Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Splash! A penguin counting book | by Chester, Jonathan//Melville, Kirsty

While children learn about penguins, they also learn how to count. Penguin chicks go looking for their moms and dads who have gone swimming to find food. The parents return in time to keep the chicks safe from the storm.

Keywords: animals, author's note, baby, birds, bodies of water, counting, goal setting, ice, nonverbal communication, numbers, penguin, sea, sequence, sleep, snow, storm, swimming, verbal communication, weather

Red wolf country | by London, Jonathan

A wolf and his mate travel through the country during the winter in search of a home where soon the female wolf will have babies.

Keywords: alligator, animals, author's note, baby, destruction, habitat, hunger, hunting, nonverbal communication, protection, seasons, skunk, snow, sounds, travel, weather, winter, wolf

Old home day | by Hall, Donald

From the time when only plants and animals lived there, to the modern bicentennial celebration, the people who called the fictional village of Blackwater home remember its history.

Keywords: aggression, aging, american, animals, author's note, autumn, baby, barn, baseball, birds, birth, bodies of water, bones, careers, celebration, change, community, conflict, conflict resolution, cow, death, decision making, deer, family, farm, farmer, forest, future, generations, goal setting, grandparents, hard work, history, hunting, lake, love, marriage, memories, nature, neighbors, nonverbal communication, parade, parents, peer resistance, plants, pond, reunion, seasons, settlers, snow, sports, spring, summer, war, water, weather, wilderness, winter, work

Sleds on boston common: A story from the american revolution | by Borden, Louise

It's 1774 and British troops are occupying Boston. King George closes Boston Harbor to punish people who speak out against his laws. Henry, a young boy from Boston, hopes to try out his new sled on his birthday. But when he and his brothers and sister get to the hill they find that the troops have set up camp there. After building up enough courage, Henry asks General Gage to move his troops because Boston Common is for everyone. Being a kind man of his word, General Gage agrees and the children can once again sled.

Keywords: american, assertiveness, author's note, beliefs, birthday, boat, british, courage, england, exercise, family, giving, history, play, presents, royalty, school, sharing, skating, sledding, snow, transportation, verbal communication, war

Mama & papa have a store | by Carling, Amelia Lau

Mama and Papa have a store. Day to day the routine is similar. The same people come in to buy the same things. This little girl likes these routines and she shares them with us. From what Mama is cooking to Papa counting on the abacus we spend the whole day with one little girl.

Keywords: author's note, business, chinese, colors, cooking, counting, culture, customs, family, fish, food, guatemalan, indian, language, market, money, multicultural, nutrition, parents, photograph, play, rain, rainbow, shopping, siblings, sounds, spanish, traditions, verbal communication, weather

Iron horses | by Kay, Verla

Building a railroad takes a lot of work. Many people must be involved from the planners and politicians in the capital, to the Irishmen and Chinese men building the track out west. When it is finally finished, the track is a wonderful form of transportation.

Keywords: author's note, celebration, ceremony, chinese, competition, construction, cooperation, fun, geography, hard work, history, immigrants, irish, mountains, multicultural, rain, rocks, snow, storm, tools, train, transportation, travel, weather

Moose and Magpie | by Restrepo, Bettina

It isn't always easy being a moose but this young moose has a special joke-telling friend to keep him company and to help him find his way. Join Moose, Magpie, and other animal friends as they frolic through a year of changes.

Keywords: adaptation, animals, author's note, frog, groundhog, growing up, humor, hunting, joke, magpie, migration, moose, raccoon, seasons, skunk

Grandpa's gamble | by Michelson, Richard

A brother and sister are tired of always having to be quiet so as not to interrupt Grandpa Sam while he is praying. The children think they have a very boring grandfather. Grandpa Sam overhears the children and tells them the story of his life. He was born a Jew in Poland and to escape persecution he came to the United States. He learns to gamble to make a living but when his daughter becomes very ill he decides to lead an honest, humble life and pray every morning and night. The children are now amazed by their Grandpa Sam's story and respect his prayer time.

Keywords: author's note, boredom, culture, faith, family, forgiveness, grandparents, holidays, immigrants, Jewish, multicultural, parents, passover, photograph, prayer, religion, siblings, storytelling, stress management

An apple pie for dinner | by VanHecke, Susan

Wishing to bake an apple pie, Old Granny Smith sets out with a full basket, trading its contents for a series of objects until she get the apples she needs.

Keywords: animals, author's note, cat, cooking, dog, fable, five senses, food, hunger, illustrator's note, money, nutrition, recipe, smell, tree

Garibaldi's biscuits | by Steadman, Ralph

In nineteenth-century Italy, the wife of General Garibaldi bakes biscuits, as a peace offering for a defeated French army.

Keywords: art, author's note, balloon, beverage, clothing, cooking, family, farm, food, history, inventions, italy, peace, ship, transportation, war

Little sister and the Month brothers | by Schenk de Regniers, Beatrice

A retelling of the Slavic folktale in which the Month brothers' magic helps Little Sister fulfill seemingly impossible tasks, Her tasks prove the undoing of her greedy stepmother and stepsister.

