Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Junk pile! | by Borton, Lady

When Jamie Kay helps her dad in their magical junk yard, Robert Haines and other kids make fun of her. Jamie Kay has to find a way to show the kids that her junkyard is magical. But most of all, Jamie has to find a way to make a friend.

Keywords: acceptance, assertiveness, bus, careers, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, disability, dog, family, forgiveness, friendship, imagination, magic, song, teasing, transportation, work

The slightly irregular fire engine | by Barthelme, D.

Mathilda had hoped to see a bright shiny fire engine in her backyard when she woke up. Instead there was an odd looking Chinese house into which she went to meet her guide. After her trip, the guide promised her a gift the next day. She woke up and say a bright shiny green fire engine.

Keywords: chinese, fantasy, imagination, multicultural, transportation

Willie and the all-stars | by Cooper, Floyd

Willie is a young African American boy who learns about discrimination against black baseball players. Willie's fear of prejudice will prevent him from being a famous baseball player. Willie receives tickets to attend a Negro league game and realizes that maybe his dream is possible.

Keywords: accomplishment, african american, baseball, bat, body parts, buildings, car, celebration, creativity, discrimination, dreams, friendship, games, grandparents, history, hope, imagination, multicultural, neighbors, practice, prejudice, presents, pretend, radio, relationship

Grandpa's face | by Greenfield, Eloise

Tamika loves spending time with her Grandfather. They enjoy walking, talking, and going to theatre together. One day, Tamika gets afraid while watching her Grandfather rehearse for a play. Tamika learns about different emotions, and especially that her Grandfather will always love her.

Keywords: actor, african american, aging, anger, body parts, books, communication, creativity, exercise, family, fear, feelings, food, friendship, generations, glasses, grandparents, imagination, love, nonverbal communication, nutrition, parents, relationship, storytelling, theatre, tree, walking, worry

If you were a parrot | by Rawson, Katherine

Join the parrot as it goes through its daily routine of climbing, chewing, eating, bathing, and finally, snuggling down for the night after a long day of parrot fun. Did you know that a parrotﾒs special feet allow it to climb curtains, bookshelves, and plants? And it's hooked beak lets the parrot chew all kinds of great food: seeds, nuts, chair legs, popsicles, sticks, and a telephone directory!

Keywords: bath, birds, feelings, food, fruit, fun, games, happiness, imagination, parrot, play, trick

A little skink's tail | by Halfmann, Janet

While Little Skink hunts for her breakfast, she is attacked by a crow! But she has a trick to escape-she snaps off her lizard tail and it keeps on wiggling. Little Skink is happy to be alive but she misses her bright blue tail.

Keywords: acceptance, aggression, animals, ant, birds, crow, deer, escape, forest, habitat, imagination, insects, lizard, owl, porcupine, rabbit, reptiles, skunk, squirrel, trick, turtle

The magic kite | by Stanbridge, Bobette

A kite travels to America through time and watches America change and grow. Katy the kite spends time with a young girl in a city until it becomes too busy to fly. A Native American medicine man teaches Katy to speak to mother earth, father sky, angels, and fairies.

Keywords: angel, animals, birds, butterfly, elephant, friendship, grasshopper, imagination, insects, kite, magic, multicultural, native american, picnic, prayer, spiritual, tree, turtle

Amelia bedelia and the surprise shower | by Parish, Peggy

Amelia Bedelia always seems to take everything literally. This only leads to chaos as well as laughter as Amelia Bedelia helps prepare for a surprise bridal shower. From ﾓpruning the hedgesﾔ by placing prunes on the hedges, to ﾓicing the fishﾔ by covering them in chocolate icing, well-intentioned Amelia causes quite a commotion. After hosing down the guest of honor as part of the ﾓshowerﾔ, Amelia turns the entire party into a disaster, but at least all of the guests leave in laughter.

Keywords: accidents, adventures, anger, celebration, conflict resolution, confusion, emotions, helping, humor, imagination, literal interpretation, misunderstanding, nonverbal communication, self esteem, stress management, surprises

Baxter Barret Brown's bass fiddle | by McKenzie, Tim A

Baxter Barret Brown loves to play his bass fiddle. He decides to take it with him wherever he goes and turn it into whatever he needs. However, he soon learns that when he changes the fiddle he canﾒt play the music he loves and must change it back if he wants what really makes him happy.

Keywords: airplane, alliteration, bicycle, boat, critical thinking, feelings, happiness, imagination, instruments, music, nonverbal communication, sadness, shelter, sounds, tools, transportation

Dancing in the wings | by Allen, Debbie

Sassy uses her unique characteristics and height to become a great ballet dancer. Sassy does not allow bullying from the other students to prevent her from trying out for a summer dance festival. Sassy learns the benefits of perseverence and self-esteem.

