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

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Tacky the penguin

Lester, Helen

Tacky is a penguin who is unlike the other penguins. One day hunters come looking for penguins, but Tacky stands up to them and scares them away.

Tags

acceptance, assertiveness, birds, bravery, comparisons, individuality, penguin

Terrible things

Bunting, Eve

This story paints the bleak picture of the Terrible Things which takes each of the animals in a clearing. The Terrible Things are equated to hunters.

Tags

animals, bravery, death, nonverbal communication, verbal communication

Bert is a young man whose life is full of adventures. He ends up safely with his family in the end --- but he spends some time in Scotland, is chased by a giant sausage, and rescues a puppy in the river.

Tags

accidents, adventures, bedtime, bravery, clothing, decision making, dog, exercise, family, fear, food, giving, heroism, injury, luck, multicultural, numbers, rescue, river, scottish, shopping, swimming, transportation, travel, truck

The angel with a mouth-organ

Mattingly, Christobel

Ingrid asks her mother to tell the story about their glass angel on their Christmas tree. The mother describes her childhood during World War II and shows how the angel came to symbolize a new beginning in their lives.

Tags

angel, assertiveness, bravery, christmas, conflict resolution, courage, critical thinking, decision making, family, goal setting, hard work, history, holidays, nonverbal communication, self esteem, spiritual, stress management, verbal communication, war

The balloon sailors

Swanson, Diana

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.

Tags

accomplishment, argument, balloon, barn, bodies of water, bravery, challenges, church, clothing, conflict resolution, cooperation, correspondence, cow, creativity, crisis, dog, emotions, family, germany, goal setting, grandparents, hard work, helping, history, love, multicultural, parents, patience, pets, politics, pond, prison, quilt, reunion, royalty, rules, sadness, separation, sewing, spy, teamwork, train, transportation, verbal communication, weather, wind, writing

The bravest babysitter

Greenberg, Barbara

Heather babysits Lisa on a rainy, stormy night. Terrified of lightning and thunder, Heather seeks comfort from Lisa. Lisa ends up babysitting Heather until the storm is over.

Tags

assertiveness, bravery, child care, fear, feelings, rain, responsibilities, self esteem, weather

The busy world of Richard Scarry: A big operation

Scarry, Richard

After contracting his third sore throat of the year, Huckle is told that his tonsils need to be taken out. Afraid of the hospital and the word operation, Huckle tries to sneak out. His friend, Lowly, takes Huckle around the hopital to show how others are brave. Huckle decides that he too is brave and will go through with the operation.

Tags

animals, bravery, cat, diseases, family, fear, feelings, food, friendship, goat, happiness, health, hospital, illness, insects, lion, mouse, nonverbal communication, pig, rabbit, raccoon, refusal skills, stress management, worm

The christmas tree tangle

Mahy, Margaret

A litte kitten climbs to the top of a Christmas tree and gets stuck -all the others try to help, and end with a animal decorated tree.

Tags

animals, bravery, cat, chaos, christmas, courage, critical thinking, decision making, dog, goal setting, goat, helping, holidays, nonverbal communication, pig, plants

The day they put a tax on rainbows

Valentine, Johnny

In a magical land far away, there is a girl who has a magic ring which leads her to discover an undersea kingdom. In this kingdom, a boy who likes to feed birds comes face-to-face with a dragon. A king decides to put a tax on rainbows because his throne is lumpy. Throughout each of these adventures, lessons are learned.

Tags

adventures, awareness, beliefs, bodies of water, bravery, challenges, community, discovery, dragons, fairy, fantasy, love, magic, mermaids, mythical, rain, rainbow, royalty, sea, weather, wedding, wish

The drinking gourd

Monjo, F.N.

Tom misbehaves in church and is sent home early. He goes to play in the barn and discovers runaway slaves. He and his father help them escape and Tom learns all about freedom through the Underground Railroad.

Tags

african american, assertiveness, bravery, church, critical thinking, decision making, escape, family, freedom, goal setting, helping, history, misbehavior, multicultural, nonverbal communication, play, slavery, underground railroad, verbal communication

The drums of Noto Hanto

James, J. Alison

This true story tells the tale of a Japanese village defeating their enemy samurai. The villagers use their minds instead of weapons to scare the samurai. Wearing wild masks, setting fires on the beach, and playing the drums of Noto Hanto, kept the village safe.

The enchanted sticks

Myers, Steven J.

The old man in the story vanquishes a band of vicious robbers with the help of enchanted sticks.