Keywords: animals, author's note, comparisons, cow, fable, feelings, flowers, food, hard work, month, peace, resentment, responsibilities, royalty, seasons, siblings, stepmother

A castle on Viola street | by Disalvo, Dyanne

Andy's family lives in a small, cramped apartment, and his parents work long hours to support the family. He never thought that they would ever live in an actual house, but one day they find a flyer saying You too can own a home. The organization buys empty houses and allows families to fix-up houses and then other people will help fix up a house for them. Andy's family is so excited as they help clean, paint, put down hard wood flooring, and pass out lemonade. At the end of the year, they find out that the next house to be built will be theirs!

Keywords: author's note, celebration, change, community, construction, decision making, family, food, goal setting, hard work, home, hope, neighbors, safety, self esteem, teamwork

Karate hour | by Nevius, Carol

A group of children practice karate. They kick, punch, chant and roll as they learn the value of self discipline, respect, and self esteem in both self and others.

Keywords: accomplishment, activities, assertiveness, author's note, challenges, dedication, determination, exercise, feelings, goal setting, hard work, history, karate, nonverbal communication, practice, rhyme, running, self esteem, skills, sports, stress management

Rumi: Whirling dervish | by Demi

Born in Afghanistan in the thirteenth century, Rumi settled in Turkey and became the greatest mystical poet who ever lived. Although he began his adult life as a highly respectable scholar, he found his true calling after becoming the disciple of a mysterious holy man, Shamsuddin, who taught him for three years. From Shams he learned to listen for the sacred sound of God within himself. When his creative spirit was awakened, he recited more than 50,000 rhymed couplets. He wrote about the love that resides in the soul of everyone regardless of religion or background. He founded the order…

Keywords: afghani, arabic, author's note, birthday, creativity, dancing, death, faith, god, history, learning, love, multicultural, muslim, poetry, prayer, religion, rhyme, spiritual, storytelling, turkey, wedding, wisdom

Namaste! | by Cohn, Diana

Nima Sherpa lives next to Everst, and her father guides people to the top once a year. Before he leaves, he tells Nima that he will have a story for her when he returns and asks Nima if she will have a story for him. As Nima walks around the village thinking of what her story could be, she greets everyone with Namaste, just as her mom taught her. She struggles with her story until she realizes that she spreads sweetness everytime she says Namaste.

Keywords: animals, author's note, cooking, critical thinking, family, flag, flood, goddess, helping, light, mountains, multicultural, nonverbal communication, prayer, school, storytelling, tiger, travel, verbal communication, yak

The twelve days of Christmas | by Spirin, Gennady

The Twelve days of Christmas is sung in churches, houses, and concert halls throughout the Christmas season. It is hard to imagine a Christmas celebration without it. From the partridge in the pear tree to the five golden rings to the twelve drummers drumming, carolers enjoy taking turns singing different verses. Gennady Spirin's paintings bring new life and spectacular beauty to this classic song, making it a gift to be treasured at Christmastime. An illustrator' note addresses the song's origin and history.

Keywords: author's note, birds, celebration, christmas, dancing, dove, goose, history, holidays, illustrator's note, instruments, jewelry, love, music, numbers, presents, seasons, song, swan, tree, winter

Buffalo | by Brodsky, Beverly

The buffalo was very important for the survival of Native Americans. Learn about the history and importance of the buffalo. Excerpts from Native American songs and many original paintings add an artistic dimension.

Keywords: animals, art, author's note, body parts, bones, buffalo, canyon, ceremony, clothing, conflict resolution, culture, customs, food, hunting, indian, multicultural, native american, nonverbal communication, religion, song, stress management, survival, traditions

Little swan | by London, Jonathan

Ko-hoh cracks through his eggshell to find his parents towering over him. His trumpeter swan family stays close together as Ko-hoh and other cygnets learn how to feed themselves, to honk when predators are nearby, and to develop flight feathers. Little swan grows up and learns to migrate with his family.

Keywords: author's note, bear, birds, bodies of water, eagle, family, five senses, growing up, lake, migration, plants, pond, raven, safety, seasons, sounds, swan

First pooch: The Obamas pick a pet | by Boston Weatherford, Carole

Throughout their father's twenty-two month campaign for president, Malia and Sasha Obama beg their parents for a dog. Finally, when their father becomes the forty-fourth president of the United States, he rewards their patience and good behavior in his victory speech: Malia and Sasha will get their new puppy. What type of dog will they choose? Finally, on April 14th, 2009, a new puppy moves into the White House. It is a Portuguese water dog, and the girls name him Bo.

Keywords: allergies, american, animals, author's note, comparisons, decision making, dog, family, health, history, numbers, pets, president, secrets, sequence, siblings, success, united states

The tooth fairy meets El Raton Perez | by Lainez, Rene Colato

The Tooth Fairy and El Raton Perez see their signal for a new tooth. When they get to the house, they meet each other for the first time. They start fighting over whose tooth it is which causes the tooth to fly across the room. The tooth lands in the bookshelf. El Raton Perez can't climb up and the Tooth Fairy can't fit in small places. They decide to work together and share the tooth.

Keywords: american, author's note, bedtime, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, fairy, language, moon, mouse, multicultural, night, problem solving, sleep, spanish, teeth, travel, verbal communication

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