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

Tags: playing

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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

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

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!

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

Twister

Beard, Darleen Bailey

Lucille and her younger brother, Natt, play together and use their imagination. They run around and exercise in their yard. While they are playing, a bad storm hits. Their mother puts them in the cellar as she goes to help an elderly neighbor. The storm is a tornado. When the storm is over, the two children find the two adults, and life is back to the way it was: imaginary.

Tags

animals, critical thinking, decision making, exercise, family, fantasy, feelings, happiness, nonverbal communication, peace, playing, pretend, rabbit, rain, royalty, running, running away, sadness, sharing, siblings, stress management, tornado, weather, wind

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

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

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

Cat and mouse in the snow

Bogacki, Tomacz

When two friends, Cat and Mouse, go outside one day to play in the green meadow, they are very surprised to find snow instead of grass. Together, they discover the fun of playing in the cold, white snow.

Tags

animals, cat, climbing, cold, colors, family, friendship, monsters, mouse, playing, running, seasons, siblings, sledding, snow, weather, winter

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

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

Wilby's fitness book

Branner, Toni Tickel

Learn to exercise, stretch, eat well, and feel good about yourself with Wilby. He instructs you on how to be healthy through rhymes.

Tags

appearance, biking, confidence, dancing, differences, encouragement, exercise, feelings, food, friendship, fun, happiness, individuality, jumping, nutrition, playing, running, self esteem, skating, swimming, walking

Arthur's computer disaster

Brown, Marc

Arthur is captivated by a new computer game and plays it while his mom is gone, even though she asked him not to. While he is playing with his friend, they both reach for the mouse and the screen suddenly goes blank. Find out if he can fix the computer before his mom gets home, or if he gets the nerve to confront his wrong doing!

Tags

apology, computer, conflict, conflict resolution, consequences, critical thinking, disappointment, disobedience, family, games, honesty, misbehavior, playing, respect, technology, working mother

Another important book

Brown, Margaret Wise

Learn about all of the important things in early childhood from ages one through six. At one, you've found your nose and discovered your toes. By five and six, you've learned some tricks.

Tags

aging, baby, birth, body parts, counting, dancing, exercise, growing up, health, jumping, learning, numbers, playing, running, self confidence, self esteem, sequence, uniqueness, walking

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

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

Look out kindergarten, here I come

Carlson, Nancy

Henry can't wait for his first day of kindergarten to begin!He imagines all the wonderful things that he and his classmates will do. When he arrives at school, Henry becomes frightened that he will get lost and won't enjoy all of his new classmates. When his teacher invites him in and shows him all the neat activities, Henry realizes again how much fun kindergarten will be!

Tags

activities, animals, art, change, clothing, colors, confidence, curiosity, dentist, encouragement, excitement, family, fear, feelings, fun, games, growing up, math, mouse, numbers, playing, school, spelling, walking

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed

Christelow, Eileen

Five little monkey experience the consequences of jumping on the bed because their mama called the doctor and the doctor said, No more monkeys jumping on the bed!

Tags

animals, bedtime, concepts, counting, decision making, disobedience, excitement, exercise, family, feelings, happiness, health, injury, jumping, monkey, nonverbal communication, numbers, parents, playing, safety, siblings, verbal communication

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

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

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

Room for a stepdaddy

Cook, Jean Thor

Joey wishes Daddy still lived at home and has a great deal of trouble accepting Bill, his new stepfather. After many experiences with Bill, like playing ball and swimming, Joey decides there is plenty of room in his life for Daddy and Bill. He loves both of them.

Tags

amphibians, animals, autumn, cat, change, conflict resolution, coping, dog, exercise, family, feelings, food, frog, happiness, loss, nonverbal communication, parents, park, playing, presents, sadness, school, seasons, spring, stepfather, summer, swimming, verbal communication, winter

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

african american, animals, birds, boredom, cat, conflict resolution, critical thinking, dancing, decision making, exercise, family, feelings, forest, games, giants, imagination, inventions, island, jungle, library, lost, magic, maps, monsters, multicultural, mythical, park, penguin, photograph, playing, rain, siblings, sun, verbal communication, weather

Snowball

Crews, Nina

Each morning the children awake and anxiously look outside to see if it has snowed. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday go by and there's still no sign of snow!Friday is the children's last hope for a day of fun in the snow.

