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

Tags: author's note

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On the day his daddy left

Adams, Eric J.//Adams, Kathleen

On the day his daddy leaves town, Danny wakes up early to write down a secret question, then he slips it into his pocket. He shows and talks about the secret question to his teacher, his mom, his friend, and even his dad. Each person tries to reassure Danny that his parent's divorce is not his fault. Danny's secret question flies away in the wind, but he still keeps asking other questions -- and he always will.

Time to pray

Addasi, Maha

Yasmin visits her grandma for an unexpected visit that was very special. Yasmin learns about the traditional Muslim prayers. Yasmin receives a special gift that will help her remember the visit forever.

Tags

airplane, arabic, author's note, body parts, clothing, counting, fabric, family, grandparents, islam, language, market, mosque, muslim, numbers, patterns, prayer, sewing, sleep, transportation, travel

The babe and I

Adler, David A.

A young boy and his family are living through the Great Depression of 1932. When he learns that his father does not have a job, he gets a job with his friend selling newspapers to help make money for his family. He sells all of his papers outside of Yankee Stadium due to the popularity of Babe Ruth and his stories in the paper. He even gets to meet the Babe!

Tags

author's note, baseball, business, conflict resolution, depression, family, feelings, food, friendship, frustration, hard work, history, money, newspaper, parents, poverty, responsibilities, sadness, shopping, sports, stress management, work, worry

Chanukah in chelm

Adler, David A.

Mendal, the caretaker of the Chelm synagogue must find a table to set the menorah on. He searches the synagogue and cannot find one. Rabbi Nachman sends him to a carpenter to get one. Preparation for Hanukkah in this town of Chelm is remarkably eventful and fun.

Tags

author's note, beliefs, church, critical thinking, customs, dancing, exercise, folktale, food, hanukkah, holidays, humor, Jewish, multicultural, nutrition, prayer, preparation, religion, traditions, verbal communication, winter

The calypso alphabet

Agard, J.

This ABC book shares Caribbean vocabulary in a rhyming fashion. Each page is rich with foods such as okra, roti, sugarcane and yams.

Tags

alphabet, author's note, caribbean, dancing, exercise, family, food, multicultural, nutrition, rhyme, sequence

Alejandro's gift

Albert, Richard

A lonely man plants a garden full of vegetables in the middle of the desert. A wide array of desert wildlife finds their way to his garden and watering hole. He wants to be friends with the animals and help them.

Tags

animals, author's note, badger, birds, cactus, caring, coyote, critical thinking, deer, desert, donkey, dove, feelings, fox, friendship, garden, habitat, hummingbird, loneliness, mouse, plants, presents, rabbit, rat, responsibilities, shelter, skunk, sparrow, squirrel, tortoise, vegetables, wildlife, woodpecker, wren

Quiet in the garden

Aliki

A little boy enjoys going out into his garden. His garden has flowers, produce, and wildlife. The wildlife shows the little boy the importance of the food chain. The little boy enjoys a picnic with the wildlife, because he loves nature.

Tags

algae, amphibians, author's note, birds, bodies of water, bug, butterfly, fish, five senses, flowers, frog, fruits, garden, gnat, hunger, insects, listening, lizard, mouse, nature, onomatopoeia, picnic, plants, pond, quiet, rabbit, reptiles, robin, sight, snail, sounds, spider, squirrel, tree, turtle, vegetables, wildlife, worm

The case for loving: The fight for interracial marriage

Alko, Selina

Mildred and Richard Loving wanted to love each other with freedom without having to be legally limited by where they lived as husband and wife based on the color of their skin. Marriages between people of different races were against the law in 17 states. In those states, interracial marriage was illegal. So Mildred and Richard got married in Washington DC then moved to Virginia where their marriage certificate hung on the wall of their home. The police did not honor the certificate so the Lovings were taken away and locked up in jail. They moved away from their families back to Washington DC where they had three children. The Lovings took their case all the way to the Supreme Court and won on June 12, 1967. Richard had his courageous message read aloud in court. The message was: "Tell the court I love my wife and it is just unfair that I can't live with her in Virginia". From that day, it was unconstitutional to make marriage a crime because of race.

