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

Tags: happiness

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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

Ruth and the green book

Ramsey, Calvin Alexander

Ruth and her parents drive from Chicago to Alabama to visit her grandma. Along the way, they saw signs that said "White Only" where they couldn't eat in the restaurants or use the bathroom inside. Ruth's mother had food packed for the trip, and they sang songs along the way to stay happy. They also visited a friend, Eddy, in Tennessee where Eddy and Ruth's daddy played music together. When the family drove into Georgia, a man explained "The Negro Motorist Green Book" which would list places in different states that would welcome black people who were traveling. Ruth and her family learns how to use the Green Book to find places to sleep, eat, shop, and get a haircut on their travels because Jim Crow laws were unfair and discriminatory against black people. When a 'tourist home' welcomes them for free, Ruth learns that it is important to help each other and treat others like a big family. After this lesson, she gives her Brown Bear to a little boy who was traveling away from home with his mother for the very first time. Ruth said that she no longer needed Brown Bear because she was too old now, then she told his mother about buying a Green Book for her travels.

Tags

african american, anger, author's note, books, car, conversation, discrimination, family, fear, feelings, food, friendship, grandparents, happiness, instruments, law, learning, literacy, map, multicultural, music, oppression, parents, reading, signs, singing, storytelling, toy, transportation, travel

Only passing through: The story of Sojourner Truth

Rockwell, Anne

A young woman named Isabella leads a strong and courageous life after being sold three times as a slave girl in the northeastern United States. After she is given a freedom day by a couple living nearby who knew of the 1827 New York law to set adults free, Isabella felt the "power of a nation" in court to win back her son who was unlawfully sold out of state. Isabella later heard God calling her to be a sojourner and spread her message about the value of freedom and what it had been like to be a slave. She would ask people "Is this any way to treat a human being"? Sojourner told her truth so well that she took the name Sojourner Truth and carried a white silk banner with the words "Proclaim Liberty" wherever she went.

Tags

african american, children, correspondence, courage, death, faith, family, feelings, fight, god, government, happiness, history, justice, law, loss, money, multicultural, oppression, parents, reading, sadness, singing, slavery, speech, timeline, travel, truth, writing

No one else like you

Goeminne, Siska

There are seven billion people living in this world. Each person is different and uniquely original. See all the ways that people can move, act, do and be. People come in different colors, shapes, and sizes, and they wear a variety of clothing and feel a variety of emotions. People believe in different things. Not one of them is just like you.

Tags

animals, beliefs, binoculars, body parts, cat, clothing, dog, family, fear, feelings, god, happiness, jumping, love, night, numbers, population, running, sadness, santa, siblings, singing, storytelling, swimming, technology, telephone, television, uniqueness, walking

Gaston

DiPucchio, Kelly

Mrs. Poodle takes Gaston and his three siblings to the park where they meet Mrs. Bulldog and her family. Suddenly, they realize that Gaston looks more like Mrs. Bulldog’s child and Gaston goes to live with her family. However, Gaston realizes that he likes his old family and returns to live with Mrs. Poodle, making sure to play with Mrs. Bulldog’s children when they are at the park.

Tags

alliteration, animals, behavior, change, discipline, diversity, dog, friendship, growing up, happiness, love, manners, sadness, siblings, sizes

I'm going to sing: Black American spirituals volume two

Bryan, Ashley

Black American Spirituals are a representation of the resilience and bravery of enslaved Blacks. Although these songs represent suffering and sadness, they also demonstrate creativity, heritage, and expression. Ultimately, spirituals connect people to each other, their culture, and their goals.

Tags

african american, art, drawing, feelings, happiness, history, hope, multicultural, music, sadness, singing, slavery, spiritual

Walk together children: Black American spirituals volume one

Bryan, Ashley

Black American Spirituals are a representation of the resilience and bravery of enslaved Blacks. Although these songs represent suffering and sadness, they also demonstrate creativity, heritage, and expression. Ultimately, Spirituals connect people to each other, their culture, and their goals.

Tags

african american, art, drawing, feelings, happiness, history, hope, multicultural, music, publisher's note, sadness, singing, slavery, spiritual, walking

Two grooms on a cake: The story of America's first gay wedding

Sanders, Rob

Michael and Jack met and fell in love, growing closer over time. Even though no one had done it before, Michael and Jack wanted to get married, and although it was difficult, they were the first same-sex couple to marry in America legally. Today, they are still married and work to ensure that other same-sex couples can also get married.

