Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

If nathan were here | by Bahr, Mary

Nathan was a brother, a wonderful best friend, and a great classmate. Then one day, Nathan was gone. If Nathan Were Here tells a story of what it is like for a community and family to lose a loved one. This book shows us the true need and meaning for friendship.

Keywords: baseball, change, coping, death, family, feelings, friendship, happiness, loss, love, memories, nonverbal communication, sadness, school, siblings, sports, stress management

Shi-shi-etko | by Campbell, Nichola I.

Shi-shi-etko is a young Native American who will be leaving for residential school in a few days. Before she leaves, her family takes her on walks and canoe rides to learn about nature. She gathers all the information she can and adds them to her memories before leaving.

Keywords: critical thinking, family, grandparents, learning, multicultural, native american, nature, parents, school, traditions

Straight to the pole | by O'Malley, Kevin

A little boy is trudging through the snow to the bus stop. He comes up with every excuse why he can't go any further in the snow. Suddenly, he finds out school is closed and he gets up to play.

Keywords: friendship, imagination, school, seasons, snow, temperature, vacation, weather, winter

The storm | by Harshman, Marc

A young boy confined to a wheel chair because of an accident, doesn't like the way people see and talk about him. He wants people to see past the wheelchair and see him. A tornado comes through Indiana and he shows how strong and able he truly is.

Keywords: acceptance, animals, chicken, critical thinking, death, differences, disability, family, farm, feelings, goal setting, handicap, horse, nonverbal communication, parents, problem solving, relief, sadness, safety, school, self esteem, storm, stress management, tornado, weather

The red piano | by Leblanc-Barroux, Andre

A young pianist is sent to a re-education camp in China. She lives for her secretive two hours of music after a long day's work. Her parents managed to send a piano to Mother Han's house and she manages to smuggle music in notebooks. One night the pianist is caught at the piano, forcing her to live through an extended-re-education while her love and talent for music are challenged.

Keywords: assertiveness, china, decision making, education, freedom, history, instruments, loss, multicultural, music, nonverbal communication, numbers, passion, politics, prison, radio, school, song, train, transportation, work

Little bit & big byte: A day at the beach | by Feigh, C

Big Byte, Joy, and Little Bit go to the beach to be with their friends Webster and Kay Board. They all see a couple of nefarious bugs named Vi and Russ who are going surfing. Big Byte and Kay Board want to go with them but Joy and Little Bit warn them that it is too dangerous. When Big Byte and Kay Board find themselves in danger, what will happen? Will Little Bit, Joy, and Webster be able to do anything to help them in this computer age adventure?

Keywords: adventures, animals, art, beach, bodies of water, cat, community, competition, computer, dog, five senses, neighbors, ocean, rescue, school, surfing, technology, vocabulary

Princess Candy: The green queen of mean | by Dahl, Michael // Nickel, Scott

The students at Midnight Elementary School are assigned a project on ways to reduce pollution. Miss Doozie Hiss is the star student and feels threatened by Halo and Flora. After Halo and Flora finish the project, Doozie electrifies their flash drive which blows up the computer. After class, Doozie leaves a cup on the ground and Flora transforms into the Green Queen and attacks Doozie. Halo is left to stop the fight and help Doozie and Flora see the good side of nature.

Keywords: behavior, computer, conflict resolution, environment, nature, pollution, recycling, school, technology

Namaste! | by Cohn, Diana

Nima Sherpa lives next to Everst, and her father guides people to the top once a year. Before he leaves, he tells Nima that he will have a story for her when he returns and asks Nima if she will have a story for him. As Nima walks around the village thinking of what her story could be, she greets everyone with Namaste, just as her mom taught her. She struggles with her story until she realizes that she spreads sweetness everytime she says Namaste.

Keywords: animals, author's note, cooking, critical thinking, family, flag, flood, goddess, helping, light, mountains, multicultural, nonverbal communication, prayer, school, storytelling, tiger, travel, verbal communication, yak

Pick a pumpkin, Mrs. Millie! | by Cox, Judy

Silly Mrs. Millie is at it again. In the fall, she takes her kindergarten class on a trip to pick pumpkins for their harvest party. The class has fun guessing the meanings of their favorite teacher's nonsense words. They go on a dragon (wagon) ride, pet the boats (goats), and drink apple spider (cider). Coupled with hilarious artwork in pen, pencil, and colored dyes by Joe Mathieu, this lighthearted text sets a class trip on its ear with subtle lessons in wordplay.

Keywords: animals, bus, clothing, farm, food, garden, goat, holidays, humor, mule, nutrition, play, scarecrows, school, sheep, spider, transportation, vocabulary

Rocks! Rocks! Rocks! | by Wallace, Nancy Elizabeth

Buddy likes looking at and collecting rocks so Mama suggests they visit the local nature center. They hike the Blue Diamond Trail to five learning centers where they meet Roxie, a Rock Ridge Ranger. Buddy learns about bedrock, erosion, and how three types of rocks are formed. He finds out many surprising things about rocks, rocks, rocks!

