Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

The secret Olivia told me | by Joy, N.

Olivia develops interpersonal skills by realizing how her words affect her friends. Olivia and her best friend realize the importance of honesty and trust in their friendship.

Keywords: african american, balloon, basketball, body parts, books, buildings, colors, excitement, feelings, friendship, italian, jumping, multicultural, playing, relationship, secrets, siblings, soccer, sports, telephone, truth, worry

Where am i sleeping tonight? | by Ekster, Carol Gordon

Mark and Evan have a hard time keeping up with all the changes in their lives. Their parents are divorced and it's not easy remembering all the things they need to do. Mark's teacher, Mrs. Demott helps Mark, Evan and their parents get organized and also teaches them how to cope with divorce.

Keywords: acceptance, bedtime, behavior, closeness, communication, comparisons, confusion, coping, disappointment, divorce, family, forgetful, frustration, goal setting, parents, responsibilities, siblings, stepfather

The buffalo storm | by Applegate, Katherine

Hallie and her parents are leaving their home in Nebraska and setting out in a wagon for Oregon. Hallie is sad to leave her home and her grandmother, but she isn't afraid. She is'nt afraid of anything, except for storms. When hallie experiences her greatest storm she's ever seen during her journey, she isn't afraid, though, thanks to her grandmother's beloved quilt and kind words.

Keywords: animals, autumn, baby, barn, bodies of water, buffalo, chicken, clouds, coyote, creek, family, fear, forest, grandparents, horse, lizard, ox, parents, pig, pioneers, prairie dog, quilt, rain, reading, rocks, seasons, siblings, sky, storm, summer, transportation, travel, wagon, weather, winter, writing

The best mariachi in the world/ El mejor mariachi del mundo | by Smith, J.D

Gustavo wants to be in the family mariachi band, but he cannot play the violines, trompetas, or guitarrones. He finds his place in the band with his singing talent.

Keywords: animals, band, cactus, chicken, coyote, crowd, dancing, desert, dog, family, instruments, language, multicultural, night, owl, parents, siblings, singing, spanish, stars

I wanna iguana | by Orloff, Karen Kaufman

A little boy wants an iguana, but first he has to convince his mother that he is responsible enough to have it. Through a series of letters written between the boy and his mother, they both provide reasons to support whether or not he should get the iguana. They decide that the boy may have the iguana on a trial basis to prove he will take care of it.

Keywords: animals, assertiveness, communication, conflict resolution, correspondence, critical thinking, decision making, dog, excitement, family, feelings, goal setting, iguana, love, parents, pets, reptiles, responsibilities, rhyme, rhythm, siblings, verbal communication, writing

The man who called the crocodiles | by Mashiri, Pascal

Gyiii-eee! This is the sound that calls a crocodile. In this land, the wealthy king takes Lulaba as his new wife. She eventually has Gobango as her only son. She tells Gobango of stories about her father calling crocodiles. Eventually Gobango has to flee from his mom or the dead kingﾒs enemies will kill him. He flees to meet Lulabaﾒs father, his grandfather. He goes on a fishing trip and meets one of the fishermanﾒs beautiful daughters, Nanjobe. Gobango asks her father if he can marry her. He says no because he isnﾒt rich enough to take care of his daughter. Therefore, he…

Keywords: adventures, africa, anger, assertiveness, crocodile, decision making, family, feelings, fish, fishing, folktale, glossary, grandparents, happiness, health, love, multicultural, refusal skills, reptiles, royalty, sadness, siblings, storytelling, stress management, uganda, verbal communication

Waiting for Sipho | by Herbert, Barbara

Two young brothers can hardly wait for the return of their beloved older brother, Sipho, from university. Everything seems in place until the goat to be prepared for dinner escapes! The boys find themselves on quite an adventure as they await Siphoﾒs return.

Keywords: adventures, africa, animals, anticipation, careers, conflict resolution, cooking, escape, excitement, goat, helping, love, maps, multicultural, relationship, school, siblings

This is the matzah | by Levine, Abby

A Jewish family shops, cooks, and prepares for Passover. The traditions and the meanings behind them are explained in a rhyme.

Keywords: alcohol, beverage, celebration, ceremony, cooking, drugs, family, food, grandparents, hebrew, Jewish, multicultural, nonverbal communication, nutrition, parents, party, religion, responsibilities, reunion, shopping, siblings, verbal communication

Desser the best ever cat | by Smith, Margaret

A little girl learns all about the hardships of losing a pet. However, her love for Desser is not lost in his death. Instead, she chooses to keep her memories of Desser alive. Even after Ginger, the new kitten, joins the family the little girl still chooses to remember Desser as the best ever cat

Keywords: aging, animals, cat, companion, death, decision making, family, feelings, growing up, happiness, loss, memories, parents, pets, sadness, siblings, stress management

All my little ducklings | by Wellington, Monica

Take a splash with curious ducklings. At the end of the adventure, settle down for a quiet nap in the nest.

