Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

The phone booth in Mr. Hirota's garden | by Smith, Heather

Makio and his neighbor, Mr. Hirota, loved looking out at the ocean every morning while watching Makio’s father and Mr. Hirota’s daughter working. One day, a tsunami came and killed their family members, prompting Mr. Hirota to build a telephone booth as a way to cope with his grief. Soon after, Makio and Mr. Hirota began speaking into a disconnected telephone while communicating with the loved ones they lost.

Keywords: bodies of water, companion, construction, death, earthquake, feelings, fish, games, grief, loss, onomatopoeia, respect, sadness, sea, storytelling, technology, telephone, wish

I am every good thing | by Barnes, Derrick

Illustrations and easy-to-read text pay homage to the strength, character, and worth of a child.

Keywords: activities, african american, baseball, basketball, body parts, companion, creativity, diving, honesty, identity, instruments, leadership, love, manners, multicultural, play, respect, rhythm, siblings, skateboarding, snow, swimming, technology

Schomburg: The man who built a library | by Weatherford, Carole Boston

Amid the scholars, poets, authors, and artists of the Harlem Renaissance stood an Afro-Puerto Rican named Arturo Schomburg. This law clerk's life's passion was to collect books, letters, music, and art from Africa and the African diaspora and to bring light to the achievements of people of African descent through the ages. When Schomburg's collection became so big it began to overflow his house (and his wife threatened to mutiny), he turned to the New York Public Library, where he created and curated a collection that was the cornerstone of a new Negro Division. A century later, his…

Keywords: african american, art, books, careers, generations, history, library, multicultural, numbers, puerto rican, reading, research, respect

Autism and me: Sibling stories | by Shapiro, Ouisie

Publisher's Abstract: "If you see a kid with autism on the street, don't yell at her if she's doing something wrong. She can't help it. Autism is really challenging," explains Christian, who tells about life with his sister, Mary Gwen, a beautiful girl who loves to swim. In these moving photo essays, Christian and many other kids tell what it's like to live with siblings who have autism. Sometimes they can't talk much. Sometimes they have tantrums. It can be tough for a family, but there are happy surprises, too. "Autism has helped us to become a better family," adds Christian. "It teaches us…

Keywords: autism, companion, differences, patience, photograph, play, respect, siblings

Berry song | by Goade, Michaela

As a young Tlingit girl collects a variety of wild berries over the seasons in Alaska, she sings with her grandmother as she learns to speak to the land and listen when the land speaks back. Have you ever heard of dogberry, swamp berry, thimbleberry, lingonberry, or bunchberry?

Keywords: bodies of water, fish, food, forest, fruit, grandparents, herring, island, nutrition, rainforest, respect, salmon, seasons, siblings, singing, thanksgiving, woods

What planet are you from, Clarice Bean? | by Child, Lauren

Clarice Bean is having a hard time coming up with an idea for her project on the environment. To make matters worse, she is paired up with her tag-along neighbor, Robert Granger. Her situation looks hopeless until her brother becomes an ecowarrior in an effort to free the tree from being cut down in their neighborhood. Robert and Clarice become ecowarriors themselves, saving the tree and their project.

I like me! | by Carlson, Nancy

A very fine pig lists all the good qualities she sees in herself, along with what helps her cope when she's feeling low. She points out that nothing is better than being yourself. She paints, rides her bike, reads good books, and takes care of herself.

The goat lady | by Bregoli, Jane

Two young children new to Lucy Little Road, help us reveal the simple yet important life of the goat lady; a life that many people in the town despise. Through the children's time spent helping the goat lady, they learn of her vast life experiences. It isn't until after the children's mother takes portraits of the goat lady, that the rest of the town see waht a truly wonderful person the goat lady is.

Keywords: acceptance, aging, animals, appreciation, art, assertiveness, barn, birds, cold, companion, coping, critical thinking, curiosity, decision making, discovery, emotions, environment, food, friendship, goal setting, goat, hard work, home, illness, listening, loyalty, neighbors, nonverbal communication, pets, pride, relationship, respect, support, teaching, trust, verbal communication

Why the chameleon had two toes | by Mashiri, Pascal

An older woman, named Gogo Senne, tells interesting stories to the children of a small, quiet South African village. She weaves the mythical take of how the chameleon got his two toes and red eyes. Read about the value of strong friendships, the importance of trust, communication and respecting each other.

Keywords: african, chameleon, communication, companion, conflict resolution, feelings, folktale, food, friendship, loneliness, peer resistance, refusal skills, respect, trust, truth

The baby beebbe bird | by Massie, Diane Redfield

All day long, the zoo animals roar and make noise. When they lay down to go to sleep, something keeps them awake: a new baby beebee bird isn't tired and sings all night long. When morning comes, all the animals are still tired. To prove their point, the animals make noise all day, keeping the bird awake. The next night all the animals, including the baby beebee bird, are fast asleep.

