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

Tags: work

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A different pond

Phi, Bao

A young boy accompanies his dad to catch fish for food before the sunrises and before other family members awake. The dad tells the bait man at the all-night store that he is starting a second job. The boy meets a Hmong man and a black man who are also fishing -- but this time, it is just the boy and his dad under the starlit sky. The boy learns to make a fire and to bait his hook and to honor the stories of his Dad as he explains how life was in Vietnam when he was a boy. When they return home, the dad and mom head to work while the boy looks after his brothers and sisters.

Tags

african american, author's note, bicycle, bodies of water, counting, feelings, fire, fishing, food, hard work, hmong, illustrator's note, language, learning, loss, morning, multicultural, photograph, pond, poverty, refugee, responsibilities, sadness, siblings, sleep, storytelling, teeth, tree, vietnamese, war, work

Keeping the city going

Floca, Brian

During the COVID-19 pandemic, entire cities shut down and everyone stayed in their homes except for the workers that society needed the most. The people who deliver the mail, stock the grocery stores and care for the sick: they remained. Society celebrates these people because, without their sacrifice and dedication, society would not have been able to survive a global pandemic.

Tags

appreciation, bicycle, bus, careers, celebration, challenges, communication, crisis, dedication, diseases, doctor, food, health, helping, neighbors, observation, recognition, relationship, safety, sounds, support, taxi, teamwork, technology, train, transportation, truck, work

My dentist, my friend

Hallinan, P.K.

Take a tour through the sights, sounds, and care of the friendly dentist's office! After spending time in the waiting room and visiting with the oral hygienist, the children are seen by the dentist. Some of their teeth may need to get some x-ray scans during the dental checkup. After a successful appointment, the children are given the knowledge and tools to practice oral health behaviors at home.

Tags

appearance, careers, critical thinking, dentist, education, hard work, health, helping, hygiene, nonverbal communication, responsibilities, role model, routine, teamwork, tools, verbal communication, work

My doctor, my friend

Hallinan, P.K.

Explore the sights, sounds, and care that kids experience at the doctor's office. After explaining why they go to the doctor for a medical check-up, the children describe the different tests that are performed at every appointment to diagnose their illness. Afterwards, the children are much less afraid about going to the doctor. Kids want to feel better so they like going to their check-ups to see their doctor.

Tags

appearance, careers, critical thinking, doctor, education, hard work, health, helping, hygiene, nonverbal communication, responsibilities, role model, routine, teamwork, tools, verbal communication, work

A day in the life of a dentist

Adamson, Heather

Dr. Fong provides readers with an outline of what she does in her job as a dentist. Starting at the beginning of her day, Dr. Fong describes the various articles of clothing that she and the other office staff wears. This includes office managers and hygienists, who help the dentist when she cares for her patients. After eating her lunch, Dr. Fong demonstrates various techniques, including x-ray imaging and models, that she uses to visualize a patient's mouth. Finally, Dr. Fong shows the tools she uses when examining a patient and describes the importance of visiting dentists, like her, regularly!

Tags

appearance, careers, critical thinking, dentist, education, hard work, helping, history, hygiene, nonverbal communication, responsibilities, role model, routine, teamwork, teeth, tools, verbal communication, work

The story of paper

Compenstine, Ying Chang

Paper is invented by three boys who had the need to write something down. The boys use bugs to make symbols in the dirt. Combining different home techniques such as making rice cakes and scrapping clothes, paper was invented. The three boys are successful and praised.

Tags

ant, author's note, body parts, chinese, counting, fable, fabric, fruit, game, grasshopper, insects, inventions, language, math, multicultural, numbers, recipe, siblings, symbols, teaching, toys, trees, village, water, work, worm, writing

The seven gods of luck

Kudler, David

Saohiko, Kenji, and their mother take a trip into town, to the market to sell their crafts and goods. They come across the famous Shrine of the Seven Gods of Luck.

Tags

beauty, bedtime, clothing, community, family, five senses, food, happiness, japan, luck, market, money, new year, parents, poetry, seasons, snow, sound, trading, weather, wisdom, work

Angelo

Macauley, David

A man is repairing when he comes upon an injured pigeon. He nurses the pigeon back to health and a friendship fast emerges. The pigeon helps the man fulfill his lifelong dream and is surprised to find an addition to the building.

Tags

aging, ambition, birds, careers, church, death, food, friendship, health, italian, kindness, monuments, multicultural, music, pigeon, teamwork, work

Hill of fire

Lewis, P. Thomas

Bored of his day-to-day lifestyle, a farmer complains to his wife and son how nothing ever hannpens. One day while plowing, the farmer comes across an explosion coming from his field. It turns out to be a volcano erupting and the farmer's field becomes a place in history.

