Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

The wagon | by Johnston, Tony

A slave boy grows up on a plantation with his family. He hates being a slave and wishes that he could be free. Soon the war comes and President Lincoln sets the slaves free. The boy and his family celebrate as they leave the plantation in the wagon they built.

Keywords: african american, assertiveness, celebration, family, feelings, freedom, grandparents, happiness, history, love, multicultural, nonverbal communication, parents, sadness, slavery, transportation, wagon

A band of angels: A story inspired by the jubilee singers | by Hopkinson, Deborah

A young girl listens to a story told by her aunt. Her story is about the young girl's great great grandmother and how she used her voice and dedication to fight for her education after the slaves were freed. The story was also tells how a group of singers toured and sang slave songs. They were trying to save their school, but ended up creating a university.

The little princess | by Burnett, Frances Hodge

Young Sara is forced to attend Miss Minchin's select seminary for young girls in London when her father gets shipped off to war. Miss Minchin, the director of the seminary becomes a bit apprehensive about Sara's stay with them because her father said that she is to have the very best of everything. When a note arrives that says Sara's father died, things change for the worse. Poor Sara is forced to live the life of a slave. She eventually meets up with an Indian gentleman who helps her to gain her life back.

Keywords: adventures, aging, beverage, celebration, change, child care, conflict resolution, death, emotions, family, food, hard work, hindu, hunger, indian, learning, loss, love, mistake, multicultural, nonverbal communication, orphan, party, persistence, problem solving, relationship, resentment, school, sharing, slavery, sleep, storytelling, support, war

The invisible princess | by Ringgold, Faith

Mama and Papa Love are two of Captain Pepper's slaves. They are going to have a baby, but they fear for it's life. With the help of the Powers of Nature, their baby is saved. For years Mama and Papa Love live peacefully until Captain Pepper threatens their child once again. By asking for help from the Powers of Nature, the slaves are able to live happily and peacefully with out any fear of Captain Pepper.

Keywords: baby, bee, blindness, death, decision making, family, farm, fear, feelings, freedom, friendship, insects, loss, love, nature, parents, peace, plants, slavery, tree, trust, water

Sweet clara and the freedom quilt | by Hopkinson, Deborah

Claro makes a quilt that describes the path that slaves must take to walk to freedom. She runs away with Jack and gets to freedom because of the quilt.

Keywords: assertiveness, clothing, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, diversity, family, freedom, goal setting, love, parents, quilt, siblings, slavery, verbal communication

Now let me fly | by Johnson, Dolores

A family moves from Africa to America. They suffer hardships in anticipation of a different future.

Keywords: african american, assertiveness, change, coping, family, feelings, grief, moving, multicultural, parents, peer resistance, sadness, self esteem, separation, slavery, stress management, travel

Jumping the broom | by Wright, Courtni Crump

Despite their troublesome lives, these slaves find reason to celebrate and be happy. Lettie and her family dance, sing, feast, and play games in honor of her sister's marriage.

Keywords: celebration, challenges, clothing, dancing, exercise, family, feelings, food, happiness, nutrition, quilt, siblings, slavery, wedding

The red comb | by Pico, Fernando

Vitita discovers a runaway slave under her porch. Vitita is determined to save the slave woman from the slave catcher. Vitita and sina Rosa furnish the woman with supplies through a mango tree. Vitita and sina Rosa come up with a plan to get the slave catcher out of town. After the slave catcher leaves, Vitita and sina Rosa introduce their new friend to the neighbors.

Keywords: beliefs, bravery, caring, community, critical thinking, decision making, determination, family, freedom, friendship, multicultural, neighbors, parents, puerto rican, respect, slavery, teamwork, verbal communication

The tin heart | by Ackerman, Karen

Mahaley and Rosa are best of friends. They play together in the river every day while their fathers worked together. When the Civil War broke out, their fathers disagreed about slavery. Mahaley and Rosa rarely see each other now, But the tin heart charm that they wear around their necks are constant reminders of their special friendship.

Keywords: awareness, boat, bodies of water, conflict resolution, family, friendship, love, night, nonverbal communication, parents, river, slavery, underground railroad

Nettie's trip south | by Turner, Ann

A young girl sees a slave auction then writes to her friend, Ardie, about the trip she took to the south.

Keywords: assertiveness, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, friendship, history, nonverbal communication, peer resistance, refusal skills, self esteem, slavery, stress management, travel, verbal communication

They were strong and good | by Lawson, Robert

The author's grandparents and parents have many ordeals and challenges that they overcome in order to meet each other.

Keywords: animals, assertiveness, boat, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, escape, family, grandparents, horse, multicultural, native american, nonverbal communication, parents, slavery, war

Molly bannaky | by McGill, Alice

After spilling a bucket of milk and being brought before the court, Molly Walsh is sent from England to America as an indentured servant. After seven long years she gains her freedom, a farm of her own, and an African slave who becomes her husband.

Keywords: african, animals, author's note, boat, books, compromise, cow, crime, critical thinking, determination, family, farm, freedom, friendship, hard work, history, marriage, multicultural, ox, plants, reading, royalty, self esteem, settlers, slavery, tobacco, travel, verbal communication

The drinking gourd | by Monjo, F.N.

Tom misbehaves in church and is sent home early. He goes to play in the barn and discovers runaway slaves. He and his father help them escape and Tom learns all about freedom through the Underground Railroad.

Keywords: african american, assertiveness, bravery, church, critical thinking, decision making, escape, family, freedom, goal setting, helping, history, misbehavior, multicultural, nonverbal communication, play, slavery, underground railroad, verbal communication

Browse Abstracts (33 total)