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

Tags: magic

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What do you do with an idea?

Yamada, Kobi

An idea shows up in a child's life. The child wonders how it came to be and why it stays around. Sometimes the idea makes the child think, and sometimes it wants a lot of attention. The child worries about the idea and sometimes it needs food. The child lets the idea grow into the size of a dream. The child gains the ability to see things differently by walking on his hands. Eventually, the idea becomes part of everything, and it changes the world.

Tags

attention, change, differences, feelings, food, friendship, growth, gymnastics, hope, idea, magic, opportunity, peer resistance, perspective, play, secrets, worry

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

The runaway wok

Compestine, Ying Chang

Ming lives in a poor family. He goes to the market to trade and receive food so he and his neighbors can share a Chinese new year feast. Instead of buying food, Ming chooses a magical wok. The wok rounds up the food and prized possessions of the rich to bring food to Ming's family and poor neighbors. Ming celebrates a wonderful new year, and he sells more woks to help other poor families.

Tags

author's note, birds, celebration, chinese, community, conflict resolution, dragon, folktale, food, giving, helping, instruments, kite, magic, market, money, multicultural, neighbors, new year, poverty, problem solving, recipe, rhyme, seagull, song, stress management, trading, village

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

Cinder-Elly

Minters, Frances

A little girl lives with her two sisters in New York. They all get invited to a basketball game to see the prince play. Elly doesn't have anything to wear but her godmother comes and saves the day. Elly goes to the game, gets her prince, and teaches others the value of not being mean.

Tags

assertiveness, basketball, biking, clothing, comparisons, conflict resolution, exercise, family, godmother, magic, parents, poetry, rhyme, siblings, sports

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

The way to start a day

Baylor, Byrd

Morning time is a sacred time. The beginning of a new day is about to unfold. There's a lot of movement around the world. Wake up to enjoy the warmth of the sun.

Tags

activities, adventures, africa, exercise, five senses, health, magic, multicultural, music, seasons, song, sounds, sun, symbols, time, weather

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

Emma's magic winter

Little, Jean

When a new neighbor named Sally moves in, Emma learns to overcome her shyness and her fear of reading out loud to her schoolmates. Early readers can explore their friendships and activities during winter then spring.

Tags

clothing, exercise, family, food, friendship, imagination, jumping, magic, mountains, nature, neighbors, play, reading, school, seasons, self esteem, shyness, siblings, sledding, snow, spring, verbal communication, weather, winter

Possum magic

Fox, Mem

A grandmother possum puts a magic spell on her granddaughter which makes her invisible. When the granddaughter decides she wants an identity, they must travel all over Australia for the cure.

Tags

animals, decision making, family, goal setting, grandparents, magic, multicultural, nonverbal communication, opossum, self esteem, travel, verbal communication

Junk pile!

Borton, Lady

When Jamie Kay helps her dad in their magical junk yard, Robert Haines and other kids make fun of her. Jamie Kay has to find a way to show the kids that her junkyard is magical. But most of all, Jamie has to find a way to make a friend.

Tags

acceptance, assertiveness, bus, careers, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, disability, dog, family, forgiveness, friendship, imagination, magic, song, teasing, transportation, work

The wreck of the zephyr

Van Allsburg, Chris

A young boy's dream of being the greatest sailor brings him to ruin when he misuses his ability to sail his boat above land.

Tags

assertiveness, boat, bodies of water, careers, determination, magic, mischief, peer resistance, sea, storm, transportation, verbal communication, weather

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

In the time of the drums

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.

Tags

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 magic kite

Stanbridge, Bobette

A kite travels to America through time and watches America change and grow. Katy the kite spends time with a young girl in a city until it becomes too busy to fly. A Native American medicine man teaches Katy to speak to mother earth, father sky, angels, and fairies.

Tags

angel, animals, birds, butterfly, elephant, friendship, grasshopper, imagination, insects, kite, magic, multicultural, native american, picnic, prayer, spiritual, tree, turtle

The magician and McTree

Coombs, Patricia

An old magician accidentally creates a potion that makes his cat, McTree, talk. Although he is supposed to keep his new talent a secret, McTree ends up a famous attraction at the palace. But when McTree loses his appeal, the King and Queen order the old magician to be kidnapped so he can make all of the castle pets to talk. McTree must use his sense to outwit the royal party and save his old companion.