Keywords: challenges, competition, dancing, depression, determination, dreams, embarrassment, family, feelings, glasses, humor, imagination, individuality, instruments, jealousy, multicultural, performance, persistence, playing, self esteem, stars, theatre, travel

Olivia saves the circus | by Falconer, Ian

After making breakfast for her two younger brothers, Olivia dresses herself and heads to school. Today is Olivia's turn to tell the class about her vacation. She tells of a time when all the circus people are sick and she has to run the entire show. She uses her imagination to tell about her experiences as a lion tamer, juggler, and more. Olivia then heads for home, talks with her mother, and goes to bed.

Keywords: acrobat, animals, bedtime, circus, dog, elephant, history, imagination, lion, photograph, pig, presentation, school, storytelling, vacation, verbal communication

Once upon an ordinary school day | by McNaughton, Colin

An ordinary boy has no idea what is in store for him one fateful, ordinary day. Everything appears to be normal until his new school teacher; Mr. Gee walks through the door. The once ordinary day turns into a whirlwind of adventures

Keywords: adventures, animals, bedtime, change, dreams, fantasy, imagination, magic, music, preparation, pretend, routine, self esteem, surprises, teaching, writing

So happy! | by Henkes, Kevin

A magic seed was planted, a rabbit wandered, and a little boy just wanted something to do. Just before it began to rain the seed became thirsty, the rabbit was lost, and the little boy was bored. The rain brought happiness to the boy and left the rabbit wet and scared. As the seed grew, the boy built a bridge to reach it and the rabbit used it to cross the creek to return to his family. The little boy returned home with the flower that grew from the seed as a present to his mother.

Keywords: animals, bodies of water, boredom, creek, family, fear, feelings, happiness, imagination, magic, multicultural, native american, nonverbal communication, parents, plants, rabbit, rain, seed, sun, weather

Kofi and his magic | by Angelou, Maya

A young Ashanti boy describes some of the wonders of his life in and around the West African village of Bonwire.

Keywords: africa, beach, bodies of water, celebration, colors, culture, customs, dancing, differences, dreams, imagination, instruments, language, magic, multicultural, music, ocean, pattern, photograph, travel

Galimoto | by Williams, Karen Lynn

Kondi needs wire to make his galimoto, the word in Malawi Africa which means car. He thinks of clever ways to make his galimoto in the shape of a car. He falls asleep imagining what shape he might twist it into the next day.

Keywords: africa, african, anger, car, collection, creativity, decision making, dreams, feelings, food, helicopter, imagination, language, robbery, sleep, toys, transportation, verbal communication

Somewhere in Africa | by Mennen, Ingrid//Daly, Niki

A boy named Ashraf lives in a city in South Africa. He compares the city to the countryside of Africa.

Keywords: africa, african, assertiveness, body parts, books, community, comparisons, critical thinking, dancing, differences, flowers, geography, imagination, instruments, library, multicultural, music, rhyme, song

Can you find it, too? | by Cressy, Judith

Come enjoy history through a collection of famous paintings. Each has its own personality and story. Search through each painting for objects and colors. Get imaginative and create your own stories or interpretations about the paintings.

Amy unbounded: Belondweg blossoming | by Hartman, Rachel

Through comic book style illustrations, Amy of Eddybrook Lodge encounters many exciting adventures with her best friend. During the summer between her ninth and tenth birthday, Amy and her friend learn many lessons about life. The most important ones are that love does not solve everything and even heroines sometimes need help.

I took the moon for a walk | by Curtis, Carolyn

A little boy takes the moon on an adventurous walk. At first the moon is timid but then opens up to the little boy. They do things together such as swing, hold hands, and dance until the boy goes home to go to the sleep.

Keywords: adventures, bedtime, clouds, conflict resolution, friendship, imagination, light, moon, night, rhyme, shyness, verbal communication, walking

Ant and honey bee: What a pair! | by McDonald, Megan

Ant and Honey Bee use their friendship to create a two-things-that-go-together pair of costumes for Cricket's party. As it starts to rain on the walk to Cricket's house, what will happen to Ant and Honey Bees costumes?

Keywords: ambition, ant, anticipation, assertiveness, bee, beetle, butterfly, challenges, communication, conflict resolution, creativity, cricket, critical thinking, determination, feelings, fly, friendship, goal setting, happiness, hard work, imagination, insects, party, persistence, sadness, spider, teamwork, verbal communication

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