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

Tags: challenges

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Keeping the city going

Floca, Brian

During the COVID-19 pandemic, entire cities shut down and everyone stayed in their homes except for the workers that society needed the most. The people who deliver the mail, stock the grocery stores and care for the sick: they remained. Society celebrates these people because, without their sacrifice and dedication, society would not have been able to survive a global pandemic.

Tags

appreciation, bicycle, bus, careers, celebration, challenges, communication, crisis, dedication, diseases, doctor, food, health, helping, neighbors, observation, recognition, relationship, safety, sounds, support, taxi, teamwork, technology, train, transportation, truck, work

Boycott blues: How Rosa Parks inspired a nation

Pinkney, Andrea Davis

Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus because of her race, sparking a social movement to end segregation enforced by the Jim Crow laws.Following the arrest of Rosa Park, her supporters refused to ride the community bus system during the Montgomery bus boycott. Despite the struggles of this protest, the Jim Crow laws were eventually overturned due to the spark that Rosa Parks ignited to motivate a generation to stay resolute in their pursuit of justice.

Tags

aggression, ambition, america, author's note, beliefs, boycott, bravery, challenges, change, conflict, courage, determination, discrimination, history, music, onomatopoeia, prejudice, protest, walking

Ain't nobody a stranger to me

Grifalconi, Ann

As a girl and her grandfather walk to the family’s apple orchard, grandfather shares his experiences as a slave to explain how the apple orchard came to be. Her grandfather traveled north in pursuit of freedom and encountered members of the Underground Railroad who helped their family by providing food, shelter, and transportation. This allowed her grandfather, grandmother, and mother to cross the Ohio River and gain freedom, working until they had enough money to buy land and start their own apple orchard.

Tags

ambition, bodies of water, challenges, courage, family, freedom, future, grandparents, growth, happiness, hard work, helping, kindness, memories, neighbors, plants, progress, protection, river, shelter, slavery, tree, underground railroad

March on! The day my brother Martin changed the world

Farris, Christine

Christine King Farris, the sister of Martin Luther King Jr., watched her brother during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. She describes her brother’s journey from writing his “I Have a Dream” speech to joining the crowds in their demand for freedom. She was moved by her brother’s persistence and success in persuading millions to believe in and fight for a better tomorrow in which all men are created equal.

Loudmouth George and the sixth-grade bully

Carlson, Nancy

George's first day of school is ruined by Big Mike, who bullies George and steals his lunch. All week, George does everything he can to keep Big Mike happy. However, George can't live in fear forever! George and his friend Harriet spend the weekend devising a plan to stop Big Mike and his evil ways.

Crickwing

Cannon, Janell

Crickwing is different from all the other cockroaches. He likes to create sculptures and has a twisted wing. Crickwing is tired of being bullied by the bigger animals in the forest and mistakenly takes his anger out on the leaf-cutter ants, learning a valuable lesson in return.

What planet are you from, Clarice Bean?

Child, Lauren

Clarice Bean is having a hard time coming up with an idea for her project on the environment. To make matters worse, she is paired up with her tag-along neighbor, Robert Granger. Her situation looks hopeless until her brother becomes an ecowarrior in an effort to free the tree from being cut down in their neighborhood. Robert and Clarice become ecowarriors themselves, saving the tree and their project.

The day I had to play with my sister

Bonsall, Crosby

A boy has a hard time dealing with his younger sister while teaching her the rules of hide-and-seek. She just won't listen! Uggh...being a big brother can be tough!

Tags

animals, attention, autumn, behavior, challenges, communication, counting, determination, dog, family, feelings, frustration, games, individuality, learning, listening, numbers, patience, play, playing, relationship, resentment, seasons, sequence, siblings, teaching

Halmoni and the picnic

Choi, Sook Nyul

Yunmi wants her grandmother, Halmoni to feel at home in New York City. However, Halmoni is having trouble adjusting to the American customs that differ so much from the customs of her native Korea. Yunmi's friends suggest that Halmoni chaperone the annual class picnic to Central Park. It may be an opportunity to open-up and feel comfortable in her new home.

Mr. Tanen's tie trouble

Cocca-Leffler, Maryann

The principal of Lynnhurst School, Mr. Tanen, is known for his unbelievable collection of 975 ties. He has a tie for every occasion! When the plan for the new playground falls through, everyone is shocked to see Mr. Tannen part with his beloved ties as he auctions them off so that the children at Lynnhurst School can enjoy their new playground.

I like me!

Carlson, Nancy

A very fine pig lists all the good qualities she sees in herself, along with what helps her cope when she's feeling low. She points out that nothing is better than being yourself. She paints, rides her bike, reads good books, and takes care of herself.

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!

