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

Tags: african american

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Jo Jo's flying sidekick

Pinkney, Brian

Jo Jo is worried about her flying sidekick test in Tae Kwon Do. Her grandfather and mother give her advice but she is still worried. When the test begins, she freezes. But then she realizes just what to do.

Tags

african american, assertiveness, conflict resolution, decision making, exercise, family, fear, feelings, goal setting, grandparents, japanese, multicultural, parents, performance, self esteem, sports, stress management, verbal communication

Max found two sticks

Pinkney, Brian

On a day when Max did not feel like talking to anyone he found two sticks to play with. Max's imagination lead him to discover communication through music.

Tags

african american, decision making, five senses, imagination, multicultural, music, noise, nonverbal communication, peer resistance, rhythm

My first look at clothes

Pinnington, Andrea//Davies, Charlotte

The different types of hats, shoes, sportswear, underwear, dressing-up clothes, night clothes, cold-day clothes, and hot-day clothes are presented. For example, hot-day clothes include sunglasses, a skirt, a t-shirt, shorts, a swimsuit, a sun hat, and a sundress. Photographs of each article of clothing are provided.

Tags

african american, clothing, concepts, diversity, exercise, multicultural, pirates

Alec's primer

Pitts-Walter, Mildred

Alec was a slave who wanted to be free. Ms. Josephine, one of his masters and three years older than him, told Alic if he wanted to be free he needed to learn to read. Ms. Josephine taught him to read and when Alec was old enough he couragously fights in the Civil War and obtained his freedom.

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

Pink and say

Polacco, Patricia

A wounded solider in the Civil War is nurtured back to health by an African American soldier and his mother. Together they return to the battlefield, but are destined to live different lives.

Tags

african american, bravery, death, decision making, health, helping, history, injury, multicultural, self esteem, verbal communication, war

John Philip Duck

Polacco, Patricia

Edward and his father work at a hotel and return home on the weekends. One weekend, Edward finds a motherless duckling near the pond. Edward is permitted by his father to take the duck to work, only if he keeps it out of the hotel managerﾒs sight. When the manager discovers the duck, Edward saves the day by showing the manager how he has trained the duck to march to music by John Philip Sousa. Edward trains many more ducks to live in the hotel fountain.

Ruth and the green book

Ramsey, Calvin Alexander

Ruth and her parents drive from Chicago to Alabama to visit her grandma. Along the way, they saw signs that said "White Only" where they couldn't eat in the restaurants or use the bathroom inside. Ruth's mother had food packed for the trip, and they sang songs along the way to stay happy. They also visited a friend, Eddy, in Tennessee where Eddy and Ruth's daddy played music together. When the family drove into Georgia, a man explained "The Negro Motorist Green Book" which would list places in different states that would welcome black people who were traveling. Ruth and her family learns how to use the Green Book to find places to sleep, eat, shop, and get a haircut on their travels because Jim Crow laws were unfair and discriminatory against black people. When a 'tourist home' welcomes them for free, Ruth learns that it is important to help each other and treat others like a big family. After this lesson, she gives her Brown Bear to a little boy who was traveling away from home with his mother for the very first time. Ruth said that she no longer needed Brown Bear because she was too old now, then she told his mother about buying a Green Book for her travels.

Tags

african american, anger, author's note, books, car, conversation, discrimination, family, fear, feelings, food, friendship, grandparents, happiness, instruments, law, learning, literacy, map, multicultural, music, oppression, parents, reading, signs, singing, storytelling, toy, transportation, travel

Freedom river

Rappaort, Doreen

John Ripley shows courage and perseverence in Southern Ohio through his actions. John crosses the Ohio River into the slave state of Kentucky to help other African Americans escape to freedom. John listens to nature as he rows a slave family across the Ohio River to freedom along the Underground Railroad.

Tags

african american, author's note, baby, boat, bodies of water, cabin, community, courage, escape, family, fear, feelings, fight, freedom, happiness, history, illustrator's note, listening, maps, money, multicultural, night, parents, prayer, quiet, relationship, rhythm, river, running, sadness, safety, secrets, slavery, transportation, underground railroad, woods, work, worry

Keep climbing, girls

Richards, Beah E.

