Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

In the small, small night | by Kurtz, Jane

A young boy moves to America from Ghana. He is worried about forgetting his past. Thanks to his mother, he is able to go back to the world he once knew.

Keywords: acceptance, africa, bedtime, birds, challenges, child, conflict resolution, decision making, eagle, friendship, ghana, multicultural, nonverbal communication, parents, relationship, reptiles, storytelling, time, turtle, verbal communication, village, wisdom, worry

Vacation in the village: A story from west africa | by Njeng, Pierre Yves

A boy discovers and takes pride in the customs of his people when he visits his family's village in West Africa.

Keywords: affection, africa, books, boredom, buildings, construction, customs, discovery, dreams, family, fear, feelings, fish, fishing, forest, friendship, games, grandparents, happiness, history, hunting, multicultural, parents, reptiles, school, siblings, storytelling, traditions, train, transportation, travel, turtle, vacation, village, work, worry

Monster goes to the circus | by Blance, Ellen & Cook, Ann

Monster takes a trip to the circus. While there, he sees many different circus performances. To everyone's surprise, Monster has an act to include himself into the circus ring.

Keywords: acrobat, animals, circus, clowns, feelings, food, fun, juggling, monsters, nutrition, performance, safety, sports, success, surprises, worry

Maxie | by Kantrowitz, Mildred

Maxie wakes up each day and goes through the same routine. One day Maxie feels unloved and lonely, so she decides to stay in bed. Maxie doesn't realize how much others depend on her until her living room is full of worried neighbors. Maxie realizes how many people need and rely on her daily routine.

Keywords: caring, community, depression, feelings, friendship, happiness, identity, loneliness, neighbors, nonverbal communication, perspective, relationship, sadness, self esteem, worry

Hopper | by Pfister, Marcus

A mother rabbit wakes up her baby rabbit to get ready for their day. The rabbits are surrounded by the brilliance of white snow. They encounter a few mishaps throughout the day during their quest for food.

Keywords: adventures, animals, baby, birds, critical thinking, deception, exercise, falcon, family, feelings, friendship, health, hygiene, parents, rabbit, running, seasons, snow, weather, winter, worry

Henry & the crazed chicken pirates | by Crimi, Carolyn

The Buccaneer Bunnies live a happy life until one day they receive a message in a bottle from the Crazed Chicken Pirates. Henry worries about the note and starts writing plans even through the other bunnies don't believe the note. The day the chickens invade, Henry has to be brave and think of a way to save the other bunnies!

Keywords: animals, assertiveness, books, bowling, bravery, chicken, correspondence, critical thinking, decision making, feelings, island, peer resistance, pirates, rabbit, reading, ship, stress, transportation, trick, worry, writing

In control, Ms. Wiz? | by Blacker, Terence

It all seems so simple. To stop the local library from being closed down, Ms. Wiz sprinkles her special powder over a few books to bring them to life. But soon the greediest man in the world, some Flopsy Bunnies, and a very royal couple are on the loose. Jack and Podge are worried- this time, is Ms. Wiz really in control?

Keywords: books, careers, feelings, greed, humor, library, magic, reading, worry

Doctor De Soto goes to Africa | by Steig, William

Dr. and Mrs. De Soto travel all the way to Africa to fix an elephant's tooth. When the elephant's enemy kidnaps Dr. De Soto, the elephant worries that Dr. De Soto will never get away.

Keywords: african, animals, careers, dentist, determination, elephant, escape, jungle, missing, monkey, mouse, multicultural, stress management, teeth, travel, worry

Freedom river | by Rappaort, Doreen

John Ripley shows courage and perseverence in Southern Ohio through his actions. John crosses the Ohio River into the slave state of Kentucky to help other African Americans escape to freedom. John listens to nature as he rows a slave family across the Ohio River to freedom along the Underground Railroad.

Keywords: african american, author's note, baby, boat, bodies of water, cabin, community, courage, escape, family, fear, feelings, fight, freedom, happiness, history, illustrator's note, listening, maps, money, multicultural, night, parents, prayer, quiet, relationship, rhythm, river, running, sadness, safety, secrets, slavery, transportation, underground railroad, woods, work, worry

Hush harbor: Praying in secret | by Evans, Freddi Williams

Simmy is both excited and nervous for his job as Scout during the community meeting. Simmy is excited because this means the elders trust him, but he is nervous because slaves are not supposed to gather and sing together. Simmy must be very careful and listen for the master during the meeting.

