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

Tags: dancing

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Happy feet: The savory ballroom lindy hoppers and me

Michelson, Richard

A father loves to dance. He also loves to retell the story about the opening of the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem. He works hard and saves money so he can put up a shoe shine sign for his own business. When his son is born that day, the new club opens to a sharp-dressing, happy-dancing people from all backgrounds with black people and white people dancing together. The son is named Happy Feet, and he too dreams of dancing at the legendary ballroom someday.

Tags

african american, author's note, body parts, business, car, cleanliness, clothing, community, dance, dancing, feelings, friendship, happiness, hard work, history, language, multicultural, music, new baby, party, performance, shoes, signs

Magic: Once upon a faraway land

Ortega, Mirelle

Once upon a faraway land in Mexico, a young girl highlights her grandfather's pineapple farm, her mom's wool blanket weaving, and her dad's sketches for making stone buildings. She reflects on the way that magic can change things for better and for worse. She loves the beautiful music and sounds that are woven together for people to dance. She also admires her fingertips as an artist when blank pages become pictures to share with others.

Tags

author's note, body parts, careers, celebration, dancing, Day of the Dead, drawing, farm, food, fruit, games, holidays, magic, Mexico, music, party, sewing, storytelling, traditions, weather, weaving

My parents won't stop talking

Hunsinger, Emma & Walden, Tillie

Waiting is hard, and every kid knows it's not fun. Molly wants to go the park but her parents have started talking with the neighbors for a very long time.

Tags

alphabet, body parts, chipmunk, community, conversation, counting, dancing, dentist, family, food, grandparents, imagination, instruments, music, neighbors, onomatopoeia, parents, patience, sequence, siblings, travel

I am you: A book about ubuntu

Moahloli, Refiloe

Ubuntu is an ancient philosophy from many African cultures. The word promotes the idea that a person is known through other people - a concept of shared humanity, compassion, and oneness. Observe the many ways that we are all connected.

Tags

caring, community, dancing, differences, friendship, home, kindness, language, listening, love, lyrics, publisher's note, similarities, song, teasing, vision, walking

The key from Spain: Flory Jagoda and her music

Levy, Debbie

Just as her ancestors were forced to leave Spain during the Inquisition, Flory flees Europe for a new life in the United States, bringing with her a precious harmonica and a passion for Ladino music.

Tags

american, Bosnian, christians, Croatian, dancing, generations, gymnastics, history, instruments, Jewish, ladino, language, multicultural, music, muslim, neighbors, numbers, prayers, pretend, refugee, sewing, ship, singing, song, spain, storytelling, time, train, transportation, war

A house that once was

Fogliano, Julie

Two boys find a house that is abandoned and old. They wonder who might have lived there and where they had gone. Although it remains a mystery, the boys return to their home and enjoy a warm dinner with their family while leaving the abandoned house alone.

Tags

adventures, architecture, art, buildings, colors, courage, curiosity, dancing, disappearance, exploration, prediction, pretend, rhyme, singing, technology, time, transportation

A toothbrush tale

Smith, Stacy

A little boy goes to sleep one night without brushing his teeth, and then he hears a song coming from his bathroom. When he goes to investigate the noise, he finds his toothbrush singing and dancing about why it is so important to brush his teeth every morning and night. Scared that he will develop cavities (or even worse, that his teeth might fall out), the little boy brushes his teeth well and continues to do so every day in order to keep a healthy smile!

Harmonica

Johnston, Tony

A young boy and his parents fill their home singing with the gramophone using music as a language of family love. When the Nazis invade Poland, the family is separated by adults and children into two concentration camps. The boy plays a harmonica his father gave him to bring back memories of this parents dancing to music by the composer Schubert. A commandant orders the boy to play his harmonica which he does, but not for the commandant. He tries to play loudly to comfort the starving people in the concentration camp.

Tags

conflict resolution, dancing, history, hunger, instruments, language, love, memories, music, nonverbal communication, parents, Poland, separation, singing, war

Happy like soccer

Boelts, Maribeth

Nothing makes Sierra happier than soccer does. Sierra eats meals with her aunt after soccer games. Sierra's big game is cancelled one day. Sierra plans a makeup soccer game so that her aunt can see her play. What a great day to play at home in her own neighborhood!