Climb the highest tree possible with an ambitious young girl and learn never stop reaching for your hopes and dreams. Children are reminded that goal setting and perserverence are keys to success.

Dinner at aunt connie's house

Ringgold, Faith

While Melody and her aunt's adopted son, Lonnie, are playing hide-and-seek, they stumble upon something magical. They discover that her aunt's paintings can speak. Each of the paintings is a portrait of a famous African-American woman, who tells Melody and Lonnie of their accomplishments.

Tags

accomplishment, african american, art, assertiveness, conflict resolution, discovery, family, food, goal setting, history, magic, multicultural, nutrition, pride, progress, racism, self esteem

Tar beach

Ringgold, Faith

A young, 8 year old, African American girl dreams of flying above her Harlem home and having the many things she sees. She speaks of her wish to have money and liberation for her family and herself.

Tags

african american, airplane, art, creativity, discrimination, dreams, family, freedom, goal setting, imagination, money, multicultural, nonverbal communication, poverty, quilt, self esteem, transportation

Bonjour, lonnie

Ringgold, Faith

Lonnie is an orphan who learns his family heritage through the help of the Love Bird. He eventually finds his adoptive parents.

Tags

adoption, african american, author's note, birds, culture, family, french, grandparents, Jewish, language, love, multicultural, orphan, parents, war

Aunt harriet's underground railroad in the sky

Ringgold, Faith

Cassie take a ride on the Underground Railroad with Harriet Tubman as her guide. She learns what steps slaves had to go through in order to reach freedom in the North.

Tags

african american, assertiveness, conflict resolution, courage, critical thinking, decision making, freedom, goal setting, history, multicultural, nonverbal communication, refusal skills, slavery, teamwork, train, transportation, underground railroad, verbal communication

Jazzy Miz Mozetta

Roberts, Brenda C.

One night Miz Mozetta decided that she felt like dancing. Her friends outside made excuses not to dance and the children across the street would not let her. Miz Mozetta sulks to her room, but soon enough her friends and the children show up in her memories ready to dance the jitterbug all night long.

Sweet justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery bus boycott

Rockliff, Mara

Georgia Gilmore heard about Mrs. Rosa Parks who had been arrested when she wouldn't give up her seat to a black man on a city bus in 1955. But something was also cooking in Montgomery, Alabama about the same time -- a woman who cooked to feed and fund the people willing to participate in the Montgomery fun boycott. Georgia knew there was no justice under segregation so she boycotted the arrest of Mrs. Parks by staying off the city buses for one day. In order to get others to stay off the buses for one day, Georgia cooked and sold her crispy chicken, sandwiches, cakes, and pies to pay off the fines that people got when participating in the boycott. After testifying in court, Dr. Martin Luther King encouraged Georgia to keep cooking. On December 20, 1956, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that segregated buses were unconstitutional.

Tags

african american, author's note, boycott, bus, change, church, civil rights, courage, food, government, history, justice, law, leadership, money, multicultural, perspective, segregation, transportation

Only passing through: The story of Sojourner Truth

Rockwell, Anne

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.

Tags

african american, children, correspondence, courage, death, faith, family, feelings, fight, god, government, happiness, history, justice, law, loss, money, multicultural, oppression, parents, reading, sadness, singing, slavery, speech, timeline, travel, truth, writing

Elijah's angel

Rosen, Michael

Elijah and Michael have a unique friendship. Elijah is an 80 year old black Christian barber and Michael is a 9 year old Jewish boy. Elijah and Michael exchange Hanukah and Christmas gifts and reach a level of understanding between their different religions.

Tags

african american, appreciation, christmas, critical thinking, decision making, differences, friendship, hanukkah, Jewish, multicultural, religion, self esteem, spiritual, stress management, verbal communication

The secret of the stones

San Souci, Robert D.

John and Clara work very hard all day, but they have no children to love. One night Clara finds two little white stones and brings them home with her. When they came home the next night all of the chores had been done, and John and Clara must find out who their helpers are and how to help them!

