Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Ugh | by Yorkins, Arthur

Many, many years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, there was a boy named Ugh who was looked down on and treated like a slave by his siblings. Ugh tells them he will be famous one day. After seeing a wheel, he invents the bicycle, and because of this becomes the boy king.

Keywords: anger, assertiveness, bicycle, cave, change, chores, confidence, critical thinking, differences, dinosaur, family, feelings, happiness, inventions, jealousy, moon, sadness, self esteem, siblings, verbal communication, whale

The hermit and the well | by Nhat Hanh, Thich

A young boy and his friends take a trip with their teacher to the top of a mountain in Vietnam. The boys are excited because at the top lives a hermit. When they reach the top, the hermit is nowhere to be found. Wondering where he could be, the young boy wanders off, stumbles upon a well, and eventually finds his inner peace.

Keywords: adventures, beliefs, buddhism, critical thinking, faith, feelings, hermit, mountains, multicultural, nonverbal communication, peace, self esteem, verbal communication, vietnamese

Pecorino's first concert | by Madison, Alan

Pecorino Sasquatch is a very silly boy who likes to do things backward. His mom decides to take him to a concert by the famous Vittorio Pimplelini. He travels by bus to the concert hall where he learns about musical instruments while being mischievous.

Keywords: bus, concert, curiosity, entertainment, excitement, family, feelings, instruments, learning, music, parents, stress management, transportation, verbal communication

Papa's latkes | by Edwards, Michelle

A Jewish family deals with the recent death of their mother and wife, while trying to keep their Chanukan traditions alive. Each family member deals with their emotions. They work as a single parent family to move on, while embracing their traditions of the past.

Five trucks | by Floca, Brian

A little boy observes how five different trucks assist in the preparation and take-off of his airplane. Description of the trucks and their duties are very clear. It takes many people working together to complete the goal of take-off!

Keywords: airplane, careers, cooperation, counting, critical thinking, diversity, fly, goal setting, hard work, machines, nonverbal communication, skills, tractor, transportation, travel, truck, verbal communication, work

Alec's primer | by Pitts-Walter, Mildred

Alec was a slave who wanted to be free. Ms. Josephine, one of his masters and three years older than him, told Alic if he wanted to be free he needed to learn to read. Ms. Josephine taught him to read and when Alec was old enough he couragously fights in the Civil War and obtained his freedom.

Keywords: accomplishment, african american, alphabet, ambition, assertiveness, author's note, biography, books, courage, critical thinking, freedom, goal setting, hard work, learning, multicultural, museum, peace, photograph, prejudice, racism, reading, self esteem, slavery, verbal communication, war

Mr. COOL | by Wilson, Jacqueline

Mr. Cool gives a fresh perspective on friendship and accepting people for who they are. There is a focus on emotional and social health which is brought to light in a positive manner. Kids will gain a better view of acceptance of their peers and helping with self esteem. Mr. Cool's band develops health skills, friendship, and confidence as they perform.

Zen shorts | by Muth, Jon

One day, three young children meet a panda after his umbrella lands in their yard. The children become friends with the panda, whose name is Stillwater. He passes on folktales to them to help them solve problems they are having.

Leo: the little st. bernard | by L'Hommediev, Dorthy K.

Leo wants to be a working dog for the monks at the Hospice. When they do not choose him, he decides to runaway to the Hospice. On his way up the mountain he encounters Angelena, a cashmere goat. Together they set out on a snowy and dangerous adventure.

Keywords: animals, bravery, climbing, conflict resolution, courage, critical thinking, decision making, dog, exercise, family, goal setting, goat, heroism, multicultural, patience, pride, relationship, running, self esteem, siblings, snow, swiss, verbal communication, wind

Sky boys: How they built the empire state building | by Hopkinson, Deborah

A boy watches in amazement as the Empire State Building is built. When the building is completed he goes to the top with his father to see all of the New York City.