Tags

bicycles, body parts, bus, clothing, community, critical thinking, dancing, Days of The Week, decision making, dreams, encouragement, exercise, family, food, game, goal setting, listening, love, neighbors, problem solving, rain, restaurant, shoes, sleep, soccer, sport, support, teamwork, telephone, transportation, umbrella, walking, weather

Papa's pastries

Toscano, Charles

Miguel and his father set out to sell their homemade pastries in the near by villages. Since money was scarce, Miguel's father decided that kindness was more important than money and was later repaid.

Tags

baby, body parts, careers, clothing, dancing, encouragement, faith, family, feelings, food, god, kindness, language, money, multicultural, parents, poverty, prayer, rest, sharing, singing, spanish, trust, village, worry

Brothers of the knight

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.

Tags

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

When Catherine the Great and I were eight!

Best, Cari

Sara, her mother, and Russian grandmother Catherine the Great, pile into Mr. Minsky's car along with a few of their other neighbors. They make their way to the beach to escape the heat of the hot summer day. Although they find it takes longer than planned to reach the beach, everyone has fun along the way.

Ten mice for Tet

Shea, Pegi Deitz // Weill, Cynthia

A group of mice prepare for Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. The mice plan parties and a feast to celebrate.

Tags

author's note, celebration, counting, dancing, fireworks, food, learning, market, math, mouse, multicultural, music, new year, nonverbal communication, party, play, presents, verbal communication, vietnamese

And to think that we thought we'd never be friends

Hoberman, Mary Ann

Arguments erupt everywhere. For a brother and sister, conflicts end as quickly as they begin. When a fight almost starts with their neighbors next door, music erupts until the whole town marches into the ocean. Even the whales join in the rhythmic fun!

Tags

anger, animals, argument, beverage, bodies of water, conflict, conflict resolution, dancing, exercise, family, feelings, five senses, friendship, instruments, music, neighbors, nonverbal communication, ocean, parade, parents, relationship, rhyme, siblings, walking, whale

The patchwork quilt

Flournoy, Valerie

Tanya loves spending time with her Grandma. Grandma teaches Tanya the importance of using old scraps of material to make unique and warm quilts. One day Grandma gets sick before the quilt is complete. Tanya must help Grandma finish the quilt.

Tags

activities, african american, art, cooking, dancing, family, friendship, generations, grandparents, halloween, hard work, holidays, illness, patience, quilt, seasons, sharing, trust

Stage struck

DePaola, Tomie

Tommy knows the story of Peter Rabbit by heart. When his class decides to put on the production he wants to be cast in the roll of Peter. Tommy is so excited he does not pay attention to his teacher and as a result gets cast as Mopsy. However, Tommy has a plan to keep him in the spotlight.

Tags

acting, ambition, animals, attention, confidence, conflict, cooperation, creativity, dancing, disappointment, forgiveness, friendship, garden, humor, independence, listening, mouse, obedience, parents, performance, rabbit, school, self confidence

Oh, no! Where are my pants?

Hopkins, Lee Bennett

Fourteen poems about everyday life tell about friends moving away, forgetting your pants and the death of a class pet. Other poems include Winter Rabbit, Play Ball, Nightmare, and My Friend Is Gone.

Tags

animals, baseball, beach, birthday, camping, critical thinking, dancing, death, exercise, fair, feelings, friendship, moving, performance, poetry, rabbit, rhyme, sadness, school, self esteem, sports

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

Three cheers for catherine the great!

Best, Cari

A family moves from Russia to America. The grandma of the family has a birthday and she does not want presents. Her grand-daughter spends hours trying to figure out the perfect no present for her grandma.

Kaddish for grandpa in Jesus' name amen

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.

Tags

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

Ella's big chance: A jazz-age Cinderella

Hughes, Shirley

This version of the Cinderella story takes place in a dressmakers shop. Mr. Cinders and his daughter Ella run the shop. Ellaﾒs father remarries a wicked woman, and she and her daughters take over the household. A ball is announced and Ella desperately wants to go. Her fairy godmother sends her in a beautiful gown and the duke falls in love with her. Ella, however, denies the Duke and admits her love for Buttons, who has helped her and her father in the shop.

Mr. George Baker

Hest, Amy

Mr. George Baker is a 100 year old musician who lives next door to Harry, a young schoolboy. They wait for the school bus together each morning to take them to school. They are both learning to read, and helping each other along the way.