Sister Anne's hands

Lorbiecki, Mary Beth

Anna begins her second year of school in the early '60's. Her new teacher, Sister Anne, is different from other teachers because she has a different skin color. She inspires students all around her and overcomes challenges. Students learn what respect and tolerance are, and everyone learns from one another.

Tags

acceptance, african american, appearance, art, beach, bedtime, body parts, challenges, change, colors, community, counting, differences, discrimination, diversity, garden, god, history, learning, library, map, memories, moving, multicultural, numbers, prejudice, racism, religion, rhythm, school, singing, stereotypes, storytelling, teaching

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

Baby brains

James, Simon

Baby Brains is a child prodigy! As an infant, his intelligence is that of a brilliant adult. His infancy is occupied by going to school, being a doctor and travelling to space. One day, he realizes that he really just wants his mommy.

Tags

acceptance, baby, challenges, child care, doctor, family, feelings, fun, intelligence, learning, newspaper, pregnancy, reading, school, space, transportation, understanding

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

The best of times

Tang, Greg

Rhymes and mathematical strategies invite you to learn your multiplication facts.

Tags

activities, awareness, challenges, counting, critical thinking, decision making, exploration, learning, math, numbers, problem solving, rhyme, sequence

Hunter bunny learns to ski

Weaver, Alexis Rae

Hunter Bunny is eagerly awaiting for winter to arrive and is determined to take part in all the activities that come along with it. He visits his fellow animal friends who teach him to ski, skate and snowboard, but with Hunter Bunny's shorter leg, he is unable to be successful. With the help of his best friend Clark, the two find a way for Hunter to be able to ski in the animal ski race. Determined to win, Hunter Bunny practices day and night for the big competition and it pays off in the end when he brings home the first place ribbon.

Tags

accidents, activities, animals, anticipation, challenges, cold, colors, competition, confidence, determination, disability, dreams, encouragement, excitement, exercise, family, feelings, friendship, handicap, helping, learning, parents, practice, preparation, problem solving, protection, rabbit, reading, sadness, safety, seasons, skating, skiing, sledding, sleep, snow, sports, support, surprises, teaching, teamwork, teasing, uniqueness, wind, winter, zoo

The big cheese of third street

Anderson, Halse Laurie

Little Benny is bullied constantly for being so little. It isn't until he wins the pole challenge that everyone cheers and honors Benny.

Tags

bully, celebration, challenges, climbing, community, family, flood, games, music, neighbors, party, play, river, siblings, swimming, teasing, violence

The spider who never gave up

Flores, Travis

Sparkey the spider tries hard to overcome his inability to spin a web. With encouragement from his mom and his friends and a strong will to never give up, Sparkey finally achieves his goal of spinning the perfect web. Read about the real life struggle of Sparky, as he tries one medicine after another in hope of beating Cystic Fibrosis.

Tags

author's note, bravery, challenges, determination, diseases, dreams, encouragement, family, feelings, insects, parents, pride, self confidence, spider, trust

The blue ribbon day

Couric, Katie

Ellie and Carrie are best friends in the second grade. They do everything together and this year they are trying out for the soccer team. Carrie does not make the team and feels left out. She finds a new hobby, the science fair.

Tags

challenges, competition, confidence, feelings, friendship, goal setting, hard work, school, science, soccer, sports

Suddenly alligator: An adverbial tale

Walton, Rick

A young boy decides it is time to buy a new pair of socks to replace the smelly one's he's worn for three years. He travels to town via the swamp discovering items he's lots along the way. He encounters an alligator and a chase ensues. The alligator gets hold of the boys' shoe and when the shoe cocmes off, the odor from the socks, stuns the alligator. The boy continues on his way to buy new socks. With each step along his journey, he experiences an adverbial action.

Tags

alligator, anger, animals, bodies of water, body parts, bravery, challenges, clothing, fear, feelings, five senses, happiness, language, learning, running, smell, spelling, stream, swamp

A negro league scrapbook

Weatherford, Carole Boston

Through the use of photographs, narrations, and an inspiring poem, the history of African Americans in baseball unfolds. The struggles and triumphs they have experienced in the past have helped to establish the sport that we know today.

Dangerous crossing

Krensky, Stephen

Showing no signs of fear, young Johnny Adams boards a ship with his father, the future second President of the United States, for a voyage from Massachusetts to Paris to gain support for the colonies. Their journey is depicted with vivid pictures and an exciting storyline portraying the battles, harsh weather and seasickness endured along the way by two key Presidents in U.S. history.

Zen shorts

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.

The golden rain

Mashiri, Pascal

A young child learns from his mother's stories about decision making and choices. He comes to understand that choices make some people happy and leave some disapointed. The child also realizes that help is sometimes needed for the decision making, but ultimately it is up to the individual.

