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

Tags: playing

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Before, now

Salmieri, Daniel

Tags

animals, balloon, beach, bicycles, birds, bodies of water, books, buildings, car, careers, change, concert, dog, five senses, food, life, lightning, microscope, music, opposites, park, picnic, planet, playing, sand, technology, train, transportation, tree, umbrella, weather

From the back of a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, a young boy plays with his marble while sitting next to his mother. His mother tells the boy to stop the rolling marble and to tuck his marble inside and be quiet. This is the day that Rosa Parks sits in the front of the bus instead of the back of the bus with the boy and his mother. The boy knows his marble with its brown and golden shine in the sunlight is a symbol of change. No need to hide it no more.

Tags

boycott, bus, change, colors, courage, discrimination, family, hope, parents, playing, signs, sun, toy, transportation

Isla & Pickle: Best friends

McLelland, Kate

Pickle is a miniature Shetland pony who is fed, groomed, and loved by Isla. Isla's father wanted to buy her a pet but he wasn't interested in bringing Pickle into the family even though Pickle kept showing up a the beach, at school, and at bedtime. Eventually, Pickle becomes part of the family, and Isla plays with Pickle nonstop.

Tags

animals, beach, games, pets, playing, pony, siblings

Farmhouse

Blackall, Sophie

A farmhouse where twelve children grow up holds evidence of their stories long after they are gone.

Tags

animals, art, author's note, bedtime, books, chores, conflict, correspondence, cow, family, farm, food, home, instruments, music, photography, plants, playing, seasons, siblings, sleep, tree

Unplugged

Antony, Steve

Blip accidentally becomes unplugged and spends the day outside, traveling through the forest and sailing through a river. Blip starts to make friends with the animals and realizes they love to spend time outdoors, away from the screen. Finally, Blip returns home and leaves soon after to join their friends again.

Tags

change, computer, friendship, games, learning, music, nature, play, playing, technology

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

The day I had to play with my sister

Bonsall, Crosby

A boy has a hard time dealing with his younger sister while teaching her the rules of hide-and-seek. She just won't listen! Uggh...being a big brother can be tough!

Tags

animals, attention, autumn, behavior, challenges, communication, counting, determination, dog, family, feelings, frustration, games, individuality, learning, listening, numbers, patience, play, playing, relationship, resentment, seasons, sequence, siblings, teaching

Alicia has a bad day

Jahn-Clough, Lisa

Since Alicia is typically a very happy little girl that likes to be silly, she does not like the miserable feeling she experiences one morning. Alicia first handles her emotions by sitting and moping. Later she goes outside to write about her dark and dreary feelings in her notebook, only to be interrupted by a storm. After some alone time under her bed and a lick from her dog, Alizie realizes the world is not so lugubrious and goes outside to play.

Tags

anger, animals, awareness, clouds, coping, creativity, dog, emotions, feelings, hope, language, pets, playing, rain, sadness, weather, wood

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

God bless the child

Holiday, Billie & Herzog, Arthur Jr.

Each day is a work day for which to be thankful and grateful. There's a lot of work to be done on this land. It's time to go and experience the city life up north where things are different. Dream on, my child!

Tags

closeness, community, education, emotions, exploration, family, feelings, hard work, migration, parents, playing, reading, separation, siblings, skills, transportation, travel, wealth, work, worry

Elephants can paint too!

Arnold, Katya

Comparisons are made between human students and elephants who are learning how to paint. Photographs of elephants and their artwork are shared. Children learn that these elephants have many similarities to humans and must take part in the same learning process as them in order to achieve goals.

Tags

animals, art, body parts, colors, communication, comparisons, creativity, elephant, food, friendship, goal setting, jungle, learning, nonverbal communication, playing, school, self esteem, similarities, teaching, wildlife

Allie's basketball dream

Barber, Barbara

Allie loves basketball, but she is often the only girl on the court. Buddy and other boys tease Allie about playing basketball. Allie believes in her ability and keeps practicing so that one day she can be better at basketball than the boys!

Oh, brother!

Grimes, Nikki

Xavier feels sad, angry, and jealous towards his new step brother, Chris. Xavier soon realizes that Chris is coping with loneliness and resentment too. The pain over losing a parent to divorce forms a special band between Xavier and Chris so they promise each other, that no one will ever leave. Through short vignettes, the story ends with Our family is a song we sing, and we can add new notes anytime we like.