Tags

bravery, courage, magic, nature, nonverbal communication, robbery, verbal communication

The evil spell

McCully, Emily Arnold

Little Edwin bear has his first major role in a play. Edwin's struggles with stagefright and remembering his lines.

Tags

assertiveness, bravery, conflict resolution, embarrassment, family, goal setting, memory, peer resistance, performance, refusal skills, self esteem, stagefright, stress management, verbal communication

The green lion of zion street

Fields, Julia

While waiting for the school bus, a group of children enjoy scaring themselves by looking at a lion. However, they find out the lion is just a stone statue.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, bravery, bus, fear, feelings, imagination, lion, school, transportation

The kidnapping of the coffee pot

Saari, Kaye

The coffee pot is kidnapped so the shoes, lawnmower and kerosene lamp go to the junk man to get her back.

Tags

bravery, careers, decision making, feelings, friendship, goal setting, happiness, helping, kidnapped, robbery

The knight of the golden plain

Hunter, Mollie

A young boy daydreams that he is a fearless knight as a knight, he slays dragons and witches and helps a princess regain her voice.

Tags

adventures, bravery, conflict resolution, dragons, dreams, mythical, nonverbal communication, witches

The leaf man

Joyce, William

When the Old Lady is too sick to take care of the garden, the brave bugs realized that they must summon the Leaf Men to save the garden from the destruction made by the evil Spider Queen. The Leaf Men save the garden and the Old Lady's heart returns so she can once again grow her garden.

Tags

aging, ant, bravery, cricket, environment, flowers, garden, goblins, insects, lost, moon, mystery, nature, spider, storm, toys, weather

The little cuckoo

Gunthorp, Karen

Laura the bird has a problem when a cuckoo lays an egg in her nest. The cuckoo is too big and eats all of the food for the other birds and takes up all of the space. But Laura is happy when the little cuckoo saves the day.

Tags

acceptance, birds, bravery, conflict resolution, cuckoo, decision making, differences, growing up, patience, problem solving

The long way westward

Sandin, Joan

Carl Erik and his family arrive in America off of an immigrant boat from Sweden. They have an adventurous, yet hard, journey westward to Minnesota.

Tags

acceptance, adventures, assertiveness, bravery, decision making, family, goal setting, history, moving, multicultural, pioneers, refusal skills, stress management, swedish, travel

The maggie b.

Haas, Irene

A little girl wishes she could sail all day on a boat. Her wish comes true when she gets to sail on a boat named for her best friend, maggie b.

Tags

assertiveness, boat, bravery, conflict resolution, decision making, dreams, friendship, imagination, nonverbal communication, self esteem, transportation, verbal communication

The monster behind the wall

Herbert, Barbara N.

Danny moves to a new house and discovers a monster on the other side of their garden wall. The monster throws Dannyﾒs soccer ball back to him, talks, plays, and eats candy with Danny. At school the next day, Danny plays soccer and gets tripped. Both boys yell nasty names at each other. Then, Danny goes home to talk to the monster, Fred, but he wasnﾒt there. Later, a huge thunderstorm tears down the wall, and Danny sees that ﾓFredﾔ is the child that tripped him during soccer. They become fast friends, tear the wall down, and play soccer together

The never-ending greenness

Waldman, Neil

A young boy plants trees to cope with the separation and loss he feels from his father who is at war. In doing this he single handedly turns a gloomy countryside destroyed by war back into the beautiful, alive place it once was. He also starts a holiday known today as Tu b'Shvat.

Tags

ambition, author's note, bravery, challenges, change, courage, dedication, dreams, escape, exploration, family, goal setting, hard work, hebrew, history, hope, israelian, Jewish, loss, mountains, multicultural, parents, plants, separation, war

The other side

Woodson, Jacqueline

A fence not only divides two properties -- it segregates two families because of their different cultures. Initial fears from the parents cause them to set rules that will forbid the friendship of their young daughters. Little did they know that their daughters would break the barrier as they climbed the fence together to see the world as it should be, not as it is.

The paper dragon

Davol, Margueritte W.

Sui-Jen, the dragon, is awakened and begins to destroy everything. Mi Fei is the only person brave and wise enough to put the dragon back to sleep. Mi Fei needs courage, heroism, and wisdom to save his village from the dragon.

Tags

art, assertiveness, bravery, challenges, chinese, community, conflict resolution, courage, critical thinking, culture, dragons, heroism, love, loyalty, multicultural, neighbors, verbal communication

The red comb

Pico, Fernando

Vitita discovers a runaway slave under her porch. Vitita is determined to save the slave woman from the slave catcher. Vitita and sina Rosa furnish the woman with supplies through a mango tree. Vitita and sina Rosa come up with a plan to get the slave catcher out of town. After the slave catcher leaves, Vitita and sina Rosa introduce their new friend to the neighbors.

