Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Santa from Cincinnati: How a little boy named Santa grew up to become the real thing | by Barrett, Judi

Calus was born on Christmas Day at Cincinnati General Hospital, and as he grew up, he developed a love for toys. As a young boy, Calus began building toys with his dad and delivering them to other kids in his neighborhood on Christmas Eve. Soon, everyone wanted toys from Calus, and after going to college and meeting Claus, they moved to the North Pole and began manufacturing toys year-round.

Keywords: animals, birth, birthday, celebration, christmas, correspondence, growing up, holidays, new baby, presents, reindeer, school, sledding, snow, technology, tools, toys, transportation, writing

Alejandro's gift | by Albert, Richard

A lonely man plants a garden full of vegetables in the middle of the desert. A wide array of desert wildlife finds their way to his garden and watering hole. He wants to be friends with the animals and help them.

Keywords: animals, author's note, badger, birds, cactus, caring, coyote, critical thinking, deer, desert, donkey, dove, feelings, fox, friendship, garden, habitat, hummingbird, loneliness, mouse, plants, presents, rabbit, rat, responsibilities, shelter, skunk, sparrow, squirrel, tortoise, wildlife, woodpecker, wren

Muriel's red sweater | by Dokas, Dara

Muriel Magee's party invitations are very late because her birthday is today! She runs around town handing out invitations to her friends. What she doesn't realize is that her sweater unravels with each person she invites. By the time she gets home, she sees that her sweater is all gone, but she is in for a surprise! Her friends are all there to wish her a happy birthday, and they give her a present. When she opens it she realizes it's just what she needed - a new sweater!

Keywords: animals, balloon, beaver, birds, birthday, bridge, celebration, clothing, duck, excitement, feelings, friendship, hedgehog, mystery, nonverbal communication, otter, owl, park, party, presents, rabbit, river, squirrel, travel, verbal communication

I have an olive tree | by Bunting, Eve

On Sophia's seventh birthday, her grandfather gave her an olive tree. Sophia is a little disappointed by the gift and doesn't understand why her grandfather would give her an olive tree that she can't even see. After all, it is Greece and she lives in California! It isn't until her grandfather passes away that Sophia truly understands the importance and meaning of the gift when she and her mother visit the olive tree in Greece.

Keywords: appreciation, birthday, communication, community, culture, customs, dedication, disappointment, emotions, exploration, family, feelings, generations, geology, giving, grandparents, greece, greek, grief, immigrants, instruments, language, learning, loss, love, memories, memory, misunderstanding, music, parents, plants, presents, resentment, sadness, traditions, travel, tree, understanding, verbal communication

Ten mice for Tet | by Shea, Pegi Deitz // Weill, Cynthia

A group of mice prepare for Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. The mice plan parties and a feast to celebrate.

Keywords: author's note, celebration, counting, dancing, fireworks, food, learning, market, math, mouse, multicultural, music, new year, nonverbal communication, party, play, presents, verbal communication, vietnamese

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

How Willy got his wheels | by Mohler, Diana & Turner, Deborah

As a homeless and handicapped dog, Willy never finds true happiness until he is rescued from the animal hospital and given a home and family. However, Willy lacks the ability to walk on his own and his owner Deborah tries several attempts to help Willy. Finally, Willy is given a wheel chair which enables him to finally be free and live his life to its fullest.

Keywords: animals, balloon, caring, cat, climbing, cold, disability, doctor, dog, dreams, excitement, family, fly, friendship, handicap, helping, homeless, hospital, imagination, independence, loneliness, memory, pets, presents, problem solving, protection, relief, rescue, running, running away, sadness, safety, siblings, sleep, smell, toys, wish

Odd velvet | by Whitcomb, Mary E.

Velvet is different from all her other classmates. After thinking she is quite odd, that students decide she's not reall that different after all. They admire Velvet's picture of an apple and love going to her unique birthday party.

Keywords: art, birthday, celebration, collection, creativity, differences, dolls, envy, flowers, food, friendship, imagination, jealousy, party, plants, presents, pretend, rocks, school, teaching, uniqueness, volcano

Sleds on boston common: A story from the american revolution | by Borden, Louise

It's 1774 and British troops are occupying Boston. King George closes Boston Harbor to punish people who speak out against his laws. Henry, a young boy from Boston, hopes to try out his new sled on his birthday. But when he and his brothers and sister get to the hill they find that the troops have set up camp there. After building up enough courage, Henry asks General Gage to move his troops because Boston Common is for everyone. Being a kind man of his word, General Gage agrees and the children can once again sled.