Tags

african american, aggression, anger, apology, baby, baseball, bedtime, behavior, books, celebration, change, chores, climbing, comparisons, conflict, conflict resolution, divorce, emotions, family, fear, feelings, friendship, fun, games, hispanic, jealousy, mountains, multicultural, parents, photograph, playing, pregnancy, relationship, rhythm, school, self esteem, siblings, sports, stepfather, stepmother, sympathy, technology, telephone, verbal communication, wedding

The secret Olivia told me

Joy, N.

Olivia develops interpersonal skills by realizing how her words affect her friends. Olivia and her best friend realize the importance of honesty and trust in their friendship.

Tags

african american, balloon, basketball, body parts, books, buildings, colors, excitement, feelings, friendship, italian, jumping, multicultural, playing, relationship, secrets, siblings, soccer, sports, telephone, truth, worry

Dancing in the wings

Allen, Debbie

Sassy uses her unique characteristics and height to become a great ballet dancer. Sassy does not allow bullying from the other students to prevent her from trying out for a summer dance festival. Sassy learns the benefits of perseverence and self-esteem.

Tags

challenges, competition, dancing, depression, determination, dreams, embarrassment, family, feelings, glasses, humor, imagination, individuality, instruments, jealousy, multicultural, performance, persistence, playing, self esteem, stars, theatre, travel

Monster at school

Blance, Ellen // Cook, Ann

Monster goes to school with a little boy one day. Once he arrives, he is a great help and loves to play with all of the children. One child, however, feels sad because Monster is not playing with him. What will Monster do to cheer up his sad friend?

Tags

allergies, boredom, feelings, fun, happiness, health, helping, monsters, nonverbal communication, playing, reading, sadness, school, self esteem, verbal communication, walking

Monster meets lady monster

Blance, Ellen // Cook, Ann

Monster and the little boy are cleaning the house when the little boy sees a lady monster outside. Monster is happy and freshens up before asking the lady monster if he can play with her. The two monsters play together and fall in love.

Tags

beauty, cleanliness, companion, excitement, feelings, goal setting, happiness, love, monsters, nonverbal communication, playing, relationship, sadness, success, verbal communication

The barking mouse

Sacre, Antonio

A Spanish speaking mouse family goes on a picnic. The parents spend the day showing each other affection while the brother and sister go play. While they are playing, the come across a cat. The cat scared everyone, except the mother mouse who saves them by speaking another language.

Tags

affection, animals, cat, conflict resolution, critical thinking, family, fear, feelings, food, hispanic, language, mouse, multicultural, parents, peer resistance, picnic, playing, self esteem, siblings, sounds, spanish, verbal communication

To be a drum

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.

Tags

africa, african, art, bodies of water, careers, colors, community, culture, dance, 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

Our community garden

Pollak, Barbara

Neighborhood children plant a garden together and each contribute by helping to take care of the garden. They set goals, work hard, and build healthy friendship. After harvesting their crops, everyone from the community comes together for a special meal made from vegetables grown in the garden. What a nutritious, heart-warming treat!

Tags

ant, bee, beetle, bug, celebration, community, cooking, counting, dancing, decision making, diversity, dragonfly, flowers, food, friendship, garden, goal setting, hard work, harvest, helping, insects, ladybug, learning, multicultural, nature, neighbors, nonverbal communication, numbers, nutrition, plants, playing, recipe, responsibilities, teamwork, tools, variety, vegetables, worm

When charlie mcbutton lost power

Collins, Suzanne

Charlie loves to play computerized games. When lightning strikes a nearby tower, Charlie's home is left without power. After several poor choices in finding something to occupy his time, Charlie discovers he can have fun without plugging in.

Tags

activities, affection, aggression, behavior, closeness, computer, conflict resolution, consequences, critical thinking, decision making, family, imagination, lightning, playing, rhyme, siblings, storm, technology, weather

First snow

McCully, Emily Arnold

Little mice children enjoy the first snow with Grandma and Grandpa. They skate, make a snowman, and sled down the hill.

Tags

acceptance, animals, decision making, exercise, family, fun, grandparents, mouse, nonverbal communication, playing, seasons, self confidence, skating, sliding, snow, verbal communication, weather, winter

Grandpa, is everything black bad?

Holman, Sandy Lynne

Montsho struggles with the dark color of his skin. Everything around him that is black is considered bad. Thankfully, Muntsho's grandfather teaches him to appreciate his black skin by telling him stories about his African heritage.

