Browse Items · Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

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A different pond

Phi, Bao

A young boy accompanies his dad to catch fish for food before the sunrises and before other family members awake. The dad tells the bait man at the all-night store that he is starting a second job. The boy meets a Hmong man and a black man who are also fishing -- but this time, it is just the boy and his dad under the starlit sky. The boy learns to make a fire and to bait his hook and to honor the stories of his Dad as he explains how life was in Vietnam when he was a boy. When they return home, the dad and mom head to work while the boy looks after his brothers and sisters.

Tags

african american, author's note, bicycle, bodies of water, counting, feelings, fire, fishing, food, hard work, hmong, illustrator's note, language, learning, loss, morning, multicultural, photograph, pond, poverty, refugee, responsibilities, sadness, siblings, sleep, storytelling, teeth, tree, vietnamese, war, work

A hanukkah treasury

Kimmel, Eric

Hanukkah is to me the time for lighting the menorah, spinning the dreidel, and remembering heros from the past. Poetry, music, and recipes help keep the Hanukkah tradition alive!

Tags

acceptance, accomplishment, adventures, ambition, american, animals, anticipation, appreciation, assertiveness, beliefs, bias, bravery, celebration, ceremony, challenges, change, charity, closeness, communication, conflict, conflict resolution, cooking, courage, critical thinking, culture, customs, decision making, destruction, determination, discrimination, elephant, family, feelings, folktale, food, freedom, games, goal setting, god, grandparents, grief, hanukkah, happiness, hebrew, heroism, history, holidays, hope, immigrants, independence, individuality, israelian, Jewish, kindness, language, love, loyalty, memories, miracle, moose, moving, multicultural, music, parents, peace, pilgrims, poetry, polish, politics, poverty, prayer, prejudice, presents, racism, religion, russian, sadness, secrets, siblings, snow, song, spiritual, storytelling, toys, traditions, war, weather

A new coat for anna

Ziefert, Harriet

Anna needs a new winter coat, so her mother trades her valuables in order to get Anna a new coat.

Tags

assertiveness, clothing, conflict resolution, decision making, family, goal setting, parents, poverty, winter

As right as right can be

Rose, Anne

Ron Ronson's shoestrings break. He decides that once he has new shoelaces that his whole outfit should match the new shoelaces and that leaves him broke.

Tags

clothing, critical thinking, decision making, greed, peer resistance, poverty, self esteem

At the crossroads

Isadora, Rachel

A little boy and the children in a poor South African village, sing and expect the arrival of their fathers who work in the mines. They sing, dance, make instruments, and sit in the dark until their fathers finally arrive.

Tags

african american, anticipation, careers, celebration, community, family, multicultural, music, parents, poverty, reunion, stress management, verbal communication

Babu's song

Stuve-Bodeen, Stephanie

Bernardi lives with his grandfather, Babu, who is mute and makes toys. Because they do not make much money, Bernardi can not afford to go to school in his native Tanzanian town. Bernardi wants to go to school and play soccer with the other children. Through the unconditional love of Babu, Bernardi learns that sacrifice leads to achieving the impossible dream.

Tags

african, bicycle, family, grandparents, handicap, illness, love, market, money, multicultural, music, nonverbal communication, poverty, school, soccer, sports, tanzanian

Basil brush and the windmills

Firmin, Peter

A fox and a mole decide they need to cut down on their electrical costs. So, they invent a windmill to supply energy for many different things. By charging people to come see their inventions, they make enough money to pay their bills.

Tags

animals, critical thinking, decision making, fox, goal setting, imagination, inventions, mole, poverty

Beatrice's goat

McBrier, Page

Beatrice lives in Uganda and helps her mother care for her younger siblings. Money is scarce until Mugisa, a goat arrives. Mugisa provides milk, and the family is nourished by it. Mugisa's milk and babies provide enough money so Beatrice and her family can live a better life. Beatrice can afford her dream of attending school. This story has an afterwords by Hillary Rodhman Clinton.

