Browse Items · Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Tags: african american

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Joey's cat

Burch, Robert

Joey's cat has kittens in the garage, but why won't Joey's parents let him go near them?He finally does get near them when Mama Cat's kittens are in danger from a opossum in the garage. Mama Cat then allows Joey to see the kittens.

Tags

african american, animals, birth, cat, feelings, multicultural, nonverbal communication, stress management, worry

The drinking gourd

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.

Tags

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

Bat boy and his violin

Curtis, Gavin

Reginald loves playing the violin. His father only has time to worry about the Duke's losing streak. Reginald passionately plays the violin to improve the baseball team's losing streak. Find out what else Reginald's love for the violin improves.

Who's whose?

Ormerod, Jan

Three families come together every day of the week to do activities help each other out. Some observe activities, do chores with others, or run errands with their friends. With so many people doing things together it is hard to keep track of who's whose!

Tags

acceptance, activities, african american, animals, behavior, cat, challenges, child care, community, cooperation, correspondence, Days of The Week, dog, exercise, family, food, grandparents, helping, multicultural, nutrition, parents, play, responsibilities, school, sharing, siblings, television

Something beautiful

Wyeth, Sharon Dennis

A little girl looks out her window only to see broken glass and trash in the court yard. She remembers her mother once told her everyone should have something beautiful. She sets out to look for something beautiful in her neighborhood.

Mrs. katz and tush

Polacco, Patricia

Larnel unexpectingly finds himself befriending an old, Polish woman. From Mrs. Katz, he learns Jewish history and begins to appreciate his own African roots.

Tags

acceptance, african american, death, friendship, history, Jewish, multicultural, polish, religion

A to z do you ever feel like me?

Hausman, Bonnie

How are you feeling today?Join the children in this book to find out if they are feeling the same way. Learn the letters of the alphabet while you solve the puzzles of emotions. Have fun!

Benjie

Lexau, Joan M.

Benjie's granny loses her earring on the way home from church, so bashful Benjie sets out to look for it while his granny is takng a nap. He finds the earring, but in the process he loses his bashfulness.

Tags

accomplishment, adventures, african american, assertiveness, bravery, change, disappearance, exploration, family, goal setting, grandparents, lost, multicultural, shyness, sleep, success, unselfish, verbal communication

What a truly cool world

Lester, Julius//Cepeda, Joe

God created the world with water, trees, land, animals, and people, and thought he had done a great job. God's angel Shaniqua told God that the world looked too boring. God then set out to make the world more interesting. First he made grass but that did not help much so God started singing and making beautiful music. When the flowers complained about being lonely, God called on Shaniqua to sing. Her voice was so pretty that the planets and starts started crying. The people on earth were very happy with their world and so was God.

Tags

accomplishment, african american, angel, animals, author's note, birds, butterfly, colors, critical thinking, dancing, decision making, dog, goal setting, god, insects, library, multicultural, music, planet, shapes, song, tree, water, whale

Dinner at aunt connie's house

Ringgold, Faith

While Melody and her aunt's adopted son, Lonnie, are playing hide-and-seek, they stumble upon something magical. They discover that her aunt's paintings can speak. Each of the paintings is a portrait of a famous African-American woman, who tells Melody and Lonnie of their accomplishments.

Tags

accomplishment, african american, art, assertiveness, conflict resolution, discovery, family, food, goal setting, history, magic, multicultural, nutrition, pride, progress, racism, self esteem

Big friend, little friend

Greenfield, Eloise

Three African American children show their friendship for one another in different ways as each child has different interests according to their age (A Board Book)

Tags

activities, african american, body image, caring, differences, friendship, health, kindness, multicultural, play, sizes

My daddy and i...

Greenfield, Eloise

A young African American boy describes all the activities that he and his father do.

Tags

activities, african american, cooperation, family, feelings, fun, happiness, multicultural, parents, sharing, siblings

Black is brown is tan

Adoff, Arnold

Growing up with a black mother and a white father can be hard on children. Adoff expresses how one family deals with this situation.

Tags

affection, african american, child care, family, grandparents, individuality, love, multicultural, parents

Dear Willie Rudd

Gray, Libba Moore

Elizabeth remembers a wonderful woman named Willie Rudd that had an extraordinary impact on her childhood. Elizabeth writes a letter to Willie Rudd to tell her that she loves her and apologizes for any wrongs committed due to Willie's race.

Tags

african american, aging, closeness, coping, dedication, discrimination, forgiveness, friendship, growing up, memory, multicultural, storytelling

The black snowman

Mendez, Phil

Jacob, a young African American boy, lives with his poverty striken family in the city. He dislikes his culture, life and heritage and is filled with hate. It takes some special magic to change his ideas.