Tags

affection, celebration, discrimination, emotions, equality, friendship, government, happiness, history, homosexuality, justice, law, marriage, patience, politics, recipe, relationship, sequence, sexuality, time, wedding

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

My great big mama

Ka, Olivier

A little boy adores his mother for being large. After speculation from others, the mother decides to go on a diet. The son does the same. The two come to a conclusion to no longer diet and to enjoy food once again.

Tags

affection, art, attention, body image, body parts, bus, decision making, family, feelings, food, goal setting, happiness, love, overweight, parents, sizes, transportation

The seven gods of luck

Kudler, David

Saohiko, Kenji, and their mother take a trip into town, to the market to sell their crafts and goods. They come across the famous Shrine of the Seven Gods of Luck.

Tags

beauty, bedtime, clothing, community, family, five senses, food, happiness, japan, luck, market, money, new year, parents, poetry, seasons, snow, sound, trading, weather, wisdom, work

Henry's first-moon birthday

Look, Lenore

Jenny is in charge of helping her grandmother prepare for the one-month birthday party of her baby brother, Henry. Henry's party is a Chinese celebration! Food and decorations are made to bring good luck, health, and happiness to Jenny's mother and brother. Each member of the family attends in celebration of Henry's first month of life.

Tags

baby, birth, birthday, body parts, celebration, chinese, cleanliness, clothing, culture, drawing, family, feelings, food, grandparents, happiness, health, heritage, holidays, language, luck, moon, nutrition, onomatopoeia, parents, party, responsibilities, reunion, self esteem, siblings, traditions, verbal communication, writing

Annie Rose is my little sister

Hughes, Shirley

A little boy and his baby sister do everything together. They each have friends of their own, but spend time doing things mostly with one another.

Tags

anger, beach, bodies of water, books, diving, exercise, exploration, family, feelings, flowers, friendship, games, happiness, love, ocean, parents, reading, relationship, siblings, swimming, toys, verbal communication

Daisy comes home

Brett, Jan

Daisy is one of six hens and is the outcast. After being pushed out of the henhouse, she takes a ride along the river. She meets various animals and instinctively uses her coping skills to survive. She returns home and uses those newly found skills and is no longer bullied by the rest of the hens.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, behavior, boat, bodies of water, buffalo, bully, careers, caring, chicken, china, conflict resolution, coping, dog, feelings, fishing, happiness, market, monkey, multicultural, pets, refusal skills, responsibilities, river, sadness, self esteem, transportation

Busy little mouse

Fernandes, Eugenie

A playful little mouse races out of the house to play on the farm. He comes across many different animals out on the farm. The animals talk in their animal sounds. At the end of a busy day of play, he returns home to go to sleep.

Tags

animals, bedtime, cat, cow, dog, duck, exercise, farm, feelings, happiness, horse, jumping, mouse, pig, rhyme, running, sheep, sounds

Franklin has a sleepover

Bourgeois, Paulette

Franklin and Bear are excited for their first sleepover at Franklin's house. It's fun to play games, have a campfire, and campout in the livingroom with your friend. However, when it's time to go to bed, Bear and Franklin realize how scary sleepovers can be.

Tags

animals, anticipation, bear, bedtime, camping, conflict resolution, critical thinking, emotions, excitement, fear, feelings, food, friendship, games, growing up, happiness, health, homesickness, parents, playing, pretend, sadness, safety, separation, toys, traditions, turtle

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.

Ruby's wish

Bridges, Shirin Yim

Ruby is known for wearing red and being an exceptionally bright student. Even during a time in China when ...most girls were never taught to read and write. However, Ruby's grandfather hires a teacher to come to the house, making it possible for any grandchild living in the house to learn. This initiates a desire in Ruby to attend university, a place that women in China were not encouraged to go.\r\n*Based on a true story of the author's grandmother.

Tags

acceptance, accomplishment, ambition, appreciation, art, asian, assertiveness, beliefs, change, china, chinese, conflict, conflict resolution, courage, culture, customs, decision making, dedication, depression, determination, disappointment, emotions, encouragement, equality, excitement, family, frustration, generations, giving, goal setting, grandparents, happiness, independence, individuality, intelligence, kindness, language, learning, listening, new year, nonverbal communication, obedience, parade, patience, persistence, poetry, prevention, progress, reading, recognition, refusal skills, relationship, relief, resentment, resolution, role model, school, self confidence, self esteem, skills, stress management, support, symbols, sympathy, teaching, traditions, understanding, verbal communication, wealth, wish, writing

Things that sometimes happen

Avi

This collection of short stories are exaggerated to intrigue your imagination. The stories are full of odd events involving animals, traveling, and much more.