Tags

african american, aging, autumn, bus, dancing, exercise, food, friendship, happiness, instruments, multicultural, music, neighbors, rhythm, school, seasons, transportation

Tap-dance fever

Brisson, Pat

Annabelle Applegate had Tap-dance fever. Her feet are constantly on the move, tapping everywhere she goes. The townsfolk are very aggrevated by her dancing. However, once tourists come to hear and see her tao-dance with the rattlesnakes, the townsfolk believe she was an asset to the community.

Tags

anger, animals, business, community, dancing, exercise, feelings, happiness, mischief, performance, persistence, rhythm, snake, success, wealth

Look what i see! Where can i be? At the Synagogue

Michels, Dia L.

Baby travels with her family to the Synagogue and learns and sees many things related to the Jewish religion and customs.

Tags

author's note, celebration, ceremony, culture, dancing, family, Jewish, language, learning, parents, photograph, religion, school, sight, sleep, wedding

Brave little monster

Baker, Ken

Little monster is unable to fall asleep, fearing little girls and boys hiding in his room. Overcoming his fears, little monster scares the girls and boys away and eventually goes to sleep peacefully.

Tags

affection, bedtime, bravery, clothing, counting, courage, dancing, emotions, family, fear, feelings, five senses, food, helping, heroism, hiding, hunger, jumping, monsters, night, parents, skipping, sleep, smell, sounds

Hill of fire

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.

Tags

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

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.

Tags

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

May'naise sandwiches & sunshine tea

Belton, Sandra

Big Mama shares family memories of her childhood with her grandchild about a special friendship she had with Bettie Jean. Little Miss and Big Mama share the pages of a scrapbook which tells the favorite story of May'naise sandwiches and sunshine tea.

Tags

african american, books, careers, clothing, dancing, dentist, doctor, dreams, flowers, food, friendship, garden, hunger, imagination, memories, nutrition, parents, photograph, picnic, play, rain, running, school, sun, teaching, technology, telephone, tree, water

Degas and the little dancer: A story about Edgar Degas

Anholt, Laurence

Marie dreams of being a famous dancer until one day her chance of being in the Christmas show diminishes when her father becomes ill. Marie begins to model for a painter to earn money for her family's lost income. One day, Maria's sculpture shows up in the art museum and becomes the famed sculpture of Edgar Degas.

Tags

apology, art, careers, dancing, disappointment, dreams, excitement, fame, fear, hard work, illness, loneliness, museum, opera, poverty, practice, school, security, sympathy, teaching

Matunje and the wooden spoon

Mashiri, Pascal

During a time of famine, Matunje goes looking for food. He finds mangoes which fall into the water and are carried out to sea. Matunje follows and is led to the sea king who gives him a magical wooden spoon to feed his country.

Tags

assertiveness, celebration, community, conflict resolution, critical thinking, dancing, famine, feelings, food, fruit, happiness, helping, magic, mythical, nutrition, song, spiritual, tree

Fair monaco

Cole, Brock

Three sisters go to stay at their grandma's house. They ask to do things, but their grandma won't let them do anything but eat dinner and go to bed. She is too worried about all the horrible things outside. While the girls are dreaming, they end up in their grandma's horrible dream. The only way they can change it is to dream of their own good dreams. When their grandma wakes up, she is happy because of the good dream she had, since it was the same as her grandchildren.

The whole green world

Johnston, Tony

Put on your shoes and prepare to walk the world! Learn all that goes into planting and growing seeds then watch as the world turns green. Animated text and vibrant illustrations detail this rhyming story so you can dance the whole green world.

Tags

animals, ant, bee, beetle, birds, colors, dancing, dog, exercise, family, feelings, flowers, food, garden, goal setting, happiness, insects, nature, nutrition, parents, plants, reading, seasons, seed, self esteem, tree, verbal communication

Tumble bumble

Bond, Felicia

One little bug goes for a walk and meets all kinds of new friends. They all stumble into a yellow house and find some food to eat. They all get tired and settle down in a little boy's bed. When the boy comes home, he celebrates with his nine new friends.

Tags

animals, bee, bug, counting, crocodile, dancing, feelings, friendship, happiness, insects, mouse, nonverbal communication, reptiles, rhyme, toad

Come on, rain!