Tags

african american, anger, body image, change, conflict resolution, courage, critical thinking, decision making, family, feelings, growing up, magic, multicultural, nonverbal communication, poverty, seasons, self esteem, traditions, verbal communication

I love my hair!

Tarpley, Natasha Anatasia

Although she is often teased by her classmates about her Afro hair, Kenyana learns her hair makes her unique. Both her mother and teacher help show Kenyana why her hair is so special. Kenyana learns that it only matters what she thinks, not others.

Tags

african american, appearance, appreciation, author's note, body parts, creativity, differences, family, imagination, individuality, multicultural, nonverbal communication, parents, self esteem, sounds, teasing, uniqueness, verbal communication

Hue boy

Mitchell, Rita Phillips

Hue Boy is very concerned about his height. Everyone thinks that he is too short. He and his mother try every possible remedy, but nothing works. Finally, Hue Boy's father returns, and Hue Boy loses his feelings of smallness through his pride of being with his father.

Tags

african american, appearance, depression, differences, family, insecurity, multicultural, parents, pride, self confidence, self esteem, sizes, stress management, verbal communication

A helpful alphabet of friendly objects

Updike, John

Poems are provided with various pictures of objects which begin with each letter of the alphabet such as apple, bird, jam, egg, nickel, oatmeal, toy and zero.

Tags

african american, alphabet, animals, asian, birds, bluejay, cat, clothing, colors, dog, environment, five senses, food, italian, multicultural, nutrition, pets, plants, poetry, rabbit, rhyme, self confidence, self esteem, sight, sounds, taste, touch

Be bop-a-do walk

Hamanaka, Sheila

Emi and Martha go on a very long walk with Emi's dad. After many stops they reach Central Park, where Emi's dad makes them paper sail boats and hats. They are too tired to walk home so they take the bus. Emi's dad makes paper cranes for everyone.

Satchmo's blues

Schroeder, Alan

Louis Armstrong loves to watch the musicians play jazz music. He dreams of playing the cornet someday just like Bunk Johnson who plays in the Eagle Band. One day, Louis spots a cornet in a pawn shop and discovers that it costs five dollars. Louis works very hard for two weeks earning money any way that he can. Once the cornet is his, Louie begins living out his dream of becoming a musician.

Tags

african american, author's note, biography, church, dancing, determination, exercise, family, food, goal setting, hard work, instruments, market, money, multicultural, music, nutrition, parents, siblings, sounds

Dancing with the indians

Medearis, Angela Shelf

An African American family watches a Seminole Indian celebration. After watching and learning of this culture and its customs, the family joins in the dancing.

Tags

acceptance, african american, assertiveness, awareness, celebration, critical thinking, dancing, differences, family, history, multicultural, native american, nonverbal communication, recreation, traditions, verbal communication

One round moon and a star for me

Mennen, Ingrid

A young boy looks at the stars and the sun as it warms his father's land. His mother has a new baby and his father explains that he is his papa too. Then he shows the boy his own moon and star.

Tags

african american, baby, family, moon, multicultural, parents, self esteem, stars, sun, verbal communication

Birthday

Steptoe, John

A little girl's family moves to Africa from America because of racism. The little girl's birthday is celebrated by the whole town.

Tags

african american, birthday, celebration, community, conflict resolution, family, holidays, racism

Brian's bird

Davis, Patricia

Brian receives a bird for his birthday. The two quickly become friends after Brian overcomes his fear. When Brian's brother Kevin carelessly lets the bird escape, Brian becomes upset. Will he ever see Scratchy again?

Tags

african american, birds, birthday, blindness, celebration, conflict resolution, direction, disability, family, fear, feelings, forgiveness, happiness, multicultural, parakeet, presents, sadness, siblings, teaching, trick

Richard wright and the library card

Miller, William

Due to segregation in the 1920s, African Americans are not allowed to check out books from the library. Richard Wright discovers his passion which becomes a road to his freedom - books.

Tags

african american, books, challenges, critical thinking, discrimination, freedom, goal setting, multicultural, nonverbal communication, reading, self esteem, storytelling, stress management, verbal communication, work

Sofie's role

Heath, Amy

One day before Christmas, Sofie goes to work at her family's Broadway Bakery. The store is filled with many customers and Sofie's help is greatly needed.

Tags

african american, careers, christmas, family, food, helping, holidays, multicultural, nutrition, responsibilities

I need a lunchbox

Caines, J.

