Children's Picture Book Database at Miami University

The gruffalo | by Donaldson, Julia

A cunning mouse is able to deceive a fox, owl, and a snake into thinking he has a gruffalo as a friend. Things look bad for the mouse when the gruffalo actually appears and wants him for a meal. Using his wits, the mouse is able to convince the gruffalo that he, the mouse, is the scariest creature in the woods.

Keywords: animals, birds, bodies of water, communication, critical thinking, deception, dishonesty, fear, food, fox, interpretation, mischief, monsters, mouse, owl, perspective, sly, snake, stream, trick, wilderness, wildlife, wind, woods

No dinner!The story of the old woman and the pumpkin | by Souhami, Jessica

An old woman is on her way to her granddaughter's house for dinner, but meets many animals on her way. In order to escape the animals, she promises to come back all fat and fed. The animals are outwitted when the old woman is disguised as a pumpkin.

Keywords: adventures, aging, animals, author's note, bear, body image, bravery, critical thinking, deception, decision making, fable, family, food, forest, goal setting, habitat, heroism, hunting, intelligence, nature, nonverbal communication, nutrition, overeating, pretend, protection, relief, sly, sounds, tiger, verbal communication, wolf

Do you see a mouse? | by Waber, Bernard

There could not possibly be a mouse at the Park Snoot Hotel could there?The hotel staff did not see a mouse as they make their rounds through the hotel. When the mouse catchers extraordinaire, Hyde and Snide, come to the hotel, they do not find a mouse. The clever mouse gets to keep his nice home at the hotel because no one can find him.

Keywords: animals, attention, awareness, business, chaos, critical thinking, deception, mouse, shelter, sly, success, verbal communication

Scornful simkin | by Lorenz, Lee

A cheap miller steals wheat from people as they bring it to him. So two lads from Cambridge University set out to fool the miller.

Keywords: careers, community, conflict resolution, critical thinking, deception, decision making, fear, feelings, food, goal setting, misbehavior, robbery, sly

Four dollars and fifty cents | by Kimmel, Eric A.

Shorty Long owes widow MaCrae $450 The widow wants her money for Shorty but no one believes she will ever get that money back. The widow goes to Shorty's ranch but Shorty pretends to be dead so he doesn't have to pay her. The widow is suspicious and Shorty almost really dies just so he won't have to pay the widow her $450

Keywords: argument, assertiveness, conflict resolution, cowboys, deception, determination, humor, persistence, pretend, ranch, sly

Piggie pie! | by Palatini, Margie

Gritch the witch wakes up one morning with a craving for piggie pie!She spends all day searching for eight piggies on old Macdonald's farm and is fooled by the piggies, who hide from her. She finally gives up and goes home with a wolf.

Keywords: animals, assertiveness, bravery, conflict resolution, cooperation, creativity, decision making, farm, food, humor, hunger, pig, protection, sly, witches, wolf

Henny penny | by Galdone, Paul

An acorn falls on Henny Penny's head and she thinks the sky is falling. She goes to tell the king, and a few of her friends go with her. A fox lures them into his cave and eats up Henny Penny and her friends.

Keywords: animals, birds, conflict resolution, death, fear, feelings, food, fox, friendship, loss, misunderstanding, royalty, shelter, sly

Browse Abstracts (7 total)