A pebble for your pocket

Hanh, Thich Nhat

Enjoy the stories of Thich Nhat Hanh, a Zen Buddhist. Learn how to transform negative feelings into positive feelings so you can live more at peace with yourself and in harmony with your environment.

Earth day - hooray!

Murphy, Stuart J.

Ryan, Carly, and Luke set out to clean up Gilroy Park for an Earth Day celebration. They decide to plant flowers to beautify the park while collecting cans to raise money through recycling. The children use math and find school resources to help them with their project.

Keep climbing, girls

Richards, Beah E.

Climb the highest tree possible with an ambitious young girl and learn never stop reaching for your hopes and dreams. Children are reminded that goal setting and perserverence are keys to success.

The hallelujah flight

Bildner, Phil

James Banning fixes up an old plane to fly across the country from California to New York. James's courage and perseverance allows him to overcome many challenges during his 1932 trek across the United States (e.g., California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York).

Tags

accomplishment, adventures, african american, airplane, anger, bias, biography, bodies of water, celebration, challenges, community, courage, crowd, day, determination, direction, discrimination, dreams, feelings, food, geography, hard work, helping, heroism, kindness, machines, maps, monuments, mountains, multicultural, night, numbers, performance, prejudice, relationship, sky, storm, transportation, tree

Allie's basketball dream

Barber, Barbara

Allie loves basketball, but she is often the only girl on the court. Buddy and other boys tease Allie about playing basketball. Allie believes in her ability and keeps practicing so that one day she can be better at basketball than the boys!

Dancing in the wings

Allen, Debbie

Sassy uses her unique characteristics and height to become a great ballet dancer. Sassy does not allow bullying from the other students to prevent her from trying out for a summer dance festival. Sassy learns the benefits of perseverence and self-esteem.

Tags

challenges, competition, dancing, depression, determination, dreams, embarrassment, family, feelings, glasses, humor, imagination, individuality, instruments, jealousy, multicultural, performance, persistence, playing, self esteem, stars, theatre, travel

The village in the valley of darkness

Mashiri, Pascal

I want to see my people in the village. It is no fun to search alone. At last, I can see the light.ﾔ During my travel, a dog at my side with brother and I. People in the village are thankful and at peace!

Duck for president

Cronin, Doreen

Duck gets tired of doing chores on the farm, so he holds an election to change the way things are run. Duck wins the election, but gets bored and runs for Governor. He wins again and does not like the stress, so he runs for President and wins. Being President is even harder work than being on the farm so he returns to the farm to write his autobiography.

Sometimes my mommy gets angry

Campbell, Bebe Moore

When Annie wakes up in the morning, she is relieved to find her euphoric mother in the kitchen. They share a healthy breakfast, then her mother helps her get ready for school. After a fun day at school, Annie comes home to an angry and yelling mother. Annie copes by calling her grandmother to talk about her feelings. She takes care of herself and maintains a positive attitude with happy thoughts. She uses effective strategies to accept her motherﾒs bipolar disorder.

Zathura: A space adventure

VanAllsburg, Chris

Danny and Walter Budwing have a typical brotherly relationship. It isnﾒt until Danny finds an old game that takes the boys away to another galaxy that the brothers finally reach a new appreciation for one another.

Tags

accidents, adventures, alien, anger, apology, challenges, change, chaos, conflict, decision making, destruction, earth, family, fear, feelings, fight, robot, sounds, stars, verbal communication

A slimy story

Knudsen, Michelle

Dan runs into a problem when he has no money and no time to buy his mom a birthday present. He canﾒt think of anything and feels hopeless. One day, a bully puts a slimy, gross worm in Danﾒs pocket on the walk to school. His teacher, Mrs. Stewart, places the worm in a jar, and all the children become interested. Dan even starts to like the worm and decides to give it to his mom to help her garden. She thinks the worm is a great gift.

Tags

birthday, books, bully, celebration, challenges, conflict resolution, confusion, critical thinking, excitement, family, feelings, friendship, insects, library, parents, presents, resolution, school, science, siblings, teaching, worm, worry

In the small, small night

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.

The balloon sailors

Swanson, Diana

When bickering princes take the throne, the kingdom is split in two by a wall so that each brother rules half. The kingdom is divided and it is illegal for people to cross the wall. Since Tamala and Abalon are forbidden to see their grandmother and cousin on the other side of the wall, they decide to float over it in a hot air balloon. They work with their parents to collect materials, build the balloon, and wait for the perfect weather conditions. The family departs during the night, escapes military fire from soldiers, and surprises their relatives in the morning. This adventure is loosely based on the true story of two East German families sailing over the Berlin Wall in their own hot air balloon in 1979.

