Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Molasses man | by May, Kathy L.

A young boy and his family make molasses every summer. This summer the sourghum turns into a recipe that the boy's Grandfather has perfected. The boy spends his summer days helping his family make molasses and playing outside during the cooking process. While some molasses is cooling, Mama and her sisters pour it into glass jars and set up a stand near the road for passers-by.

Keywords: african american, animals, author's note, books, community, cooking, family, farm, five senses, food, games, generations, glasses, grandparents, happiness, hard work, horse, moving, mule, neighbors, noise, observation, plants, playing, pretend, recreation, sequence, smell, teamwork, traditions

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

Lyle, lyle crocodile | by Waber, Bernard

A crocodile named Lyle has a big impact on those he meets in his community. One day, a member of his family loses his job. In the end this bad event is turned around into a job well done by everyone.

Keywords: animals, baby, car, careers, change, child care, community, coping, crocodile, dog, exercise, family, feelings, food, friendship, ghosts, halloween, happiness, holidays, loss, monsters, mythical, nonverbal communication, nutrition, refusal skills, reptiles, sadness, self esteem, stress management, teamwork, transportation, walking, witches

Roxaboxen | by McLerran, Alice

Roxaboxen is a magical, little place where several friends build their own home and have their own shop on Main Street. Their children grow up but never forget Roxaboxen.

Keywords: community, critical thinking, family, friendship, growing up, imagination, memories, shelter, teamwork

Moving day | by Tobias, Tobi

A young girl is involved in moving to a new house and town. She confides her feelings to her new stuffed bear, which makes her feel better.

Keywords: change, community, coping, feelings, friendship, moving, sadness, shelter, stress management, verbal communication

Hometown hero | by Aiello, Barbara//Shulman, Jeffrey

Scott Whittaker recounts the events between Thanksgiving and Christmas in his diary. He starts a karate club at school and meets Bill Walters, a homeless man who was the quarterback of the local high school football team in 1967 The book ends with questions and answers about asthma.

Keywords: accomplishment, appearance, assertiveness, asthma, community, decision making, diseases, exercise, football, friendship, holidays, karate, kindness, peer resistance, school, shelter, sports, surprises

A walk on a snowy night | by Delton, Judy

A girl and her father go out in the snow together. They see many of the normal sights, but they look different at night covered with snow. They stop at a local cafe to get hot chocolate before bundling up their coats and walking home.

Keywords: beverage, community, exercise, family, five senses, food, night, nonverbal communication, parents, recreation, seasons, snow, verbal communication, weather, winter

How big is a foot? | by Myller, Rolf

The king wants to have a bed made for his wife's birthday, so he measures her by using his feet. They have a problem, because the carpenter's foot is not the same size as the king's.

Keywords: birthday, community, conflict resolution, critical thinking, holidays, misunderstanding, presents, royalty, sizes

Going west | by Waddell, Martin

A little girl experiences one of the most dramatic changes in her life. While going west to build a new home, she learns to cope with many different things. She regains hopes and dreams for her new home.

Keywords: anger, animals, bear, bodies of water, camping, change, cold, community, conflict, conflict resolution, coping, critical thinking, death, family, feelings, happiness, horse, mountains, neighbors, nonverbal communication, parents, pioneers, rain, river, sadness, safety, shelter, siblings, snow, stress management, transportation, verbal communication, weather

Where does joe go? | by Pearson, Tracey Campbell

Every winter Joe from the neighborhood Snack Bar disappears without a trace. All of the towns people have creative ideas on where he is. But in the end he turns out to be someone the children love...even more than the hotdogs and ice cream he gives them in the summertime!

Keywords: archeology, astronaut, autumn, beach, bones, change, community, critical thinking, dancing, excitement, five senses, food, gossip, instruments, monuments, moon, music, nonverbal communication, nutrition, privacy, royalty, santa, seasons, ship, spring, summer, transportation, travel, vacation, winter, work

The watertower | by Crew, Gary

Two friends, Bubba and Spike, go for a swim in the Preson Water Tower. Bubba's clothes are blown away so Spike has to go get some more clothes, leaving Bubba alone. The water tower seems to hold some power over the whole town, so what will happen when Bubba is left alone to face the tower?

Keywords: australian, bodies of water, challenges, community, critical thinking, exercise, fear, feelings, friendship, multicultural, seasons, summer, swimming

Two bad ants | by Van Allsburg, Chris

The ants discover a delicious crystal and head out at dark to retrieve some more. Two ants liked these crystals so much that they stay and fall asleep. They awake to a horrible danger and are finally rescued by the returning ants.

Keywords: ant, community, conflict resolution, decision making, insects, nonverbal communication, rescue, safety, sleep

The warrior and the wiseman | by Wisniewski, David

Two sons of the emperor are in competition for the throne. One is a warrior who only thinks of himself, and the other is the wiseman who helps others. The wiseman ends up saving the kingdom and taking the throne.

Keywords: assertiveness, community, conflict resolution, critical thinking, family, helping, responsibilities, royalty, selfishness, siblings, verbal communication

All around the town | by McGinley, Phyllis

Each letter from A to Z is described with a rhyme about something children see in the city.

Keywords: alphabet, community, letters, rhyme, sequence, zoo

In the diner | by Loomis, Christine

The diner is a busy place. Waiters run around, busboys set the tables, and chefs prepare the food. Bacon sizzles, coffee brews, bagels toast, burgers broil, and many other things happen in the busy diner.

Keywords: careers, community, food, nutrition, restaurant, rhyme

Marge's diner | by Gibbons, Gail

Everyone goes to Marge's Diner because it is open 24 hours a day. Marge feeds all kinds of people: truck drivers, families, travelers, school kids, businessmen, and telephone company workers. Everyone is friendly at the diner, and it is a big meeting place for friends.

Keywords: careers, community, food, friendship, neighbors, nutrition, restaurant

Weeks and weeks | by Watts, Mabel

Mr. Hobbs is the town photographer who does well in his business until the town plans to start having activity weeks. The townspeople get so busy with each new activity that they don't pay much attention to Mr. Hobbs, until Take-A-Picture Week comes along.

Keywords: activities, business, careers, chaos, community, fun, memories, recreation, time

Rickety rackety rooster | by Wahl, Jan

Farmer Puckle owns a rooster who crows constantly. They try everything to get him to stop and finally discover a treasure to solve the problem.

Keywords: animals, assertiveness, birds, canary, community, cow, critical thinking, crow, duck, family, farm, fear, feelings, five senses, food, horse, neighbors, noise, nonverbal communication, nutrition, owl, parents, problem solving, rain, sheep, sleep, stress management, weather, wind

Mr. snow bunting's secret | by Quackenbush, Robert

Mr. Snow Bunting opens a bow shop that is only open from March to November. The whole town is so curious about the way he wraps presents that they set out to find what the secret is -- especially Mr. Dog.

Keywords: animals, assertiveness, community, conflict resolution, critical thinking, curiosity, decision making, dog, goal setting, nonverbal communication, presents, recreation, secrets

The great trash bash | by Leedy, Loreen

The mayor of Beaston tries to find out what is wrong with his city. He discovers that there is too much litter and trash. The community gets together and figures out ways to solve the problem.

Keywords: animals, assertiveness, community, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, environment, goal setting, hippopotamus, identification, pollution, progress, teamwork, verbal communication

Browse Abstracts (338 total)