Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Pick a pumpkin, Mrs. Millie! | by Cox, Judy

Silly Mrs. Millie is at it again. In the fall, she takes her kindergarten class on a trip to pick pumpkins for their harvest party. The class has fun guessing the meanings of their favorite teacher's nonsense words. They go on a dragon (wagon) ride, pet the boats (goats), and drink apple spider (cider). Coupled with hilarious artwork in pen, pencil, and colored dyes by Joe Mathieu, this lighthearted text sets a class trip on its ear with subtle lessons in wordplay.

Keywords: animals, bus, clothing, farm, food, garden, goat, holidays, humor, mule, nutrition, play, scarecrows, school, sheep, spider, transportation, vocabulary

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

That's good! That's bad! On Santa's Journey | by Cuyler, Margery

Santa runs into a few problems on his Christmas Eve journey. At the beginning of the trip, he gets delayed by a snow storm. When it clears up, he continues to the first little boy's house, but his reindeer have trouble landing on the icy roof. Santa continues to encounter problems, but manages to deliver all the presents.

Keywords: animals, assertiveness, clothing, critical thinking, decision making, holidays, onomatopoeia, opposites, reindeer, santa, travel, weather

Welcome dede!: An African naming ceremony | by Onyefulu, Ifeoma

Amarlai has a new baby cousin and he can't wait for her to be given a name. A tradtional African name will tell people where she comes from and which child she is in the family.

Keywords: africa, african, baby, birth, celebration, ceremony, clothing, community, cooking, family, feelings, food, geography, giving, grandparents, happiness, hard work, language, maps, market, multicultural, parents, photograph, prayer, presents, traditions, village

Creativity | by 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.

Keywords: 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

Jamela's dress | by Daly, Niki

Jamela's mama has just bought some beautiful fabric for a new dress. While she's watching it dry outside in the South African air, Jamela wraps it around herself and starts parading down the street. Everyone is watching her, she is so proud. When she gets home, Jamela finds her mama very upset because her fabric is ruined. With the help of a friend, Jamela buys her mama more fabric. At this South African wedding, both Jamela and her mama are beautiful in their new dresses.

Keywords: african, animals, birds, celebration, chicken, clothing, conflict resolution, critical thinking, dog, forgiveness, friendship, games, helping, language, love, market, money, multicultural, photograph, pretend, sewing, shopping, verbal communication, wedding

Bessie Smith and the night riders | by 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!

Keywords: 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

Let the celebrations begin | by Wild, Margaret//Vivas, Julie

Miram and the women of the camp make toys for children from material scraps and buttons. They plan for a celebration when the soldiers come to free them from the German camp.

Keywords: celebration, clothing, community, conflict resolution, decision making, feelings, food, german, goal setting, grief, happiness, hunger, memory, multicultural, nonverbal communication, party, sadness, self esteem, shelter, stress management, toys, verbal communication, war

Winter rescue | by Valgardson, W.D.

Thor wants to stay inside and watch cartoons on T.V. One day his grandfather needs help ice fishing and Thor is volunterred to help. Thor goes with grandfather, and the two ice fish for the entire day in the bitter cold. Thor ends up saving a man who falls through the ice.

Keywords: accidents, bodies of water, clothing, cold, culture, emergency, fishing, food, ice, injury, lake, neighbors, nutrition, recreation, rescue, snow, storytelling, technology, television, weather, wind, winter

Song and dance man | by Ackerman, Karen

When the children go to visit their grandpa, he takes them to the attic to show his three grandchildren what he used to do for entertainment before television was invented. He dresses up in his hat, vest, and cane, then begins to dance and sing for his grandchildren. When they go downstairs, they wonder how much he misses the good old days.

Keywords: aging, clothing, dancing, exercise, family, grandparents, imagination, memories, nonverbal communication, play, recreation, respect, self esteem, technology, television

The rabbit's revenge | by Wiese, Kurt

Old man Shivers planned on killing rabbits for a coat. The rabbits found out and made a plan to stop him. The rabbits, with the help of nature, caused the old man's house to float away and they never saw him again.