Tags

author's note, change, children, civil rights, courage, emotions, equality, government, growing up, history, law, love, marriage, perspective, prejudice, travel

Amelia's road

Altman, Linda Jacobs

Amelia, the daughter of migrant farm workers, is tired of moving around and dreams of a permanent home. She finds a special place for herself so she doesn't feel so bad about leaving. The family continues to harvest peaches, apples, carrots, and tomatoes.

Tags

author's note, family, farm, food, garden, mexican american, moving, multicultural, nutrition, parents, plants, school, secrets

The legend of freedom hill

Altman, Linda Jacobs

A Jewish girl and an African American girl become friends during the Gold Rush in California when slavery was against the law. The two girls work together to save Miz Violet, a runaway slave, by searching for gold to buy her freedom from a slave catcher.

Tags

african american, animals, author's note, book, custom, faith, family, fox, freedom, friendship, games, gold rush, hard work, history, horses, Jewish, multicultural, parents, slavery, teamwork

Lizzie demands a seat! Elizabeth Jennings fights for streetcar rights

Anderson, Beth

One hundred years before Rosa Parks took her stand, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Jennings tried to board a streetcar in New York City on her way to church. Though there were plenty of empty seats, she was denied entry, assaulted, and threatened all because of her race -- even though New York was a free state at that time. Lizzie decided to fight back. She told her story, took her case to court -- where future president Chester Arthur represented her -- and won! Her victory was the first recorded in the fight for equal rights on public transportation, and Lizzie's case set a precedent.

Tags

african american, author's note, beauty, clothing, conflict, conflict resolution, courage, decision making, history, law, nonverbal communication, persistence, politics, spiritual, transportation, verbal communication, writing

Picasso and the girl with the ponytail

Anholt, Laurence

Sylvette is a shy young girl, until she meets Picasso. He has moved to France for the summer to work on his art. Seeing Sylvette through his window, he decides to use her as his new model. All summer they work together and become good friends. Picasso helps Sylvette unlock her secrets and artistic talent.

Tags

anger, animals, art, author's note, beauty, biography, careers, dog, encouragement, feelings, french, friendship, fun, goat, happiness, history, monkey, multicultural, nonverbal communication, owl, photograph, sadness, seasons, secrets, shyness, summer, verbal communication

Cocoa ice

Appelbaum, Diana

A young girl from Maine and a young girl from Santa Domingo learn about each other's home through Jacob the Sailor. The girl from Santa Domingo describes how to make chocolate, and the girl from Maine tells about making ice.

Tags

accomplishment, activities, adventures, american, animals, anticipation, author's note, beverage, boat, bodies of water, careers, climbing, clothing, cold, comparisons, culture, curiosity, differences, environment, food, horse, ice, multicultural, plants, snow, water, weather

Heart of a tiger

Arnold, Marsha D.

One week before Naming Day, the character goes on a search for Bengal. The parrots and monkeys were not kind to him in the forest and even teased him. Even in the face of danger and violence, this character shows how to have the heart of a tiger.

A name on the quilt: A story of remembrance

Atkins, Jeannine

A family remembers an uncle that died of AIDS by constructing a quilt. Each panel reminds the family of a memory shared with Uncle Ron.

Tags

affection, aids, art, author's note, dancing, death, diseases, exercise, family, feelings, friendship, letters, memories, nonverbal communication, photograph, quilt, sadness, sewing, siblings, skating, stress management, symbols, verbal communication

Abigail takes the wheel

Avi

Every morning Abigail and her brother go to school on board their father's boat. One morning they see an accident and decide to help one of the boats. Abigail has to steer while her father helps on the other boat. On her way down the river, Abigail must make some quick decisions. With Captain Abigail in charge everyone arrives safely.

