Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

The sign painter | by Say, Allen

A boy with a love of painting wanders into town looking for a job when he sees a sign painter. Together, they go into the desert, painting a dozen billboards with just what was ordered, a woman's face and a single word, Arrowstar. Not understanding the meaning behind these billboards in the middle of the desert, the boy longs to paint beautiful landscapes instead. Still, the sign painter insists they stick to the order. Near the end of their journey, they learn the dream behind the billboards and the boy remembers a dream of his own.

Keywords: art, bus, business, camping, car, careers, desert, dreams, entertainment, fire, food, money, multicultural, mystery, storm, teamwork, transportation, weather, wind

Sugaring season: Making maple syrup | by Burns, Diane L

The making of maple syrup is a long process. First you must grow maple trees. Next is the tapping of the maple trees to collect the syrup. Once the syrup has been collected, it is cooked. the next step is grading and then the packing of the syrup.

Keywords: autumn, business, food, hard work, nutrition, plants, seasons, spring, summer, time, winter

Siggy's spaghetti works | by Thomson, Peggy

Siggy takes a group of students through his spaghetti factory. He shows them how to make spaghetti from start to finish. The children get to test the pasta during their tour. Siggy tells the students of the history of spaghetti and then they all dine on spaghetti.

Keywords: business, food, hard work, history, italian, learning, machines, multicultural, nutrition, presentation, taste, train, transportation, verbal communication

Soo ling finds a way | by Behrens, June

A little girl is worried because a new laundromat business is moving across the street from her grandfather's old laundry business. She sets out to help her grandfather stay in business.

Keywords: asian american, assertiveness, business, careers, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, family, fear, goal setting, grandparents, helping, multicultural, stress management, verbal communication

Mud for sale | by Nelson, Brenda

Max sees that all of his friends are selling something. He wants to sell something too, so he comes up with the idea of selling mud. It is a big success.

Keywords: assertiveness, business, creativity, decision making, feelings, friendship, goal setting, helping, imagination, jealousy

The babe and i | by Adler, David A.

A young boy and his family are living through the Great Depression of 1932 When he learns that his father does not have a job, he gets a job with his friend selling newspapers to help make money for his family. He sells all of his papers outside of Yankee Stadium due to the popularity of Babe Ruth and his stories in the paper. He even gets to meet the Babe!

Keywords: author's note, baseball, business, conflict resolution, depression, family, feelings, food, friendship, frustration, hard work, history, money, newspaper, parents, poverty, responsibilities, sadness, shopping, sports, stress management, work, worry

Each one special | by Wishinsky, Frieda

Henry, the baker, creates magnificent cakes. No two cakes are alike and his customers love the beautiful decorations. Henry's friend Ben visits Henry and watches him work each day after school. When the bakery is bought by new owners, Henry loses his job. Henry is sad when he can no longer decorate cakes, but only until Ben helps his friend find a new outlet for his creativity.

Keywords: art, birthday, bowling, business, careers, celebration, collection, conflict resolution, cowboys, creativity, feelings, fishing, flowers, food, friendship, golf, happiness, missing, recreation, sadness, technology, television, uniqueness, work

Popsicle pony | by Stover, Jill

Popsicle Pete had a pony named Chiefy who had a taste for a variety of snacks found around the town. Chiefy got his snacks while Popsicle Pete traveled around the town selling popsicles to children. When Popsicle Pete gets sick and goes into the hospital, Chiefy takes charge and leads everyone during the county parade.

Keywords: animals, business, celebration, chaos, excitement, food, friendship, fun, helping, horse, nutrition, parade, seasons, summer, verbal communication

Market day | by Ehlert, Lois

Morning comes with the crow of the chickens and the animals must be tended. Everyone in town packs up and heads off to market day. They pass many animals in the fields as they go to the town square in trucks, on motorcycles, and in carts to buy and sell at the market.

Keywords: amphibians, animals, birds, bull, business, butterfly, chicken, farm, fish, food, frog, goose, market, mexican, motorcycle, multicultural, play, rhyme, sheep, snake, south american, sun, transportation, truck, turkey, work

Leo cockroach...toy tester | by O'Malley, Kevin

Leo the cockroach is a toy tester for Mildred Splatt's toy company. He tests toys at night and puts the best toys in her office without her realizing it is him doing all the work. Whenever Mildred sees Leo she tries to squash him because she thinks he is only a pest. One day, Leo decides to fly over to the toy company across the street to see if he can help their business and earn more respect. When he is treated poorly, by the president who does not like his ideas, Leo escapes to work for Mildred again. He writes a letter explaining that he is the one that helps her and he is named Employee…

Keywords: airplane, animals, appreciation, business, cat, conflict resolution, critical thinking, feelings, hard work, helping, insects, nonverbal communication, recognition, resentment, success, toys, verbal communication

The christmas tree ship | by Winter, Jeanette

Captain Herman and his crew cut trees in Michigan to deliver to the city of Chicago for Christmas. When a blizzard forms over Lake Michigan, the Captain and his crew disappear. From then on, the Captain's wife and daughters carry out the Christmas Tree Ship tradition for many years.

Keywords: accidents, boat, bodies of water, business, careers, christmas, critical thinking, decision making, family, geography, holidays, lake, loss, love, missing, parents, plants, seasons, siblings, snow, teamwork, traditions, transportation, travel, verbal communication, weather, winter

King long shanks | by 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.

Keywords: 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

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