Keywords: animals, assertiveness, clothing, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, disappearance, nature, rabbit, teamwork, verbal communication

Gullible's troubles | by Shannon, Margaret

Gullible believes everything he hears when his aunt, uncle, or cousin tells him stories. For example, he believes that there are monsters in the basement. When his family tries to trick him again, the joke ends up being on them.

Keywords: animals, beliefs, clothing, critical thinking, deception, family, garden, gerbil, helping, monsters, relationship, shadows, soccer, sports, storytelling, trick

Caps, hats, socks, and mittens: A book about the four seasons | by Borden, Louise

Learn the many colors, smells, and activities of each season. We start and finish the cycle with the caps, hats, socks, and mittens of winter.

Keywords: activities, autumn, clothing, colors, exercise, food, nutrition, picnic, running, school, seasons, sledding, soccer, sports, spring, summer, winter

Lazy tommy pumpkinhead | by du Bois, William Pene

Lazy Tommy Pumpkinhead was a boy that had all his belongings computerized.His bed, shower, clothes, and food were all controlled electronically and he never had to do anything for himself. When a storm knocks out the electricity, Tommy sleeps for seven days. When he awakes the machines go crazy and do seven days worth of work in one day.

Keywords: change, clothing, coping, decision making, laziness, loneliness, sleep, technology

Dream snow | by Carle, Eric

A farmer lives on a small farm with his animals named one, two, three, four and five. One night as he naps, he dreams of snow fall covering his animals and him. He wakes up to discover real snow covering the ground and almost forgets a special Christmas surprise.

Keywords: animals, beverage, christmas, clothing, counting, cow, dreams, farm, food, holidays, horse, music, nutrition, pig, presents, rooster, santa, seasons, sheep, sleep, snow, weather, winter

Poppy the panda | by Gackenbach, Dick

A little girl's panda, Poppy, would not got to bed until it had something to wear like the other stuffed animals. The little girl could not satisfy the bear. Her mother tied a bow around his neck to make him happy and he went to bed.

Keywords: animals, bear, body image, clothing, conflict resolution, creativity, critical thinking, decision making, feelings, imagination, sleep

Missing mittens | by Murphey, Stuart J.

When Farmer Bill begins to get dressed in his warm winter clothes, he finds he only has one mitten. Therefore, he has an odd number and he doesn't have a pair!When he checks on his animals in the barn he finds that they're missing mittens also. They find the footprints that lead to the mitten thief. Who could it be?

Keywords: animals, barn, chicken, clothing, confusion, cow, critical thinking, farm, goat, horse, math, missing, mystery, nonverbal communication, numbers, seasons, snow, stress management, verbal communication, winter

Vera's first day of school | by Rosenberry, Vera

It's Vera's first day of school!She is so excited that she is up before the sun. But when she finally gets to the school yard, it is full of older children who scare Vera. When she finally gets to her classroom, with a little help from her mother, it is everything she hoped it would be.

Keywords: art, caterpillar, climbing, clothing, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, emotions, family, fear, food, happiness, kite, loneliness, nature, nonverbal communication, nutrition, play, playground, sadness, school, self esteem, siblings, skating, stream, stress management, sun, tree

Smoking stinks | by Gosselin, Kim

Maddie and Alex get the facts about smoking!They learn the truth by interviewing Maddie's grandpa, Norman. His mistakes intrigue their class's journey to stay healthy and live smoke-free.

Weslandia | by Fleischman, Paul

Wesley never really fits in at school. Even his parents think he is odd. One summer though, he creates his own civilization. Everyone develops a new respect for Wesley by the time he returns to school in the fall.

Keywords: bully, clothing, creativity, culture, differences, exploration, flowers, food, friendship, games, garden, inventions, language, learning, nutrition, peer resistance, plants, problem solving, school, seasons, self esteem, shelter, sleep, sports, summer, time, work

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