Hesse, Karen

A heat wave hits Tess's town and she's sizzling like a hot potato. Mamma's plants are all dying and all Tess wishes for is a little bit of rain. As she feels the rain coming, she runs to get her friends and they all change into bathing suits. The rain comes down in big drops and the girls dance, laugh, and play in the cool raindrops.

Marven of the great north woods

Lasky, Kathryn

A boy named Marvin leaves his family during the flu epidemic. He goes to a lumberjack camp in northern Minnesota and works and learns French while making some interesting friends. Marvin learns to ski, dance, and do the bookkeeping as a lumberjack.

Tags

assertiveness, author's note, bedtime, cabin, careers, conflict resolution, counting, dancing, decision making, diseases, exercise, family, food, forest, french, friendship, language, money, numbers, nutrition, religion, seasons, shadows, skiing, snow, train, transportation, travel, verbal communication, weather, woods

Let's dance

Ancona, George

Children from all backgrounds move and dance to different rhythms of their culture. Dances range from tap to folk dances and from Native American dance to Tibetan dance. There are many forms, types, and styles of dance a person can do to express their emotions. There are different dances for men, women, animals, and puppets too!

Tags

acrobat, afghani, african american, american, appalachian, body parts, celebration, child care, chinese, clothing, congo, creativity, culture, dancing, england, feelings, greek, india, indian, instruments, jumping, korean, mexican, moving, multicultural, native american, nature, puppets, relationship, rhythm, sadness, scottish, singing, spain, storytelling, turkish, yak

Tree of hope

Littlesugar, Amy

Florrie is named after a famous African American actress of the 1920's. Florrie learns the importance of working hard. Having big dreams will help Florrie and her family achieve anything. They learn that the Tree of Hope reflects the glory days of Harlem's Lafayette Theatre- a time when a black man shines through the Great Depression.

Tags

actor, african american, art, body parts, buildings, caribbean, creativity, dancing, daydreaming, haitian, happiness, hunger, performance, play, relationship, rhythm, singing, song, theatre, tree, wish

Twas the day before zoo day

Ipcizade, Catherine

A zoo prepares for Zoo Day. But things do not go according to plan. The llamas won't quit spitting; the giraffes are drooling; and the zebras aren't happy at all with their stripes! Meanwhile, the zookeepers scurry this way and that, clean up poop, ring mealtime bells, and try to get the animals bathed. Will the zookeeper end up spending the night at the zoo? Will Zoo Day go off without a hitch, or will the dancing monkeys take over? This fun story is an adaptation of the classic, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Tags

alligator, animals, bath, bear, bee, birds, cleanliness, dancing, elephant, flamingo, giraffe, gorilla, insects, laziness, lion, llama, monkey, mouse, preparation, reptiles, rhinoceros, rhyme, rhythm, singing, snake, toucan, turtle, zebra, zoo

The children of LIR

MacGill-Callahan, Sheila

When the evil new wife of King Lir becomes jealous of his children and turns them into swans, the two sets of twins must make new friends and problem solve to go back to their beloved father.

Tags

animals, birds, celebration, dancing, direction, evil, family, folktale, friendship, happiness, ireland, light, magic, mountains, problem solving, royalty, siblings, song, swan, whale

When I am old with you

Johson, Angela

A grandfather and a young boy talk and participate in a variety of activites together. Grandaddy and the child play cards, go fishing, enjoy nature, eat together, and play dress up.

Tags

african american, animals, birds, boat, car, clothing, dancing, dog, family, feelings, firefly, fishing, flowers, fly, food, friendship, games, grandparents, happiness, insects, multicultural, nature, nutrition, picnic, play, relationship, tractor, tree, walking, woods

Swamp song

Ketteman, Helen

Down in the swamp where the cypress grows, Old Man Gator starts tappin' his toes...Pretty soon, all the swamp animals are movin' and swaggin' to Gator's beat. Sing along with the river otter, bullfrog, dragonfly, and many other swamp animals as their music swells into the natural chorus of croaking, whirring, and buzzing, all brought to life by Ponder Goembel's colored ink and acrylic-wash-paint illustrations.