Tags

beverage, boredom, bull, bus, church, dancing, depression, farm, fire, food, helping, market, mexican, mountains, night, noise, ox, party, prayer, rocks, running, sadness, safety, school, spanish, toys, truck, volcano, work

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

Lizzie nonsense

Ormerod, Jan

Living life in the Australian bush during the pioneer period proves rough for Papa, Mama, Lizzie and Baby. Lizzie transforms the daily routine tasks through her imagination. Her mother calls it nonsense: Lizzie nonsense. Family ties may not be the only thing an imagination of their own.

Tags

animals, australian, baby, bravery, dingo, family, food, imagination, multicultural, nutrition, parents, pioneers, self esteem, sewing, siblings, snake, verbal communication, work

Five trucks

Floca, Brian

A little boy observes how five different trucks assist in the preparation and take-off of his airplane. Description of the trucks and their duties are very clear. It takes many people working together to complete the goal of take-off!

Tags

airplane, careers, cooperation, counting, critical thinking, diversity, fly, goal setting, hard work, machines, nonverbal communication, skills, tractor, transportation, travel, truck, verbal communication, work

Messenger, messenger

Burleigh, Robert

Being a bicycle messenger in a big city is a rigorous job, but someone has to do it. The messenger wakes early and works late to deliver the proper messages to their appropriate places. Nothing can stop him, not rain, snow, or distractions of others.

Tags

african american, assertiveness, bicycle, biking, careers, cold, community, critical thinking, day, dedication, discipline, exercise, food, goal setting, hard work, loyalty, morning, multicultural, night, radio, rain, refusal skills, responsibilities, rhyme, rhythm, routine, snow, sun, technology, time, weather, wind, work

Old home day

Hall, Donald

From the time when only plants and animals lived there, to the modern bicentennial celebration, the people who called the fictional village of Blackwater home remember its history.

Tags

aggression, aging, american, animals, author's note, autumn, baby, barn, baseball, birds, birth, bodies of water, bones, careers, celebration, change, community, conflict, conflict resolution, cow, death, decision making, deer, family, farm, farmer, forest, future, generations, goal setting, grandparents, hard work, history, hunting, lake, love, marriage, memories, nature, neighbors, nonverbal communication, parade, parents, peer resistance, plants, pond, reunion, seasons, settlers, snow, sports, spring, summer, war, water, weather, wilderness, winter, work

Junk pile!

Borton, Lady

When Jamie Kay helps her dad in their magical junk yard, Robert Haines and other kids make fun of her. Jamie Kay has to find a way to show the kids that her junkyard is magical. But most of all, Jamie has to find a way to make a friend.

Tags

acceptance, assertiveness, bus, careers, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, disability, dog, family, forgiveness, friendship, imagination, magic, song, teasing, transportation, work

My car

Barton, Byron

Sam describes his car, its parts, and how he cares for it. He also discusses where he goes in his car and his job working as a bus driver.

Tags

bus, car, careers, caring, cleanliness, colors, day, night, rain, rules, safety, transportation, weather, work

Wash day

Cole, Barbara H.

Every wash day, Granpa plays his trumpet, keeping the children entertained while Miss. Ett does the wash. This music tradition stays strong until grandpa becomes ill and a tragedy occurs, causing grandpa to pass on his beloved trumpet to begin a new tradition.

Tags

clothing, family, feelings, fire, friendship, grandparents, happiness, helping, illness, instruments, loss, memories, multicultural, music, neighbors, parents, president, pretend, respect, sadness, traditions, train, work

The best beekeeper of lalibela: A tale from africa

Kessler, Cristina

In the Ethiopian mountain village of Lalibela, famous for its churches and honey, a young girl determines to find a way to be a beekeeper despite being told that is somethign only men can do.

Tags

africa, animals, bee, business, careers, critical thinking, determination, discrimination, dreams, family, feelings, forest, insects, inventions, language, market, mountains, multicultural, sadness, siblings, tree, village, work

Emeka's gift: An african counting story

Onyefulu, Ifeoma

As Emeka sets off to visit his grandmother in the next village, he wonders what he can take her for a present. He passes through the market and sees lots of things Granny would like - there were four brooms, five big hats to keep the sun off, six necklaces, eight water pots. But with no money, Emeka can not buy anything. Will Granny understand?