A day with daddy

Girimes, Nikki

A young African American boy living with his mother spends the day with his father. They spend time together doing a variety of activities that leave the boy satisfied with his life.

Tags

african, baseball, basketball, family, food, happiness, memories, neighbors, nutrition, parents, play, playground, relationship, role model, sleep, sports, understanding

My big brother

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.

Tags

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

My librarian is a camel: How books are brought to children around the world

Ruurs, Margriet

Examine many different kinds of libraries from all around the world. Unlike the typical library room or building, many libraries are a bus, boat, train, or camel. Each type is different, but they all serve the same important purpose of delivering books to people, no matter where they live.

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

The princess knight

Funke, Cornelia

Princess Violetta has been raised by her father, King Wilfred, to joust, ride horses, and fight with swords. Despite her small size, Princess Violetta quickly becomes one of the best knights in her father's kingdom, ever surpassing her three older brothers. Princess Violetta learns that before her sixteenth birthday, her father will hold a tournament to win her hand in marriage. Princess Violetta is not about to let a tournament decide her future and she decides to take action.

Tags

animals, birthday, celebration, communication, competition, courage, determination, feelings, fight, frustration, happiness, horse, parents, problem solving, royalty, siblings

Where is the green sheep?

Fox, Mem

Sheep of many sizes, shapes and colors are busy doing many things. They are playing, sleeping, working, eating, bathing and reading just to name a few. But there is a problem to be solved. Where is the green sheep?

Tags

animals, bicycle, biking, birthday, boat, bodies of water, car, diving, exercise, feelings, fishing, food, happiness, holidays, juggling, mythical, ocean, playground, pond, pool, rain, sadness, sheep, skateboarding, skiing, sports, sun, superstition, surfing, swimming, swinging, train, transportation, weather, wind

Bad dog school

Joosse, Barbara M.

Harris and his dog Zippy are the best of friends and enjoy spending time together. They dig for treasures, sleep in the same bed, and play on the couch. When Zippy's behaviors seem to be out of control, obedience school seems to be the perfect answer. However, the results are not what the family expected. Harris and his family decided Bad Dog school is the perfect solution.

Tags

animals, change, companion, disobedience, dog, feelings, happiness, learning, obedience, parents, pets, sadness, school, siblings

Monster and the mural

Blance, E. & Cook, A.

Monster has a new-found hobby; painting! His inspired friends crowd into his house to try painting too. In order to avoid a mess, Monster invites his friends to go outside and paint an old brown wall in the city. Together, they create a beautiful mural of a park. It is eye-catching and makes everyone in the community happy!

Tags

appearance, art, body image, careers, colors, community, cooperation, feelings, friendship, happiness, hobby, monsters, museum, teamwork

Doodler doodling

Gelman, Rita

A girl ponders what she will draw on her lined paper with her multicolored pen. She draws people in action. The girl mixes and changes the actions of the people in her drawings. She is proud of her drawings.

Tags

art, careers, climbing, confidence, creativity, drawing, entertainment, exploration, fantasy, fun, happiness, imagination, patience, persistence, sequence, sports, teaching, transportation

Widget

McFarland, Lyn

A stray dog names Widget tries to find a home which happens to have six cats. To stay in the house, Widgey acts like a cat until he saves his owner and his true self is revealed.

Tags

acceptance, accidents, adoption, animals, cat, dog, exercise, feelings, happiness, loneliness, rescue, running, sadness

A Christmas like Helen's

Kinsey-Warnock, Natalie

Christmas in the early years of America's life describes the life of a younh girl names Helen. Living on a farm before the time of telephones or cars, Helen spends her days working on the farm, walking to school in the cold of winter and spending time with her family, hearing stories of her ancestors. Helen's Christmas begins in the summer when her family plants the food that will be eaten on Christmas morning and their Christmas spirit stays alive throughout the year by helping ill and injured neighbors with tasks around their farms. Christmas is a time for Helen's family to come together from all over and build their relationships over feasts, church, midnight skating and fun.

Tags

animals, christmas, cow, exercise, family, feelings, food, happiness, holidays, horse, multicultural, parents, scottish, seasons, skating, snow, spring, transportation, weather, winter

Homemade love

Hooks, Bell

Young Girlpie lives with her parents. Girlpie's world is magical where all hurt can be healed, wrongs forgiven and peace found in the world. The comfort that is provided by her home eases her fears and helps her to lead a happy life.

