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

Tags: presents

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Santa from Cincinnati: How a little boy named Santa grew up to become the real thing

Barrett, Judi

Calus was born on Christmas Day at Cincinnati General Hospital, and as he grew up, he developed a love for toys. As a young boy, Calus began building toys with his dad and delivering them to other kids in his neighborhood on Christmas Eve. Soon, everyone wanted toys from Calus, and after going to college and meeting Claus, they moved to the North Pole and began manufacturing toys year-round.

Tags

animals, birth, birthday, celebration, christmas, correspondence, growing up, holidays, new baby, parents, presents, reindeer, school, sledding, snow, technology, tools, toys, transportation, writing

The third gift

Park, Linda Sue

A young boy learns his father's trade by observing the use and importance of resin from certain trees. One day becomes an important day for the family - and especially for the young boy - when they exchange tears with three merchants who are off to see an important baby.

Tags

author's note, baby, careers, collection, counting, culture, desert, family, history, market, multicultural, nonverbal communication, parents, plants, presents, storytelling, travel, tree, verbal communication

Beatrice's goat

McBrier, Page

Beatrice lives in Uganda and helps her mother care for her younger siblings. Money is scarce until Mugisa, a goat arrives. Mugisa provides milk, and the family is nourished by it. Mugisa's milk and babies provide enough money so Beatrice and her family can live a better life. Beatrice can afford her dream of attending school. This story has an afterwords by Hillary Rodhman Clinton.

Tags

africa, animals, birds, chicken, conflict resolution, dug, family, food, future, garden, goal setting, goat, hard work, helping, hope, hunger, language, leadership, learning, market, maturity, money, multicultural, poverty, presents, respect, school, siblings, uganda, village

Alejandro's gift

Albert, Richard

A lonely man plants a garden full of vegetables in the middle of the desert. A wide array of desert wildlife finds their way to his garden and watering hole. He wants to be friends with the animals and help them.

Tags

animals, author's note, badger, birds, cactus, caring, coyote, critical thinking, deer, desert, donkey, dove, feelings, fox, friendship, garden, habitat, hummingbird, loneliness, mouse, plants, presents, rabbit, rat, responsibilities, shelter, skunk, sparrow, squirrel, tortoise, vegetables, wildlife, woodpecker, wren

Muriel's red sweater

Dokas, Dara

Muriel Magee's party invitations are very late because her birthday is today! She runs around town handing out invitations to her friends. What she doesn't realize is that her sweater unravels with each person she invites. By the time she gets home, she sees that her sweater is all gone, but she is in for a surprise! Her friends are all there to wish her a happy birthday, and they give her a present. When she opens it she realizes it's just what she needed - a new sweater!

Tags

animals, balloon, beaver, birds, birthday, bridge, celebration, clothing, duck, excitement, feelings, friendship, hedgehog, mystery, nonverbal communication, otter, owl, park, party, presents, rabbit, river, squirrel, travel, verbal communication

I have an olive tree

Bunting, Eve

On Sophia's seventh birthday, her grandfather gave her an olive tree. Sophia is a little disappointed by the gift and doesn't understand why her grandfather would give her an olive tree that she can't even see. After all, it is Greece and she lives in California! It isn't until her grandfather passes away that Sophia truly understands the importance and meaning of the gift when she and her mother visit the olive tree in Greece.

Tags

appreciation, birthday, communication, community, culture, customs, dedication, disappointment, emotions, exploration, family, feelings, generations, geology, giving, grandparents, greece, greek, grief, immigrants, instruments, language, learning, loss, love, memories, memory, misunderstanding, music, parents, plants, presents, resentment, sadness, traditions, travel, tree, understanding, verbal communication

Ten mice for Tet

Shea, Pegi Deitz // Weill, Cynthia

A group of mice prepare for Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. The mice plan parties and a feast to celebrate.

Tags

author's note, celebration, counting, dancing, fireworks, food, learning, market, math, mouse, multicultural, music, new year, nonverbal communication, party, play, presents, verbal communication, vietnamese

Three cheers for catherine the great!

Best, Cari

A family moves from Russia to America. The grandma of the family has a birthday and she does not want presents. Her grand-daughter spends hours trying to figure out the perfect no present for her grandma.