Tags

alligator, amphibians, animals, bear, birds, boar, bodies of water, dancing, dragonfly, fox, frog, insects, mosquito, otter, pig, rhyme, snake, song, squirrel, storks, swamp, tree, woodpecker

Kevin and his dad

Smalls, Irene

Kevin loves spending time with his dad. Kevin learns that after he works hard, he can play hard with is dad. Kevin and his dad spend the day cleaning the house, then they play sports and go to the movies. Oh what fun!

Tags

activities, african american, baseball, beverage, bicycle, body parts, buildings, chores, cleanliness, clothing, dancing, dog, food, friendship, fun, hard work, helping, humor, moving, newspaper, parents, park, restaurant, rhythm, soccer, sports, subway, theatre, transportation, working mother

The piano man

Chocolate, Debbie

A young girl listens to her grandfather share his deep love for music and the piano. Grandfather shares the history of silent movies, Vaudeville, Ragtime, and Broadway. He never lets his passion for music end and continues to share it with his grandaughter.

Tags

african american, aging, author's note, body parts, careers, celebration, clothing, dancing, emotions, entertainment, exercise, family, feelings, film, grandparents, history, humor, instruments, marriage, medicine, memories, multicultural, music, new baby, opera, performance, presents, relationship, rhythm, sounds, technology, theatre, travel

Mr. George Baker

Hest, Amy

Harry enjoys spending time with his older next door neighbor, Mr. Baker. Harry likes to wait for the bus with Mr. George Baker. Harry learns about Mr. Baker's life as a musician and learns that a person is never too old to learn to read.

Tags

african american, aging, autumn, body parts, books, bus, clothing, dancing, education, embarrassment, friendship, fun, generations, happiness, hard work, instruments, learning, love, marriage, multicultural, music, school, seasons, shoes, tobacco, transportation, walking

Be quiet, Marina!

DeBear, Kristen

Marina and Moira are very much alike, and yet very different. They like to play with one another, but often have conflicts. They learn to work through their differences and become the best of friends.

Tags

aggression, anger, body parts, comparisons, cooperation, coping, dancing, differences, diseases, diversity, dolls, down syndrome, emotions, fear, feelings, friendship, happiness, noise, photograph, play, playground, school, similarities

Dooby dooby moo

Cronin, Doreen

Duck and his friends decide to participate in the county fair, behind Farmer Brown's back. Farmer Brown knows his animals are up to something, but doesn't know what. To keep them out of trouble, he takes them to the fair with him. Little does he knnow, that's exactly where they wanted to be!

Tags

animals, barn, cat, cow, dancing, day, dog, duck, fair, jumping, moon, mouse, newspaper, night, performance, pig, practice, reading, repetition, rhyme, sheep, sleep, song, stars, transportation, truck

Ella sets the stage

Amico, Carmela

Ella wants so badly to be in the school talent show, but she has no talent. She decides instead to join the talent show committee and helps make the show the best it can be. During the show, something unexpected happens and Ella comes to the rescue, finding her true talent: helping others.

Tags

animals, arabian, art, cooking, dancing, discovery, elephant, exercise, feelings, happiness, helping, heroism, identity, instruments, juggling, jumping, magic, music, performance, poetry, practice, puppets, sadness, school, shyness, song, sounds, support, writing

The best mariachi in the world/ El mejor mariachi del mundo

Smith, J.D

Gustavo wants to be in the family mariachi band, but he cannot play the violines, trompetas, or guitarrones. He finds his place in the band with his singing talent.

Tags

animals, band, cactus, chicken, coyote, crowd, dancing, desert, dog, family, instruments, language, multicultural, night, owl, parents, siblings, singing, spanish, stars

My kindergarten

Wells, Rosemary

Kindergarten is no longer a mystery, thanks to Emily who illustrates the lessons and activities in Miss Cribbageﾒs classroom. Many concepts are explored in this kindergarten classroom. Poems, songs, and activities keep the lessons light-hearted and enjoyable.

Tags

african american, alphabet, art, calendar, celebration, colors, critical thinking, dancing, Days of The Week, decision making, exercise, flowers, hanukkah, hebrew, holidays, kwanzaa, latin, letters, library, maps, math, money, month, moon, multicultural, museum, music, photograph, poetry, politics, rain, school, science, self esteem, sequence, snow, song, temperature, valentine's day, weather, wind

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

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