Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Big jabe | by Nolan, Jerdine

Momma Mary goes back in time and tells stories of a unique young man named Jabe, who is responsible for creating magic among the slaves of the Plenty Plantation. He is described as a hero with the strength of fifty men, a big heart, and a wondrous gift at leading slaves away to freedom.

Keywords: african, african american, animals, bee, chicken, cow, fable, fantasy, feelings, fish, fishing, flood, food, freedom, generations, happiness, heroism, horse, hunger, magic, multicultural, mystery, nonverbal communication, plants, recreation, river, slavery, storytelling, tornado, tree, uniqueness, unselfish, weather, wind

The dog who cried wolf | by Kasza, Keiko

Feeling bored and trapped with his current life, Moka the dog runs away. Moka then questions his decision as he becomes homesick.

Keywords: affection, animals, appreciation, assertiveness, boredom, consequences, critical thinking, curiosity, dog, feelings, freedom, happiness, homesickness, loneliness, running away, self esteem, wolf

Dangerous crossing | by 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.

Alec's primer | by Pitts-Walter, Mildred

Alec was a slave who wanted to be free. Ms. Josephine, one of his masters and three years older than him, told Alic if he wanted to be free he needed to learn to read. Ms. Josephine taught him to read and when Alec was old enough he couragously fights in the Civil War and obtained his freedom.

Keywords: accomplishment, african american, alphabet, ambition, assertiveness, author's note, biography, books, courage, critical thinking, freedom, goal setting, hard work, learning, multicultural, museum, peace, photograph, prejudice, racism, reading, self esteem, slavery, verbal communication, war

Hannah is my name | by Yang, Belle

Hannah and her family come to America from Taiwan to gain freedom. For them to become Americans and have their freedom, they must obtain their greencards. Hannah and her family's journey of over 2 years, encompasses many trials. Hannah and her family feel relief, excitement and prode as they finally receive their greencards and are now able to call American their home.

Aunt harriet's underground railroad in the sky | by Ringgold, Faith

Cassie take a ride on the Underground Railroad with Harriet Tubman as her guide. She learns what steps slaves had to go through in order to reach freedom in the North.

Keywords: african american, assertiveness, conflict resolution, courage, critical thinking, decision making, freedom, goal setting, history, multicultural, nonverbal communication, refusal skills, slavery, teamwork, train, transportation, underground railroad, verbal communication

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

Lift every voice and sing | by Johnsson, James Weldan

Lift every voice puts pictures to the African American National Anthem. The lyrics tell the story of Black people's past struggles and the hope that Blacks will continue to have towards their future.

Keywords: africa, african american, bodies of water, body parts, courage, culture, day, diversity, family, fear, freedom, god, history, hope, illustrator's note, moon, multicultural, music, night, poetry, pride, relationship, rhythm, running, sea, ship, singing, sky, song, tree, violence, water

In the time of the drums | by Siegelson, Kim L.

Mentu and Twi tell the story of an African family newly arrived in the Americas. Twi never gives up on returning to her native Africa. Twi tells stories of cooking, planting, music and dancing from her native land.

Keywords: african, african american, bodies of water, community, creek, culture, escape, farm, feelings, five senses, folktale, freedom, generations, grandparents, history, home, instruments, island, language, magic, music, mythical, relationship, repetition, rhythm, sadness, secrets, ship, slavery, song, sounds, storytelling, transportation

Papa's mark | by Battle-Lavert, Gwendolyn

Simms teaches his father how to write. For many years, Simm's father struggled when 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

Memorial day surprise | by Golding, Theresa Martin

Marco and his mother are off to see the Memorial Day parade! Today, mother is in a hurry because she has a special surprise for Marco. Sheﾒs in such a hurry they donﾒt have time to see Marcoﾒs grandfather. Once they reach the parade, Marco sees his two best friends which he believes is the surprise. Yet, they are not the surprise his mother has in store for him. Neither is the marching band, fire engine, Statue of Liberty, or candy. Marco could never imagine the surprise in store for him at the end of the parade!