How Willy got his wheels

Mohler, Diana & Turner, Deborah

As a homeless and handicapped dog, Willy never finds true happiness until he is rescued from the animal hospital and given a home and family. However, Willy lacks the ability to walk on his own and his owner Deborah tries several attempts to help Willy. Finally, Willy is given a wheel chair which enables him to finally be free and live his life to its fullest.

Tags

animals, balloon, caring, cat, climbing, cold, disability, doctor, dog, dreams, excitement, family, fly, friendship, handicap, helping, homeless, hospital, imagination, independence, loneliness, memory, pets, presents, problem solving, protection, relief, rescue, running, running away, sadness, safety, siblings, sleep, smell, toys, wish

Odd velvet

Whitcomb, Mary E.

Velvet is different from all her other classmates. After thinking she is quite odd, that students decide she's not reall that different after all. They admire Velvet's picture of an apple and love going to her unique birthday party.

Tags

art, birthday, celebration, collection, creativity, differences, dolls, envy, flowers, food, friendship, imagination, jealousy, party, plants, presents, pretend, rocks, school, teaching, uniqueness, volcano

Sleds on boston common: A story from the american revolution

Borden, Louise

It's 1774 and British troops are occupying Boston. King George closes Boston Harbor to punish people who speak out against his laws. Henry, a young boy from Boston, hopes to try out his new sled on his birthday. But when he and his brothers and sister get to the hill they find that the troops have set up camp there. After building up enough courage, Henry asks General Gage to move his troops because Boston Common is for everyone. Being a kind man of his word, General Gage agrees and the children can once again sled.

Tags

american, assertiveness, author's note, beliefs, birthday, boat, british, courage, england, exercise, family, giving, history, play, presents, royalty, school, sharing, skating, sledding, snow, transportation, verbal communication, war

While the horses galloped to london

Watts, Mabel

Sherman is given a special pot for his grandmother in London. Everyone on the carriage to London thinks the pot is a nuisance. Only when Sherman saves the day was everyone proud to hold the pot.

Tags

bravery, carriage, decision making, english, family, grandparents, heroism, multicultural, presents, respect, selfishness, travel

Bunnies at christmas time

Ehrlich, Amy

An invitation is sent to Santa Claus to join the bunnies for a Christmas party. Instead of Santa, their Uncle Jack dressed as Santa arrives with plenty of gifts.

Tags

animals, christmas, decision making, holidays, party, presents, rabbit, santa, travel

Mac & marie & the train toss surprise

Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald

Mac and Marie receive a letter from Uncle Clem which says that he will toss them a package when his train passes their house. They anxiously await the arrival of the train in the field one summer night. When the train passes, they find a package and open it to find a conch shell from Florida!

Tags

anticipation, dreams, family, night, presents, siblings, surprises, train, transportation

Willie and the all-stars

Cooper, Floyd

Willie is a young African American boy who learns about discrimination against black baseball players. Willie's fear of prejudice will prevent him from being a famous baseball player. Willie receives tickets to attend a Negro league game and realizes that maybe his dream is possible.

Tags

accomplishment, african american, baseball, bat, body parts, buildings, car, celebration, creativity, discrimination, dreams, friendship, games, grandparents, history, hope, imagination, multicultural, neighbors, practice, prejudice, presents, pretend, radio, relationship

A seed was planted/ Sembre una semilla

Palazeti, Toulla

A wonderful cycle of giving begins when a single seed is planted and sprouts are passed along from one person to the next. An entire community is touched.

Tags

adaptation, animals, birthday, diary, dog, english, family, giving, holidays, idiom, illness, language, multicultural, neighbors, pattern, pets, picnic, plants, presents, reading, school, seed, siblings, spanish, tree, water, woods

Names for snow

Beach, Judi K.

A rabbit asks his mother what is snow? and she responds with several different descriptions of snow and the many names there are for it.

Tags

barn, birds, butterfly, cat, christmas, disappearance, fire, flowers, friendship, garden, prayer, presents, santa, scarecrows, skiing, sledding, sleep, snow, winter

The piano man

Chocolate, Debbie

A young girl listens to her grandfather share his deep love for music and the piano. Grandfather shares the history of silent movies, Vaudeville, Ragtime, and Broadway. He never lets his passion for music end and continues to share it with his grandaughter.