Keywords: accomplishment, ambition, architecture, beliefs, buildings, careers, ceremony, construction, day, determination, excitement, family, feelings, goal setting, hope, money, night, parents, sequence, sky, tools, transportation, truck, verbal communication, wish

Nora's ark | by Kinsey-Warnock, Natalie

As the rain keeps coming, the flood gros larger. Everyone in town goes to Grandma's house because it sits high on a hill. Along with many animals, everyone, except Grandpa, is there. Grandma and Wren are worried about Grandpa so they head out to try and save him from the flood.

Keywords: animals, cat, chicken, cow, critical thinking, decision making, duck, family, farm, flood, goal setting, grandparents, horse, pig, rain, rescue, stress management, verbal communication, weather

If you're happy and you know it! | by Ormerod, Jan

A young girl and a collection of different animals make up their own versions of the popular song, If you're happy and you know it! Characters do their own thing and express themselves in different ways while participating in a social activity.

Keywords: animals, birds, crocodile, dog, elephant, feelings, gorilla, happiness, hyena, individuality, kangaroo, nonverbal communication, parrot, song, toucan, uniqueness, verbal communication

A song for ba | by Yee, Paul

A young, ambitious boy spends a lot of time with his grandfather learning how to sing and follow in the footsteps of his father who travels with a Chinese opera troupe. Wei, the little boy, loves to go to the opera and watch his father perform hoping one day, he too, will be a star. Through difficult times and financial loss, a young boy comes to the rescue of both his father and his cultural background.

Hannah is my name | by Yang, Belle

Hannah and her family come to America from Taiwan to gain freedom. For them to become Americans and have their freedom, they must obtain their greencards. Hannah and her family's journey of over 2 years, encompasses many trials. Hannah and her family feel relief, excitement and prode as they finally receive their greencards and are now able to call American their home.

Lucy's quiet book | by Medearis, Angela Shelf

An annoyed Lucy decides to go the library to get away from her brothers. The librarian gives her a book to quiet her brothers down. Once Lucy begins to read to her brothers, they quiet down and Lucy learns the positive effects of books.

Big surprise in the bug tank | by Horowitz, Ruth

Leo and his brother love their two giant pet cockroaches given to them by their mother. After the two cockroaches have babies, the boys try many different solutions to try to get rid of them. They finally find a solution after they receive help from their mom and local library.

Keywords: bug, chores, community, critical thinking, decision making, family, goal setting, insects, library, math, numbers, parents, pets, responsibilities, sexuality, siblings, stress management, verbal communication

Talking | by Xaba-Mashiri, Zadwa

A man digs out a talking yam from his garden. The man is confused and asks his dog if he is talking, but the dog says it is the yam talking. The man runs to the village to tell people about the talking yam and dog. People do not believe the man until things starts talking to them.

The good luck cat | by Harjo, Joy

Woogie, the cat, is thought to have good luck. But when she goes missing, will her good luck run out or will it bring her back home before her nine lives run out?

Keywords: animals, birds, cat, conflict resolution, critical thinking, dog, family, feelings, goal setting, happiness, luck, missing, multicultural, native american, parents, sadness, verbal communication

Tallulah in the Kitchen | by Wolff, Nancy

Tallulah the cat loves to make pancakes for her friends. She describes the process of cooking pancakes from buying the ingredients to eating them! And the step by step she goes through her recipe.

Keywords: animals, cat, cooking, decision making, dog, food, friendship, nutrition, pig, recipe, verbal communication

The remembering stone | by Russell, Barbara Timberlake

While Ana and her mother feed the blackbirds, Ana's mama shares her dream of visiting her parents in Costa Rica. Ana and her friend Sophis spend the day learning of the dreams of various neighborhood people. That night, Ana dreams she visits her family in Costa Rica. The next day, while feeding the blackbirds, Ana realizes she cannot wait for her dream to come true.

Keywords: birds, blackbird, costa rica, dreams, family, feelings, grandparents, language, multicultural, parents, self esteem, spanish, verbal communication, volcano

Browse Abstracts (1973 total)