Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Brothers of the knight | by Allen, Debbie

Twelve brothers magically disappear every night even though their door is locked. Their father hires a housekeeper to figure out the mystery of his boys. She learns to listen, which turns out to be more powerful than simply solving a mystery.

Keywords: african american, bedtime, careers, church, conflict resolution, dancing, deception, exercise, family, generations, hard work, magic, multicultural, music, mystery, parents, relationship, secrets, siblings, stress management

Angelo | by Macauley, David

A man is repairing when he comes upon an injured pigeon. He nurses the pigeon back to health and a friendship fast emerges. The pigeon helps the man fulfill his lifelong dream and is surprised to find an addition to the building.

Keywords: aging, ambition, birds, careers, church, death, food, friendship, health, italian, kindness, monuments, multicultural, music, pigeon, teamwork, work

My big brother | by Cohen, Miriam

A little boy idolizes his big brother and wants to be exactly like him. They do everything together. When his family cannot pay for college, the older child joins the army. His little brother then takes his place being big brother to their youngest sibling.

Keywords: african american, basketball, car, church, correspondence, family, feelings, food, happiness, loss, love, multicultural, nutrition, sadness, siblings, sports, television, transportation, writing

Kaddish for grandpa in Jesus' name amen | by Howe, James

A young girl finds her own spirituality while observing the differing social customs of her Jewish and Christian relatives following her grandfather's sudden death. She interacts with her family to remember her grandfather in special ways at home, at church, and before bed.

Keywords: aging, angel, art, baby, bath, bedtime, behavior, church, dancing, emotions, exercise, family, feelings, food, grandparents, grief, hebrew, hygiene, Jewish, multicultural, mythical, parents, sadness

I took the moon for a walk | by Curtis, Carolyn

A young boy takes the moon for a walk and discovers the mysteries of the night. As he walks along he admires the bright refletion of the moon on the water and the changes that take place with the animals, the town and the environment. Hw then returns home to a restful sleep while the moon continues to shine brightly.

Keywords: adventures, animals, biking, birds, bodies of water, bridge, church, community, cow, dog, feelings, imagination, insects, ladybug, moon, moth, multicultural, night, owl, park, playground, rhyme, sleep, snail, walking, worm

Hip, hug, hooray! | by Tangvald, Christine

Do you know how many types of hugs there are? Look and learn how hugs are imporatant everywhere and everyday.

Keywords: activities, affection, animals, baby, bath, beach, bedtime, birds, birthday, books, caring, celebration, church, cleanliness, climbing, dog, family, feelings, food, friendship, glasses, god, grandparents, happiness, hygiene, lake, library, love, night, parents, party, picnic, playground, rabbit, rain, reading, religion, sand, seasons, sheep, snow, soccer, sports, squirrel, storytelling, summer, swimming, tree, umbrella, weather, winter

Hill of fire | by Lewis, P. Thomas

Bored of his day-to-day lifestyle, a farmer complains to his wife and son how nothing ever hannpens. One day while plowing, the farmer comes across an explosion coming from his field. It turns out to be a volcano erupting and the farmer's field becomes a place in history.

Keywords: beverage, boredom, bull, bus, church, dancing, depression, farm, fire, food, helping, market, mexican, mountains, night, noise, ox, party, prayer, rocks, running, sadness, safety, school, spanish, toys, truck, volcano, work

Pictures for Miss Josie | by Belton, Sandra

A young boy is introduced by his father to Miss Josie, who as first freightens him. As he grows up, he learns to admire her and the two develop a special friendship. Soon the grown boy passes on his memories to his own son and introduces Miss Josie to him.

Keywords: african american, aging, airplane, art, celebration, church, contentment, dancing, dreams, family, fear, giants, listening, marriage, memories, multicultural, radio, role model, school, skills, teeth, telephone, train, transportation, walking, worry

Freedom school, yes! | by Littlesugar, Amy

Jolie shows courage in her community by protecting the school that will educate her and others. Jolie is afraid others will burn down the school. Jolie never gives up hope, and learns about famous African Americans who were brave and made a difference in their community, just like Jolie.