Tags

animals, birds, cat, dog, fame, fish, forest, friendship, greed, guilt, heroism, insects, kidnapped, magic, medicine, moth, pig, royalty, secrets, song, speech, storytelling, trick

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

Mzimba and the crowned cranes

Mashiri, Pascal

Chief Mzimba was very old, but he still had magical powers. He used his magic on the animals. Sometimes it helped the animals, sometimes it didn’t. What does Mzimba have to learn about giving gifts?

Tags

africa, animals, birds, crane, elephant, folktale, glossary, kenyan, magic, multicultural, storytelling, vulture

The magic rocks

Herbert, Barbara N.

An African woman struggles to find firewood so that she can cook for her family. While cooking porridge, an old weak man came along asking for food. Because she felt sorry for him, she gave him the porridge. In return, he gave her some magic rocks that would turn to gold. However, the woman couldnﾒt get them to change. When her family came home to realize they had nothing to eat, her husband was angry and threw the rocks in the fading fire. The family fell asleep hungry and cold. In the morning, they woke to a burning fire and porridge cooking. The family found more rocks and called them coal.

Tags

africa, anger, cold, cooking, decision making, emotions, family, fire, food, fuel, future, giving, hunger, kindness, light, magic, night, nutrition, pollution, verbal communication

Once upon an ordinary school day

McNaughton, Colin

An ordinary boy has no idea what is in store for him one fateful, ordinary day. Everything appears to be normal until his new school teacher; Mr. Gee walks through the door. The once ordinary day turns into a whirlwind of adventures

Tags

adventures, animals, bedtime, change, dreams, fantasy, imagination, magic, music, preparation, pretend, routine, self esteem, surprises, teaching, writing

So happy!

Henkes, Kevin

A magic seed was planted, a rabbit wandered, and a little boy just wanted something to do. Just before it began to rain the seed became thirsty, the rabbit was lost, and the little boy was bored. The rain brought happiness to the boy and left the rabbit wet and scared. As the seed grew, the boy built a bridge to reach it and the rabbit used it to cross the creek to return to his family. The little boy returned home with the flower that grew from the seed as a present to his mother.

Tags

animals, bodies of water, boredom, creek, family, fear, feelings, happiness, imagination, magic, multicultural, native american, nonverbal communication, parents, plants, rabbit, rain, seed, sun, weather

Shadow

Brown, Marcia

The village storytellers and shamans of African expound on the important, mysterious, haunted, and enchanted life of shadows.

Tags

africa, animals, appreciation, birds, bodies of water, cow, dancing, eagle, elephant, fable, fire, forest, insects, magic, mystery, night, reptiles, river, scorpion, shadows, snake, spy, storytelling, tree, war

The heart of the lion

Watson, Pete

An American boy comes to understand and admire the rich culture and traditions of West Africa.

Tags

africa, african, animals, art, baboon, butterfly, chicken, cooking, courage, culture, customs, dog, elephant, family, food, friendship, hunting, lion, magic, multicultural, parade, parents, scorpion, sharing, teasing, traditions, tree, uniqueness, verbal communication, village

Kofi and his magic

Angelou, Maya

A young Ashanti boy describes some of the wonders of his life in and around the West African village of Bonwire.

Tags

africa, beach, bodies of water, celebration, colors, culture, customs, dancing, differences, dreams, imagination, instruments, language, magic, multicultural, music, ocean, pattern, photograph, travel

The steel pan of Harlem

Bootman, Colin

The city of Harlem has rats everywhere in houses, subways, restaurants, stores and business, and the citizens are fed up! One day, a steel pan man comes to the subway station and when he plays his music everyone is entranced, even the rats. He tells the mayor that he will fix the rat problem if the mayor pays him a million dollars. The mayor reluctantly agrees and the man keeps his promise. However, the mayor, does not keep his end of the bargain, so he is given what he deserves!

Tags

african american, anger, animals, body parts, cat, citizen, conflict resolution, dancing, exercise, feelings, frustration, instruments, magic, money, multicultural, music, neighbors, politics, rat, subway, transportation, trust

Dona flor

Mora, Pat

A vicious animal is causing panic among the villagers. Done Flor, a giant woman with a heart of gold, helps find the reason behind the mysterious beast.