Keywords: activities, animals, baby, bodies of water, discovery, duck, exploration, family, nature, nonverbal communication, pond, siblings, swimming

A sweet smell of roses | by Johnson, Angela

One morning, after a night of rain, Minnie and her sister sneak out of the house to join many men and women to march for freedom and equality. When they arrive at the beginning of the march, the girls walk with many others keeping their eyes straight ahead and their feet steady. Despite the criticism and yells from people standing by, the girls continue to march. As the day passes, more people join the march to where Dr. Martin Luther King gives his famous speech about peace, love, and equality for all.

Keywords: african american, assertiveness, critical thinking, decision making, emotions, equality, exercise, family, feelings, flowers, freedom, history, love, multicultural, nonverbal communication, parade, peace, peer resistance, pride, self esteem, siblings, stereotypes, sun, walking, weather

Apples to oregon | by Hopkinson, Deborah

Loosely based on a true pioneer story, this tale describes the trip of apples across the country. When Papa decides to travel the Oregon Trail, he refuses to leave his beloved fruits, especially the apples. Building a wagon to carry his trees, the family forges rivers, endures hailstorms and droughts, and deals with nasty Jack Frost. Papa has the help of his children (and their clothing) to save his trees.

Keywords: animals, bodies of water, critical thinking, decision making, desert, exercise, family, feelings, food, frost, gold rush, happiness, history, instruments, maps, ox, parents, plants, relief, river, sadness, siblings, stress management, swimming, transportation, wagon, weather, wind

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

The barking mouse | by Sacre, Antonio

A Spanish speaking mouse family goes on a picnic. The parents spend the day showing each other affection while the brother and sister go play. While they are playing, the come across a cat. The cat scared everyone, except the mother mouse who saves them by speaking another language.

Keywords: affection, animals, cat, conflict resolution, critical thinking, family, fear, feelings, food, hispanic, language, mouse, multicultural, parents, peer resistance, picnic, playing, self esteem, siblings, sounds, spanish, verbal communication

Going north | by Harrington, Janice N

Goodbye, Alabama, hello, Lincoln, Nebraska! This family moves from the South to the North so that the papa can find a better job. During their trip up North the family endures a couple struggles, such as the children not wanting to leave their home, the baby crying, and getting restless, and lastly, almost running out of gas! They make it to Nebraska and realize they are together and need to be brave and pioneering.

Keywords: african american, car, cooking, decision making, emotions, family, food, goal setting, listening, maps, multicultural, parents, pioneers, refusal skills, sadness, siblings, song, sounds, storytelling, transportation, travel, verbal communication

My first Chinese New Year | by Katz, Karen

Gung Hay Fat Choy! Happy New Year! A Chinese child is getting ready for the Chinese New Year by decorating the walls with red, making an alter to honor ancestors, getting a new dress to wear, and getting a haircut to start the new year off fresh and new. They eat a New Year's Eve feast for the good health and finally the New Year's parade with lion dancers, drummers, and the dragon! Then, they wish each other Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Keywords: animals, beauty, china, chinese, clothing, dancing, dragons, family, feelings, food, grandparents, happiness, health, holidays, language, lion, money, multicultural, new year, nutrition, parade, parents, party, plants, self esteem, siblings, verbal communication, wish

The best beekeeper of lalibela: A tale from africa | by Kessler, Cristina

In the Ethiopian mountain village of Lalibela, famous for its churches and honey, a young girl determines to find a way to be a beekeeper despite being told that is somethign only men can do.

Keywords: africa, animals, bee, business, careers, critical thinking, determination, discrimination, dreams, family, feelings, forest, insects, inventions, language, market, mountains, multicultural, sadness, siblings, tree, village, work

Supersister | by Cadena, Beth

Supersister is always thinking of ways she can help her pregnant mother. In the morning on the way to school, she forgets two things: to tie her mother's shoes and to give her mother a kiss. Throughout the day, she does all her chores and thinks of new ways to help her mother. At the end of the day she forgets the same two things, but when she remembers her mother says, Like I always say, you're going to be a super sister.

Keywords: assertiveness, baby, bedtime, books, critical thinking, exercise, family, five senses, goal setting, helping, nonverbal communication, numbers, pets, playground, pregnancy, reading, school, self esteem, siblings, sounds, teacher

Bintou's braids | by Diouf, Sylviane

When Bintou, a little girl living in West Africa, finally gets her wish for braids, she discovers that what she dreamed for has been hers all along.

Keywords: africa, african, america, animals, beach, birds, bodies of water, celebration, chicken, clothing, critical thinking, dreams, envy, family, feelings, fish, food, fruit, grandparents, moon, multicultural, parents, prayer, pride, sadness, sea, selfishness, siblings, sleep, sounds, stars, storytelling, stress management, sun, traditions, tree, village

A triangle for Adaora: An African book of shapes | by Onyefulu, Ifeoma

When Adaora's cousin promises to find a triangle for her, he does'nt realize just how difficult the task might be. As they search through their village, the cousins encounter a variety of other shapes - heart-shaped leaves, circular elephant drums, crescent-shaped plantains - everything but the shape they seek. Just when the children are too tired to look anymore, they find a perfect triangle...and a great surprise to go along with it!

Keywords: africa, african, community, family, food, fruit, jewelry, multicultural, music, plants, problem solving, shapes, siblings, traditions, verbal communication, village

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