Tags

africa, animals, birds, chicken, conflict resolution, dug, family, food, future, garden, goal setting, goat, hard work, helping, hope, hunger, language, leadership, learning, market, maturity, money, multicultural, poverty, presents, respect, school, siblings, uganda, village

Bravo, ernest and celestine!

Vincent, Gabrielle

Ernest, the bear, and Celestine, the mouse, have a leaky roof and no money to fix it. In order to make money, Celestine gets Ernest to play the violin while she sings. They end up spending all the money, so they must do it again.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, bear, conflict resolution, critical thinking, goal setting, mouse, music, nonverbal communication, performance, poverty, problem solving, shelter, song, teamwork, verbal communication

Bread is for eating

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.

Tags

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

Bunny rabbit rebus

Adler, David A.

A little rabbit is hungry, but his mom does not have any food in their cupboards. So, little rabbit and his mom go to a neighbor to get some food. In return for the food, they must do many favors.

Tags

animals, conflict resolution, cooperation, critical thinking, decision making, food, hunger, neighbors, nutrition, poverty, rabbit, sharing, teamwork

Cakes and miracles: A purim tale

Goldin, Barbara Diamond

Hershel is a blind boy who loves to play outside and catch frogs in the river. His mother is always angry when he comes home covered with mud. One day Hershel has a dream that he can see. After that, he is able to help his mom make three-cornered fat cakes and cookies to sell at the market so they can earn money.

Tags

amphibians, angel, author's note, blindness, bodies of water, celebration, dancing, dreams, exercise, food, frog, handicap, holidays, Jewish, multicultural, nutrition, play, poverty, recipe, river, song, traditions

Charlie's house

Schermbrucker, Revina

Charlie is a young, poor boy. The shabby house he lives in was not made properly so Charlie decides to make a house of his own that is perfect with only one bedroom.

Tags

anger, creativity, critical thinking, decision making, feelings, goal setting, imagination, poverty, shelter

Degas and the little dancer: A story about Edgar Degas

Anholt, Laurence

Marie dreams of being a famous dancer until one day her chance of being in the Christmas show diminishes when her father becomes ill. Marie begins to model for a painter to earn money for her family's lost income. One day, Maria's sculpture shows up in the art museum and becomes the famed sculpture of Edgar Degas.

Tags

apology, art, careers, dancing, disappointment, dreams, excitement, fame, fear, hard work, illness, loneliness, museum, opera, poverty, practice, school, security, sympathy, teaching

Down down the mountain

Creedle, Ellis

Hetty and Hank want shoes, but there are no stores in the mountain and Pappy says they have no money. So Granny gives them an idea how to raise the money. They grow some turnips to take down the mountain. On the way they find most of the turnips away, but still have a happy ending.

Tags

assertiveness, clothing, conflict resolution, family, food, goal setting, grandparents, poverty, responsibilities, sharing, teamwork, verbal communication

Erandi's braids

Madrigan, Antonio Hernandez

Erandi has thick, long, beautiful hair that her mother braids each morning. One day while making dinner with her mother, Erandi hears voices from the street offering money for the women's hair. Mama' explains that the hair buyers would pay well for Erandi's braids. That day they go fishing and mama' discovers that they need a new fishing net badly but they do not have money for one. The next day is Erandi's birthday and Erandi picks out a new dress for her present. On the way home mama' and Erandi stop at the barber shop where Erandi allows the barber to cut her hair so her mama' can afford a new net.

Tags

author's note, birthday, body parts, clothing, critical thinking, culture, decision making, dolls, embarrassment, fish, fishing, food, language, market, mexican, multicultural, nutrition, playing, poverty, pride, recreation

Friday night is papa night

Sonneborn, Ruth A.

A family waits for their Papa to return home. Their Papa must work two jobs to provide for the family so he only comes home on Friday nights. They wait extra long that night, but finally Papa does come home and everything is all right once more.

Tags

careers, family, fear, feelings, goal setting, nonverbal communication, parents, poverty, responsibilities, self esteem, stress management, verbal communication

Friends from the other side

Anzaldua, Gloria

Prietita is a young girl who befriends a young immigrant from Mexico. He lives with his mother in a shed. When the police come, Prietita hides them so they won't be taken away. This story is in English and Spanish.