Tags

bravery, conflict resolution, courage, critical thinking, friendship, giants, giving, magic, mythical, neighbors, problem solving, relationship, verbal communication, village

Magic beach

Johnson, Crockett

Two children draw different words in the sand. As the tide washes over the word, the object written in the sand appears. They explore the land they created by writing in the sand.

Tags

adventures, alphabet, animals, beach, beverage, bodies of water, books, cabin, cow, critical thinking, decision making, fantasy, farm, fish, fishing, food, horse, hunger, magic, nutrition, peer resistance, picnic, royalty, sand, sea, shells, storytelling, tree, verbal communication, village, writing

The rabbi and the twenty-nine witches

Hirsh, Marilyn

Once a month, when the moon is full, twenty-nine of the meanest, scariest, ugliest, wickedest witches that ever lived came out of the cave to terrify the villagers...until one day the wise rabbi invents a plan to rid his village of those wicked witches forever. The rabbi's clever plan works with hilarious results!

Tags

animals, cat, cave, community, dancing, evil, fear, inventions, Jewish, magic, moon, numbers, problem solving, rain, religion, village, vulture, witches

In control, Ms. Wiz?

Blacker, Terence

It all seems so simple. To stop the local library from being closed down, Ms. Wiz sprinkles her special powder over a few books to bring them to life. But soon the greediest man in the world, some Flopsy Bunnies, and a very royal couple are on the loose. Jack and Podge are worried- this time, is Ms. Wiz really in control?

Tags

books, careers, feelings, greed, humor, library, magic, reading, worry

Paul

Kuskin, Karla

Using his imagination, Paul goes on a fantastic trip looking for his magical grandmother. Along the way, he sings a song that his grandmother eventually loves.

Tags

animals, family, fantasy, grandparents, imagination, magic, song, travel

The legend of rosepetal

Bretano, Clemens

Prince Evermore asks Princess Rosalina to marry him. She says no and that it would be as impossible as a rose marrying a pumpkin. When he makes a rose marry a pumpkin, Rosalina feeels guilty about her selfishness.

Tags

conflict resolution, happiness, magic, marriage, peer resistance, royalty, verbal communication

The tough princess

Waddell, Martin

This book is about a princess who is forced by her parents to find a prince the traditional way -- going under a spell -- so she can be rescued by a prince. She does not like this idea, so she finds her own way to meet a prince.

Tags

assertiveness, conflict resolution, creativity, critical thinking, family, independence, magic, marriage, parents, peer resistance, rescue, royalty, traditions

Fish soup

LeGuin, Ursula K.

The thinking man and the writing woman are good friends. They decide to find a child to run messages between their homes and to catch fish for their fish soup. The child is created by their imaginations and a touch of magic.

Tags

fishing, food, friendship, imagination, magic, nutrition, recreation, travel

Well, i never!

Pearson, Susan

One day things become very strange for a family living in Iowa. Nothing seems to go as planned. They finally figure out that this is because their farm has floated up into the sky. They get their farm back to earth by weighing it down.

Tags

chaos, clouds, conflict resolution, confusion, decision making, family, fantasy, farm, grandparents, humor, magic, parents, problem solving, siblings

The miracle of the potato latkes

Penn, Malka

Tanta Golda is a Russian woman who makes the most delicious potato latkes in Russia. This year, there is only one tiny potato from the harvest. Tanta doesn't know what to do. When a beggar comes to her door, she feeds him the one potato. The beggar brings her good luck, and there are potato latkes for everyone!

Tags

celebration, feelings, food, hanukkah, happiness, holidays, magic, multicultural, nutrition, preparation, recipe, russian, sadness

Anno's magical abc: An anamorphic alphabet

Anno, Masaichiro//Anno, Mitsumasa

Children's eyes are opened to the excitement of seeing and learning the alphabet in a different way. Although initially distorted, the letters can be easily viewed when using a silver tube as directed.

Tags

alphabet, angel, creativity, japanese, letters, magic, multicultural, mystery, pirates, sequence, ship, transportation

Moonfall

Whitcher, Susan

Sylvie is a little girl who believes that the moon is magic. Even after her parents try to explain how big and far away the moon is, Sylvie still believes that the moon fell behind the neighbor's lilac bush. Sylvie believes that she saves the moon.

Tags

family, magic, moon, neighbors, night, parents, sky

The cucumber princess

Wahl, Jan

The cucumber princess comes of age in this mysterious story with Aztec-style illustrations.

