Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Sense pass king: A story from cameroon | by Tchana, Katrin

Ma'antah is an exceptional girl who has many abilities, such as cooking and talking to animals. The villagers call her Sense Pass King because she has more sense than the king. The king is frustrated by her and tries to kill her but she outsmarts him. Later, she works in the palace and is able to make the country better.

Keywords: african, anger, assertiveness, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, feelings, helping, jealousy, monsters, multicultural, mythical, royalty, ship, stress management, transportation, verbal communication, village

Sybil's night ride | by Winnick, Karen B.

A brave girl takes a brave journey on a horse through the night. Find out how her brave actions helped America while at war with the British.

Keywords: adventures, america, animals, assertiveness, bravery, british, decision making, helping, history, horse, multicultural, nonverbal communication, patriotic, progress, war

Kumak's fish: A tall tale from the far north | by Bania, Michael

One morning Kumak and his family pack their fishing gear for an antarctic ice fishing adventure. With patience, the family fishes until Kumak finally catches a strong fish. The whole Alaskan community comes running to help Kumak and his family pull the fish out of the water. The community celebrates their new food supply when they see each fish holding on to the fist infront of it.

Keywords: author's note, bodies of water, excitement, exercise, family, feelings, fish, fishing, grandparents, happiness, ice, lake, multicultural, parents, running, seasons, siblings, sledding, snow, sports, spring, teamwork, transportation, weather

One candle | by Bunting, Eve

A Jewish family spends Hanukkah that same way every year. Traditions are passed from generation to generation. After a family meal, grandma and great-aunt Rose tell their story. One very special candle is lit in honor of their memories.

Keywords: family, feelings, food, generations, grandparents, hanukkah, history, holidays, Jewish, language, memories, multicultural, nutrition, parents, prayer, sadness, siblings, stars, storytelling

Flood fish | by Eversole, Robyn

Every year the fish come with the flood waters. Every spring a young boy in Australia enjoys exploring the mystery the waters bring to the once-dry banks of the river.

Keywords: adventures, australia, author's note, change, discovery, exercise, exploration, fish, flood, geography, grandparents, investigation, multicultural, reproduction, river, rocks, sea, siblings, swimming, water

Three cheers for catherine the great! | by Best, Cari

A family moves from Russia to America. The grandma of the family has a birthday and she does not want presents. Her grand-daughter spends hours trying to figure out the perfect no present for her grandma.

Keywords: baby, birthday, celebration, conflict resolution, critical thinking, dancing, decision making, exercise, family, food, goal setting, grandparents, holidays, language, multicultural, music, nutrition, opera, parents, party, poetry, presents, russian, self esteem, song, stress management, travel, verbal communication

A Christmas like Helen's | by Kinsey-Warnock, Natalie

Christmas in the early years of America's life describes the life of a younh girl names Helen. Living on a farm before the time of telephones or cars, Helen spends her days working on the farm, walking to school in the cold of winter and spending time with her family, hearing stories of her ancestors. Helen's Christmas begins in the summer when her family plants the food that will be eaten on Christmas morning and their Christmas spirit stays alive throughout the year by helping ill and injured neighbors with tasks around their farms. Christmas is a time for Helen's family to come together…

Keywords: animals, christmas, cow, exercise, family, feelings, food, happiness, holidays, horse, multicultural, parents, scottish, seasons, skating, snow, spring, transportation, weather, winter

The old woman who lived in a vinegar bottle | by MacDonald, Margaret Read

An old woman complains about living in a vinegar bottle. A fairy friend helps her to grant her wish. But the little old lady is still unhappy and wants more wishes granted by her fairy friend.

Keywords: apathy, assertiveness, author's note, bedtime, british, change, decision making, dreams, fairy, fantasy, feelings, folktale, manners, multicultural, selfishness, sleep, trust, verbal communication

Homemade love | by Hooks, Bell

Young Girlpie lives with her parents. Girlpie's world is magical where all hurt can be healed, wrongs forgiven and peace found in the world. The comfort that is provided by her home eases her fears and helps her to lead a happy life.

Keywords: african american, animals, dog, family, feelings, food, gymnastics, happiness, love, memories, multicultural, nutrition, parents, sadness, seasons, sleep, sports, spring

Big jabe | by Nolan, Jerdine

Momma Mary goes back in time and tells stories of a unique young man named Jabe, who is responsible for creating magic among the slaves of the Plenty Plantation. He is described as a hero with the strength of fifty men, a big heart, and a wondrous gift at leading slaves away to freedom.

Keywords: african, african american, animals, bee, chicken, cow, fable, fantasy, feelings, fish, fishing, flood, food, freedom, generations, happiness, heroism, horse, hunger, magic, multicultural, mystery, nonverbal communication, plants, recreation, river, slavery, storytelling, tornado, tree, uniqueness, unselfish, weather, wind

The shaking bag | by Battle-Lavert, Gwendolyn

Though Miss Annie Mae doesn't always have much food for herself or her dog Effie Lucille, she faithfully feeds the birds in the lawn. One day a stranger comes to visit. He shakes many special surprises for her out of the old seed bag to reward her for all her generosity.

