This adventure is loosely based on the true story of two East German families sailing over the Berlin Wall in their own hot air balloon in 1979.

It's Halloween time, but someone has stolen the pumpkins from the pumpkin patch. Detective Albert and his friends solve the mystery piece by piece. Readers can join in this game and solve the mystery with Albert and his friends.

Despite his parents divorce, a young boy figures out how to stay in touch with his grandmother.

Samantha writes Santa a thank-you letter and the two become pen pals. Santa writes about his reindeer and Samantha writes about the polar bear at the zoo. By the time Christmas comes, Samantha has learned many things about Santa and giving.

Santa is determined to become a new and improved Santa. He changes his hair, loses weight, and changes his clothing style. The children are not happy with his changes; they want the old Santa back.

A girl says goodbye to her mother who is heading to find work in the city. The girl waits everyday for her mother's letter that says she will be coming home. All the while, the girl remembers her mother loves her more than snow or rain.

Although the character in this book enjoys his life immensely, he is ecstatic to receive an invitation to visit his Auntie in another book. There's just one problem: he can't figure out how to get out of his book! After many attempts, he is finally able to hop, skip, whirl, twirl, skate, scoot, and crawl his way through his book and into some new adventures in his Auntie's book.

In a letter to his children, a father reflects upon the importance of a good friend and the value of a place to feel safe and secure. The father recalls various memories of his family as it has grown in relationship to a favorite tree that had been part of their lives since they built their home. The tree seems to help the family through many events but does not withstand a huge storm. The father uses the wood to build a tree house to continue its importance to the family.