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

Tags: problem solving

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Voice of freedom Fannie Lou Hamer: Spirit of the civil rights movement

Weatherford, Carole Boston

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

My name is sangoel

Williams, Karen Lynn//Mohammed, Khadra

Sangoel feels homesick after leaving his Sudanese homeland where his father died in the war. With his mother and sister, Sangoel arrives to the United States to start a new life where they learn so many things about technology, escalators, cooking stoves, and televisions. With a clever use of writing in his new school classroom, Sangoel helps his teacher and classmates learn how to pronounce his name. He will always be a Sangoel just like "his father and grandfather and his father" before him in Africa.

Tags

african, author's note, careers, change, culture, drawing, family, grandparents, identity, learning, parents, problem solving, refugee, school, sudanese, technology, television, transition, travel

Big dreams, small fish

Cohen, Paula

In this New York neighborhood, a store sells gefilte fish but no one wants to buy it. Shirley's family thinks she is too young to help market the gefilte fish. In a timely moment, Shirley gives a surprise to each customer who buys something from the store. The customers come back eager for gefilte fish - much to her parents' surprise.

Tags

animals, author's note, cat, cleanliness, culture, family, fish, food, glossary, Jewish, language, leadership, market, money, neighbors, numbers, photograph, problem solving, recipe, Yiddish

My father's shop

Ichikawa, Satomi

Mustafa's father sells beautiful carpets from all over the world in his shop. One day, a small hole was discovered in one of the carpets so Mustafa asks his father for that rug to play with. In order to get it, Mustafa has to learn different languages from his father so he can make successful sales with the customers. As different foreign customers walk by the colorful carpet over Mustafa's body outside the shop, he crows like a rooster in different languages. He is excited to run back to the shop to tell his father that he can speak rooster in five languages. And all the tourists follow right behind Mustafa into his father's shop!

Tags

careers, decision making, goal setting, language, market, money, multicultural, onomatopoeia, parents, problem solving, shopping

Fridge-opolis

Coffey, Melissa

Lots of recycling and composting ideas fill the pages of the microwave, dishwasher, and refrigerator storage. The mayo, meats, and cheeses spoil and the tofu was swimming in goo. So many foods are rancid and decaying. And just when things couldn't get any worse....a food fight erupts in Fridge-opolis! Enjoy the Food for Thought at the end of it all.

Tags

cleanliness, community, conservation, five senses, food, onomatopoeia, problem solving, recycling, safety, science, smell

A home in the barn

Brown, Margaret Wise

In the winter, it is too cold for the animals to be outside but the barn is warm. All the horses, cattle, mice, birds, and cats stay there together to keep away from the cold. Even though there are a lot of animals in the barn, they all get along and help to keep each other warm.

Tags

african american, animals, author's note, baby, barn, birds, birth, bluejay, cardinal, cat, chicken, cold, community, cow, dog, farm, goat, horse, insects, mouse, multicultural, night, onomatopoeia, pig, pony, problem solving, rhyme, rhythm, sparrow, squirrel, time, wasp, winter

Seven spools of thread

Medearis, Angela

Whether working on their family farm or eating dinner, the seven Ashanti brothers always fight amongst themselves to the dismay of their father. However, when their father passed away, the seven Ashanti brothers were tasked with creating gold from seven different color spools of thread. After completing this seemingly impossible task by working together, the brothers taught their community the value of the lessons they learned.

Tags

african, argument, author's note, colors, communication, community, culture, fable, farm, ghana, language, peace, problem solving, siblings, success, support, teamwork, vocabulary, weaving

Toothful tales

Courtad, Jeanette

Incisa tells the story of how she and her friends, Cuspi, Mola, and Tongo, are attacked by a "sticky sweet" given to them by Grandma. After being covered in sugar, germs begin to attack as they make acid and dissolve holes in Incisa and her tooth friends. Then, Incisa, Cuspi, Mola, and Tongo get a pleasant surprise when Grandma brings other things to make the teeth happy; an electric toothbrush and floss! Finally, after a good cleaning, Incisa, and her friends, Cuspi, Mola, and Tongo, are once again, all shiny and bright just in time for lunch!