Keywords: african american, animals, birds, books, dog, fantasy, fire, food, hunger, kindness, multicultural, noise, nutrition, plants, poverty, raven, sharing, sounds, spiritual, unselfish

Kaddish for grandpa in Jesus' name amen | by Howe, James

A young girl finds her own spirituality while observing the differing social customs of her Jewish and Christian relatives following her grandfather's sudden death. She interacts with her family to remember her grandfather in special ways at home, at church, and before bed.

Keywords: aging, angel, art, baby, bath, bedtime, behavior, church, dancing, emotions, exercise, family, feelings, food, grandparents, grief, hebrew, hygiene, Jewish, multicultural, mythical, parents, sadness

Mr. George Baker | by Hest, Amy

Mr. George Baker is a 100 year old musician who lives next door to Harry, a young schoolboy. They wait for the school bus together each morning to take them to school. They are both learning to read, and helping each other along the way.

Keywords: african american, aging, autumn, bus, dancing, exercise, food, friendship, happiness, instruments, multicultural, music, neighbors, rhythm, school, seasons, transportation

Monsoon | by Krishnawami, Uma

A young girl in India waits with her family and friends for the monsoon season to begin. The importance of the monsoon in her culture is revealed to the radio, television, newspaper, and stories of the people.

Keywords: animals, author's note, cow, exercise, faith, family, feelings, food, games, hindu, india, language, market, monsoon, multicultural, newspaper, ox, radio, rain, seasons, taxi, television, temple, transportation, weather

The remembering stone | by Russell, Barbara Timberlake

As Ana holds the speckled lava stone (the remembering stone) that her mother has given her, she falls asleep and dreams of being able to fly like the blackbirds in their garden to her mother's homeland of Costa Rica to see their family. She awakens in the morning and joins her mother as they greet the blackbirds in their garden. Ana can almost feel herself lifting off the ground as they take flight.

Keywords: birds, blackbird, celebration, costa rica, culture, dreams, family, feelings, food, friendship, grandparents, hispanic, hope, jewelry, language, multicultural, nutrition, parents, travel, vocabulary

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

A young boy takes the moon for a walk and discovers the mysteries of the night. As he walks along he admires the bright refletion of the moon on the water and the changes that take place with the animals, the town and the environment. Hw then returns home to a restful sleep while the moon continues to shine brightly.

Keywords: adventures, animals, biking, birds, bodies of water, bridge, church, community, cow, dog, feelings, imagination, insects, ladybug, moon, moth, multicultural, night, owl, park, playground, rhyme, sleep, snail, walking, worm

The girl who wore too much: A folktale from Thailand | by MacDonald, Margaret Read

This folktale from Thailand follows Aree as she prepares to go to a dance. Shes believes that by wearing all of her pretty dresses and fine jewelry, she will look her best. She realizes that too many clothes can be hot and cumbersome and does not make it to the dance with her friends. After missing the dance, she gives many of her nice things away and decides that it is better to wear one simple dress than to try too hard to look special with all her pretty dresses and fine jewelry.

Keywords: author's note, celebration, clothing, colors, family, feelings, folktale, friendship, language, multicultural, temperature, thai

Trudi & Pia | by Hegi, Ursula

Trudi dreams of being tall and feels there are no other dwarfs like her until she meets Pia who teaches her to accept the way she is and that she is not alone. Pia talks about when other drawfs from around the world in Russia, Italy, France and Portugal, Trudi learns to feel normal and beautiful.

Keywords: acceptance, animals, bicycle, birds, bravery, circus, clowns, courage, differences, dwarfs, elephant, fantasy, growing up, height, hope, imagination, lion, monkey, multicultural, night, parrot, sizes, skills, sleep, stars, uniqueness

Pictures for Miss Josie | by Belton, Sandra

A young boy is introduced by his father to Miss Josie, who as first freightens him. As he grows up, he learns to admire her and the two develop a special friendship. Soon the grown boy passes on his memories to his own son and introduces Miss Josie to him.

Keywords: african american, aging, airplane, art, celebration, church, contentment, dancing, dreams, family, fear, giants, listening, marriage, memories, multicultural, radio, role model, school, skills, teeth, telephone, train, transportation, walking, worry

Who was the woman who wore the hat? | by Patz, Nancy

In the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam, a lone hat is on display in a glass case. It is all that remains of a woman's life. A pictorial and poetic view of this hat, worn during the Holocaust, is poignantly expressed.

Keywords: author's note, clothing, discrimination, diversity, family, feelings, germany, history, Jewish, memories, multicultural, museum, photograph, prejudice, relationship, religion, war

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