Tags

african american, animals, author's note, bones, cabin, chicken, conflict resolution, cow, decision making, escape, farm, folktale, food, hard work, magic, multicultural, nutrition, orphan, poverty, rocks, song, stream, verbal communication

The ingredients of a q.t. pie

Sanders, Stephanie

What does it take to make a Q.T. Pie? Meet Quintessence T. Pie, or Q.T. Pie for short. Discover with Q.T. what ingredients make up her charming personality. Grace, twinkling eyes and self-respect are just a few of the things that make her so sweet. Every girl is a Q.T. Pie, no matter what her name is. What makes you a Q.T. Pie?

Tags

african american, awareness, feelings, happiness, imagination, multicultural, pride, rhyme, self esteem

Q.T. pie catches the rainbow

Sanders, Stephanie

Now that Q.T. Pie is finished with her chores, she can join her friends outside for play. But when it starts to rain, she must find something fun to do indoors. With help from her mom, Q.T. discovers how to catch a rainbow inside her own house!With colored beads strung in her hair, Q.T. can now wear her very own rainbow.

Tags

african american, bicycle, body parts, clouds, colors, creativity, exercise, food, games, god, kite, light, multicultural, play, rain, rainbow, responsibilities, spiritual, weather

Snow pumpkin

Schaefer, Carole Lexa

Lily and Gram can't believe how much snow has fallen in October. Lily and her friend, Jesse, have a wonderful time rolling around in the snow and building a snowman. When they run out of snow for the snowman's head, Lily and Jesse go to Gram's vegetable patch and find a snow pumpkin with a face. The snowman eventually melts, but the pumpkin remains smiling on Gram and Jesse's window sill.

Down the road

Schertle, Alice

Hetty has the chance to prove she is a big girl when her parents send her to Mr. Birdie's store to buy a dozen eggs. Hetty is very careful not to break the eggs until she reaches the apple tree.

Satchmo's blues

Schroeder, Alan

Louis Armstrong loves to watch the musicians play jazz music. He dreams of playing the cornet someday just like Bunk Johnson who plays in the Eagle Band. One day, Louis spots a cornet in a pawn shop and discovers that it costs five dollars. Louis works very hard for two weeks earning money any way that he can. Once the cornet is his, Louie begins living out his dream of becoming a musician.

Tags

african american, author's note, biography, church, dancing, determination, exercise, family, food, goal setting, hard work, instruments, market, money, multicultural, music, nutrition, parents, siblings, sounds

Carolina shout!

Schroeder, Alan

Delia who lives in Charleston, South Carolina and hears music wherever she goes. But her sister, Bettina, cannot hear music. So Delia shows her that music is everywhere. You just have to listen, especially along the streets and harbor of this historical city.

We are all in the dumps with jack and guy

Sendak, Maurice

There are two rhymes that precede one another to make a story about kids that are homeless. Two mean rats take one child and some kittens, and the children go after him. Jack and Guy later find the boy and the mother of the kittens. They all go and save the kittens. Jack and Guy take care of the little boy.

Tags

african american, animals, critical thinking, feelings, food, happiness, multicultural, nonverbal communication, nutrition, rat, sadness, stress management, verbal communication

Potluck

Shelby, Anne

Alpha and Betty plan a potluck dinner and invite all their friends. Each person brings a different type of food. Acton brings asparagus, Ben brings bagels, Don brings dumplings and there are many more.

Tags

african american, alphabet, asian american, celebration, chinese, food, friendship, multicultural, nutrition, party

In the time of the drums

Siegelson, Kim L.

Mentu and Twi tell the story of an African family newly arrived in the Americas. Twi never gives up on returning to her native Africa. Twi tells stories of cooking, planting, music and dancing from her native land.

Tags

african, african american, bodies of water, community, creek, culture, escape, farm, feelings, five senses, folktale, freedom, generations, grandparents, history, home, instruments, island, language, magic, music, mythical, relationship, repetition, rhythm, sadness, secrets, ship, slavery, song, sounds, storytelling, transportation

Irene and the big, fine nickel

Smalls, Hector

An independent girl named Irene lives in Harlem, New York in 1957 She and her friends experience a wonderful day in a community full of life and love.