Tags

africa, african, decision making, dreams, family, food, friendship, games, geography, giving, grandparents, jewelry, jungle, market, money, multicultural, music, numbers, photograph, photography, play, traditions, travel, work

Ogbo: Sharing life in an african village

Onyefulu, Ifeoma

Ogbo are a special part of village life in Nigeria, uniting children of the same age in a lifelong fellowship - a group with whom they celebrate festivals, share day-to-day chores, and face the challenges of growing up. A young girl named Obioma helps us understand what belonging to an ogbo means. Growing, working, and relaxing together, the ogbo weave the fabric of village life.

Tags

africa, african, celebration, chores, cleanliness, community, customs, death, family, friendship, grandparents, instruments, language, multicultural, music, nigerian, parents, photograph, respect, responsibilities, singing, song, storytelling, traditions, village, work

A child story in a south african city

Wulfsohn, Gisele

Presents a day in the life of a child living in Johannesburg, discussing the social life, customs, religion, history, and language of South Africa.

Tags

africa, african, animals, art, bath, cooking, dancing, dog, exercise, family, food, friendship, games, history, instruments, language, learning, market, multicultural, music, photograph, play, rabbit, routine, school, soccer, sports, technology, work

Vacation in the village: A story from west africa

Njeng, Pierre Yves

A boy discovers and takes pride in the customs of his people when he visits his family's village in West Africa.

Tags

affection, africa, books, boredom, buildings, construction, customs, discovery, dreams, family, fear, feelings, fish, fishing, forest, friendship, games, grandparents, happiness, history, hunting, multicultural, parents, reptiles, school, siblings, storytelling, traditions, train, transportation, travel, turtle, vacation, village, work, worry

African beginnings

Haskins, James//Benson, Kathleen

Come explore and celebrate the powerful impact people of African descent have made on world history and on the American experience.

Tags

africa, african, animals, architecture, art, bodies of water, business, clothing, culture, dancing, death, desert, discrimination, donkey, egypt, europe, flood, food, geography, ghana, hard work, history, instruments, islam, leadership, lizard, maps, multicultural, music, muslim, nigerian, nonfiction, nonverbal communication, ocean, religion, river, ship, slavery, time, traditions, transportation, verbal communication, village, work, zimbabwe

Madoulina: A girl who wanted to go to school: A story from south africa

Bognomo, Joel Eboueme

Madoulina has dreams of becoming a doctor. She doesn't, however, go to school because her mother needs her to sell fritters in the marketplace to earn money. Madoulina meets her brother's new teacher, who convinces her mom to find a way to let her go to school.

A is for africa

Onyefulu, Ifeoma

The author, a member of the Igbo tribe in Nigeria, presents text and her own photographs of twenty-six things, from A-Z, representative of all African peoples.

Tags

affection, africa, african, alphabet, bodies of water, colors, exercise, family, food, friendship, games, grandparents, home, jewelry, jumping, jungle, language, multicultural, music, muslim, nonverbal communication, photograph, play, religion, river, school, spiritual, traditions, verbal communication, work

One big building

Dahl, Michael

Children learn about the importance of teamwork, cooperation, and goal-setting as an entire twelve-story building is constructed from an initial simple plan. Numbers one through twelve illustrate the entire building process in a fun and strategic way.

Tags

accomplishment, architecture, buildings, conflict resolution, construction, cooperation, counting, critical thinking, decision making, goal setting, machines, numbers, responsibilities, sequence, teamwork, work

Get to work trucks!

Carter, Don

In the morning trucks, such as dump trucks, bulldozers, cement mixers, tow trucks, cranes, and rollers, go to work. Learn about types of machines, sizes, colors, and numbers. At night, the trucks are finished working for the day.

Tags

assertiveness, careers, colors, concepts, construction, crane, critical thinking, decision making, hard work, height, machines, morning, moving, night, numbers, progress, reptiles, responsibilities, rocks, sizes, transportation, truck, turtle, verbal communication, work

The red piano

Leblanc-Barroux, Andre

A young pianist is sent to a re-education camp in China. She lives for her secretive two hours of music after a long day's work. Her parents managed to send a piano to Mother Han's house and she manages to smuggle music in notebooks. One night the pianist is caught at the piano, forcing her to live through an extended-re-education while her love and talent for music are challenged.

Ice cream Larry

Pinkwater, Daniel

Larry loves to eat ice cream. It keeps him cool and he doesn't get hungry. After eating a ton of ice cream, Larry is asked to be the spokesbear for Iceberg Ice Cream's new product. Larry is so excited! His picture is shown on posters, billboards, and fliers which advertise the new Larry Bars. Thanks to his new job, Larry has his own walk-in freezer to sleep in and 50 ice cream bars a day.