Tags

accidents, adventures, author's note, boat, bodies of water, careers, cooperation, critical thinking, decision making, family, geography, maps, market, parents, river, school, ship, siblings, transportation, trust, verbal communication

Silent movie

Avi,

This black and white picture book vividly portrays a historical time when immigrants set sail for America. They hope for better lives and dream of prosperity. This journey comes from the immigrant's perspective, in the form of a movie, where language is a not a barrier.

Tags

america, author's note, family, feelings, film, history, hope, illustrator's note, immigrants, language, money, multicultural, nonverbal communication, parents, poverty, sadness, shelter, siblings, sizes, stress management, sweden, symbols, theatre

What will you be, Sara Mee?

Avraham, Kate Aver

Cho, a young boy, wonders what his little sister Sara Mee will be? They celebrate Sara Mee's first birthday with a feast and music from Korea. Cho continues to try to figure out what his sister will be when she grows up.

Tags

america, author's note, bath, birthday, body parts, celebration, cleanliness, clothing, correspondence, customs, drawing, family, feelings, food, game, gender, generations, grandparents, growing up, imagination, Korea, korean, language, love, money, music, neighbors, new baby, nutrition, onomatopoeia, parents, party, prediction, sadness, siblings, toys, verbal communication, writing

The folks in the valley

Aylesworth, Jim

Using the Pennsylvania Dutch culture as a backdrop, this book uses a rhyme to teach the alphabet. For example, the letter E is represented by the rhyme Eggs are found under the fat red hens.

Tags

alphabet, amish, author's note, community, food, multicultural, neighbors, nutrition, responsibilities

Home

Baker, Jeannie

From the day of her birth until the times of her adulthood, Tracy moves outside and inside her house experiencing important milestones. Through the same window scene, her neighborhood develops and matures with plants and animals. (A wordless book).

Tags

accomplishment, author's note, birth, celebration, challenges, change, community, day, family, feelings, garden, growing up, gymnastics, happiness, neighbors, night, nonverbal communication, perspective, plants, seasons, sports, transportation, wedding

Kumak's fish: A tall tale from the far north

Bania, Michael

One morning, Kumak and his family pack their fishing gear for an antarctic ice fishing adventure. With patience, the family fishes until Kumak finally catches a strong fish. The whole Alaskan community comes running to help Kumak and his family pull the fish out of the water. The community celebrates their new food supply when they see each fish holding on to the fist infront of it.

Tags

author's note, bodies of water, community, dancing, eskimo, excitement, exercise, family, feelings, fish, fishing, grandparents, happiness, ice, lake, multicultural, parents, patience, running, seasons, siblings, sledding, snow, sports, spring, teamwork, transportation, verbal communication, village, weather, winter

Crown: An ode to the fresh cut

Barnes, Derrick

A boy goes to the barbershop to get a haircut. As he sits there, he notices everyone around him, gaining confidence with each unique style. Once his haircut is complete, the boy feels ready to accomplish anything with a newfound conviction and trust in himself.

Tags

african american, author's note, body parts, careers, confidence, friendship, instruments, multicultural, music, perspective, pride, self confidence

Showdown at the food pyramid

Barron, Rex

Once upon a time, a "happy and strong food pyramid" shows people how to eat. But one day, foreign junk food makes its way onto the pyramid. The pyramid starts weighing too much with the junk food included so the pyramid crashed. Healthy foods rightfully take back the food pyramid, allowing some sweets to return to the group.

Tags

author's note, balance, classification, competition, food, fruit, health, nutrition, prevention, rules, symbols, teamwork, variety, vegetables

Clouds

Bauer, Marion

A boy spends his day outside with his cat exploring different types of clouds and the different things that clouds do. He also explains in a colorful and easy way, what clouds are made of and how we interact with clouds on an everyday basis, using weather terminology.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, author's note, cat, clothing, clouds, communication, critical thinking, decision making, dinosaur, environment, health, nonverbal communication, rain, science, seasons, snow, spring, storm, summer, teaching, travel, verbal communication, vocabulary, volcano, walking, weather, wind, winter

Mooove over!