Tags

african american, aging, author's note, body parts, careers, celebration, clothing, dancing, emotions, entertainment, exercise, family, feelings, film, grandparents, history, humor, instruments, marriage, medicine, memories, multicultural, music, new baby, opera, performance, presents, relationship, rhythm, sounds, technology, theatre, travel

Saturn for my birthday

McGranaghan, John

Jeffrey wants Saturn for his birthday, and he wants the moons too- all 47 of them! But he's not selfish: he'll share the rings with some of his friends at school and with his teacher, Mrs. Cassini. Facts about Saturn are woven seamlessly throughout this funny story as Jeffrey explains just what he'll do with his present and how he'll take care of it.

Tags

anticipation, bedtime, birds, birthday, cat, celebration, colors, communication, excitement, family, feelings, food, history, holidays, moon, mouse, numbers, nutrition, parents, pets, planet, presents, radio, sizes, space, technology, television, temperature

Elephant prince: The story of Ganesh

Novesky, Amy

In this mythical story, that takes place in India, a girl grows up listening to her motherﾒs and grandmotherﾒs stories. As a princess, she meets her love and is married. He promises her a baby and has one within a year. When gods gather around the babyﾒs head vanishes. Another god helps save the baby with the help of an elephant offering his life. The little boy was saved and became the elephant prince, listening to his motherﾒs stories everyday.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, baby, bodies of water, elephant, family, feelings, god, goddess, happiness, india, loneliness, love, marriage, multicultural, mythical, parents, presents, river, sadness, storytelling, stress management, verbal communication, wish

A slimy story

Knudsen, Michelle

Dan runs into a problem when he has no money and no time to buy his mom a birthday present. He canﾒt think of anything and feels hopeless. One day, a bully puts a slimy, gross worm in Danﾒs pocket on the walk to school. His teacher, Mrs. Stewart, places the worm in a jar, and all the children become interested. Dan even starts to like the worm and decides to give it to his mom to help her garden. She thinks the worm is a great gift.

Tags

birthday, books, bully, celebration, challenges, conflict resolution, confusion, critical thinking, excitement, family, feelings, friendship, insects, library, parents, presents, resolution, school, science, siblings, teaching, worm, worry

Here comes our bride

Onyefulu, Ifeoma

Ekinadose wants his Uncle Osaere to get married - then he can go to a wedding. One day, he sees people welcomed into his grandfather's house. They come to collect their bride - and Edinadose will be going, not just to one wedding ceremony, but two!

Tags

celebration, ceremony, challenges, community, family, friendship, grandparents, harmony, jewelry, maps, marriage, nigerian, patience, peace, photograph, presents, symbols, traditions, wedding

Elephant dance: memories of India

Heine, Theresa

Ravi's grandfather comes from India so Ravi asks him questions aabout India. Grandfather uses a simile to describe different aspects of India. Ravi is interested in the elephants of India and dances an elephant dance.

Tags

animals, colors, cooking, dancing, elephant, fish, flowers, food, horse, india, love, maps, multicultural, music, presents, rain, rainbow, shopping, sleep, snow, storytelling, sun, tiger, weather, wind

Start saving Henry

Carlson, Nancy

Henry gets $5 every week for his allowance, but he spends it immediately on something that catches his eye. One day he sees Super Robot Dude, but his mother won't buy it for him and tells him he has to save his allowance. Whenever Henry is close to $30, something happens to make him lose his money again. One day, his grandma has a surprise for Henry, and he learns that working hard to save money will pay off in the end!

Tags

books, decision making, family, giving, goal setting, grandparents, hard work, learning, library, money, numbers, parents, persistence, presents, refusal skills, responsibilities, sharing, verbal communication

The twelve days of Christmas

Spirin, Gennady

The Twelve days of Christmas is sung in churches, houses, and concert halls throughout the Christmas season. It is hard to imagine a Christmas celebration without it. From the partridge in the pear tree to the five golden rings to the twelve drummers drumming, carolers enjoy taking turns singing different verses. Gennady Spirin's paintings bring new life and spectacular beauty to this classic song, making it a gift to be treasured at Christmastime. An illustrator' note addresses the song's origin and history.