Tags

accomplishment, argument, balloon, barn, bodies of water, bravery, challenges, church, clothing, conflict resolution, cooperation, correspondence, cow, creativity, crisis, dog, emotions, family, germany, goal setting, grandparents, hard work, helping, history, love, multicultural, parents, patience, pets, politics, pond, prison, quilt, reunion, royalty, rules, sadness, separation, sewing, spy, teamwork, train, transportation, verbal communication, weather, wind, writing

The red bird

Lindgren, Astrid

A brother and sister who live a very poor and hard life find a secret doorway to a ﾓperfect worldﾔ. The children leave it to go back to their lives after being told if they shut the door they can never return. But, one cold hard day they entered the ﾓroomﾔ again and face the decision, ﾓDo we shut the door?ﾔ.

Tags

animals, barn, birds, bodies of water, cardinal, challenges, critical thinking, decision making, excitement, farmer, hunger, mice, poverty, seasons, self confidence, snow, spring, stream, stress management, toys, verbal communication, walking

Here comes our bride

Onyefulu, Ifeoma

Ekinadose wants his Uncle Osaere to get married - then he can go to a wedding. One day, he sees people welcomed into his grandfather's house. They come to collect their bride - and Edinadose will be going, not just to one wedding ceremony, but two!

Tags

celebration, ceremony, challenges, community, family, friendship, grandparents, harmony, jewelry, maps, marriage, nigerian, patience, peace, photograph, presents, symbols, traditions, wedding

Candy shop

Wahl, Jan

A young boy, Daniel, and his aunt Thelma take a trip to the market with money that he has earned. The boy is looking forward to visiting the candy shop but when they arrive they see a crowd and are faced with prejudice acts toward the owner of the store. Daniel and his aunt help comfort the owner and show true friendship.

Tags

african american, asian, challenges, conflict, conflict resolution, coping, culture, discrimination, feelings, helping, kindness, market, money, multicultural, nonverbal communication, problem solving, racism, respect, sadness

Ant and honey bee: What a pair!

McDonald, Megan

Ant and Honey Bee use their friendship to create a two-things-that-go-together pair of costumes for Cricket's party. As it starts to rain on the walk to Cricket's house, what will happen to Ant and Honey Bees costumes?

Going home, coming home

Tran, Truong

Ami Chi is going on a trip to Vietnam with her parents. Not very happy, Ami Chi sees her grandmother and her uncle. Along the way she meets a girl named Thao at the market. Thao shows Ami Chi all around the market. Ami Chi finally goes back to her grandmother's house, where her parents are worried. Now with an appreciation for her other home, Vietnam, she goes back home to America.

Audrey and barbara

Lawson, Janet

Audrey has big ideas for herself and her cat, Barbara. She wants to cross the ocean in her bathtub sailboat to visit the Taj-Mahal and ride on an elephant. But will her imagination take her all the way to India?

The cow that went oink

Most, Bernard

All of the animals on the farm laugh at the cow that says oink and the pig that says moo. This makes the animals feel badly about themselves. The cow and the pig decide to work together and teach each other what they know. In the end, they become the envy of all of the other animals on the farm.

Tags

animals, barn, cat, cattle, challenges, chicken, comparisons, conflict resolution, cow, critical thinking, dog, duck, farm, feelings, goat, learning, pig, self esteem, teaching, teamwork, teasing, verbal communication

Gerald Mcboing boing

Dr. Suess

A little boy makes unique noises instead of talking. He doesn't seem to fit in anywhere and is lonely. He is found by a man who has a radio station. He appreciates the boy's abilities.

Tags

acceptance, challenges, conflict resolution, differences, family, feelings, frustration, loneliness, nonverbal communication, parents, radio, rhyme, rhythm, sadness, sounds, technology, uniqueness, verbal communication

Karate hour

Nevius, Carol

A group of children practice karate. They kick, punch, chant and roll as they learn the value of self discipline, respect, and self esteem in both self and others.

Stellaluna: A pop-up book and mobile

Cannon, Janell

After being separated from Mother Bat, Stellaluna falls into a nest of baby birds. The family of birds adopt Stellaluna as one of their own, while Stellaluna does her best to eat bugs without making faces, sleep during the night, and stop hanging upside down. In the end, Stellaluna rejoins her mother.

Tags

acceptance, adventures, animals, bat, behavior, birds, challenges, change, cooperation, determination, differences, discovery, family, friendship, habitat, individuality, kindness, learning, loneliness, lost, missing, obedience, parents, peer resistance, relief, self esteem, shelter, similarities, sleep, survival, verbal communication

Gorilla doctors: Saving endangered great apes

Turner, Pamela

African mountain gorillas are fascinating creatures that have been studied for many years. African gorillas are presently endangered due to disease and human interaction. Join the journey as scientists race against time to save these gentle giants.

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