Tags

animals, business, careers, cold, conflict resolution, food, friendship, nutrition, polar bear, secrets, travel, weather, work

Making room

Taylor, Joanne

John William Smith dedicated his life to helping others, especially people in need by inviting them into his very own home! His dedication to family is heart-warming and his marriage is strong. Readers will find a unique meaning of home in this story.

Freedom river

Rappaort, Doreen

John Ripley shows courage and perseverence in Southern Ohio through his actions. John crosses the Ohio River into the slave state of Kentucky to help other African Americans escape to freedom. John listens to nature as he rows a slave family across the Ohio River to freedom along the Underground Railroad.

Tags

african american, author's note, baby, boat, bodies of water, cabin, community, courage, escape, family, fear, feelings, fight, freedom, happiness, history, illustrator's note, listening, maps, money, multicultural, night, parents, prayer, quiet, relationship, rhythm, river, running, sadness, safety, secrets, slavery, transportation, underground railroad, woods, work, worry

The roman twins

Gerrard, Roy

Maximus and his twin sister Vanilla are slaves to the cruel master Slobbus Pompius. They run away when Slobbus buys Polydox the horse then quickly decides to kill him. Maximus and Vanilla go through a chariot race and an invasion of Rome before they finally gain their freedom.

Tags

animals, architecture, assertiveness, bravery, critical thinking, decision making, freedom, heroism, history, horse, peer resistance, rhyme, siblings, slavery, war, work

Where does joe go?

Pearson, Tracey Campbell

Every winter Joe from the neighborhood Snack Bar disappears without a trace. All of the towns people have creative ideas on where he is. But in the end he turns out to be someone the children love...even more than the hotdogs and ice cream he gives them in the summertime!

Tags

archeology, astronaut, autumn, beach, bones, change, community, critical thinking, dancing, excitement, five senses, food, gossip, instruments, monuments, moon, music, nonverbal communication, nutrition, privacy, royalty, santa, seasons, ship, spring, summer, transportation, travel, vacation, winter, work

Weslandia

Fleischman, Paul

Wesley never really fits in at school. Even his parents think he is odd. One summer though, he creates his own civilization. Everyone develops a new respect for Wesley by the time he returns to school in the fall.

Tags

bully, clothing, creativity, culture, differences, exploration, flowers, food, friendship, games, garden, inventions, language, learning, nutrition, peer resistance, plants, problem solving, school, seasons, self esteem, shelter, sleep, sports, summer, time, work

The storytellers

Lewin, Ted

Abdul and his grandfather travel the streets of Fez, Morocco on the way to work. After passing merchants, carpenters and other citizens hard at work, grandfather spreads out a carpet to begin his job, telling stories to a crowd.

Tags

animals, arab, birds, careers, chicken, citizen, community, family, grandparents, hawk, horse, language, market, money, moroccan, multicultural, photograph, pigeon, sounds, storytelling, sun, walking, wool, work

Jazper

Egielski, Richard

Jazper's dad breaks three legs at work, so Jazper must find a job to pay the rent. He begins watching a house for menacing moths and while at the house, he learns how to transform himself into various things by reading. When the moths find out, Jazper must use his new talent to save himself.

Tags

books, family, helping, insects, magic, money, moth, reading, work

Hey, little ant

Hoose, Phillip//Hoose, Hannah

While playing with his friends one day, a little boy spies an ant. As he prepares to squash the tiny insect, the boy listens to the ant's plea not to step on him.

Tags

ant, appreciation, baby, bully, death, decision making, differences, family, food, helping, insects, nature, nutrition, parents, peer resistance, perspective, picnic, rhyme, similarities, sizes, song, work

Barnyard song

Greene, Rhonda Gowler

When some barnyard animals catch the flu, it is up to the farmer to nurse them back to health and restore the barnyard song to its usual splendor.

Tags

animals, autumn, barn, bee, birds, careers, cat, chicken, cow, decision making, doctor, dog, donkey, duck, farm, farmer, five senses, food, goose, horse, illness, insects, medicine, mule, nature, noise, nonverbal communication, nutrition, pets, poetry, rhyme, sheep, sounds, turkey, verbal communication, work

Tom goes to kindergarten

Wild, Margaret//Tegge, David

Tom is anxious and excited for his first day of kindergarten. When he finally arrives, he does not want his family to leave and insists they stay with him. The next day, Tom feels grown up but now his parents do not want to leave kindergarten.

Tags

baby, bear, change, family, fear, feelings, fun, growing up, homesickness, panda, parents, polar bear, pretend, school, security, work

The honest-to-goodness truth

McKissack, Patricia C.

