Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

Things that sometimes happen | by 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.

Keywords: acceptance, accomplishment, adventures, animals, appearance, bear, beverage, camel, car, cat, critical thinking, decision making, dragons, elephant, excitement, feelings, friendship, goal setting, happiness, hard work, hippopotamus, home, humor, illness, imagination, individuality, kindness, monkey, repetition, self esteem, storytelling, success, teamwork, tiger, transportation, travel, verbal communication, water, weather

Night house bright house | by Wellington, Monica

At night all the objects awake. They run and scram all over the house from the studio to the bedroom. They break a statue and have a surprise party. After all the bumping and jumping, they begin to get tired out, and enough is enough. It's time for bed, and they're all done.

Keywords: animation, birthday, celebration, environment, food, home, night, noise, play, poetry, rhyme, rhythm, running, sounds

Our tree named Steve | by Zweibel, Alan

A father writes a letter to his children about the tree that they named Steve years ago, which they has insisted on not cutting down when building their new home. The children had formed a strong bond with Steve and now, years later, the tree has fallen down in a storm. Through the friendship with Steve, the children learned about the importance of home, family and relationships.

Keywords: aging, animals, appreciation, camping, caring, change, closeness, community, correspondence, critical thinking, death, decision making, dedication, destruction, emotions, family, friendship, goal setting, home, rain, relationship, seasons, storm, tree, verbal communication, weather

One small place in a tree | by Brenner, Barbara

A bear scratches the bark of a tree; beetles form small openings; a woodpecker eats the beetles; bacteria takes over the tree and a small hole is formed. Although the tree is dying, this small hole is still a home for many animals. Both living and dying trees are important as shelter and home to living organisms.

Keywords: aging, amphibians, animals, autumn, bear, beetle, birds, birth, bluebird, change, critical thinking, death, frog, home, insects, mouse, nature, nonverbal communication, rain, safety, seasons, snake, snow, spider, spring, squirrel, summer, tree, weather, wildlife, wind, winter, woodpecker

The great trash bash | by Leedy, Loreen

Something is wrong in the town of Beaston. Mayor Hippo and the animals in the town work together to find the problem. There is too much trash in the city. The animals work together to clean up their town and star recycling.

Keywords: animals, appreciation, author's note, cleanliness, community, energy, home, pollution, problem solving, recycling, teamwork, work

The goat lady | by Bregoli, Jane

Two young children new to Lucy Little Road, help us reveal the simple yet important life of the goat lady; a life that many people in the town despise. Through the children's time spent helping the goat lady, they learn of her vast life experiences. It isn't until after the children's mother takes portraits of the goat lady, that the rest of the town see waht a truly wonderful person the goat lady is.

Keywords: acceptance, aging, animals, appreciation, art, assertiveness, barn, birds, cold, companion, coping, critical thinking, curiosity, decision making, discovery, emotions, environment, food, friendship, goal setting, goat, hard work, home, illness, listening, loyalty, neighbors, nonverbal communication, pets, pride, relationship, respect, support, teaching, trust, verbal communication

House | by Lorenz, Albert // Schleh, Joy

A home is a place where people go to feel secure and comfortable. Home is a place of belonging and shelter. Learn interesting facts and details of history by examining different types of home structures from B.C. to the nineteen hundreds. From the Egyptians to the Eskimos, a variety of culture and famous folks are explored.

Keywords: africa, assertiveness, critical thinking, culture, dutch, egypt, england, english, eskimo, europe, family, germany, history, home, indian, multicultural, nonverbal communication, norwegian, president, romanian, royalty, south american, stress management

Monster comes to the city | by Blance, Ellen // Cook, Ann

An unusual, atypical monster comes to checkout a city and observes a variety of different events taking place. His excursion through the city leads him to a group of children playing and swinging in an park. The monster joins them in this activty. Since the monster had an enjoyable and pleasant experience in the city, he decides to make it his home.

Keywords: bodies of water, car, clothing, critical thinking, curiosity, decision making, diversity, friendship, fun, home, monsters, nonverbal communication, park, play, relationship, river, self esteem, shopping, swinging, train, transportation, uniqueness

The best place | by Meddaugh, Susan

An old wolf loves his house, especially his screened in porch. A bird suggests he sells his house to see if there is anything better. He regrets this and wants his house back. He becomes frustrated when he cannot get his house back and scares his neighbors. The conflict resolves when the wolf finds a place he likes better than his old home and he makes some new friends.