Tags

body parts, cartoons, cleanliness, conflict resolution, consequences, critical thinking, decision making, education, family, food, germs, grandparents, hygiene, nonverbal communication, nutrition, problem solving, tools, verbal communication, vocabulary

My wiggly smile

Woodruff, Amira

Olive wakes up one day and finds that she has a loose tooth! She runs downstairs to tell her parents and keeps wiggling it all day, but it won't come out! At school, Olive talks to a girl named Jordan who tells her about the "My Wiggly Smile" which says to keep track of the teeth she's lost. When Olive gets home, her dad surprises her with a "My Wiggly Smile" book of her own, and they leave for the dentist where Olive's tooth is finally pulled by the dentist. That night, while she is fast asleep, the Tooth Fairy comes to visit Olive, and she wakes up with a gift under her pillow!

Dentist

Unknown Author

Children go in and out of this dentist's office for checkups! First, a little boy gets his teeth examined by the dentist, and he finds out that they are a little dirty. Then, the dentist teaches the boy about how teeth develop over time and what he should do to take care of his teeth properly. Next, a little girl visits the dentist, and they find out that she has a hole in her tooth or a cavity. Finally, the little girl gets a filling, and her mouth is good as new!

Bacteria Joe

Adler, Sigal

One night, a boy does not brush his teeth and eats chocolate before going to bed. Bacteria Joe comes along and begins eating away at any remaining sugars and sweets in the boy's mouth. After causing cracks to form in the boy's teeth, Bacteria Joe is finally washed away, and the boy promises his Mom that he will always brush his teeth twice a day in order to maintain a healthy smile and prevent tooth decay!

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

Mama Panya's pancakes: A village tale from Kenya

Chamberlin, Mary and Rich

A young child from Kenya makes pancakes with her mother. The two gather supplies from local resources to make the pancakes together. Then they invite others over to enjoy the feast.

Tags

communication, community, decision making, family, food, kenyan, maps, nutrition, preparation, problem solving, sharing

Happy like soccer

Boelts, Maribeth

Nothing makes Sierra happier than soccer does. Sierra eats meals with her aunt after soccer games. Sierra's big game is cancelled one day. Sierra plans a makeup soccer game so that her aunt can see her play. What a great day to play at home in her own neighborhood!

Tags

bicycles, body parts, bus, clothing, community, critical thinking, dancing, Days of The Week, decision making, dreams, encouragement, exercise, family, food, game, goal setting, listening, love, neighbors, problem solving, rain, restaurant, shoes, sleep, soccer, sport, support, teamwork, telephone, transportation, umbrella, walking, weather

Spaghetti Eddie

SanAngelo, Ryan

Eddie, who loves spaghetti and takes it everywhere with him, is sent to buy frosting for his father's birthday cake. His neighbors have various struggles, but Eddie uses his noodles to solve their problems. The neighbors consider his solutions to be "silly" until Eddie stops a robber by throwing a meatball at him. There is a surprise birthday party for Eddie's father that also celebrates Eddie's unique, heroic actions in the neighborhood.

Tags

birthday, celebration, family, food, neighbors, nutrition, parents, problem solving, robbery, surprise

To market, to market

Miranda, Anne

A woman makes several efforts to go to the market to buy livestock. After complications arise from leaving the animals at home, the woman returns to the market to buy several vegetables in order to make herself and the livestock some vegetable soup for lunch. From home to market and back again, the woman uses delicious potatoes, celery, beets, cabbage and many more vegetables for their feast.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, birds, chaos, colors, conflict resolution, cooking, cow, critical thinking, decision making, duck, electricity, food, goat, goose, hen, hunger, lamb, market, nutrition, pattern, photography, pig, problem solving, rhyme, shopping, stress management, technology, trout, vegetables

Sophie's squash

Miller, Pat, Zietlow

Sophie buys a squash at the farmer's market. The squash's name is Bernice, and she is Sophie's best friend. Bernice starts look unhealthy, so Sophie plants her in the ground. The next year, Bernice makes two new squash for Sophie to befriend.