Tags

beliefs, bravery, caring, community, critical thinking, decision making, determination, family, freedom, friendship, multicultural, neighbors, parents, puerto rican, respect, slavery, teamwork, verbal communication

The roman twins

Gerrard, Roy

Maximus and his twin sister Vanilla are slaves to the cruel master Slobbus Pompius. They run away when Slobbus buys Polydox the horse then quickly decides to kill him. Maximus and Vanilla go through a chariot race and an invasion of Rome before they finally gain their freedom.

Tags

animals, architecture, assertiveness, bravery, critical thinking, decision making, freedom, heroism, history, horse, peer resistance, rhyme, siblings, slavery, war, work

The seal mother

Gerstein, Mordicai

A man finds a seal that sheds her skin and becomes a beautiful woman. He falls in love with her and makes her stay for seven years. They have a son who realizes that his father takes his mother's seal skin. The boy finds the skin and gives it to his mother, who then returns to the sea.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, bodies of water, bravery, change, clothing, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, environment, family, fear, feelings, love, ocean, parents, sadness

The sleeping lady

Dixon, Ann

Nekatla and Susitha are a young couple preparing to wed. THe wedding is put on hold when war breaks out, and Nekatla must travel to another village to try to restore peace. Susitha waits on a grassy hill for Nekatla to return, and she falls asleep. Nekatla is killed in war, and Susitha never awakens and is now known as the sleeping lady.

Tags

adventures, anger, author's note, bravery, celebration, communication, conflict resolution, culture, death, decision making, dreams, fable, feelings, happiness, history, hope, loss, love, nonverbal communication, relationship, sleep, snow, teamwork, verbal communication, violence, war, weather, wedding, worry

The spider who never gave up

Flores, Travis

Sparkey the spider tries hard to overcome his inability to spin a web. With encouragement from his mom and his friends and a strong will to never give up, Sparkey finally achieves his goal of spinning the perfect web. Read about the real life struggle of Sparky, as he tries one medicine after another in hope of beating Cystic Fibrosis.

Tags

author's note, bravery, challenges, determination, diseases, dreams, encouragement, family, feelings, insects, parents, pride, self confidence, spider, trust

The supreme souvenir factory

Stevenson, James

Only Chester, the dog, who gets a job at the Supreme Souvenier Factory can save the factory from being taken over by greedy Mr. Sashwayte.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, bravery, careers, conflict resolution, cooperation, critical thinking, decision making, dog, feelings, friendship, goal setting, greed, teamwork

The take-along dog

Porte, Barbara Ann

Sam and Abigail take Benton, their dog, everywhere because their mother doesn't like him. However, she learns to like Benton when he scares away another dog to protect her.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, bravery, dog, family, feelings, library, park, picnic, sports, swimming, verbal communication

The three golden keys

Sis, Peter

A man returns to his hometown of Prague. He goes through adventures to find three keys that open the door to house of his childhood. Legends are revealed and the city comes alive.

Tags

adventures, bravery, community, history, memories, multicultural, polish, storytelling

The tunnel

Browne, Anthony

Rose and Jack are brother and sister who just do not get along!One day their mother makes them go out to play together. When they stumble upon a tunnel that leads to an imaginary world, they come home getting along just fine.

Tags

bravery, conflict resolution, cooperation, critical thinking, family, fear, feelings, fight, imagination, nonverbal communication, siblings, verbal communication

The village in the valley of darkness

Mashiri, Pascal

I want to see my people in the village. It is no fun to search alone. At last, I can see the light.ﾔ During my travel, a dog at my side with brother and I. People in the village are thankful and at peace!

There's a little bit of me in jamey

Amadeo, Diana M.

Jamey has leukemia and becomes very sick. His brother feels like his family cares more about Jamey than they do him. His mother assures him that he is loved just as much as Jamey. When Jamey needs a bone marrow transplant he agrees to be the donor.

Tags

bravery, caring, decision making, envy, family, fear, feelings, grandparents, illness, love, moods, parents, sadness, self esteem, siblings, verbal communication, worry

There's a monster under my bed

Howe, James

Alex is convinced that there are monsters under his bed that want to get him. He eventually decides to confront the monster, and discovers that his frightened brother is under his bed. The boys sleep together, comforted by each other's company.

Tags

assertiveness, bravery, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, family, fear, feelings, imagination, self esteem, siblings, sleep

Thunder cake

Polacco, Patricia

A little girl visits her grandma in Michigan and experiences a storm while she is there. The grandma has her help make a cake while the thunder is sounding which helps her to overcome her fear of thunder.