Keywords: accomplishment, anger, animals, apology, appreciation, birds, change, community, conflict resolution, consequences, cooperation, decision making, feelings, forest, frustration, helping, home, nonverbal communication, rabbit, stress management, tree, wolf

Monster looks for a house | by Blance, Ellen // Cook, Ann

A friendly purple monster comes to a new city to look for a new place to live. Since this monster is different from others in the city, he must hunt for a house that fits him. After looking at many houses, he finally finds one that he can live in comfortably.

Keywords: buildings, change, community, comparisons, critical thinking, decision making, differences, environment, exploration, goal setting, home, monsters, moving, nonverbal communication, problem solving, sizes

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.

Chameleon, chameleon | by Cowley, Joy

Come follow this colorful chameleon through the woods to a new tree home to find food. See how the chameleon creeps by geckos, frogs, scorpions, and others to protect himself on his way to his new tree homw. Do you think this chameleon can make it to a new tree to find food without getting hurt by the other creatures on the way?

Keywords: author's note, caterpillar, chameleon, climbing, colors, conflict resolution, decision making, food, frog, gecko, goal setting, home, insects, nonverbal communication, photograph, protection, scorpion, tree

My nest is best | by Eastman, P. D.

Mrs. Bird is discontent with her home and demands to have a new one. Mr. Bird searches and explores many options for his family. The attempts to build a new nest all fail. Finally Mrs. Bird realizes her old nest truly is the best!

Keywords: animals, birds, contentment, family, feelings, five senses, home, marriage, touch

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

The rain stomper | by Boswell, Addie

When it begins to rain and storm on the day of her big parade, Jazmin stomps, shouts, and does all she can think of to drive the rain away.

Keywords: african american, calendar, celebration, crowd, home, lightning, multicultural, neighbors, parade, rain, seasons, spring, storm, sun, umbrella, weather, wind

Kersplatypus | by Mitchell, Susan K.

When a strange little creature appears out of nowhere after the big rains, Australian animals wonder what in the world he can possibly be! His fur, feet, tail, and duck-like bill reminded each of something different. With a down-under spirit, they all pitch in to help him discover where he belongs.

Keywords: animals, australia, birds, bodies of water, classification, exercise, feelings, friendship, home, lizard, multicultural, opossum, platypus, river, sadness, swimming, teasing, tree, wallaby

Welcome, precious | by Grimes, Nikki

A young couple welcomes a new baby to the world, and introduces the baby to the wonders of nature: the rainbow, birds, grass and sunlight. The new baby is also introduced to caring relationships and love- and the pictures illustrate the miracle of it all.

Keywords: african american, baby, balloon, bath, bedtime, family, fun, games, glasses, grandparents, happiness, home, love, marriage, moon, morning, multicultural, night, parents, plants, play, rainbow, rhythm, sky

In my backyard | by Giogas, Valarie

Baby dogs are puppies and they belong to a litter. Counting from one to ten, familiar backyard animals are introduced by baby and family group name. Each stanza also tells a bit more about each animal by providing clues as to what they eat, how they sound, or where they live.

Keywords: animals, baby, counting, deer, flowers, fox, garden, grasshopper, habitat, home, mole, porcupine, rabbit, raccoon, sequence, skunk, snake, squirrel

Where should Turtle be? | by Ring, Susan

Little Turtle is lost. Free from his egg, he climbs out into a big, new world. Lost and alone, he wonders where does he really belong? He needs help, but where can he turn?

Keywords: adaptation, animals, baby, beach, bear, crab, fear, forest, frog, home, lost, ocean, pond, sand, survival, turtle

Cinnamon and the April shower | by Crane Johnson, Amy

An April shower frightens Cinnamon Bear, her new cub, and their woodland friends. Solomon Raven explains the importance of rain for animal and forest survival.

Keywords: animals, bear, birds, bravery, cardinal, family, frog, helping, home, leadership, new baby, pride, rain, raven, seasons, shelter, spring, squirrel, storm, survival, tree, worm

Browse Abstracts (47 total)