A little boy wants a lunchbox very badly. He feels sad because he can't have one until he starts school like his sister. In the end, his father surprises him with a lunchbox.

Tags

african american, colors, family, food, multicultural, nutrition, parents, school, siblings

Red dancing shoes

Patrick, Denise Lewis

A little girl's Grandmama brings her a new pair of red dancing shoes. She is so excited she dances all around town showing them to everyone she knows.

Tags

african american, community, dancing, exercise, family, grandparents, helping, multicultural, parents, siblings

Dawn and the round-to-it

Smalls, Irene

Dawn wakes up early every day, but everyone in her family is too busy to play with her. She is sad, but figures out a way that they can make time for her, and it works.

Tags

african american, compromise, conflict resolution, creativity, depression, family, feelings, happiness, loneliness, persistence, problem solving, sadness, time

Always my dad

Wyeth, Sharon

A girl does not get to see her father often and she misses him very much. One summer at her grandparents' farm, she and her three brothers spend some very nice moments with their father. She realizes that no matter where he is, he will always be her father and loves her.

Tags

african american, coping, family, feelings, food, games, grandparents, happiness, moon, multicultural, night, nutrition, parents, sadness, siblings, stars

Tar beach

Ringgold, Faith

A young, 8 year old, African American girl dreams of flying above her Harlem home and having the many things she sees. She speaks of her wish to have money and liberation for her family and herself.

Tags

african american, airplane, art, creativity, discrimination, dreams, family, freedom, goal setting, imagination, money, multicultural, nonverbal communication, poverty, quilt, self esteem, transportation

A million fish...more or less

McKissack, Patricia C.

Hugh Thomas lives in a place where weird things happen and people spin tales. Elder Abbajon and Papa-Daddy tell Hugh Thomas a tale about Bayou Clapateaux. On the way home from fishing, Hugh Thomas makes up his own spin tale.

Tags

african american, animals, assertiveness, birds, careers, cat, creole, crow, family, fish, fishing, friendship, grandparents, imagination, multicultural, numbers, raccoon, recreation, storytelling, turkey, verbal communication

Stevie

Steptoe, John

A young African American boy feels jealous and angry when his mother accepts a new babysitting job for a younger child. It is only until the boy moves away that he realizes how much fun he had with him.

Tags

african american, anger, change, child care, coping, critical thinking, decision making, differences, family, feelings, friendship, jealousy, moving, parents, peer resistance, self esteem

Jo Jo's flying sidekick

Pinkney, Brian

Jo Jo is worried about her flying sidekick test in Tae Kwon Do. Her grandfather and mother give her advice but she is still worried. When the test begins, she freezes. But then she realizes just what to do.

Tags

african american, assertiveness, conflict resolution, decision making, exercise, family, fear, feelings, goal setting, grandparents, japanese, multicultural, parents, performance, self esteem, sports, stress management, verbal communication

At the mall

Loomis, Christine

Three children and their mother find new and fun things at the mall. As they walk and shop, they notice the candy store, white mice, teens gathering and more. They eventually find the perfect gift to complete their trip.

Tags

african american, baby, car, clothing, decision making, family, food, fun, mouse, multicultural, nonverbal communication, presents, shopping, siblings, toys, transportation, walking

Grandpa's face

Greenfield, Eloise

Tamika loves her grandpa and she especially loves the way she can tell how he is feeling by looking at his face. One day when her grandpa is rehearsing for a play, Tamika sees his angry, mean face. Tamika misbehaves at dinner by playing with her food, because she is afraid that he will make that face at her.

Tags

african american, conflict resolution, family, feelings, food, friendship, generations, grandparents, mischief, moods, multicultural, nutrition, walking

Hard to be six

Adoff, Arnold

This is one little boy's story of coming to accept his age. He feels inferior to his big ten year old sister and he longs to be old like her. It is not until he talks to his grandmother and sees his grandfather's grave that he realizes that life at any age is hard.

Tags

african american, aging, birthday, change, death, family, grandparents, holidays, loss, love, multicultural, parents, self esteem, siblings, verbal communication

Potluck

Shelby, Anne

Alpha and Betty plan a potluck dinner and invite all their friends. Each person brings a different type of food. Acton brings asparagus, Ben brings bagels, Don brings dumplings and there are many more.

Tags

african american, alphabet, asian american, celebration, chinese, food, friendship, multicultural, nutrition, party

Grandpa's hammer

Kidd, Ronald

Grandpa always say that it take two things to make dreams come true: faith and a hammer. After Grandma passes away, Grandpa sets aside his hammer and nearly loses his faith. His granddaughter tries everything she can think of to bring back his faith but nothing seems to work. One day, Grandpa visits a Habitat for Humanity worksite with a neighbor and realizes that he can made dreams come true for others.