Tags

acceptance, animals, autumn, beliefs, caring, cat, conflict resolution, decision making, differences, family, farm, fish, food, friendship, garden, gymnastics, health, library, love, market, nutrition, parents, patience, picnic, plants, problem solving, refusal skills, seasons, spring, summer, winter

Julia, child

Maclear, Kyo

Best friends, Julia and Simca, are little girls who love the art of French cooking. They wish to stay young with little worries and lots of marvelous times. They decide to share their recipes for growing young with grown-ups. These adults fear the youthful food will not last, so the girls must make a dessert and cookbook to remind the adults to enjoy life. Note: References to Julia Child are fictionalized even though she was a famous chef in France and the U.S.

Tags

aging, book, careers, conflict resolution, cooking, dreams, food, french, friendship, fun, goal setting, growing up, hunger, language, learning, multicultural, nonverbal communication, nutrition, problem solving, recipe, tools, worry, writing

Anna's heaven

Hole, Stian

Anna's mother dies. She and her father have many questions for God about where Anna's mom went and what heaven is like. Anna's dad follows Anna through her imagination and the two find peace through the many great things and ideas that Anna imagines of her mother's new world.

Tags

change, death, feelings, grief, hope, loss, nonverbal communication, parents, peace, problem solving, sadness, verbal communication

Hopper's treetop adventure

Pfister, Marcus

Hopper the rabbit meets a young squirrel searching for his buried nuts. Hopper agrees to help the squirrel find his nuts if he agrees to what they find. The rabbit and squirrel find more then just hazel nuts; they find friendship. Each had to give and take in order to grow their friendship.

Tags

animals, baby, compromise, conflict resolution, deer, discovery, family, fear, feelings, friendship, goal setting, parents, problem solving, rabbit, seasons, self esteem, sharing, spring, squirrel, tree, verbal communication, woodpecker

Loudmouth George and the sixth-grade bully

Carlson, Nancy

George's first day of school is ruined by Big Mike, who bullies George and steals his lunch. All week, George does everything he can to keep Big Mike happy. However, George can't live in fear forever! George and his friend Harriet spend the weekend devising a plan to stop Big Mike and his evil ways.

Crickwing

Cannon, Janell

Crickwing is different from all the other cockroaches. He likes to create sculptures and has a twisted wing. Crickwing is tired of being bullied by the bigger animals in the forest and mistakenly takes his anger out on the leaf-cutter ants, learning a valuable lesson in return.

What planet are you from, Clarice Bean?

Child, Lauren

Clarice Bean is having a hard time coming up with an idea for her project on the environment. To make matters worse, she is paired up with her tag-along neighbor, Robert Granger. Her situation looks hopeless until her brother becomes an ecowarrior in an effort to free the tree from being cut down in their neighborhood. Robert and Clarice become ecowarriors themselves, saving the tree and their project.

Mr. Tanen's tie trouble

Cocca-Leffler, Maryann

The principal of Lynnhurst School, Mr. Tanen, is known for his unbelievable collection of 975 ties. He has a tie for every occasion! When the plan for the new playground falls through, everyone is shocked to see Mr. Tannen part with his beloved ties as he auctions them off so that the children at Lynnhurst School can enjoy their new playground.

Arthur's nose

Brown, Marc

Arthur does not like his nose! Although his friends and family like Arthur's nose just the way it is, he feels that it is always getting in the way and decides to get a new nose!

When Catherine the Great and I were eight!

Best, Cari

Sara, her mother, and Russian grandmother Catherine the Great, pile into Mr. Minsky's car along with a few of their other neighbors. They make their way to the beach to escape the heat of the hot summer day. Although they find it takes longer than planned to reach the beach, everyone has fun along the way.

Do gloves go on feet?

DK Publishing

Do you wear a winter coat to the pool? No, you wear a winter coat in the snow! This book asks and answers silly yet important questions for children.

Tags

autumn, beach, bedtime, body parts, classification, clothing, cold, concepts, decision making, glasses, humor, learning, pattern, problem solving, seasons, snow, spring, stars, summer, understanding, verbal communication, winter

Mathematickles

Franco, Betsy

Explore the magic of each season through mathematical equations. Discover things in nature that have mathematical qualities.