Keywords: african american, anger, anticipation, author's note, bravery, cabin, closeness, communication, cooking, creativity, creek, critical thinking, culture, dancing, death, faith, family, folktale, forest, friendship, hard work, hearing, hope, horse, listening, missing, multicultural, music, nonverbal communication, prayer, relief, religion, rhythm, river, running away, safety, secrets, slavery, song, spiritual, storytelling, woods, worry

The face at the window | by Hanson, Regina

Catching sight of Miss Nella in her window is supposed to be very bad, Dora's friends tell her. When Dora tries to steal a mango from Miss Nella by throwing a stone, Dora is frightened by the sight of Miss Nella in her window. Dora soon discovers that Miss Nella isn't evil. She is just lonely and sick and has no one there to make it better for her.

Keywords: apology, communication, curiosity, empathy, five senses, food, language, loneliness, rain, song, storm, superstition, weather, witches, worry

Too tired | by Turnball, Ann

As the rain begins, two of all the animals on the Earth are getting aboard the Ark, except one. When Noah realizes that the sloths are not on the Ark, he goes to rescue them.

Keywords: animals, boat, critical thinking, elephant, flood, heroism, lost, rain, rescue, sleep, sloth, transportation, verbal communication, weather, worry

A fine, fine school | by Creech, Sharon

Mr. Keeene knows he has a fine school with great teachers and students. Since everyone is learning so much, he decides to have school on Saturdays, then Sundays, and then eventually all summer. Eventually, one student named Tillie tells Mr. Keene that they are not learning anything outside of school. Everyone is relieved when Mr. Keene announces the return of a normal school year.

Keywords: careers, colors, Days of The Week, decision making, dog, family, happiness, holidays, learning, loneliness, play, pride, reading, repetition, school, shapes, siblings, skipping, summer, surprises, teaching, tree, worry, writing

Smoking stinks | by Gosselin, Kim

Maddie and Alex get the facts about smoking!They learn the truth by interviewing Maddie's grandpa, Norman. His mistakes intrigue their class's journey to stay healthy and live smoke-free.

Billy and the big new school | by Anholt, Laurence

Billy is very nervous about starting at his new school. He wants to stay home with his mother. Then he meets a small bird who is hurt and cannot fly. Billy takes care of it until it is ready to fly again. Find out how Billy gets himself ready to go to school and how he uses his bird story to make a friend.

Keywords: animals, birds, blackbird, bravery, bully, change, clothing, conflict resolution, dreams, excitement, fear, feelings, food, friendship, loss, parents, pets, picnic, pigeon, preparation, school, self esteem, sparrow, starling, teaching, thrush, wish, worry

A safe place | by Trottier, Maxine

As a child, Emily watched her mother endure physical abuse. One night Emily's mom awakens her and she is only allowed to take her teddy bear. They go to a house with many mothers and children. All of them are watched over by a lady named Jane. Emily and her mother stay for awhile, then leave to move into their new apartment.

Keywords: change, conflict, conflict resolution, coping, family, feelings, fight, frustration, helping, parents, protection, running away, sadness, safety, security, self esteem, shelter, stress management, violence, worry

Calvin's christmas wish | by Miles, Calvin

Calvin is worried that his parents are Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus after his two friends tell him that this is true. Calvin is relieved and excited when he receives a bike for Christmas, which confirms his belief in Santa Claus.

Keywords: african american, autobiography, christmas, feelings, friendship, holidays, multicultural, presents, santa, worry

Country angel christmas | by dePaola, Tomie

The country angels are given the task to prepare the Christmas celebration this year. Ari, Pip, and Kira, the youngest of the angels, want to help but no one will let them. Even though they were pushed away, the young angels end up saving the celebration.

Keywords: angel, celebration, christmas, critical thinking, helping, holidays, preparation, stars, worry

Stars for sarah | by Turner, Ann

Sarah cannot fall asleep because she is worried about what her life will be like when her family moves to their new house. Sarah's mother comes to her room to comfort and reassure her.

Keywords: bedtime, change, conflict resolution, coping, family, feelings, moving, nonverbal communication, parents, verbal communication, worry

Thy friend, obadian | by Turkle, Brinton

A seagull takes a liking to a young boy and follows him around. The boy finds the seagull annoying and tries to scare it away. However, when the bird is missing, the boy goes to find it. He finds it with a fishhook in it's beak. Obidian takes the fishhook out and gains a new friend.

Keywords: birds, bodies of water, feelings, friendship, happiness, helping, injury, lost, nonverbal communication, sadness, seagull, verbal communication, worry

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