Keywords: author's note, careers, collection, direction, food, geology, learning, nature, parents, rocks, school, shapes, sizes, travel, vocabulary, walking

Letters to a soldier | by Falvey, David// Mrs. Julie Hutt's fourth-grade class

A collection of letters written by Mrs. Julie Hutt's fourth grade class to 1st Lieutenant David Falvey during his tour in Iraq. Read the students' letter to Lieutenant Falvey and his responses back to each individual student. Pictures of the letters, students, and Lieutenant Falvey's safe arrival back to the states are included!

Keywords: american, animals, baseball, buildings, careers, cat, correspondence, desert, dog, flag, helicopter, iraq, muslim, pets, photograph, president, school, sports, travel, united states, war, writing

Cool dog, school dog | by Heiligman, Deborah

Tinka is a cool dog, a breaking-all-the-rules dog! A hall dog, a ball dog, a crash-into-the-wall dog! Join Tinka, a dandy, sandy Golden Retriever, as she unexpectedly visits her owner at school and helps his class learn to read.

Keywords: animals, autumn, books, disobedience, dog, family, feelings, glasses, learning, loneliness, parents, reading, sadness, school, seasons, toys, tree

Babu's song | by 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.

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

Count on your fingers African style | by Zaslavsky, Claudia

This beautifully illustrated four color picture book takes children through the markets, showing traditional finger counting of various African people - the Maasai, the Kamba, and the Taita in Kenya, the Zulu of South Africa, and the Mende of Sierra Leone. This book examines the role that numbers play in creating a common language across cultural boundaries.

Keywords: africa, african, author's note, body parts, cattle, chicken, counting, cow, food, fruit, games, language, learning, market, multicultural, nonverbal communication, numbers, parents, play, school, siblings, verbal communication

A child's day in a Ghanaian city | by Provencal, Francis & McNamara, Catherine

Nii Kwei gets up with the sun, and at half past five, he's already hard at work chasing the chickens and sweeping the compound clean with his straw broom. As the city begins to wake up, he washes, changes into his school uniform, and sits down to chocolate milk and sandwiches for breakfast. Photographs capture the lively rhythms of West African daily life, and this delightful dawn-to-dusk journal will encourage young readers, wherever they live, to compare and contrast Nii Kwei's day with their own.

Keywords: africa, african, author's note, band, bath, bodies of water, chores, cooking, family, ghana, hygiene, language, math, multicultural, music, parents, play, school, sea, siblings, soccer, sports

Creativity | by Steptoe, John

Charles speaks English and Hector speaks Spanish. They learn that even though they speak different languages, they both come from African ancestors. Charles helps Hector adjust to life in the U.S. through fun activities.

Keywords: africa, african american, basketball, clothing, cooking, creativity, culture, curiosity, english, family, fishing, friendship, helping, home, identity, immigrants, language, learning, moving, multicultural, parents, puerto rican, relationship, school, slavery, spanish, sports

In my momma's kitchen | by Nolen, Jerdine

A young girl's fondest memories happen in her momma's kitchen. Achievements, family, stories, cooking and love are all celebrated in the kitchen. Great-Aunt Caroline, corn-pudding time and nighttime serenades are a few of the special moments in this loving family.

Keywords: accomplishment, african american, animals, bedtime, cat, celebration, cooking, dancing, easter, family, food, friendship, garden, grandparents, holidays, instruments, love, multicultural, music, parents, relationship, school, self esteem, sleep, song, walking, wedding

The bus ride | by Miller, William

Sara stands up for justice on her city bus. Sara gets tired of sitting in the African American section of the bus. Sara does not undertsand why she does not have the same rights as the white Americans, so she takes a stand to change that law.

Keywords: african american, america, anger, author's note, body parts, bus, car, change, community, courage, crowd, discrimination, equality, feelings, freedom, heroism, hunger, money, newspaper, parents, pride, school, segregation, support, transportation

Yesterday I had the blues | by Frame, Jean Ashford

A family explores the various emotions they face each day. Through the use of colors, the main character realizes that even with all the ups and downs of emotions, one color really matters- LOVE of family.

Keywords: african american, anger, animals, basketball, bicycle, buildings, bus, car, colors, confidence, cooking, dancing, Days of The Week, depression, dog, drawing, emotions, exercise, family, feelings, games, grandparents, instruments, jumping, multicultural, music, nonverbal communication, rhythm, school, sports, stress management, subway, technology, transportation

Bird | by Elliot, Zetta

Mehkai struggles with the challenges of life: death of his grandfather and his older brother's drug addition. He soon learns how to cope and manage his stress through drawing. In fact, drawing is an outlet for Bird's emotions and imagination. Mehkai learns the benefits of perseverance, hard work, and family.

Keywords: african american, aggression, airplane, art, birds, buildings, crime, day, death, decision making, drawing, dreams, drugs, emotions, family, feelings, grandparents, hard work, imagination, instruments, loss, museum, music, park, problem solving, relationship, robbery, school, siblings, storytelling, stress management, technology

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