Tags

autumn, change, counting, critical thinking, cycle, decision making, education, language, learning, math, nature, numbers, poetry, problem solving, riddle, seasons, sequence, spring, summer, winter

The story of frog belly rat bone

Ering, Timothy Basil

A boy discovers an unexpected treasure at the junk yard. After some of the treasure is stolen, he makes a creature to stand guard. As they patiently wait, their treasure blooms into a gorgeous garden for them to enjoy.

Tags

animals, anticipation, critical thinking, dedication, excitement, flowers, garden, goal setting, patience, plants, prevention, problem solving, protection, rabbit, rat, robbery, teamwork

The princess knight

Funke, Cornelia

Princess Violetta has been raised by her father, King Wilfred, to joust, ride horses, and fight with swords. Despite her small size, Princess Violetta quickly becomes one of the best knights in her father's kingdom, ever surpassing her three older brothers. Princess Violetta learns that before her sixteenth birthday, her father will hold a tournament to win her hand in marriage. Princess Violetta is not about to let a tournament decide her future and she decides to take action.

Tags

animals, birthday, celebration, communication, competition, courage, determination, feelings, fight, frustration, happiness, horse, parents, problem solving, royalty, siblings

The best of times

Tang, Greg

Rhymes and mathematical strategies invite you to learn your multiplication facts.

Tags

activities, awareness, challenges, counting, critical thinking, decision making, exploration, learning, math, numbers, problem solving, rhyme, sequence

Alphabet adventure

Wood, Audrey

The little letters are going to school to help teach children their alphabet and how to write. Along the way little i loses her dot, and cannot go on to school without it. The letters go on an adventure as they look for little i's dot. They then decide that they must choose something to replace the dot so they can get to school to help the children. As i chooses a cherry and its about to leave, her dot comes out from a game of hide and seek just in time to find charley awaiting them at the school.

Tags

adventures, alphabet, bodies of water, celebration, colors, feelings, games, island, letters, problem solving, school, sequence, shapes

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

Hunter bunny learns to ski

Weaver, Alexis Rae

Hunter Bunny is eagerly awaiting for winter to arrive and is determined to take part in all the activities that come along with it. He visits his fellow animal friends who teach him to ski, skate and snowboard, but with Hunter Bunny's shorter leg, he is unable to be successful. With the help of his best friend Clark, the two find a way for Hunter to be able to ski in the animal ski race. Determined to win, Hunter Bunny practices day and night for the big competition and it pays off in the end when he brings home the first place ribbon.

Tags

accidents, activities, animals, anticipation, challenges, cold, colors, competition, confidence, determination, disability, dreams, encouragement, excitement, exercise, family, feelings, friendship, handicap, helping, learning, parents, practice, preparation, problem solving, protection, rabbit, reading, sadness, safety, seasons, skating, skiing, sledding, sleep, snow, sports, support, surprises, teaching, teamwork, teasing, uniqueness, wind, winter, zoo

Disasters in nature: Hurricanes

Chambers, Catherine

This informational text takes you inside a hurricane with questions of what? where? why? and when? to explain hurricane zones around the earth. Explains rain, wind, and air pressure of hurricanes. Global warming, storm tracking, and prediction problems are discussed for hurricanes and tornadoes. Learn how technology and the natural world alert us about upcoming storms.

Tags

australia, bangladesh, belize, careers, caribbean, change, comparisons, cyclone, destruction, disasters, history, hurricane, india, island, jamaica, japan, maps, multicultural, nature, netherlands, nonfiction, numbers, photograph, prediction, prevention, problem solving, science, sequence, storm, technology, temperature, tornado, typhoon, weather

When I heard the learn'd astronomer

Whitman, Walt

A boy is overwhelmed by all the charts and figures about space, but he gets tired of listening to the lectures. He goes outside to look up at the night sky. He is able to make the connection between what he heard and what he sees.

The golden rain

Mashiri, Pascal

A young child learns from his mother's stories about decision making and choices. He comes to understand that choices make some people happy and leave some disapointed. The child also realizes that help is sometimes needed for the decision making, but ultimately it is up to the individual.

Monster looks for a house

Blance, Ellen // Cook, Ann

A friendly purple monster comes to a new city to look for a new place to live. Since this monster is different from others in the city, he must hunt for a house that fits him. After looking at many houses, he finally finds one that he can live in comfortably.