Tags

activities, africa, african, african american, animals, bedtime, colors, confusion, death, discrimination, egypt, emotions, friendship, glasses, grandparents, greek, history, identity, instruments, inventions, language, playing, pride, relationship, rhythm, royalty, self esteem, sounds, storytelling, television, traditions, understanding, witches

Molasses man

May, Kathy L.

A young boy and his family make molasses every summer. This summer the sourghum turns into a recipe that the boy's Grandfather has perfected. The boy spends his summer days helping his family make molasses and playing outside during the cooking process. While some molasses is cooling, Mama and her sisters pour it into glass jars and set up a stand near the road for passers-by.

Tags

african american, animals, author's note, books, community, cooking, family, farm, five senses, food, games, generations, glasses, grandparents, happiness, hard work, horse, moving, mule, neighbors, noise, observation, parents, plants, playing, pretend, recreation, sequence, smell, teamwork, traditions

Panda's new toy

Dunbar, Joyce

Panda just got a new toy and he is having a lot of fun playing with it. Gander wants to try it too, but Panda is unwilling to share. When Gander decides to play with another toy, Panda wants that one too. The friends talk about it and decide that sharing and working together are more fun than being selfish.

Tags

animals, argument, birds, conflict resolution, cooperation, feelings, fight, friendship, goose, jealousy, panda, playing, sadness, selfishness, sharing, toys, verbal communication

Beep beep, vroom vroom!

Murphy, Stuart J.

Molly wants to play with her big brother's brightly colored toy cars just like him. But her family thinks she is too little to share Kevin's cars and besides, he likes to keep them in a special order. Each family member catches Molly playing with Kevin's cars and they help her put them back the way Kevin likes them. In the end, Molly gets a surprise of her own!

Tags

animals, author's note, birthday, car, colors, disobedience, dog, family, fun, helping, parents, playing, sequence, siblings, sizes, sounds, transportation

Kenny and the little kickers

Marzollo, Claudio

It's the first day of soccer. Kenny doesn't want to play, but he goes to practice anyway. At first he's a little nervous and doesn't play very well. With his coach's help and encouragement, he quickly becomes the best kicker on the team.

Tags

accomplishment, animals, badger, challenges, confidence, encouragement, exercise, friendship, games, overweight, playing, soccer, sports, success

It's my birthday!

Hutchins, Pat

It's Billy's birthday party and all of his monster friends want to play with his new toys. Billy does not want to share, so his friends find new games to play without him. He thinks he can have more fun by himself but soon figures out that isn't the truth. When he receives a gift he can't play by himself, he asks his friends to play finally.

Ella's trip to the museum

Clayton, Elaine

Ella and her class are going to the museum. She is very excited about being there. All of the art work seems to be calling to her. They ask her to fly with the angels, spin with the ballerinas, or dance with the statues. Her teacher wants Ella to enjoy the art, but doesn't understand that it is exactly what Ella is doing!

Tags

art, behavior, creativity, dancing, exercise, flowers, imagination, learning, museum, plants, playing, school, seasons, spring, teaching, verbal communication

Do you want to play?A book about being friends

Kolar, Bob

Do you want to play?These two children have lots of ideas about what they can do. They can play together or alone or even in a big group. The park is fun, so is a board game, There are so many things to do with a friend, the possibilities are endless!

Tags

apology, body parts, conflict resolution, cooperation, fight, food, friendship, games, health, helping, instruments, listening, music, nutrition, park, play, playground, playing, reading, relationship, self esteem, sharing, storytelling, understanding, verbal communication

Rhymes for annie rose

Hughes, Shirley

More than twenty rhymes tell about the daily life and activities of a young girl named Annie Rose. The playful poems cover several topics including animals, people, seasons, routines and adventures that children love.

Tags

adventures, animals, bedtime, behavior, birds, boat, body parts, clothing, counting, cow, dancing, day, dog, dolls, dreams, food, friendship, games, garden, imagination, mice, moon, morning, nature, neighbors, night, numbers, playing, poetry, presents, rain, rhyme, sand, sea, seasons, sheep, snow, summer, sun, toys, tree, water, weather, winter

Won ton: A cat tale told in Haiku

Wardlaw, Lee

A cat tells his story through a collection of Haiku poems. Starting from when he lived in a lonely cage at the shelter, the cat shares his adventures of traveling to a new place and finding a new home.