Tags

african american, animals, dog, family, feelings, food, gymnastics, happiness, love, memories, multicultural, nutrition, parents, sadness, seasons, sleep, sports, spring

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

Big jabe

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.

Tags

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

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

Hunter bunny saves Easter

Weaver, Alexis Rae

Hunter Bunny, made fun of because of his limp leg, meets Clark, the duck who has trouble seeing and the two become best friends. The night before Easter, the two find the Easter bunny lying on the ground and it is now up to them to deliver the baskets around town. After successfully saving Easter, the return to the forest to find all the animals praising and cheering for them.

Tags

animals, baby, differences, disability, discrimination, duck, easter, family, feelings, friendship, glasses, handicap, happiness, helping, heroism, holidays, hope, injury, learning, loneliness, moods, parents, playing, rabbit, sadness, siblings, sight, surprises, swimming, teaching, teasing, vision

Hip, hug, hooray!

Tangvald, Christine

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

Tags

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

George hogglesberry grade school alien

Wilson, Sarah

When George begins a new school different from his old planet, he is worried he won't fit in. When the school play comes around, he thinks of a perfect costume to impress his classmates.

Tags

acting, alien, body parts, celebration, differences, encouragement, fear, happiness, moon, play, relief, school, shyness, stars, surprises, uniqueness, worry

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

The dog who cried wolf

Kasza, Keiko

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

Tags

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

If you're happy and you know it

Cabrera, Jane

Come join the frogs, lions, and elephants as they spin around, stamp their feet, and flap their arms to the song If you're happy and you know it.

Tags

activities, animals, birds, elephant, excitement, feelings, frog, giraffe, happiness, hippopotamus, lion, monkey, mouse, moving, nonverbal communication, pattern, raccoon, repetition, rhythm, verbal communication

The greatest potatoes

Stowell, Penelope

Cornelius Vanderbilt sets out on a mission to find the best potato dish ever. He travels around and finds none that are good enough. Vanderbilt goes to Cary Moon's Restaurant, where George Crum is the head chef. Crum makes many dishes that Vanderbilt does not like. Crum decides to make the potatoes so crispy and salty, so he will not like them. Vanderbilt loves them and that is how the potato chip is invented.

Elephant games and other playful poems to perform

Bagert, Brad

An entertaining and exciting array of poems cover many issues that children face. Gleeful elephants help explore child-friendly issues such as bullying, feelings, nutrition, parents, animals, dreams, school, pets, trouble-makers and sports. Entertaining illustrations and catchy poems invite the reader to continue exploring.

Monster goes around the town

Blance, Ellen // Cook, Ann

Monster goes for a trip around the town with a little boy. The little boy brings his camera and takes pictures at all the places they visit together.

Monster and the magic umbrella

Blance, Ellen // Cook, Ann

Monster enjoys a day of play with his friends and his magical umbrella. Monster and the little boy play games in the afternoon sun and make sure to follow good hygiene practices and sun safety by wearing hats and carrying a giant magical umbrella that provides protection from the sun. The monster's umbrella eventually, magically opens into a much larger umbrella filling with rain so all of the neighborhood children can play and cool off.

Tags

celebration, cleanliness, companion, critical thinking, exercise, feelings, friendship, happiness, hygiene, magic, monsters, play, rain, storm, stress management, sun, swimming, umbrella, weather

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

Shop talk

Ford, Juwanda G.

Solomon enjoys hanging out at his neighborhood barbershop because he feels at home and comfortable there. He gets along great with his barber, Alton. Solomon scored in his basketball game so he recieved a free haircut from Alton.

Tags

african american, assertiveness, author's note, basketball, beauty, biography, confidence, excitement, family, friendship, happiness, multicultural, nonverbal communication, parents, photograph, role model, self esteem, sports, verbal communication

Dog blue

Dunbar, Polly

A young boy named Bertie loves the color blue. Bertie also loves dogs, but he does not have a blue dog. He pretends that he has a blue dog, until he actually finds a real dog! Although his new dog is black and white, Bertie loves him and decides to name him Blue.

Tags

animals, closeness, colors, conflict resolution, dreams, excitement, feelings, friendship, goal setting, happiness, humor, imagination, nonverbal communication, pets, play, pretend, relationship, verbal communication

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.

Grandpa's soup

Kadono, Eiko

Grandpa is lonely after Grandma dies. He wants to make meatball soup just like his wife use to make. Each day after Grandpa makes the soup, friends come and eat it with him. Grandpa finds that eating the soup with friends helps to ease his loneliness.

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