William and the good old days

Greenfield, Eloise

William remembers how wonderful things were before his grandmother got sick. However, he slowly finds ways to make some good new days and is hopeful for the future.

Tags

african american, anger, closeness, disappointment, family, feelings, grandparents, illness, memories, multicultural, verbal communication

african american, animals, birds, boredom, cat, conflict resolution, critical thinking, dancing, decision making, exercise, family, feelings, forest, games, giants, imagination, inventions, island, jungle, library, lost, magic, maps, monsters, multicultural, mythical, park, penguin, photograph, playing, rain, siblings, sun, verbal communication, weather

One halloween night

Teague, Mark

Three children get more than they are trick-or-treating for, when the night turns into one unexpected event after another. The neighbors pass out Broccoli Chews and Eggplant Fizzlers and the trio runs into their nemesis Leona Fleebish. With a sweep of a wand, flash of a pirate sword, and gulp of magic potion, the children create an unforgetable Halloween.

Tags

adventures, african american, animals, assertiveness, autumn, baby, bat, cat, clothing, critical thinking, disappearance, fairy, fear, forest, friendship, halloween, holidays, magic, multicultural, night, rabbit, rhyme, running away, school, seasons, stress management, verbal communication, walking, witches

One hot summer day

Crews, Nina

Summertime brings really hot weather, but there's still things to do for fun in the sun and shade. Soon the weather brings a storm which cools the temperatures and brings with it a different fun.

Tags

african american, animals, art, dancing, dog, exercise, five senses, food, games, multicultural, nutrition, play, playground, rain, seasons, shadows, storm, summer, sun, umbrella, weather

Don't worry, dear

Fassler, Joan

Jenny does a lot of things little girls do; she sucks her thumb, wets the bed, stutters her words, and pretends her stuffed animals are real. Many people laugh at Jenny, but her mother tells her not to worry because things will get better as she grows up.

Tags

african american, animals, dog, embarrassment, family, feelings, growing up, love, multicultural, parents, peer resistance, pets, self esteem, siblings, stress management, stuttering, verbal communication

Black cowboy, wild horses: A true story

Lester, Julius

Using his amazing tracking ability, black cowboy Bob Lemmons is accepted by a herd of wild horses allowing him to corral them. Based on a true story, the reader gets a glimpse of the struggles that faced the cowboys in the plains of the United States.

Tags

acceptance, african american, american, animals, birds, careers, challenges, cowboys, food, freedom, heroism, history, horse, multicultural, nature, snake, storm, survival, vulture, weather, wilderness

We are all in the dumps with jack and guy

Sendak, Maurice

There are two rhymes that precede one another to make a story about kids that are homeless. Two mean rats take one child and some kittens, and the children go after him. Jack and Guy later find the boy and the mother of the kittens. They all go and save the kittens. Jack and Guy take care of the little boy.

Tags

african american, animals, critical thinking, feelings, food, happiness, multicultural, nonverbal communication, nutrition, rat, sadness, stress management, verbal communication

Mary had a little lamb

Hale, Sarah Josepha

A lamb, who goes to school, has a famous 19th century nursery rhyme and song written about it.

Tags

african american, animals, critical thinking, love, loyalty, multicultural, music, nonverbal communication, peer resistance, school, self esteem, sheep, song

At the crossroads

Isadora, Rachel

A little boy and the children in a poor South African village, sing and expect the arrival of their fathers who work in the mines. They sing, dance, make instruments, and sit in the dark until their fathers finally arrive.

Tags

african american, anticipation, careers, celebration, community, family, multicultural, music, parents, poverty, reunion, stress management, verbal communication

Bright eyes, brown skin

Hudson, Cheryl Willis//Ford, Bernette G.

Young children, who are African American, go about their daily lives. They describe their features including their bright eyes and brown skin.

Tags

african american, appearance, differences, friendship, multicultural, nonverbal communication, school

Elijah's angel

Rosen, Michael

Elijah and Michael have a unique friendship. Elijah is an 80 year old black Christian barber and Michael is a 9 year old Jewish boy. Elijah and Michael exchange Hanukah and Christmas gifts and reach a level of understanding between their different religions.

Tags

african american, appreciation, christmas, critical thinking, decision making, differences, friendship, hanukkah, Jewish, multicultural, religion, self esteem, spiritual, stress management, verbal communication

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