Tags

assertiveness, caring, conflict resolution, critical thinking, family, friendship, immigrants, mexican, multicultural, nonverbal communication, parents, poverty, pride, verbal communication

Gertrude's pocket

Miles, Miska

Gertrude is bullied by a boy at school. She decides to tear his shirt which brings more serious consequences than she had ever imagined.

Tags

bully, conflict resolution, consequences, critical thinking, decision making, fight, learning, peer resistance, poverty, school

Giant john

Lobel, Arnold

Giant John and his mother are very poor. Giant John leaves the enchanted forest to find a job. He comes across a castle and works for the royal family. Later, John returns with money just in time, before his mother is so desperate she must eat her shoe.

Tags

conflict resolution, decision making, dedication, family, goal setting, hard work, hunger, parents, poverty, refusal skills, royalty

Home for Navidad

Cohen, Santiago

Rosa has not seen her mother in three years. Rosa's mother works to save money in America until she is finally able to come home for Navidad. The whole family can now celebrate the Christmas holiday in the small town in Mexico.

Tags

america, christmas, correspondence, dreams, family, farm, food, goal setting, grandparents, hard work, holidays, hope, language, market, math, mexican, Mexico, money, multicultural, nonverbal communication, numbers, parents, plants, poverty, pretend, routine, school, secrets, singing, sleep, song, spanish, sun, telephone, transportation, travel, truck, verbal communication, writing

How does a czar eat potatoes?

Rose, Anne

The life of a peasant farmer and the czar are compared and contrasted by the peasant's child.

Tags

careers, critical thinking, family, feelings, food, happiness, multicultural, nutrition, parents, poverty, royalty, russian

How I learned geography

Shulevitz, Uri

A war occurs and a boy and his family must flee from their homeland. Food is scarce and there is no entertainment. One day, Father brings home a map. The little boy studies the map. He learns geography and allows his imagination to take him to faraway places. He forgets about his hunger and his sadness.

Tags

author's note, family, fantasy, feelings, forgiveness, geography, history, hunger, imagination, kazakhstan, learning, maps, market, multicultural, parents, photography, Poland, poverty, rhyme, sadness, seasons, stress management, summer, travel, war, winter

Just enough is plenty: A hanukkah tale

Goldin, Barbara Diamond

It is almost time for Hanukkah. Malka's family invites a peddler for dinner. They are surprised when they wake up in the morning and find that the peddler has left behind wonderful gifts.

Tags

author's note, dancing, exercise, family, food, hanukkah, helping, holidays, Jewish, multicultural, nutrition, polish, poverty, presents, song

Leah's pony

Friedrich, Elizabeth

One summer, Leah's father gives her a pony which she grows to love dearly. When told the devastating news that her family is running out of money, Leah has to decide what she will sacrifice to help.

Tags

animals, author's note, conflict resolution, decision making, family, farm, feelings, money, neighbors, pony, poverty, unselfish

Longbeard the wizard

Fleischman, Sid

A young king is bored so he decides to dress as a wizard and perform magic tricks for his village. A neighboring kingdom hears of this wizard and kidnaps him. The wizard has to outsmart the neighboring king to escape and get some treasure for himself.

Tags

acting, conflict resolution, critical thinking, deception, decision making, magic, poverty, royalty, verbal communication

Mary of mile 18

Blades, Ann

Mary and her family live in Mile 18 It is a cold winter and the family is poor. One day Mary finds a wolf pup, but her father will not allow her to keep it. Until, a coyete comes to get the hens and the pup warns the family. The father decides they can keep the pup and everyone is happy.

Tags

animals, conflict resolution, decision making, family, feelings, pets, poverty, verbal communication, wolf

Matthew's dream

Lionni, Leo

Matthew is a poor smart mouse. He does not know what to do with his life. He ends up becoming a professional painter as the result of a dream he had after going to the art museum. He becomes a very famous artist.

