Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Tshepo rides the bus | by Xaba-Mashiri, Zodwa

It is Tshepo's birthday and Auntie Sonto is taking him to the town on the bus. Tshepo loves to ride the bus. However, Auntie Sonto refuses to buy a bus ticket for Tshepo because she says Tshepo is too young.

Keywords: africa, african american, anger, assertiveness, birthday, bus, celebration, conflict resolution, embarrassment, family, feelings, holidays, multicultural, nonverbal communication, peer resistance, refusal skills, relationship, stress management, transportation

The golden rain | by Mashiri, Pascal

A young child learns from his mother's stories about decision making and choices. He comes to understand that choices make some people happy and leave some disapointed. The child also realizes that help is sometimes needed for the decision making, but ultimately it is up to the individual.

Leo: the little st. bernard | by L'Hommediev, Dorthy K.

Leo wants to be a working dog for the monks at the Hospice. When they do not choose him, he decides to runaway to the Hospice. On his way up the mountain he encounters Angelena, a cashmere goat. Together they set out on a snowy and dangerous adventure.

Keywords: animals, bravery, climbing, conflict resolution, courage, critical thinking, decision making, dog, exercise, family, goal setting, goat, heroism, multicultural, patience, pride, relationship, running, self esteem, siblings, snow, swiss, verbal communication, wind

A song for ba | by Yee, Paul

A young, ambitious boy spends a lot of time with his grandfather learning how to sing and follow in the footsteps of his father who travels with a Chinese opera troupe. Wei, the little boy, loves to go to the opera and watch his father perform hoping one day, he too, will be a star. Through difficult times and financial loss, a young boy comes to the rescue of both his father and his cultural background.

Hannah is my name | by Yang, Belle

Hannah and her family come to America from Taiwan to gain freedom. For them to become Americans and have their freedom, they must obtain their greencards. Hannah and her family's journey of over 2 years, encompasses many trials. Hannah and her family feel relief, excitement and prode as they finally receive their greencards and are now able to call American their home.

Moon over the mountain/ Luna sobre la montana | by Polette, Keith

A retelling of a traditional Asian tale in which a discontented stone-cutter is never satisfied with each wish that is granted him. Set in the desert Southwest.

Keywords: cactus, carving, coyote, desert, envy, fruit, hard work, jealousy, language, market, money, moon, mountains, multicultural, rocks, spanish, sun, tools, tornado, wind, wish

Talking | by Xaba-Mashiri, Zadwa

A man digs out a talking yam from his garden. The man is confused and asks his dog if he is talking, but the dog says it is the yam talking. The man runs to the village to tell people about the talking yam and dog. People do not believe the man until things starts talking to them.

The good luck cat | by Harjo, Joy

Woogie, the cat, is thought to have good luck. But when she goes missing, will her good luck run out or will it bring her back home before her nine lives run out?

Keywords: animals, birds, cat, conflict resolution, critical thinking, dog, family, feelings, goal setting, happiness, luck, missing, multicultural, native american, parents, sadness, verbal communication

The remembering stone | by Russell, Barbara Timberlake

While Ana and her mother feed the blackbirds, Ana's mama shares her dream of visiting her parents in Costa Rica. Ana and her friend Sophis spend the day learning of the dreams of various neighborhood people. That night, Ana dreams she visits her family in Costa Rica. The next day, while feeding the blackbirds, Ana realizes she cannot wait for her dream to come true.

Keywords: birds, blackbird, costa rica, dreams, family, feelings, grandparents, language, multicultural, parents, self esteem, spanish, verbal communication, volcano

Island-style alphabet | by Yee, Tammy

Learn the alphabet from a diverse perspective through the Hawaiian, Japanese and Chinese cultures. Learn more about these different cultures through the ethnic words and colorful illustrations.

Keywords: animals, assertiveness, birthday, butterfly, cat, celebration, chicken, cockroach, decision making, dog, dolphin, family, fish, food, gecko, goose, guilt, hawaiian, japanese, jellyfish, multicultural, nonverbal communication, octopus, pig, self esteem, shrimp, verbal communication, wedding

Amelia to zora | by Chin-Lee, Cynthia

Explore in an alphabet formula, biographies that examine different successes and triumphs of famous women in history from Amelia Earhart to Zora Neale.