Tags

african american, closeness, community, discovery, friendship, happiness, independence, love, multicultural, neighbors, unselfish

Dawn and the round-to-it

Smalls, Irene

Dawn wakes up early every day, but everyone in her family is too busy to play with her. She is sad, but figures out a way that they can make time for her, and it works.

Tags

african american, compromise, conflict resolution, creativity, depression, family, feelings, happiness, loneliness, persistence, problem solving, sadness, time

Irene jennie and the christmas masquerade: The johnkankus

Smalls, Irene

Irene Jennie, a young girl living on a plantation, is sad when she can't spend Christmas with her parents. She prays for things to change and a Christmas parade cheers her up. As she watches the parade with her godmother, she receives a nice surprise.

Tags

african american, christmas, dancing, feelings, godmother, happiness, holidays, loneliness, loss, multicultural, parade, parents, prayer, religion, sadness, slavery, song, spiritual

Kevin and his dad

Smalls, Irene

Kevin loves spending time with his dad. Kevin learns that after he works hard, he can play hard with is dad. Kevin and his dad spend the day cleaning the house, then they play sports and go to the movies. Oh what fun!

Tags

activities, african american, baseball, beverage, bicycle, body parts, buildings, chores, cleanliness, clothing, dancing, dog, food, friendship, fun, hard work, helping, humor, moving, newspaper, parents, park, restaurant, rhythm, soccer, sports, subway, theatre, transportation, working mother

Bessie Smith and the night riders

Stauffacher, Sue

Emmarene always loved to listen to Blues music. When Bessie Smith comes to town, Emmarene can't wait to hear Bessie sing. Not everyone likes Bessie though. Emmarene and Bessie Smith have to stand up against people who tried to destroy their nights. And boy, could Bessie sing on stage and off!

Tags

african american, anger, author's note, bravery, clothing, courage, dancing, discrimination, feelings, fire, flowers, happiness, history, multicultural, music, nature, night, performance, sadness, show, singing, stars

Birthday

Steptoe, John

A little girl's family moves to Africa from America because of racism. The little girl's birthday is celebrated by the whole town.

Tags

african american, birthday, celebration, community, conflict resolution, family, holidays, racism

Stevie

Steptoe, John

A young African American boy feels jealous and angry when his mother accepts a new babysitting job for a younger child. It is only until the boy moves away that he realizes how much fun he had with him.

Tags

african american, anger, change, child care, coping, critical thinking, decision making, differences, family, feelings, friendship, jealousy, moving, parents, peer resistance, self esteem

My special best words

Steptoe, John

A young black girl shares special words during the day with her younger brother, her baby sitter, and her single father.

Tags

african american, assertiveness, baby, caring, child care, family, multicultural, parents, self esteem, siblings, verbal communication

Creativity

Steptoe, John

Hector is a new student in Charles' class from Puerto Rico. Hector has trouble adjusting to his new school at first, but Charles recognizes his differences as being creative, and helps him feel welcome.

Tags

african american, confusion, family, feelings, friendship, language, multicultural, parents, peer resistance, puerto rican, self esteem, siblings, spanish, stress management

Creativity

Steptoe, John

Charles speaks English and Hector speaks Spanish. They learn that even though they speak different languages, they both come from African ancestors. Charles helps Hector adjust to life in the U.S. through fun activities.

Tags

africa, african american, basketball, clothing, cooking, creativity, culture, curiosity, english, family, fishing, friendship, helping, home, identity, immigrants, language, learning, moving, multicultural, parents, puerto rican, relationship, school, slavery, spanish, sports

The greatest potatoes

Stowell, Penelope

Cornelius Vanderbilt sets out on a mission to find the best potato dish ever. He travels around and finds none that are good enough. Vanderbilt goes to Cary Moon's Restaurant, where George Crum is the head chef. Crum makes many dishes that Vanderbilt does not like. Crum decides to make the potatoes so crispy and salty, so he will not like them. Vanderbilt loves them and that is how the potato chip is invented.

The patchwork path: A quilt map to freedom

Stroud, Bettye

Hannah and her father are slaves who decide to escape to freedom. They use the patterns in the quilt made by her mother, who passed away, to follow the Underground Railroad.