Keywords: accomplishment, america, careers, celebration, disability, family, flag, food, freedom, grandparents, heroism, history, memorial day, memory, monument, noise, parade, parents, pride, recognition, sounds

A sweet smell of roses | by Johnson, Angela

One morning, after a night of rain, Minnie and her sister sneak out of the house to join many men and women to march for freedom and equality. When they arrive at the beginning of the march, the girls walk with many others keeping their eyes straight ahead and their feet steady. Despite the criticism and yells from people standing by, the girls continue to march. As the day passes, more people join the march to where Dr. Martin Luther King gives his famous speech about peace, love, and equality for all.

Keywords: african american, assertiveness, critical thinking, decision making, emotions, equality, exercise, family, feelings, flowers, freedom, history, love, multicultural, nonverbal communication, parade, peace, peer resistance, pride, self esteem, siblings, stereotypes, sun, walking, weather

The patchwork path: A quilt map to freedom | by Stroud, Bettye

Hannah and her father are slaves who decide to escape to freedom. They use the patterns in the quilt made by her mother, who passed away, to follow the Underground Railroad.

Marsupial Sue | by Lithgow, John

Marsupial Sue is not a happy kangaroo. She does not enjoy the things kangaroos do. Marsupial Sue decides to go explore and find the place where she belongs. She tries to fit in with many other groups of animals. She finally discovers the place where she is happiest.

Keywords: animals, autumn, birds, bodies of water, climbing, conflict resolution, decision making, exercise, feelings, freedom, goal setting, happiness, health, hopping, illness, kangaroo, koala, learning, music, nonverbal communication, platypus, sadness, sand, sea, self esteem, song, summer, verbal communication, wallaby

The old Africa | by Lester, Julius

An elderly slave uses the power of his mind to ease the suffering of his fellow slaves and eventually lead them back to Africa

Keywords: africa, african, boat, bodies of water, escape, farm, fear, feelings, freedom, history, hope, nonverbal communication, ocean, sadness, slavery, stress management, transportation, travel

To be a drum | by Coleman, Evelyn

Daddy Wes whispers to his two young children about the history of Africans forced into slavery and how the pulse of the drum has moved through them over time. Daddy Wes promises his children that as long as they can hear the heartbeat of the earth, they will be free.

Keywords: africa, african, bodies of water, careers, colors, community, culture, five senses, freedom, hearing, history, instruments, language, multicultural, music, nonverbal communication, ocean, playing, pride, rhythm, sea, ship, slavery, sounds, spiritual, storytelling, symbols, time, verbal communication, war

The alphabet tree | by Lionni, Leo

The alphabet tree is full of letters. After the storm, all the letters grouped together because they were afraid. A bug and a caterpillar teach teamwork so the letters can say something important.

Keywords: alphabet, assertiveness, bug, caterpillar, closeness, cooperation, creativity, critical thinking, diversity, freedom, insects, peace, sequence, teamwork, tree, verbal communication, weather, wind

The red piano | by Leblanc-Barroux, Andre

A young pianist is sent to a re-education camp in China. She lives for her secretive two hours of music after a long day's work. Her parents managed to send a piano to Mother Han's house and she manages to smuggle music in notebooks. One night the pianist is caught at the piano, forcing her to live through an extended-re-education while her love and talent for music are challenged.

Keywords: assertiveness, china, decision making, education, freedom, history, instruments, loss, multicultural, music, nonverbal communication, numbers, passion, politics, prison, radio, school, song, train, transportation, work

Freedom river | by Rappaort, Doreen

John Ripley shows courage and perseverence in Southern Ohio through his actions. John crosses the Ohio River into the slave state of Kentucky to help other African Americans escape to freedom. John listens to nature as he rows a slave family across the Ohio River to freedom along the Underground Railroad.

Keywords: african american, author's note, baby, boat, bodies of water, cabin, community, courage, escape, family, fear, feelings, fight, freedom, happiness, history, illustrator's note, listening, maps, money, multicultural, night, parents, prayer, quiet, relationship, rhythm, river, running, sadness, safety, secrets, slavery, transportation, underground railroad, woods, work, worry

The bus ride | by Miller, William

Sara stands up for justice on her city bus. Sara gets tired of sitting in the African American section of the bus. Sara does not undertsand why she does not have the same rights as the white Americans, so she takes a stand to change that law.

Keywords: african american, america, anger, author's note, body parts, bus, car, change, community, courage, crowd, discrimination, equality, feelings, freedom, heroism, hunger, money, newspaper, parents, pride, school, segregation, support, transportation

Browse Abstracts (62 total)