Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

An African American story is an American story of slavery, brutal conditions, struggle, and oppression. Remember the American story of hard work, pride, and strength in the fight for liberty as Black people stand up and speak out while "holding history in one hand and clenching hope in the other".

Spencer loves to read books every night at bedtime. He always puts the book back on the shelf before sleep. One morning, he noticed that his book was gone. A different book was missing the next day and the next day. Spencer finds his books being read by squirrels , so he helps them pick out their first book to read from his collection and also teaches them how to return books at the library so they can keep borrowing books to read. Spencer reads a book out loud to his sister and the squirrels - and everyone is happy.

No woman could be braver and have more courage than Fannie Lou Hamer. For the fearless fight that Fannie demonstrated as the "the country's number one freedom-fighting woman", we learn how her story written in themed prose serves as a chronicle of her life of civil rights. From being the last born of a large Mississippi family to being a speaker at the 1964 Democratic National Convention, Fannie went on to cofound the National Women's Political Caucus. By learning that she had a right to vote, Fannie used her voice to advocate for voting rights for others.

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.

Mr. Wright’s class has a field day away from school! While the children are gone, the nouns and verbs want to play. At first, the nouns make teams with other nouns and the verbs make teams with other verbs. Both sides found out that they had to work together so the nouns formed teams with the verbs and the verbs formed teams with the nouns. They continued to play many games until Mr. Wright’s students came back from field day.

Bob shares the life story of his Uncle Jim, a deaf artist with immense talent and determination to find ways to communicate. During his childhood, Uncle Jim’s parents were unsupportive of his passion for art and they sent him to the Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind with his sister. Bob never learned to speak, read, write, or use sign language. Ultimately, Bob went to art school where he shared his Uncle Jim’s work which was displayed in a gallery and sold to the public.

Lupe lives with her mother who cannot speak English. Lupe helps her mother by translating what people are saying. Lupe's mother fears she may lose her job. She decides to try to learn English so she can get a better job.