Tags

animals, art, careers, colors, decision making, dreams, goal setting, mouse, poverty

Meet Kofi, Maria and Sunita: Family life in Ghana, Peru and India

Simmons, Lesley Anne

Kofi, Maria, and Sunita come from Ghana, Peru, and India. They tell about traditions of their country, their school, and their family.

Tags

africa, african, birthday, books, careers, Days of The Week, food, garden, ghana, grandparents, hygiene, illness, india, language, maps, multicultural, parents, poverty, south american, traditions, verbal communication

Merry christmas, ernest and celestine

Vincent, Gabrielle

It is Christmas time and Ernest promises Celestine that they could throw a party. Now Ernest doesn't think it is possible because they don't have any money. But Celestine persists and they make all the decorations and presents by hand. The party is a hit based on love and friendship.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, bear, caring, christmas, conflict resolution, creativity, decision making, friendship, goal setting, holidays, mouse, party, peer resistance, poverty, presents, self esteem, teamwork, verbal communication

Mr. rabbit and the lovely present

Zolotow, C.

A girl looks for a birthday present for her mother. She has no money so she asks Mr. Rabbit for help. She tells Mr. Rabbit the various colors that her mom likes. In the end, her mother receives a beautiful fruit basket.

Tags

animals, birthday, colors, conflict resolution, decision making, food, holidays, nutrition, poverty, presents, rabbit, stress management, verbal communication

My heart will not sit down

Rookliff, Mara

In school, Kedi learns about the Great Depression happening in America. She feels so badly for the starving children there (including her teacher's family) that she finds a way to make a difference.

Tags

caring, empathy, family, history, hunger, love, poverty

My librarian is a camel: How books are brought to children around the world

Ruurs, Margriet

Examine many different kinds of libraries from all around the world. Unlike the typical library room or building, many libraries are a bus, boat, train, or camel. Each type is different, but they all serve the same important purpose of delivering books to people, no matter where they live.

No need for money

Stevenson, James

Convinced that crossing the river on the back of a donkey is too slow, some animals try to find a faster way to get to school.

Tags

animals, bodies of water, decision making, donkey, goal setting, poverty, river, school, transportation

Not so fast songololo

Daly, Niki

A grandmother and her grandson go for a trip into the city. The young boy looked at a new pair of shoes and wanted them. Although the grandmother had little money, she managed to save enough so she could buy him the shoes.

Tags

clothing, decision making, family, grandparents, nonverbal communication, poverty, travel

Papa's pastries

Toscano, Charles

Miguel and his father set out to sell their homemade pastries in the near by villages. Since money was scarce, Miguel's father decided that kindness was more important than money and was later repaid.

Tags

baby, body parts, careers, clothing, dancing, encouragement, faith, family, feelings, food, god, kindness, language, money, multicultural, parents, poverty, prayer, rest, sharing, singing, spanish, trust, village, worry

Railway passage

Keeping, Charles

The people who live in the old run down railway passage win a football pool. They now have money to fix the railway passage up and follow their dreams.

Tags

bicycle, decision making, dreams, environment, football, goal setting, neighbors, nonverbal communication, poverty, sports, verbal communication

Rocks in my pockets

Harshman, M.//Collins, B.

The Woods family is a poor, farming family who lives on top of a windy mountain. They have little food, clothes, or money, but they work hard on the farm. They all carry rocks in their pockets while farming to keep their skinny bodies from blowing away. They also use rocks to heat and keep them warm in the winter. The rocks become shiny and smooth and are sold for money.

Tags

clothing, family, food, geology, grandparents, hard work, helping, kindness, learning, money, parents, poverty, rocks, self esteem, siblings

Sarah and simon and no red paint

Ardizzone, Edward

Two children and their family are rather poor. Their father is a painter and he needs a tube of red paint to finish a painting, but he has no money left. The children try to help him get the red paint.

Tags

conflict resolution, courage, critical thinking, decision making, family, helping, poverty, teamwork

Shaker lane

Provensen, Alice//Provensen, Martin

Shaker Lane was built up when the Herkiner sisters sold off bits and pieces of land. The houses were old shacks. When the townspeople decide to build a dam on the land, the residents of Shaker Lane decide to leave rather than fight the battle.