Keywords: american, assertiveness, author's note, beliefs, birthday, boat, british, courage, england, exercise, family, giving, history, play, presents, royalty, school, sharing, skating, sledding, snow, transportation, verbal communication, war

While the horses galloped to london | by Watts, Mabel

Sherman is given a special pot for his grandmother in London. Everyone on the carriage to London thinks the pot is a nuisance. Only when Sherman saves the day was everyone proud to hold the pot.

Keywords: bravery, carriage, decision making, english, family, grandparents, heroism, multicultural, presents, respect, selfishness, travel

Bunnies at christmas time | by Ehrlich, Amy

An invitation is sent to Santa Claus to join the bunnies for a Christmas party. Instead of Santa, their Uncle Jack dressed as Santa arrives with plenty of gifts.

Keywords: animals, christmas, decision making, holidays, party, presents, rabbit, santa, travel

Mac & marie & the train toss surprise | by Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald

Mac and Marie receive a letter from Uncle Clem which says that he will toss them a package when his train passes their house. They anxiously await the arrival of the train in the field one summer night. When the train passes, they find a package and open it to find a conch shell from Florida!

Keywords: anticipation, dreams, family, night, presents, siblings, surprises, train, 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

A seed was planted/ Sembre una semilla | by Palazeti, Toulla

A wonderful cycle of giving begins when a single seed is planted and sprouts are passed along from one person to the next. An entire community is touched.

Keywords: adaptation, animals, birthday, diary, dog, english, family, giving, holidays, idiom, illness, language, multicultural, neighbors, pattern, pets, picnic, plants, presents, reading, school, seed, siblings, spanish, tree, water, woods

Names for snow | by Beach, Judi K.

A rabbit asks his mother what is snow? and she responds with several different descriptions of snow and the many names there are for it.

Keywords: barn, birds, butterfly, cat, christmas, disappearance, fire, flowers, friendship, garden, prayer, presents, santa, scarecrows, skiing, sledding, sleep, snow, winter

The piano man | by Chocolate, Debbie

A young girl listens to her grandfather share his deep love for music and the piano. Grandfather shares the history of silent movies, Vaudeville, Ragtime, and Broadway. He never lets his passion for music end and continues to share it with his grandaughter.

Keywords: african american, aging, body parts, celebration, clothing, dancing, emotions, family, feelings, film, grandparents, humor, instruments, marriage, medicine, multicultural, music, new baby, opera, performance, presents, relationship, rhythm, sounds, technology, theatre, travel

Saturn for my birthday | by McGranaghan, John

Jeffrey wants Saturn for his birthday, and he wants the moons too- all 47 of them! But he's not selfish: he'll share the rings with some of his friends at school and with his teacher, Mrs. Cassini. Facts about Saturn are woven seamlessly throughout this funny story as Jeffrey explains just what he'll do with his present and how he'll take care of it.

Keywords: anticipation, bedtime, birds, birthday, cat, celebration, colors, communication, excitement, family, feelings, food, history, holidays, moon, mouse, numbers, nutrition, parents, pets, planet, presents, radio, sizes, space, technology, television, temperature

Elephant prince: The story of Ganesh | by Novesky, Amy

In this mythical story, that takes place in India, a girl grows up listening to her motherﾒs and grandmotherﾒs stories. As a princess, she meets her love and is married. He promises her a baby and has one within a year. When gods gather around the babyﾒs head vanishes. Another god helps save the baby with the help of an elephant offering his life. The little boy was saved and became the elephant prince, listening to his motherﾒs stories everyday.

Keywords: animals, assertiveness, baby, bodies of water, elephant, family, feelings, god, goddess, happiness, india, loneliness, love, marriage, multicultural, mythical, parents, presents, river, sadness, storytelling, stress management, verbal communication, wish

A slimy story | by Knudsen, Michelle

Dan runs into a problem when he has no money and no time to buy his mom a birthday present. He canﾒt think of anything and feels hopeless. One day, a bully puts a slimy, gross worm in Danﾒs pocket on the walk to school. His teacher, Mrs. Stewart, places the worm in a jar, and all the children become interested. Dan even starts to like the worm and decides to give it to his mom to help her garden. She thinks the worm is a great gift.

Keywords: birthday, books, bully, celebration, challenges, conflict resolution, confusion, critical thinking, excitement, family, feelings, friendship, insects, library, parents, presents, resolution, school, science, siblings, teaching, worm, worry

Here comes our bride | by Onyefulu, Ifeoma

Ekinadose wants his Uncle Osaere to get married - then he can go to a wedding. One day, he sees people welcomed into his grandfather's house. They've come to collect their bride - and Edinadose will be going, not just to one wedding ceremony, but two!

Keywords: celebration, ceremony, challenges, community, family, friendship, grandparents, harmony, jewelry, maps, marriage, nigerian, patience, peace, photograph, presents, symbols, traditions, wedding

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