Beil, Karen Magnuson

A trolley driver has a set system that he always uses to keep track of the number of passengers: he counts by twos. One day, everything is going right on schedule, until a big, bossy cow comes on the trolley. The driver loses count and the cow forces the other passengers onto the roof. Finally, the driver realizes there is only one passenger, gets everyone back inside the trolley, and pushes the cow off to the streets.

Tags

animals, author's note, chaos, conflict, confusion, counting, cow, duck, feelings, games, goose, horse, manners, numbers, pig, safety, selfishness, sheep, teaching, transportation, trolley, verbal communication

The sea maidens of Japan

Bell, Lili

Kiyomi's mother, Okaasan, is an ama diver who harvests shellfish from the deep ocean in Japan. As a young girl, Kiyomi practices with her mom to become an ama diver, but she is very afraid of the sea. Kiyomi gains the strength to overcome this fear and become a diver when she swims with the star turtle, an animal she helped to save when it was born.

Tags

author's note, beach, birds, bodies of water, careers, community, courage, diving, emotions, encouragement, fear, feelings, fishing, fog, identification, japan, night, ocean, parents, safety, sea, swimming, traditions, turtle

Over in the ocean: In a coral reef

Berkes, Marianne

Count one through 10 while using rhymes to talk about different activities between mother fishes and their babies. Move to the rhythm of this poem about ocean creatures !

Tags

animals, author's note, counting, dolphin, fish, illustrator's note, music, numbers, ocean, octopus, pattern, poetry, repetition, rhyme, rhythm, song, starfish

Animalogy: Animal analogies

Berkes, Marianne

Compare and contrast different animals through predictable analogies that rhyme. Find the similarities between even the most incompatible animals....bat is to flit as eagle is to soar; dog is to bark as lion is to roar. Comparisons include sounds, physical adaptations, behaviors, and animal classifications.

Tags

amphibian, analogy, animals, ant, arachnid, author's note, bat, bear, beaver, biology, birds, bodies of water, body parts, book, camping, cat, chicken, classification, comparisons, deer, dog, eagle, family, fire, fish, flowers, frog, garden, giraffe, goldfish, goose, hippopotamus, illustrator's note, insects, lion, mammals, moose, mountains, mouse, numbers, parents, plants, rabbit, reading, reptile, robin, rooster, science, sequence, sizes, skunk, snake, spider

We are moving

Biale, Rachel

Make a scrapbook on how do you feel before we move. Draw several pictures of how you feel. What does your house look like now?What will our new house look like?What is special to you before we move?

Tags

anger, author's note, change, community, confusion, coping, family, fear, feelings, happiness, loss, memories, moving, neighbors, perspective, sadness, school, separation, stress management, transportation, travel

Farmhouse

Blackall, Sophie

A farmhouse where twelve children grow up holds evidence of their stories long after they are gone.

Tags

animals, art, author's note, bedtime, books, chores, conflict, correspondence, cow, family, farm, food, home, instruments, music, photography, plants, playing, seasons, siblings, sleep, tree

Hello lighthouse

Blackall, Sophie

A lighthouse keeper fills the lamp, trims the wick, and keeps a logbook while living in the lighthouse. The tender regularly brings him food and supplies from the mainland, even bringing the keeper's wife to join him. One day, the keeper is asked to leave the newly automated lighthouse because his work is no longer needed, but his family will always cherish their time there.

Tags

author's note, bodies of water, careers, correspondence, family, fishing, fog, loneliness, new baby, ocean, photograph, pregnancy, rescue, ship, sun, transportation, weather, wind, writing

New old shoes

Blessing, Charlotte

A brand-new pair of shoes begin on the playful feet of an American boy then his shoes are donated and worn on the feet of African children. The shoes are worn and used in many different ways for play and work.

Tags

africa, animals, author's note, balance, biking, birds, boat, body parts, change, chicken, china, cleanliness, clothing, colors, crow, decision making, dog, italy, jumping, market, ocean, play, portugal, running, scarecrows, school, shoes, signs, soccer, taiwan, transportation, travel, truck

The littlest matryoshka

Bliss, Corinne Denias

Nikolai shipped his last carved matryoshka from Russia to a toy store in America. While on display, one of the six dolls gets bumped from the shelf and begins a great adventure away from her sisters. She survived the snow, the stream, a bird, and a cat before being found by the very girl who had bought her sisters, and they were all together once again.