Keywords: african american, anger, art, body parts, books, bravery, buildings, careers, change, church, community, courage, education, family, fire, freedom, god, hard work, history, music, neighbors, poetry, quilt, relationship, religion, running, school, slavery, song, spiritual, stars, teaching

Up home | by Grant, Shauntay

A young woman of African decent recalls her childhood in her native homeland of Preston, Canada. She remembers long hot days of summer playing with cousins, singing on Sunday mornings, climbing trees and picking blueberries. Gatherings with her family are special celebrations.

Keywords: african american, body parts, canada, celebration, church, climbing, clothing, cooking, family, flowers, food, friendship, fun, garden, glasses, grandparents, history, instruments, love, memory, multicultural, music, nutrition, park, quilt, seasons, song, spiritual, storytelling, woods

Papa's mark | by Battle-Lavert, Gwendolyn

Simms teaches his father how to write. For many years Simms' father struggled writing his own name. However, Papa learns just in time so he can vote in the first election which gave Blacks the right to vote.

Keywords: accomplishment, african american, american, animals, bedtime, buildings, change, church, community, cow, crowd, discrimination, education, election, equality, family, food, freedom, hard work, helping, horse, learning, letters, multicultural, night, parents, prejudice, quilt, relationship, school, shopping, signs, teaching, writing

The balloon sailors | by 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…

Keywords: 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 stars will still shine | by Ryland, Cynthia

The promises of a new year are given through rhyme and soft illustrations.

Keywords: animals, appreciation, awareness, birds, church, cow, encouragement, flowers, garden, home, light, love, new year, self esteem, storm, stress management

Just like new | by Manson, Ainslie

It is a time of war and children in England won't have Christmas presents. A little girl's class decides to give gifts they love that are like new. The little girl unselfishly gives up her most cherished doll and inserts a note, and a girl from England becomes her pen pal after receiving the gift.

Keywords: books, canada, charity, christmas, church, correspondence, critical thinking, decision making, dolls, empathy, england, family, feelings, food, friendship, happiness, history, holidays, maps, multicultural, nutrition, parents, sadness, ship, siblings, toys, transportation, verbal communication, war

A cow's alfalfa-bet | by Jackson, Woody

This alphabet journey takes you from a to z on a dairy farm. Using the grain, alfalfa, you can experience the alfalfa-bet in farm colors, scenery, and cows.

Keywords: alphabet, animals, church, cow, dog, duck, farm, flag, garden, moon, night, plants, sequence, weather

Before John was a jazz giant: A song of John Coltrane | by Weatherford, Carole Boston

Before John became a jazz giant, he loved music, singing, instruments, and the radio. The bustling of the south and the foundation of his church and family allows John to listen and create his own music.

Keywords: african american, body parts, church, cooking, dancing, five senses, history, instruments, multicultural, music, parade, poetry, radio, rhythm, spiritual, technology

Together in pinecone patch | by Yezerski, Thomas

Keara and Stefan are from Ireland and Poland, respectively, and each tell the stories of their families. They meet in the United States in Pinecone Patch, PA. They overcome deep stereotypes and prejudices to be married and bring two families together.

Ma dear's aprons | by McKissack, Patricia C.

David Earl knows what day of the week it is by the color of Ma Dear's aprons. She wears a different apron each day to reflect the day's chores. Ma Dear is a single, hard-working mother from the South that creates a loving home for her son.

Keywords: african american, bath, bedtime, child care, church, cleanliness, clothing, colors, Days of The Week, death, goal setting, multicultural, stress management, verbal communication, working mother

Chanukah in chelm | by 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.

Keywords: 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

I have heard of a land | by Thomas, Joyce Carol

Moving across country must have been very hard. Pioneers often picked up their belongings and moved on toward a common goal: starting a new life!

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