Tags

buildings, change, community, comparisons, critical thinking, decision making, differences, environment, exploration, goal setting, home, monsters, moving, nonverbal communication, problem solving, sizes

He's your dog

Schories, Pat

A young boy's pet dog is on the verge of getting sent away. Before acting out, he comes up with possible solutions for the two of them. He realizes that the problem is sitting right in front of him.

Tags

animals, conflict, conflict resolution, decision making, dog, family, farm, feelings, friendship, frustration, love, moods, parents, problem solving, sadness

The runaway duck

Lyon, David

Sebastian ties his wooden duck to his father's car then forgets about it. The duck ends up in France. After much effort, he gets his duck back.

Tags

birds, duck, french, imagination, lost, multicultural, problem solving, travel

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 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

Leo in the library

Mkatshaw, Dumazile

Leo was in the class watching ants crawl on the wall when his teacher asked on what animal he would be doing his project. He could only think of ants, about which he knew nothing. Leo goes to the library looking for a book and causes a terrible mess. Leo must find his book about ants, but he doesnﾒt know what it would look like.

The trial of cardigan jones

Egan, Tim

Cardigan, a moose, is new to town. While walking through the neighborhood, he happens upon Mrs. Brownﾒs pie in her window. The pie becomes missing and witnesses say that he took it. He then goes on trial and throughout the trial, he keeps knocking things over with his giant antlers. This gives the judge an idea, so he takes the courtroom to Mrs. Brownﾒs house. They notice the smashed pie in the bushes and pronounced Cardigan ﾓnot guilty.ﾔ

My sister's wedding

Mkatshaw, Dumazile

Nhlanhla is getting married and her cousin, Priscilla, is going to sing at the ceremony. The day before the ceremony Priscilla loses her voice. Priscilla's family comes up with many different remedies, including eating raw eggs and drinking hot garlic. Upset, Priscilla cries over her lost voice and sits down on a box of pins! With a hearty scream, her voice returns and she can sing for the wedding.

Tags

animals, celebration, critical thinking, family, feelings, five senses, flood, happiness, love, nonverbal communication, porcupine, pride, problem solving, sewing, sounds, taste, touch

The bully blockers club

Bateman, Teresa

Lotty is very excited to begin a new school year. When she arrives at school, Grant Grizzly changes her attitude. He picks on her everyday, causing her to feel ill. Lotty tries to get Grant to stop by ignoring him, being his friend, and telling the teacher. It seems as if nothing can stop the bully, until Lotty and her friends create the Bully Blockers Club.

The heroic symphony

Harwell-Celenza, Anna

Ludwig Van Beethoven learns he is going deaf. He is an accomplished and promising young pianist and this devastates him. Beethoven realizes his condition is actually leading to his destiny not his downfall. In creating his symphony no. 3 he searches for a hero on which to base his musical inspiration. He eventually realizes it is about him!

A triangle for Adaora: An African book of shapes

Onyefulu, Ifeoma

When Adaora's cousin promises to find a triangle for her, he does'nt realize just how difficult the task might be. As they search through their village, the cousins encounter a variety of other shapes - heart-shaped leaves, circular elephant drums, crescent-shaped plantains - everything but the shape they seek. Just when the children are too tired to look anymore, they find a perfect triangle...and a great surprise to go along with it!

Tags

africa, african, community, family, food, fruit, jewelry, multicultural, music, plants, problem solving, shapes, siblings, traditions, verbal communication, village

Monkey for sale

Stanley, Sanna

Two little girls in Africa look forward to their village market day in the Congo. They must make wise choices for their spending. They make initial purchases, but later find a monkey they want to rescue. They creatively work together to find a solution.

Tags

african, animals, clothing, conflict resolution, congo, critical thinking, decision making, family, food, friendship, goal setting, market, money, monkey, multicultural, negotiation, parents, problem solving

Bitter bananas

Olaleye, Isaac

Yusuf is a boy who lives in a jungle in Africa. His favorite drink is palm sap, and he sells what he doesn't drink. A family of baboons begins to steal his sap, so he tries many things to keep the baboons away.

Tags

african, animals, baboon, careers, decision making, fable, family, food, forest, jungle, learning, market, multicultural, nutrition, problem solving, rain, sounds, tree, weather

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