Tags

adoption, animals, author's note, body parts, cat, comparisons, dog, flea, fly, home, insects, mice, pets, playing, poetry, routine, sequence, shelter

The music in derrick's heart

Battle-Lavert, Gwoddolyn

Derrick, a young African American boy, learns to make music on the harmonica. Uncle Booker T., a talented musician, spends each day, one hot summer, teaching Derrick the art of playing the harmonica. Finally, after much practice and determination, Derrick discovers the secret of Uncle Booker T.'s music: it comes from the heart.

Tags

african american, arthritis, band, dancing, determination, diseases, exercise, five senses, generations, instruments, learning, multicultural, music, patience, play, playing, practice, seasons, sleep, sounds, summer

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 other side

Woodson, Jacqueline

A fence not only divides two properties -- it segregates two families because of their different cultures. Initial fears from the parents cause them to set rules that will forbid the friendship of their young daughters. Little did they know that their daughters would break the barrier as they climbed the fence together to see the world as it should be, not as it is.

No dragons for tea: Fire safety for kids (and dragons)

Pendziwol, Jean//Gourbault, Martine

A little girl meets a friendly dragon at the beach and invites him to tea and lunch. During lunch the dragon sneezes fire and the table and curtains catch on fire. The fire alarm goes off but the little girl knows the important rules of fire safety. She tells the dragon that they must not stay inside and must meet their mother outside by the tree. When the dragon tries to go back in for his teddy bear, the little girl tells him to never to go back insidde a burning building. The little girls mother calls for help and the fire men come and put out the fire. Everyone is safe which is really important. The next time that they want to have tea, the friends will have a picnic on the beach.

Tags

accidents, author's note, beach, bodies of water, critical thinking, dragons, emergency, family, fire, fire engine, food, friendship, health, nutrition, parents, playing, rhyme, rules, safety, toys, transportation, water

Zelda and ivy and the boy next door

Kvasnosky, Laura McGee

A new boy named Eugene has moved in next door to Zelda and Ivy. the three quickly become friends. A romance blooms, they play imaginary games, and go camping. Like all friends, they don't always get along, but they work out their differences.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, bully, business, camping, careers, cleanliness, collection, conflict resolution, family, feelings, fox, friendship, helping, imagination, love, money, neighbors, pirates, playing, pretend, sharing, siblings, sleep, song, stars, verbal communication, wish

The big box

Morrison, Toni//Morrison, Slade

Patty, Mickey, and Liza Sue just can't handle their freedom. The things they do frighten the adults around them. The adults decide to put them in a big brown box because they care about the youngsters. The children will have everything they need, except their freedom. Isn't that the one thing children need?

Tags

animals, beaver, behavior, birds, caring, culture, family, farm, food, freedom, games, health, love, misbehavior, nature, nonverbal communication, nutrition, owl, parents, playing, presents, rabbit, rhyme, rules, school, seagull, toys

Double-dip feelings

Cain, Barbara S.

When you first started school, were you excited? Were you scared?Did you feel both excited and scared? Feelings can be hard to understand, especially when you have two feelings at the same time. Everyone has feelings at different times for different reasons.

Tags

animals, bravery, change, chicken pox, competition, diseases, dog, embarrassment, exercise, feelings, friendship, happiness, illness, new baby, playing, reading, sadness, school, siblings, stress management, swimming

In my momma's kitchen

Nolen, Jerdine

This little girl loves to be in her momma's kitchen. There's always something going on. From college announcements, to family dinners, to late nights of singing, everything happens in the kitchen. It is the most special place in the house.

Tags

accidents, african american, animals, birthday, caring, cat, celebration, clothing, cooking, family, food, friendship, love, multicultural, night, nutrition, parents, playing, pretend, school, siblings, verbal communication, wedding

When vera was sick

Rosenberry, Vera

Vera is sick. She has to sleep in the spare bedroom until she feels better, but it's lonely and scary in there. Her mother tries to make her more comfortable, but she just can't sleep and she's too sick to do anything else. After a few days of rest, Vera is feeling better. She plays games, sings songs, painted pictures, and then finally goes outside to play.

Tags

art, books, caring, chicken pox, doctor, family, fear, feelings, flowers, food, games, health, illness, instruments, loneliness, medicine, music, nonverbal communication, nutrition, parents, plants, playing, reading, siblings, sleep, song

Preschool day hooray!

Strauss, Linda Leopold

A day in preschool is full of fun activities and energetic students. The students come into the classroom excited to learn and play with friends. They paint, play, eat and sleep. The students explore, dance and play until it's time to go home!

Tags

art, books, discovery, food, learning, playground, playing, poetry, rhythm, school, sequence, sleep, teaching, toys

The low-down laundry line blues

Millen, C.M.

