Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

The spider who never gave up | by 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.

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

I can't stop! A story about tourette syndrome | by Niner, Holly L.

A young boy goes through the tribulations of finding out he has Tourette Syndrome. He has to learn to deal with his tics. As he becomes more accepting of his disorder, he helps others understand why he has the tics and movements. Others become more understanding.

Cell wars | by Balkwill, Fran

Did you know that there is war going on in your body every day? Well, Neutrophills, Macrophages and Lymphocytes battle to get rid of viruses and bacteria. Come watch the battle between the defender cells as they protect people from microscopic enemies.

Keywords: bacteria, cells, chicken pox, cold, critical thinking, decision making, diseases, germs, health, hygiene, illness, medicine, nonverbal communication, prevention, science, verbal communication, virus

Marven of the great north woods | by Lasky, Kathryn

A boy named Marvin leaves his family during the flu epidemic. He goes to a lumberjack camp in northern Minnesota and works and learns French while making some interesting friends. Marvin learns to ski, dance, and do the bookkeeping as a lumberjack.

Keywords: assertiveness, author's note, bedtime, cabin, careers, conflict resolution, counting, dancing, decision making, diseases, exercise, family, food, forest, french, friendship, language, money, numbers, nutrition, religion, seasons, shadows, skiing, snow, train, transportation, travel, verbal communication, weather, woods

Be quiet, Marina! | by DeBear, Kristen

Marina and Moira are very much alike, and yet very different. They like to play with one another, but often have conflicts. They learn to work through their differences and become the best of friends.

Keywords: aggression, anger, body parts, comparisons, cooperation, coping, dancing, differences, diseases, diversity, dolls, down syndrome, emotions, fear, feelings, friendship, happiness, noise, photograph, play, playground, school, similarities

Home now | by Beake, Lesley

How can Sieta feel happy with so many sad pictures inside her head? She remembers her real home far away over the mountains, her parents getting sick, and Aunty taking her to live in a new place she calls Home Now. There Sieta meets another orphan with memories like her own.

Keywords: africa, animals, community, death, diseases, elephant, empathy, family, feelings, flowers, friendship, happiness, home, illness, memories, orphan, parents, sadness, stars, sympathy

Too far away to touch, close enough to see | by Newman, Leslea

There is a special loving relationship between Zoe and her uncle. Although he is sick with HIV, her uncle makes an extra effort to take her on special outings. Zoe must come to terms with her uncle's illness throughout the story.

Keywords: adventures, aids, caring, death, diseases, homosexuality, illness, love, nonverbal communication, relationship, sadness, stars, trust, truth, verbal communication

Alex, the kid with aids | by Girard, Linda Walvoord

Alex has AIDS. In school, he begins as a visitor with special privileges and ends up making friends and being a part of the class. Alex realizes that although he is sick, he can't misbehave in school.

Keywords: aids, conflict resolution, critical thinking, diseases, friendship, illness, misbehavior, school, self esteem, stress management, verbal communication

My dad has hiv | by Alexander, Earl//Rudin, Sheila//Sejkora, Pam

The disease HIV is explained in this gentle and descriptive story about a young girl who has a father with HIV. The facts about the virus are described in a way that children can understand. It helps children to know that a person with HIV can lead a normal life.

Keywords: acceptance, aids, awareness, careers, communication, differences, diseases, family, fear, feelings, food, health, hygiene, illness, love, medicine, nutrition, parents, presentation, sadness, school, science, sleep, support, 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

Taking asthma to school | by Gosselin, Kim

Justin has asthma so he explains a day in his life to his classmates. Justin takes special medicine to help him breathe. But he is like any other child his age: he likes to play with his friends, go outside at recess, and take part in gym class just like any other kid.

Keywords: acceptance, allergies, asthma, author's note, awareness, differences, diseases, exercise, health, medicine, nonverbal communication, nurse, school, self esteem, understanding, verbal communication

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.

The music in derrick's heart | by Battle-Lavert, Gwoddolyn

Derrick, a young African American boy, learns to make music on the harmonica. Uncle Booker T., a talented musician, spends each day, one hot summer, teaching Derrick the art of playing the harmonica. Finally, after much practice and determination, Derrick discovers the secret of Uncle Booker T.'s music: it comes from the heart.

Keywords: african american, arthritis, band, dancing, determination, diseases, exercise, five senses, generations, instruments, learning, multicultural, music, patience, play, playing, practice, seasons, sleep, sounds, summer

Truffles is sick | by Anbolt, Catherine

Truffles wakes up sick and is covered with spots. He has to stay in and take awful medicine. By the end of the day, Truffles realizes that being sick and resting is not so bad after all.

Keywords: animals, chicken pox, diseases, dog, illness, medicine, sleep, verbal communication

My best friend moved away | by Carlson, Nancy

Two best friends do everything together from the time they are babies. When one friend moves away, the other person is sad and lonely, wondering if she will ever be happy again. All is well when a new family moves in next door.

Keywords: animals, boredom, change, chicken pox, diseases, dog, feelings, fight, friendship, games, happiness, loneliness, memory, moving, neighbors, photograph, play, sadness, school, secrets, sharing, soccer, sports, stress management

Double-dip feelings | by Cain, Barbara S.

When you first started school, were you excited?Where you scared?Did you feel both excited and scared?Feelings can be hard to understand, especially when you have two feelings at the same time. Everyone has feelings at different times for different reasons.

Keywords: animals, bravery, change, chicken pox, competition, diseases, dog, embarrassment, exercise, feelings, friendship, happiness, illness, new baby, playing, reading, sadness, school, siblings, stress management, swimming

Daisy | by Powell, E. Sandy

Daisy is a nine year old girl who grows up in an abusive environment. She lives with her father who drinks, did not want to work, and both physically and mentally abuses her. Daisy's tutor saw the bruises and Daisy is able to confide in her what was happening. She is placed in a foster home.

Keywords: alcoholism, child abuse, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, diseases, family, fear, feelings, foster care, imagination, injury, parents, trust, verbal communication

Sportsercise: A school story about exercise-induced asthma | by Gosselin, Kim

This book looks at exercise and how it can induce asthma. It explains that some children may have this problem, but encourages them to participate in physical activities.

Thumbs up, rico! | by Testa, Maria

Rico, a boy with Downs Syndrome, overcomes many obstacles. See how he does it in three different stories.

Keywords: art, basketball, challenges, coping, creativity, differences, disability, diseases, family, friendship, siblings, sports

Poor monty | by Fine, Anne

Sometimes when a single parent works so much, their children may feel a bit neglected. Single parents are loving parents too.

Keywords: chicken pox, diseases, doctor, family, feelings, illness, love, parents, sadness, security

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