Tags

accidents, adventures, american, animals, author's note, beauty, birds, colors, dolls, family, hobby, hope, lost, missing, multicultural, russian, seasons, shopping, snow, squirrel, surprises, survival, toys

Tale of a tail

Bodnar, Judit Z.

A fox catches fish for his dinner. WHen his friend, the bear, finds out he wants to know where the fox got all his fish. The bear takes his friend's advice and spends all night trying to catch fish. At dawn, he does not think he has caught any, but then he realizes he has caught a lot of fish on the way home.

Good-bye, charles lindbergh

Borden, Louise

Gil is on his way to get the laundry for his mom when he sees it. Up in the sky is the shiny orange biplane trying to land in a neighboring field. After the plane lands, Gil discovers the pilot is Colonel Lindbergh. Gil has so many questions to ask him, but he doesn't get the chance.

Tags

airplane, animals, assertiveness, author's note, barn, careers, family, farm, friendship, history, horse, nature, neighbors, parents, rain, seasons, siblings, spring, transportation

Sleds on boston common: A story from the american revolution

Borden, Louise

It's 1774 and British troops are occupying Boston. King George closes Boston Harbor to punish people who speak out against his laws. Henry, a young boy from Boston, hopes to try out his new sled on his birthday. But when he and his brothers and sister get to the hill they find that the troops have set up camp there. After building up enough courage, Henry asks General Gage to move his troops because Boston Common is for everyone. Being a kind man of his word, General Gage agrees and the children can once again sled.

Tags

american, assertiveness, author's note, beliefs, birthday, boat, british, courage, england, exercise, family, giving, history, play, presents, royalty, school, sharing, skating, sledding, snow, transportation, verbal communication, war

First pooch: The Obamas pick a pet

Boston Weatherford, Carole

Throughout their father's twenty-two month campaign for president, Malia and Sasha Obama beg their parents for a dog. Finally, when their father becomes the forty-fourth president of the United States, he rewards their patience and good behavior in his victory speech: Malia and Sasha will get their new puppy. What type of dog will they choose? Finally, on April 14th, 2009, a new puppy moves into the White House. It is a Portuguese water dog, and the girls name him Bo.

Tags

allergies, american, animals, author's note, comparisons, decision making, dog, family, health, history, numbers, pets, president, secrets, sequence, siblings, success, united states

The notebook keeper: A story of kindness from the border

Briseno, Stephen

Families seeking asylum into the U.S. at the Tijuana, Mexico border have to wait for a long time to enter the United States after being denied entry. During the wait at the border, a girl and her mother look for a refugee who keeps a list of people waiting to cross into the United States. This act of kindness from the border, initiated by a notebook keeper, gives families hope as they wait.

Tags

asylum, author's note, central america, change, correspondence, Days of The Week, El Salvador, faith, feelings, food, guatemalan, haitian, history, hope, kindness, loneliness, loss, Mexico, multicultural, numbers, patience, perspective, refugee, safety, silence, travel, volunteer, writing

Buffalo

Brodsky, Beverly

The buffalo was very important for the survival of Native Americans. Learn about the history and importance of the buffalo. Excerpts from Native American songs and many original paintings add an artistic dimension.

Arthur's nose

Brown, Marc

Arthur does not like his nose! Although his friends and family like Arthur's nose just the way it is, he feels that it is always getting in the way and decides to get a new nose!

A home in the barn

Brown, Margaret Wise

In the winter, it is too cold for the animals to be outside but the barn is warm. All the horses, cattle, mice, birds, and cats stay there together to keep away from the cold. Even though there are a lot of animals in the barn, they all get along and help to keep each other warm.