Tags

anticipation, bedtime, celebration, clouds, cold, Days of The Week, dreams, excitement, fun, goal setting, happiness, hope, morning, night, nonverbal communication, patience, photograph, playground, playing, school, sequence, sleep, snow, surprises, verbal communication, weather, winter

Bat boy and his violin

Curtis, Gavin

Reginald loves playing the violin. His father only has time to worry about the Duke's losing streak. Reginald passionately plays the violin to improve the baseball team's losing streak. Find out what else Reginald's love for the violin improves.

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

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

Snow bear

George, Jean Craighead

Bessie finds a new friend while exploring an ice ship-- a baby polar bear. She and Snow Bear play together like best pals. Bessie's brother and Snow Bear's mother watch carefully because they are both concerned and worried about their friendship. Will Bessie and Snow Bear's happiness be enough to keep them together?

Tags

animals, baby, challenges, cold, conflict, critical thinking, curiosity, decision making, eskimo, family, fear, friendship, fun, gender, hunting, ice, multicultural, nature, ocean, opposites, perspective, playing, polar bear, ship, stereotypes, transportation, winter, worry

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

A to z do you ever feel like me?

Hausman, Bonnie

How are you feeling today?Join the children in this book to find out if they are feeling the same way. Learn the letters of the alphabet while you solve the puzzles of emotions. Have fun!

Wemberly worried

Henkes, Kevin

A young mouse named Wemberky worries about everything. Now she faces her biggest worry, the first day of school. Find out what Wemberly will do with so many worries to worry about!

Tags

acceptance, animals, bath, bedtime, birthday, body parts, butterfly, car, change, confidence, conflict resolution, dolls, emotions, encouragement, family, feelings, friendship, grandparents, halloween, happiness, holidays, imagination, mouse, noise, parents, party, playground, playing, rabbit, relief, school, self esteem, shyness, stress management, verbal communication, worry

Oh!

Henkes, Kevin

Oh!How white everything is in the morning when it snows. Everyone wants to play in the snow. Squirrels, cats, dogs, rabbits, and children get excited to play in the snow. When the sun goes down, the snow looks blue and play time is over for everyone.

Tags

animals, birds, cat, dog, fun, play, playing, rabbit, seasons, snow, squirrel, sun, weather, winter

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Snow family

Kirk, Daniel

Join a young boy as he wanders into the snow to meet new friends. His friends are missing their noses, hats, and part of their family. Help the boy try to find what his new friends need.

Tags

adventures, affection, animals, assertiveness, barn, bear, behavior, birds, body parts, cardinal, caring, clothing, cold, conflict resolution, cow, crow, decision making, dog, exercise, family, farm, fear, feelings, fight, forest, friendship, fun, love, mischief, nonverbal communication, parents, playing, problem solving, sadness, sleep, snow, sounds, sparrow, squirrel, tree, verbal communication, weather, wind, winter

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

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

I like your buttons!

Lamstein, Sarah

Random acts of kindness are demonstrated by Cassandra as she tells her teacher that she likes her buttons. Cassandra's positive attitude spreads throughout her school and around the neighborhood bringing joy and surprise to all.

Astro bunnies

Loomis, Christine

Zip!Zoom!Join these astro bunnies as they explore outer space. Help the bunnies get to outer space. What will they find there?Whether it's shooting starts or bunnies from other places, astro bunnies always come home.

Tags

accomplishment, adventures, animals, astronaut, astronomy, challenges, critical thinking, emotions, exploration, friendship, fun, goal setting, happiness, imagination, moon, nonverbal communication, ocean, planet, playing, rabbit, rhyme, science, sky, stars, technology, transportation, travel, weather

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

Five little piggies

Martin, David

Everyone knows the five little piggies- one that goes to the market, one stays home, one has roast beef, one has none, and one goes we, wee, wee all the way home. Now we will finally learn why these little piggies did all these different things!

Tags

accidents, animals, balloon, caring, chicken, chicken pox, cow, fair, family, feelings, food, health, helping, illness, love, noise, nutrition, parents, pig, playing, rhyme, sadness, self esteem, shopping, siblings, surprises, verbal communication

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

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

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

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