Tags

author's note, birds, celebration, christmas, dancing, dove, goose, history, holidays, illustrator's note, instruments, jewelry, love, music, numbers, presents, seasons, song, swan, tree, winter

The birthday pet

Javernick, Ellen

Danny can have a pet for his birthday and he knows exactly what he wants. The other members of his family think differently.

Tags

animals, birds, birthday, cat, decision making, dog, family, food, hygiene, parents, pattern, pets, presents, rat, rhyme, turtle, walking

Welcome dede!: An African naming ceremony

Onyefulu, Ifeoma

Amarlai has a new baby cousin and he can't wait for her to be given a name. A tradtional African name will tell people where she comes from and which child she is in the family.

Tags

africa, african, baby, birth, celebration, ceremony, clothing, community, cooking, family, feelings, food, geography, giving, grandparents, happiness, hard work, language, maps, market, multicultural, parents, photograph, prayer, presents, traditions, village

Mommy, buy me a china doll

Zemach, Margot

Eliza Lou has a plan for Mommy to buy her a China doll -- she asks her to sell her Daddy's featherbed.

Tags

decision making, dolls, family, goal setting, parents, presents, toys

A river dream

Say, Allen

Mark is sick in bed. He opens a box from his uncle and finds many wonderful things to prepare him for a boat trip with his uncle.

Tags

boat, family, goal setting, illness, nature, presents, recreation, surprises, transportation

Fox under first base

Latimer, Jim

Fox has a habit of stealing baseballs. With the help of his bear friend, he learns the error of his ways and returns the balls. In turn, he receives a baseball autographed by Shoeless Joe Jackson.

Tags

animals, baseball, bear, exercise, fox, honesty, presents, robbery, sports

Dream snow

Carle, Eric

A farmer lives on a small farm with his animals named one, two, three, four and five. One night as he naps, he dreams of snow fall covering his animals and him. He wakes up to discover real snow covering the ground and almost forgets a special Christmas surprise.

Tags

animals, beverage, christmas, clothing, counting, cow, dreams, farm, food, holidays, horse, music, nutrition, pig, presents, rooster, santa, seasons, sheep, sleep, snow, weather, winter

How big is a foot?

Myller, Rolf

The king wants to have a bed made for his wife's birthday, so he measures her by using his feet. They have a problem, because the carpenter's foot is not the same size as the king's.

Tags

birthday, community, conflict resolution, critical thinking, holidays, misunderstanding, presents, royalty, sizes

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.

Peacebound trains

Balgassi, Haemi

Sumi, a young Korean girl, lives with her grandmother when her mother goes off to the army. Sumi watches the train go by each day, wishing her mother would come home soon. The train reminds her grandmother of the days of war when she had to leave her own husband.

Tags

affection, aging, birthday, caring, change, chinese, coping, courage, death, destruction, dolls, family, feelings, freedom, grandparents, hope, korean, loss, multicultural, peace, presents, sadness, school, seasons, train, transportation, understanding, war, winter

Clifford's christmas

Bridwell, Norman

Emily and Clifford prepare for Christmas. Clifford helps Santa save Christmas after he drops all of the presents in his waterbowl.

Tags

christmas, friendship, holidays, preparation, presents, santa, seasons, winter

I like winter

Lenski, Lois

A boy tells of all the things he likes about winter, including snow, Christmas, ice skating, sledding, etc.

Tags

christmas, holidays, play, presents, recreation, seasons, skating, snow, song, valentine's day, weather, winter

Me and my aunts

Newton, Laura P

A little girl has a unique and special relationship with each of her aunts. She cooks, reads, sews, receives gifts, and talks with them. Her favorite aunt always remembers what to do and say.

Tags

activities, appreciation, caring, child care, family, food, fun, love, nonverbal communication, nutrition, presents, reading, relationship, trust, unselfish, verbal communication

Housekeeper of the wind

Widman, C.

Yula is the housekeeper of the wind. She gets angry at the wind one day when it won't do what she wants. They are angry with each other for a while, but then they make up with gifts.