Keywords: animals, bear, bedtime, birds, conflict resolution, cooperation, critical thinking, eagle, elephant, five senses, giraffe, leopard, lion, morning, night, noise, respect, sleep, song, sounds, zoo

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

Join in and play | by Meiners, Cheri

Learn how to develop the skills to make friend and play with others. Includes role-playing activities, as well as games to play with your child. Practice goal setting and decision making when playing and working with others.

Keywords: communication, decision making, exercise, friendship, games, goal setting, nonfiction, play, respect

Wash day | by Cole, Barbara H.

Every wash day, Granpa plays his trumpet, keeping the children entertained while Miss. Ett does the wash. This music tradition stays strong until grandpa becomes ill and a tragedy occurs, causing grandpa to pass on his beloved trumpet to begin a new tradition.

Keywords: clothing, family, feelings, fire, friendship, grandparents, happiness, helping, illness, instruments, loss, memories, multicultural, music, neighbors, parents, president, pretend, respect, sadness, traditions, train, work

Ogbo: Sharing life in an african village | by Onyefulu, Ifeoma

Ogbo are a special part of village life in Nigeria, uniting children of the same age in a lifelong fellowship - a group with whom they celebrate festivals, share day-to-day chores, and face the challenges of growing up. A young girl named Obioma helps us understand what belonging to an ogbo means. Growing, working, and relaxing together, the ogbo weave the fabric of village life.

Keywords: africa, african, celebration, chores, cleanliness, community, customs, death, family, friendship, grandparents, instruments, language, multicultural, music, nigerian, parents, photograph, respect, responsibilities, singing, song, storytelling, traditions, village, work

The blind hunter | by Rodanas, Kristina

A blind African hunter teaches a young man how to see by using his other senses.

Keywords: africa, african, animals, birds, blindness, bodies of water, feelings, five senses, flowers, forgiveness, friendship, garden, happiness, humor, hunting, leopard, multicultural, nonverbal communication, pond, pride, respect, rhinoceros, song, storytelling, teaching, tree, village, wart hog

Arijole | by Mashiri, Pascal

Arijole's stepsisters are envious of her beauty. They do not want Arijole to be chosen as a wife in a nearby village, so the stepsisters turn her into a dog. When only Arijole (the dog) is left, a mother takes her home for her son to hunt. Soon they realize that Arijole is not a dog but a beautiful woman. She and Obondo are then married.

Keywords: africa, beauty, conflict resolution, culture, envy, family, folktale, jealousy, love, marriage, multicultural, nonverbal communication, obedience, parents, respect, self esteem, siblings, stepmother, storytelling

Food and festivals: West Africa | by Brownlie, Alison

Describes the West African culture of food, including the kinds of food grown and eaten, and various feast days like Ramadan, Easter, naming ceremonies, and yam festivals.

Keywords: africa, african, baby, beach, bodies of water, camel, cattle, celebration, ceremony, chicken, community, cooking, dancing, family, farm, food, friendship, fruit, ghana, goat, hard work, holidays, language, multicultural, music, muslim, parade, preparation, religion, respect, river

The village of round and square houses | by Grifalconi, Ann

In a village in West Africa, women live in round houses and men live in square houses. After supper, grandmother tells a story about the origin of these houses aand how it is related to the rupturing of volcanic mountain, Naka.

Keywords: african, celebration, coping, family, folktale, generations, grandparents, mountains, multicultural, nature, parents, respect, shapes, siblings, storytelling, traditions

Candy shop | by Wahl, Jan

A young boy, Daniel, and his aunt Thelma take a trip to the market with money that he has earned. The boy is looking forward to visiting the candy shop but when they arrive they see a crowd and are faced with prejudice acts toward the owner of the store. Daniel and his aunt help comfort the owner and show true friendship.

Keywords: african american, asian, challenges, conflict, conflict resolution, coping, culture, discrimination, feelings, helping, kindness, market, money, multicultural, nonverbal communication, problem solving, racism, respect, sadness

Whatever | by Bee, William

Billy is a very difficult child. Billy's father tries to please him by showing him the world's curliest trumpet, bounciest castle and smokiest train. He even takes Billy to the edge of outer space, but all Billy can say is whatever. In the end, Billy will get a taste of his own medicine.

Keywords: acceptance, affection, animals, appreciation, communication, conflict resolution, family, giraffe, misbehavior, mischief, respect, stress management, taste, tiger

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