Libby lies to Mama about feeding the cow. When she is caught and punished, Libby vows to tell the truth from then on. She ends up hurting her friends when she tells it like it is. Can Libby tell the truth and get her friends back?

When jessie came across the sea

Hest, Amy

Jessie and her Grandmother are very close family to each other because there are no other relatives. Grandmother teachers Jessie to sew and Jessie teaches Grandmother to read. One day, Jessie is requested to travel to America by the rabbi. Her journey by ship is hard, but she meets a young man, Low, who she finds again in America and marries. Grandmother travels to America on the money that Jessie earned sewing lace for three years.

Tags

american, challenges, communication, correspondence, decision making, english, family, friendship, illness, immigrants, Jewish, language, marriage, money, monuments, multicultural, religion, school, sewing, ship, spiritual, stress management, transportation, travel, work

Basket moon

Ray, Mary Lynn

When a young boy learns through nature his purpose in life, he has a hard time dealing with it. He has to overcome peoples' judgement on the career he chooses. But in the end he comes to se the true meaning of his work.

Tags

author's note, autumn, bias, bodies of water, critical thinking, decision making, family, feelings, food, market, nature, nonverbal communication, parents, rain, river, sadness, seasons, snow, spring, stress management, summer, time, tree, weather, wind, winter, woods, work

Lottie's princess dress

Dorrie, Doris

Lottie wakes up from a dream of castles and gold and realizes that it is a very special day. She cannot wear her usual outfit to school, she must wear her special princess dress. Although her mother says that it is too cold outside, Lottie tries to explain that it is a very special day and everyone should be dressed up. Eventually, Lottie's mother agrees and they both wear princess dresses all day.

Tags

anger, argument, bus, clothing, cold, conflict resolution, day, decision making, dreams, family, feelings, happiness, health, moods, morning, parents, royalty, school, sleep, teeth, transportation, verbal communication, weather, work, working mother

Little cliff's first day of school

Taulbert, Clifton

Little Cliff is dreading the first day of school. He has heard that school is all work and no fun. With the continued encouragement of his great-grandmother, Cliff finally heads to school. Upon arrival, he sees all of his friends and discovers that school can be fun too.

Ox-cart man

Hall, Donald

Descibes the daily activities of a farm family throughout the seasons of the year.

Tags

family, farm, food, nutrition, responsibilities, seasons, work

Hurry, hurry, mary dear

Bodecker, N.M.

An old man sits in his chair. He tells his wife that winter is coming. While he sits and directs, she carries out the chores needed to be done for them to be prepared for the winte. She works hard to get ready for winter while he does nothing. But in the end, she gets her revenge.

Tags

autumn, cleanliness, conflict resolution, correspondence, exercise, food, garden, hard work, nutrition, plants, poetry, preparation, responsibilities, revenge, seasons, tree, winter, wood, work

Complete adventures of curious george

Rey, Al//Rey, H.A.

A compilation of Curious George stories show his adventures which range from getting a job, riding a bike, getting a medal, flying a kite, learning the alphabet, and going to the hospital.

Tags

alphabet, animals, balloon, bicycle, boat, bodies of water, books, circus, conflict resolution, curiosity, decision making, doctor, elephant, emotions, fire, hospital, kite, letters, monkey, newspaper, river, sequence, symbols, verbal communication, work, writing

The bobbin girl

McCally, Emily Arnold

Ten-year old Rebecca works all day in a hot and noisy cotton mill. She's grateful to be able to help her struggling family, but not all the girls at the boarding house feel the same way. Some girls are starting to get sick. Judith, an older girl that is Rebecca's idol, wants to protest the mill's recent paycut but the troublemakers are fired. Does Rebecca have the courage to join?

Tags

assertiveness, business, careers, conflict resolution, coping, courage, critical thinking, decision making, family, history, illness, money, peer resistance, problem solving, sewing, verbal communication, work

Finding a job for daddy

Maslac, Evelyn Hughes

Things are harder and different since Laura's dad lost his job. Laura wants to help so she pretends to put a want ad in the newspaper, then interviews him for a job. Laura knows that her dad still has to find a real job, but she wants her dad to be a dad forever.

Tags

careers, communication, conflict resolution, coping, critical thinking, decision making, family, helping, loss, parents, pretend, verbal communication, work

The gardener

Stewart, Sarah

Lydia takes a train to go live with her Uncle Jim who doesn't smile. Lydia uses flowers and plants to bring joy to everyone. She writes home to her mother, father, and grandmother to describe to new experiences.

Tags

community, cooking, correspondence, depression, diary, family, feelings, flowers, garden, grandparents, happiness, neighbors, parents, sadness, train, transportation, travel, work

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