A young girl finds herself down in the dumps, lonely, depressed, and hanging around just like the laundry line outside her window. She doesn't want to do anything and looks so pitiful sitting beside her window all alone: she's got the low-down laundry line blues. Her sister decides that something must be done to cheer her up!She uses jivey rhymes to lift her sister's mood, but to no avail, they just don't seem to work. As a last resort, she drags her lonely blues-stricken sister outside and turns the low-down laundry line into a lively jump rope to play with!Suddenly the low-down laundry line and the girl with the low-down laundry line blues become lively and upbeat.

Tags

caring, clothing, companion, conflict resolution, depression, determination, emotions, encouragement, excitement, exercise, family, feelings, friendship, helping, jump rope, jumping, kindness, moods, patience, persistence, playing, problem solving, rhyme, siblings, song, unselfish

Little white duck

Whippo, Walt

A little white duck and his friends, little green frog, little black bug, and little red snake enjoy spending their time playing and swimming in the water.

Tags

amphibians, birds, bodies of water, colors, duck, feelings, frog, happiness, insects, music, nonverbal communication, playing, pond, sadness, snake, song, sounds, swimming

Erandi's braids

Madrigan, Antonio Hernandez

Erandi has thick, long, beautiful hair that her mother braids each morning. One day while making dinner with her mother, Erandi hears voices from the street offering money for the women's hair. Mama' explains that the hair buyers would pay well for Erandi's braids. That day they go fishing and mama' discovers that they need a new fishing net badly but they do not have money for one. The next day is Erandi's birthday and Erandi picks out a new dress for her present. On the way home mama' and Erandi stop at the barber shop where Erandi allows the barber to cut her hair so her mama' can afford a new net.

Tags

author's note, birthday, body parts, clothing, critical thinking, culture, decision making, dolls, embarrassment, fish, fishing, food, language, market, mexican, multicultural, nutrition, playing, poverty, pride, recreation

Ant plays bear

Byars, Betsy

Ant is a young boy with a wild imagination. An imagination that allows him to be a bear and a dog. He also imagines a giant outside his window and experiences the careers of his dreams.

Tags

animals, bear, bedtime, careers, cave, creativity, dog, exercise, family, fear, fun, games, giants, goal setting, parents, play, playing, pretend, running, siblings, sounds

The boy on the beach

Daly, Niki

Joe loves the beach. He likes splashing his mom and playing in the sand. He doesn't like the big waves though. He would rather pretend to be in the water. When Joe's pretending game tosses him overboard, he becomes scared. A friendly lifeguard helps him find his parents and everyone is happy again.

Tags

african american, beach, boat, bodies of water, exercise, family, fear, feelings, imagination, lost, love, multicultural, nonverbal communication, ocean, parents, photograph, playing, pretend, protection, safety, sand, storm, swimming, transportation, verbal communication, weather

You're mean, Lily Jean

Wishinsky, Frieda

Sandy always plays with her little sister Carly, but when Lily Jean moves in next door, she has a new friend. Lily Jean never wants to include Carly and bosses her around. When Sandy stands up for her little sister, the three girls learn to play together nicely.

Tags

activities, conflict resolution, decision making, feelings, friendship, frustration, games, gymnastics, moving, neighbors, peer resistance, playing, pretend, siblings

Tomas and the library lady

Mora, Pat

Tomas and his family are migrant workers who travel between Iowa and Texas to find work. Tomas loves to listen to his grandfather's stories but he knows all of them and decides to go to the library to learn some new stories. The librarian welcomes Tomas in and offers him cold water to drink and stories to read. Tomas visits the library lady whenever he can and even teaches her some of his native language, Spanish. When Tomas' family must leave the library lady gives Tomas a book to take with him.

Tags

author's note, books, careers, dinosaur, family, farm, geography, grandparents, immigrants, language, library, mexican american, multicultural, parents, playing, reptiles, siblings, sleep, soccer, spanish, sports, storytelling, water, work

So much

Cooke, Trish

A baby shares the love and attention that he gets from his family. From the moment the doorbell rings to bring in baby's Auntie, Uncle, Nannie, Gran-Gran, and cousins, lots of hugs and kisses, ooohing and aaahing, keep baby happy and loved. Wait until you see the eating, singing, and dancing until baby goes to sleep!

Tags

alliteration, attention, baby, birthday, body parts, book, celebration, dancing, family, love, nonverbal communication, parents, play, playing, reading, sleep

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