Tags

change, community, critical thinking, decision making, moving, nonverbal communication, peer resistance, poverty, shelter, teamwork

Silent movie

Avi,

This black and white picture book vividly portrays a historical time when immigrants set sail for America. They hope for better lives and dream of prosperity. This journey comes from the immigrant's perspective, in the form of a movie, where language is a not a barrier.

Tags

america, author's note, family, feelings, film, history, hope, illustrator's note, immigrants, language, money, multicultural, nonverbal communication, parents, poverty, sadness, shelter, siblings, sizes, stress management, sweden, symbols, theatre

Sometimes i wish i were mindy

Levine, Abby//Levine, Sarah

Mindy is a very wealthy girl. Her friend is jealous of all the things Mindy has. But she realizes that she is fortunate to have a loving family and maybe someday she will have the things Mindy has.

Tags

acceptance, family, feelings, jealousy, poverty, self esteem

Sunday potatoes, monday potatoes

Shiefman, Vicky

A poor family eats potatoes every day of the week except Saturday. On Saturday, they eat potato pudding.

Tags

family, food, nutrition, poverty, recipe, sequence, time

Tar beach

Ringgold, Faith

A young, 8 year old, African American girl dreams of flying above her Harlem home and having the many things she sees. She speaks of her wish to have money and liberation for her family and herself.

Tags

african american, airplane, art, creativity, discrimination, dreams, family, freedom, goal setting, imagination, money, multicultural, nonverbal communication, poverty, quilt, self esteem, transportation

The babe and I

Adler, David A.

A young boy and his family are living through the Great Depression of 1932. When he learns that his father does not have a job, he gets a job with his friend selling newspapers to help make money for his family. He sells all of his papers outside of Yankee Stadium due to the popularity of Babe Ruth and his stories in the paper. He even gets to meet the Babe!

Tags

author's note, baseball, business, conflict resolution, depression, family, feelings, food, friendship, frustration, hard work, history, money, newspaper, parents, poverty, responsibilities, sadness, shopping, sports, stress management, work, worry

The bakers dozen

Forest, Heather

Jan Van Amsterdam is a well known baker. People travel from all over to buy his goods. When he begins to get greedy, he starts to use less ingredients in his cookies. When a woman asks for a bakers dozen, he only gives her 12 She puts a curse on him and his baked goods. When he finally realizes that a bakers dozen is 13, the curse is broken.

Tags

author's note, careers, celebration, christmas, community, deception, folktale, food, greed, holidays, magic, nutrition, poverty, seasons, winter

The black snowman

Mendez, Phil

Jacob, a young African American boy, lives with his poverty striken family in the city. He dislikes his culture, life and heritage and is filled with hate. It takes some special magic to change his ideas.

Tags

african american, anger, body image, change, conflict resolution, courage, critical thinking, decision making, family, feelings, growing up, magic, multicultural, nonverbal communication, poverty, seasons, self esteem, traditions, verbal communication

The gingerbread doll

Tews, Susan

Rebecca lived during the Depression when times were hard, so when she gets a gingerbread doll instead of the porcelain doll she has always wanted, she understands and loves the doll. When times get better, Rebecca eventually gets a porcelain doll, but remembers the love she had for her gingerbread doll.

Tags

acceptance, appreciation, christmas, dolls, family, grandparents, holidays, love, memory, moving, parents, poverty, siblings, storytelling, toys

The little match girl

Pinkey, Jerry

When a poor girl finds herself using matches to imagine things that are important in her life, she recalls the lessons that her grandmother has taught her. With hands stiff with cold, the little match girl studies the bright light that gives her warmth, imagination, and the closure to her young life.

Tags

carriage, christmas, cold, death, family, flowers, food, god, grandparents, history, holidays, hunger, images, imagination, market, poverty, seasons, snow, spiritual, stars, stress management, transportation, verbal communication, weather, winter

The long way to a new land

Sandin, Joan

A starving Swedish family decides to move to America. The journey is long, but the family finally arrives.

Tags

decision making, family, goal setting, history, moving, multicultural, poverty, swedish, travel

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