Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Meet the gizmos | by Tocco, John V.

Pong, a young Chinese Gizmo, journeys to the International Space Station (ISS) for the first time. She is welcomed by Gizmos from other parts of the world, such as Russia, Africa and America. The other Pong is given a tour of the station while sharing the creative and imaginary world of the other Gizmos. The Gizmos do a fabulous job in working as a team to welcome Pong into her new space.

Safari journal | by Talbot, Hudson

Carey is a young boy who goes on vacation to Kenya with his aunt. While there he learns about the culture and all of the animals.

Keywords: african, airplane, animals, birds, buffalo, car, cattle, critical thinking, crocodile, culture, decision making, desert, egret, elephant, giraffe, goat, habitat, hunting, hyena, kenyan, leopard, lion, multicultural, observation, rhinoceros, safari, stress management, transportation, vacation, verbal communication, village, wilderness, wildlife

Mama Elizabeti | by Strure-Bodeen, Stephanie

Elizabeti has been taking care of her rock doll, Eva, and is not worried when it comes time for her to take care of Obedi, her younger brother. Throughout the day, Elizabeti quickly finds out Obedi is a handful compared to her rock doll Eva, but is rewarded with Obedi's love at the end of a difficult day.

Keywords: african, baby, change, child care, critical thinking, culture, dolls, family, helping, love, multicultural, siblings, stress management

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

Hush harbor: Praying in secret | by Evans, Freddi Williams

Simmy is both excited and nervous for his job as Scout during the community meeting. Simmy is excited because this means the elders trust him, but he is nervous because slaves are not supposed to gather and sing together. Simmy must be very careful and listen for the master during the meeting.

Keywords: african american, anger, anticipation, author's note, bravery, cabin, closeness, communication, cooking, creativity, creek, critical thinking, culture, dancing, death, faith, family, folktale, forest, friendship, hard work, hearing, hope, horse, listening, missing, multicultural, music, nonverbal communication, prayer, relief, religion, rhythm, river, running away, safety, secrets, slavery, song, spiritual, storytelling, woods, worry

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

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

Heroes | by Mochizuki, Ken

Donnie is always the bad guy when he plays war with his friends. They think because Donnie is Japanese American that he should be the enemy. When his father and uncle take a trip to school, they prove they can be heroes too.

Together in pinecone patch | by Yezerski, Thomas

Keara and Stefan are from Ireland and Poland, respectively, and each tell the stories of their families. They meet in the United States in Pinecone Patch, PA. They overcome deep stereotypes and prejudices to be married and bring two families together.

Big red lollipop | by Khan, Rukhsana

Rubina is excited to get her first invite to a birthday party! However when she asks Ami whether she can go, Ami tells her she has to take her younger sister, Sana. After Sana ruins the party, Rubina has to learn how to overcome her anger and forgive her little sister.

Keywords: anger, argument, birthday, celebration, clothing, culture, differences, dreams, embarrassment, empathy, feelings, forgiveness, friendship, party, resentment, siblings

Mr. Chu | by Keating, Norma

Through Mr. Chu, the reader learns about Chinese food, music, traditions, and celebrations including the Chinese New Year.

Keywords: celebration, chinese, culture, food, holidays, multicultural, music, new year, nutrition, traditions

The paper dragon | by 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.

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

Isla | by Dorros, Arthur

Rosalba and her grandmother go for an adventure. They fly from New York to la Isla. They fly over la Isla stopping to visit all of grandmother's favorite spots from her childhood. Some things have changed but not everything has.

Keywords: aging, airplane, change, critical thinking, culture, family, grandparents, imagination, island, multicultural, sharing, spanish, transportation, travel

Yoshi's feast | by Kijikawa, Kimiko

Yoshi is a fan maker in the city of Yedo. His favorite food in the whole world is broiled eels. Every night, his neighbor Sabu goes off to catch eels, broils them on his hibachi, and waits for customers, but they never come. Yoshi thinks that Sabu should share the leftover eels with him, but he is too greedy to give Sabu any of his money. Yoshi continues to sit day after day smelling Sabu's eels, but never buying any of them. Finally, Sabu presents Yoshi with a bill for smelling his eels. Yoshi dances around the town shaking his money box and tells Sabu that he will charge his for listening to…

Keywords: asian, assertiveness, clothing, conflict resolution, cooking, culture, dancing, decision making, exercise, fish, fishing, food, friendship, goal setting, greed, hunger, japanese, kindness, money, multicultural, nutrition, selfishness, sharing, smell, sounds, verbal communication

Happy to be nappy | by Hooks, Bell

A whimsical rhythm of sweet jive jumps from watercolored illustrations on different pages to portray portraits of little girls who celebrate their African American culture. Hooray for the frizzy, fuzzy, nappy, twisty hair!Hooray for the sizzling semblance and fantastic flare that shines in every hair on every head. Beauty lies everywhere.

Keywords: african american, appearance, appreciation, awareness, beauty, body parts, caring, celebration, child care, cleanliness, closeness, colors, comparisons, confidence, creativity, culture, day, differences, family, feelings, fun, happiness, health, hope, images, individuality, multicultural, parents, play, pride, rhythm, self confidence, self esteem, shapes

Gabriella's song | by Fleming, Candace

When Gabriella begins to hum a tune, the inhabitants of Venice begin to hum along too. The tune makes some happy, others sad, and some even swoon. The power of music is clearly portrayed in this story.

Keywords: culture, feelings, happiness, italian, love, moods, multicultural, music, nonverbal communication, sadness, song

A very important day | by Herold, Maggie Rugg

A snowstorm adds to the wonder and excitement of this very important day during which 219 people become U.S. citizens.

Keywords: american, anticipation, author's note, baby, celebration, change, citizen, cold, community, culture, diversity, excitement, family, feelings, friendship, giving, grandparents, happiness, immigrants, language, loyalty, memories, morning, multicultural, nonverbal communication, nutrition, parents, siblings, snow, verbal communication, weather, winter

The big box | by Morrison, Toni//Morrison, Slade

Patty, Mickey, and Liza Sue just can't handle their freedom. The things they do frighten the adults around them. The adults decide to put them in a big brown box because they care about the youngsters. The children will have everything they need, except their freedom. Isn't that the one thing children need?

Keywords: animals, beaver, behavior, birds, caring, culture, family, farm, food, freedom, games, health, love, misbehavior, nature, nonverbal communication, nutrition, owl, parents, playing, presents, rabbit, rhyme, rules, school, seagull, toys

Bread is for eating | by Gershator, David//Gershator, Phillis

When a little boy leaves bread on his plate, his mother reminds him how important bread is and the hard work that goes into making it. Through a song, children learn why they should not waste food, and how to be thankful for grain and bread.

Keywords: appreciation, awareness, careers, critical thinking, culture, decision making, farm, farmer, food, health, hispanic, hunger, language, machines, money, multicultural, music, nature, nonverbal communication, nutrition, parents, plants, poverty, rain, rainbow, snow, song, spanish, storytelling, sun, teaching, verbal communication, weather, winter

Fruits: A caribbean counting poem | by Bloom, Valerie

Counting fruit can be fun, especially if you get to eat it when you're done!From half a pawpaw to ten bananas, these two sisters count it all. They forget one thing though -- eating too much can make you sick!

Keywords: caribbean, counting, culture, family, five senses, food, language, nutrition, overeating, parents, sharing, siblings, smell, taste, verbal communication

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