Tags

african american, animals, author's note, baby, barn, birds, birth, bluejay, cardinal, cat, chicken, cold, community, cow, dog, farm, goat, horse, insects, mouse, multicultural, night, onomatopoeia, pig, pony, problem solving, rhyme, rhythm, sparrow, squirrel, time, wasp, winter

That flag

Brown, Tameka Fryer

Tags

anger, author's note, bias, change, clothing, comparisons, conversation, differences, family, feelings, flag, friendship, games, hatred, history, illustrator's note, jump rope, learning, museum, neighbors, parents, quiet, racism, reading, recess, respect, sadness, school, technology, television, war

A tree is a plant

Bulla, Robert Clyde

Trees are the biggest growing plants; they come in a variety, and most grow from seeds. The seeds are planted, and stay in the ground throughout winter. They begin to grow during Spring time, and blossom for only a few days. When Autumn comes, the leaves die and fall to the ground, leaving trees bare, then the process repeats itself.

Tags

assertiveness, author's note, autumn, critical thinking, food, ice, nonverbal communication, nutrition, plants, rain, rainbow, science, seasons, seed, snow, spring, summer, tree, water, weather

So far from the sea

Bunting, Eve

Laura and her family are moving, so they are coming to visit the Manzanar War Relocation Center one last time. Years ago, this center was used to house anyone living in the United States that were of Japanese descent. These people were forced to leave their homes and come to the center because Japan bombed the United States. The center is bare now except for all of the memories and the cemetary, including her grandfather's grave.

Tags

acceptance, airplane, american, anger, anticipation, assertiveness, author's note, awareness, bias, bravery, change, citizen, cold, community, conflict, confusion, critical thinking, crow, culture, death, differences, discrimination, diversity, family, fear, feelings, flowers, forgiveness, generations, ghosts, grandparents, growing up, history, illness, japanese, loss, memories, monuments, mountains, moving, prison, sea, sky, snow, survival, verbal communication, war

A picnic in october

Bunting, Eve

Tony and his extended family celebrate the birthday of the Statue of Liberty every October. They travel out to Libery Island to have a picnic and show their appreciation to the meaning the statue brings. Tony is embarrassed by his family's dedication, but in the end realizes the meaning of the statue.

Butterfly house

Bunting, Eve

A young girl and her grandfather save a caterpillar and keep it while it goes through its changes. They build it a beautiful house and care for it until it turns into a butterfly. Although it was hard for her to let it go, she has mysterious visitors surprise her every spring, even when she grows up to be a grandmother herself.

Tags

aging, art, author's note, butterfly, caterpillar, change, cocoon, colors, feelings, flowers, freedom, friendship, garden, grandparents, growing up, happiness, insects, nature, pets, sadness

Moonstick: The seasons of the sioux

Bunting, Eve

A young Sioux is taught the way of life by his father. The young boy is too young to do many things, but one day he will be able to do what he is taught. When the seasons change, he makes another notch in his moonstick.

Tags

author's note, change, family, growing up, learning, moon, multicultural, native american, parents, poetry, rhyme, seasons, self esteem, spring, summer, traditions, verbal communication, winter

The greedy triangle

Burns, Marilyn

A triangle gets bored doing the same old thing every day. He decides to take up a different shape, so he visits the shapeshifter to add on a few more angles. After a life of being a quadrilateral, pentagon and hexagon, the shape returns to its old self of being a triangle.

Night running: How James escaped with the help of his faithful dog based on a true story

Carbone, Elisa

It's 1838 and James plans to escape from Master Graham's farm where he is a slave. He tries to leave his dog, Zeus, at the farm because he believes he willbe too muchtrouble. Zeus refuses to tay behind though and ends up save James' life and dreams of freedom.

Tags

adventures, aggression, alcohol, animals, appreciation, author's note, boat, bravery, caring, challenges, companion, decision making, dog, escape, food, heroism, pets, sleep, sounds, transportation, trust

Slowly, slowly, slowly, said the sloth

Carle, Eric

Slowly, slowly, slowly... the sloth moves through the day. Many animals are curious as to why the sloth is so slow, quiet, boring, and lazy!? In a short description of the sloth written and provided by Jane Goodall at the beginning of the book, she states that sloths are delightful, gentle, peace-loving creatures.

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