Tags

anger, conflict resolution, decision making, feelings, nonverbal communication, obedience, presents, verbal communication, weather, wind

Surprise box

Weiss, Nicki

A girl explores her indoor and outdoor surroundings. She finds ants, dandelions, and a surprise present. She puts all of these things in a box to give to her Grandma as a present.

Tags

ant, family, goal setting, grandparents, insects, nature, nonverbal communication, plants, presents, surprises

Here comes the mystery man

Sanders, Scott Russell

The Goodwin children wait impatiently for the arrival of Merchant Meeks. When Meeks arrives, he brings presents, prizes, and stories to the family. His stories and presents tell of far away places the Goodwins have never seen before. He makes the world look bigger.

Tags

anticipation, family, imagination, presents, storytelling, travel, verbal communication

Why does it always rain on sukkot?

Youdoin, S.S.

Each of the Jewish holidays are explained through a story. The chief angel gives each holiday a gift which explains its meaning.

Tags

assertiveness, conflict resolution, holidays, Jewish, multicultural, presents, self esteem, storytelling, verbal communication

What the mailman brought

Craven, Carolyn

William Beauregard is sick in bed in a new town. He has missed school and will be missing another week. He puts a sign in his window that says Sick of this and soon starts receiving the most unusual packages from the most unusual mailman.

Tags

feelings, illness, loneliness, nonverbal communication, presents, school

December 24th

Cazet, Denys

Emily and Louie vist Grandpa and give him a surprise gift. Grandpa tries to guess what the holiday gift could be. Eventually, he sees that it is his birthday gift.

Tags

birthday, christmas, conflict resolution, family, grandparents, holidays, mystery, presents, verbal communication

Calvin's christmas wish

Miles, Calvin

Calvin is worried that his parents are Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus after his two friends tell him that this is true. Calvin is relieved and excited when he receives a bike for Christmas, which confirms his belief in Santa Claus.

Tags

african american, autobiography, christmas, feelings, friendship, holidays, multicultural, presents, santa, worry

Just enough is plenty: A hanukkah tale

Goldin, Barbara Diamond

It is almost time for Hanukkah. Malka's family invites a peddler for dinner. They are surprised when they wake up in the morning and find that the peddler has left behind wonderful gifts.

Tags

author's note, dancing, exercise, family, food, hanukkah, helping, holidays, Jewish, multicultural, nutrition, polish, poverty, presents, song

I know a farm

Collier, Ethel

A little girl goes to visit a farm with her father. She gets to see all of the animals in the barn. The owner of the farm, Mr. and Mrs. Green, give her a hen egg, flowers, and apple cake. They tell her that she can come back in a few weeks and take a kitten home.

Tags

animals, barn, cat, family, farm, food, nonverbal communication, nutrition, parents, presents, travel

A rose, a bridge, and wild black horse

Zolotow, C.

A small boy describes all the marvelous things he will do for his sister when he is grown up, such as bringing her coral from the bottom of the sea and building her the biggest bridge in the world.

Tags

assertiveness, critical thinking, decision making, family, goal setting, growing up, imagination, presents, self esteem, siblings, verbal communication

Mr. snow bunting's secret

Quackenbush, Robert

Mr. Snow Bunting opens a bow shop that is only open from March to November. The whole town is so curious about the way he wraps presents that they set out to find what the secret is -- especially Mr. Dog.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, community, conflict resolution, critical thinking, curiosity, decision making, dog, goal setting, nonverbal communication, presents, recreation, secrets

Lucky song

Williams, Vera B

Evie receives everything she wants from her family, including something new to wear and a kite to fly. One of the best things Evie receives is a song from her father.

Tags

african american, clothing, clouds, family, food, grandparents, kite, learning, multicultural, nutrition, play, presents, song

Morris's disappearing bag: A christmas story

Wells, Rosemary

On Christmas morning, Morris and his two sisters and brother all get their gifts. Morris's sisters and brother will not share their gifts with him. When they see the gift Morris receives, they want to use it. While they are playing with his gift, Morris finally gets to play with all of their toys.

Tags

christmas, conflict resolution, decision making, family, holidays, peer resistance, play, presents, refusal skills, self esteem, sharing, siblings, toys, verbal communication

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