Tags

bravery, conflict resolution, family, fear, feelings, food, grandparents, nature, nutrition, preparation, rain, self esteem, weather

Tough cookie

Wisniewski, David

After discovering that his long time partner, Chips, has been eaten by Fingers, Tough Cookie travels to the Top of the Jar to find Fingers and put him away for good. Pecan Sandy shows how she can be a smart cookie in the end.

Tags

adventures, body parts, bravery, challenges, community, confidence, conflict resolution, courage, death, feelings, food, friendship, humor, imagination, prejudice, problem solving, revenge, teamwork

Trudi & Pia

Hegi, Ursula

Trudi dreams of being tall and feels there are no other dwarfs like her until she meets Pia who teaches her to accept the way she is and that she is not alone. Pia talks about when other drawfs from around the world in Russia, Italy, France and Portugal, Trudi learns to feel normal and beautiful.

Tags

acceptance, animals, bicycle, birds, bravery, circus, clowns, courage, differences, dwarfs, elephant, fantasy, growing up, height, hope, imagination, lion, monkey, multicultural, night, parrot, sizes, skills, sleep, stars, uniqueness

Tucker flips

McGuirk, Leslie

After Tucker and his brothers are born, they do everything together. The puppies eat, sleep, play, and watch T.V., but Tucker likes adventures. He especially loves the snow, and his ability to flip comes in handy when he goes for a ride on some children's sled.

Tags

adventures, animals, assertiveness, birth, bravery, dog, dreams, family, food, games, love, nonverbal communication, pig, play, practice, safety, self esteem, sledding, sleep, snow, television, weather, winter

Veronica's smile

Duvoisin, Roger

Veronica, the hippo, is bored. When she starts helping all the farm animals, she becomes very useful and fulfilled.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, bravery, conflict resolution, farm, helping, hippopotamus, self esteem

Wagons west

Gerrard, Roy

Buckskin Dan and his followers embarked on a wild and dangerous journey on the Oregon Trail. After many exciting adventures like fighting off outlaws and saving an Indian boy, the group finally settles in the Willamette Valley.

When I grow up, I will win the Nobel Peace Prize

Pin, Isabel

A young boy dreams and wishes to win the Nobel Peace Prize. He outlines the many things that he "will do" when he is older in order to win the prize and make the world a better place. He then realizes that he " better get started". Many recipients and dates of the Nobel Peace Prize and are listed in the Author's Note.

Tags

ambition, animals, author's note, bravery, daydreaming, dreams, environment, future, greed, hard work, history, humanity, love, neighbors, peace, protection

When mindy saved hanukkah

Kimmel, Eric A.

Mindy, a mouse-sized girl, bravely faces a cat in the synagogue to retrieve a candle for her tiny family's Hanukkah menorah. Her mission allows her family to celebrate their special holiday together.

Tags

animals, bravery, cat, celebration, family, fear, hanukkah, height, holidays, Jewish, multicultural, sizes

Where's the bear?

Barton, Byron

A girl finds a bear and tells her neighbors. Several people trudge through the woods asking, Where's the bear? They look for it in the woods and when they find it, it scares them. They run and the bear chases them. The bear is too scared to cross the bridge, so the people are safe.

Tags

animals, bear, bravery, conflict resolution, curiosity, fear, feelings, friendship, nature, neighbors, nonverbal communication, running away, safety, teamwork, woods

While the horses galloped to london

Watts, Mabel

Sherman is given a special pot for his grandmother in London. Everyone on the carriage to London thinks the pot is a nuisance. Only when Sherman saves the day was everyone proud to hold the pot.

Tags

bravery, carriage, decision making, english, family, grandparents, heroism, multicultural, presents, respect, selfishness, travel

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

World famous muriel and the scary dragon

Alexander, Sue

A king asks Muriel to help people from his kingdom who are afraid of a dragon. With her peanut butter cookies, Muriel finds the dragon. She then gives the dragon a bath which makes him feel better. In return, he becomes a nicer dragon so the king continues to give him a bath once a week.

Tags

bravery, conflict resolution, critical thinking, dragons, fear, food, helping, hygiene, mythical, nonverbal communication, nutrition, royalty

You can't catch me

Oppenheim, Joanne

A pesky black fly troubles alot of animals and eventually gets caught.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, bravery, conflict resolution, coping, critical thinking, decision making, determination, fly, insects, nonverbal communication, peer resistance, self esteem, stress management

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Browse Items (149 items total)