The me I choose to be

Tarpley, Natasha Anastasia

There are many "I am" statements from different children who refer to a planet, to hope, to a bridge builder, and to a weaver of words. Through creativity, children can become who they choose to be. Feelings of joy, sadness, and laughter are represented by wind, light, and a free spirit. The possibilities are endless for children.

Tags

african american, art, colors, creativity, feelings, friendship, generations, hope, imagination, light, multicultural, photography, plants

I love my hair!

Tarpley, Natasha Anatasia

Although she is often teased by her classmates about her Afro hair, Kenyana learns her hair makes her unique. Both her mother and teacher help show Kenyana why her hair is so special. Kenyana learns that it only matters what she thinks, not others.

Tags

african american, appearance, appreciation, author's note, body parts, creativity, differences, family, imagination, individuality, multicultural, nonverbal communication, parents, self esteem, sounds, teasing, uniqueness, verbal communication

Little cliff and the porch people

Taulbert, Clifton

As Cliff grows up, he is entrusted more and more to do things on his own. Cliff's great-grandmother has him run an errand for her and along the way Cliff continually gets stopped by neighbors. Each of the neighbors assists Cliff in accomplishing his errand.

Little cliff's first day of school

Taulbert, Clifton

Little Cliff is dreading the first day of school. He has heard that school is all work and no fun. With the continued encouragement of his great-grandmother, Cliff finally heads to school. Upon arrival, he sees all of his friends and discovers that school can be fun too.

Mississippi bridge

Taylor, Mildred D.

Jeremy Simms, a young white boy, lives in a small town in Mississippi that is segregated. One foggy, rainy day, a bus full of people (mostly whites since some black people had been thrown off to make room for the whites), heads across the bridge and, because of the weather, crashes through the railing and into the water below. Blacks and whites, together, come to the rescue.

Tags

african american, assertiveness, cooperation, equality, family, fear, fog, helping, heroism, multicultural, obedience, parents, rain, siblings, travel, verbal communication, weather

One halloween night

Teague, Mark

Three children get more than they are trick-or-treating for, when the night turns into one unexpected event after another. The neighbors pass out Broccoli Chews and Eggplant Fizzlers and the trio runs into their nemesis Leona Fleebish. With a sweep of a wand, flash of a pirate sword, and gulp of magic potion, the children create an unforgetable Halloween.

Tags

adventures, african american, animals, assertiveness, autumn, baby, bat, cat, clothing, critical thinking, disappearance, fairy, fear, forest, friendship, halloween, holidays, magic, multicultural, night, rabbit, rhyme, running away, school, seasons, stress management, verbal communication, walking, witches

I have heard of a land

Thomas, Joyce Carol

Moving across country must have been very hard. Pioneers often picked up their belongings and moved on toward a common goal: starting a new life!

A helpful alphabet of friendly objects

Updike, John

Poems are provided with various pictures of objects which begin with each letter of the alphabet such as apple, bird, jam, egg, nickel, oatmeal, toy and zero.

Tags

african american, alphabet, animals, asian, birds, bluejay, cat, clothing, colors, dog, environment, five senses, food, italian, multicultural, nutrition, pets, plants, poetry, rabbit, rhyme, self confidence, self esteem, sight, sounds, taste, touch

Black like kyra, white like me

Vigna, Judith

A young girl finds out about racial discrimination when it rears its ugly head in her neighborhood.

Tags

african american, assertiveness, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, differences, discrimination, friendship, learning, multicultural, nonverbal communication, peer resistance, prejudice, racism, refusal skills, self esteem, stress management, understanding, verbal communication

Candy shop

Wahl, Jan

A young boy, Daniel, and his aunt Thelma take a trip to the market with money that he has earned. The boy is looking forward to visiting the candy shop but when they arrive they see a crowd and are faced with prejudice acts toward the owner of the store. Daniel and his aunt help comfort the owner and show true friendship.

Tags

african american, asian, challenges, conflict, conflict resolution, coping, culture, discrimination, feelings, helping, kindness, market, money, multicultural, nonverbal communication, problem solving, racism, respect, sadness

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