Tags

art, assertiveness, awareness, conflict resolution, decision making, magic, mexican, multicultural, mythical, rain, royalty, self esteem, verbal communication

A sky full of dragons

Wright, Mildred Whatley

Lee Chow's grandfather shows him the wonderful items in the magic Chest of Dragons. What Lee Chow really wants is marbles and the Chest of Dragons cannot provide them. Fortunately, the Spring Festival creates good times, friends, and the beautiful marbles Lee Chow desires.

Tags

appreciation, art, celebration, chinese american, colors, conflict resolution, customs, dragons, family, friendship, games, giving, grandparents, happiness, kite, magic, manners, multicultural, park, playing, respect, verbal communication

The secret of the stones

San Souci, Robert D.

John and Clara work very hard all day, but they have no children to love. One night Clara finds two little white stones and brings them home with her. When they came home the next night all of the chores had been done, and John and Clara must find out who their helpers are and how to help them!

Tags

african american, animals, author's note, bones, cabin, chicken, conflict resolution, cow, decision making, escape, farm, folktale, food, hard work, magic, multicultural, nutrition, orphan, poverty, rocks, song, stream, verbal communication

The mountains of quilt

Willard, Nancy

A young child believes that a magician lives above his grandmother in the mountains. Two worlds that seem so far apart are brought together into one when the grandmother and the magician help each other out.

Tags

assertiveness, birds, clothing, crow, decision making, family, grandparents, helping, magic, mountains, mythical, nonverbal communication, parents, quilt, verbal communication

The wishing hat

Fuchshuber, Annegert

A person's main intention in life should not be for money. Magic makes it fun though.

Tags

assertiveness, clothing, magic, money, music, peer resistance, refusal skills, relaxation, unselfish, wish

Anno's magic seeds

Anno, Mitsumasa

Jack is given two magic seeds by a wizard. He is told to plant one seed and eat one seed, but Jack figures out a more lucrative method. How many seeds does each harvest yield?

Tags

decision making, hurricane, magic, math, plants, survival, weather

Heckedy peg

Wood, Audrey

A mother goes to market. While she is gone, a witch persuades her children to let her in the house. The witch turns the children into her supper, but the mother arrives home in time to save her children and chase the witch away.

Tags

conflict resolution, deception, decision making, family, food, magic, nutrition, parents, peer resistance, refusal skills, safety, shelter, verbal communication, witches

Jahdu

Hamilton, Virginia

Jahdu uses creativity to outwit his shadow in order to recover his magic dust.

Tags

assertiveness, body image, creativity, critical thinking, decision making, goal setting, magic, shadows, verbal communication

Milo's hat trick

Agee, Jon

Milo the magician had one more chance to pull a rabbit out of his hat or else he would be fired. While searching for a rabbit, he finds a bear. The bear is able to pretend his bones are made of rubber and agrees to jump out of Milo's hat. The show is a huge success until the bear becomes tired. Milo wonders what he will do until he realizes that he too can pretend his bones are made of rubber.

Tags

anger, animals, bear, bones, careers, clothing, disappearance, disappointment, entertainment, helping, magic, missing, performance, pretend, rabbit, restaurant, taxi, train, transportation

Nothing to do

Hoban, Russell

Walter is bored, so his father gives him a magic stone that will make him think of fun activities when rubbed. However, after Walter loses the stone, he realizes that he is capable of entertaining himself. He gives his sister a magic stick so she will stop bothering him.

Tags

boredom, critical thinking, family, imagination, imitation, magic, parents, play, recreation, siblings

The bakers dozen

Forest, Heather

Jan Van Amsterdam is a well known baker. People travel from all over to buy his goods. When he begins to get greedy, he starts to use less ingredients in his cookies. When a woman asks for a bakers dozen, he only gives her 12 She puts a curse on him and his baked goods. When he finally realizes that a bakers dozen is 13, the curse is broken.

Tags

author's note, careers, celebration, christmas, community, deception, folktale, food, greed, holidays, magic, nutrition, poverty, seasons, winter

The magic fan

Baker, Keith

One night a boy who liked to build things found a magic fan. The fan showed him what he should build to help enhance the village. The fan helped him until he no longer needed it. The fan helped the boy see that the magic was a part of himself.

Tags

critical thinking, decision making, goal setting, helping, magic, self esteem

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