Beyond turkey | by Herman, Debbie // Koffsky, Ann D.

Almost 400 years ago, pilgrims traveled to North America. They met and befriended the Indians of the area. The different cultures came together to prepare a harvest and a celebration. This celebration became known as Thanksgiving.

Can you find it? | by Cressy, Judith

Go on an adventure around the world to many exciting places. Search through each painting for many objects. Create your own stories and imagine what life was like in each place.

In the snow | by Lee, Huy voun

A boy and his mother go into the woods during the first snow. The mother teaches her son about Chinese characters by drawing them in the snow and pointing out certain objects.

Keywords: art, chinese, language, learning, multicultural, seasons, snow, symbols, verbal communication, weather, winter, writing

Messenger, messenger | by Burleigh, Robert

Being a bicycle messenger in a big city is a rigorous job, but someone has to do it. The messenger wakes early and works late to deliver the proper messages to their appropriate places. Nothing can stop him, not rain, snow, or distractions of others.

Keywords: african american, assertiveness, bicycle, biking, careers, cold, community, critical thinking, day, dedication, discipline, exercise, food, goal setting, hard work, loyalty, morning, multicultural, night, radio, rain, refusal skills, responsibilities, rhyme, rhythm, routine, snow, sun, technology, time, weather, wind, work

Come on, rain! | by Hesse, Karen

A heat wave hits Tess's town and she's sizzling like a hot potato. Mamma's plants are all dying and all Tess wishes for is a little bit of rain. As she feels the rain coming, she runs to get her friends and they all change into bathing suits. The rain comes down in big drops and the girls dance, laugh, and play in the cool raindrops.

Keywords: african american, beverage, celebration, clothing, community, dancing, decision making, diversity, exercise, feelings, friendship, happiness, multicultural, play, prevention, rain, running, seasons, self esteem, summer, sun, temperature, verbal communication, weather

Lights for gita | by Gilmore, Rachna

Gita is very excited about celebrating her favorite Hindu holiday, Divali, a festival of lights. But this year things are different and she must celebrate this special holiday in her new home. This transition is hard for Gita and made even more difficult by the seasonal rain. With the help from her parents, Gita must learn how to carry her beliefs and memories into her new home and make this year's Divali, a holiday to remember.

Keywords: autumn, beliefs, celebration, change, conflict resolution, depression, disappointment, family, feelings, happiness, hindu, holidays, homesickness, ice, memories, moving, multicultural, parents, rain, sadness, seasons, self esteem, stress management, uniqueness, verbal communication, weather

Cocoa ice | by Appelbaum, Diana

A young girl from Maine and a young girl from Santa Domingo learn about each other's home through Jacob the Sailor. The girl from Santa Domingo describes how to make chocolate, and the girl from Maine tells about making ice.

Keywords: accomplishment, activities, adventures, american, animals, anticipation, author's note, beverage, boat, bodies of water, careers, climbing, clothing, cold, comparisons, culture, curiosity, differences, environment, food, horse, ice, multicultural, plants, snow, water, weather

Hosni the dreamer: An arabian tale | by Ben-Ezer, Ehud

Hosni is a shepherd who spends his days telling stories to his sheep and his nights dreaming about the city. When he finally has the opportunity to travel to the city, his life changes. He hears some special words of wisdom from a wise old man.

Keywords: adventures, animals, arab, bodies of water, camel, change, critical thinking, culture, death, decision making, desert, dreams, excitement, fear, feelings, folktale, food, love, marriage, money, mountains, multicultural, night, nutrition, peer resistance, rain, river, sadness, sheep, storytelling, travel, verbal communication, weather

Sami and the time of troubles | by Heide, Florence Parry//Gilliland, Judith Heide

Sami lives with his family in Beriut. Once it was one of the most splendid cities in the world but today it is a place of ruin and trouble. Living in violence allows Sami to look at all the good memories when troubles arrive. In the end, Sami learns a great deal about fighting.

Keywords: conflict resolution, critical thinking, family, feelings, fight, food, games, grandparents, happiness, lebanese, multicultural, nutrition, parents, sadness, safety, siblings, stress management, verbal communication, violence, war

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