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

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Wind child

Murphy, Shirley Rousseau

Resshie is a child of the wind. She is a talented weaver and is known across the country, and beyond. However, she's not happy. All she wants is a husband to keep her company. She meets the men in the villages, she even tries weaving one, but she is still not happy. Then a stranger comes who is everything she's dreamed. Through her wonderful weaving, they can spend forever together.

Tags

baby, clothing, creativity, dreams, fable, family, feelings, flowers, goal setting, loneliness, love, nature, parents, spiritual, weather, wind, 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

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

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

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

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

Uncle's new suit

Passen, Lisa

Uncle Carmen gets a new job, and the entire family goes to the store to help him pick out a new suit.

Tags

animals, cat, clothing, decision making, dog, family, grandparents, italian, multicultural, shopping, work

Tractor

Brown, Craig

A tractor pulls many different types of machines in order to plant and cultivate a crop of food. Once the corn grows, the farmer uses another machine to harvest it for market.

Tags

animals, barn, careers, farm, food, learning, machines, market, plants, rain, sun, tractor, transportation, wagon, weather, work

Tomas and the library lady

Mora, Pat

Tomas and his family are migrant workers who travel between Iowa and Texas to find work. Tomas loves to listen to his grandfather's stories but he knows all of them and decides to go to the library to learn some new stories. The librarian welcomes Tomas in and offers him cold water to drink and stories to read. Tomas visits the library lady whenever he can and even teaches her some of his native language, Spanish. When Tomas' family must leave the library lady gives Tomas a book to take with him.

Tags

author's note, books, careers, dinosaur, family, farm, geography, grandparents, immigrants, language, library, mexican american, multicultural, parents, playing, reptiles, siblings, sleep, soccer, spanish, sports, storytelling, water, 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 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

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

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

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.

The paperboy

Pilkey, Dav

While everyone else is still asleep, the paperboy is up making his rounds. He has to get up very early and get dressed, eat breakfast, and fold his papers. When he is finally done delivering his papers, he goes back to bed just when everyone else is getting up.

Tags

animals, bicycle, biking, cold, community, dog, dreams, exercise, feelings, goal setting, happiness, morning, neighbors, newspaper, responsibilities, routine, sleep, sun, temperature, work

The night worker

Banks, Kate

Alex dreams of becoming a night worker just like his dad. One night before bedtime, Alex is surprised when his dad hands him a hard hat. Now Alex can see what it is really like to be a night worker!

Tags

architecture, bedtime, careers, construction, dreams, family, hard work, machines, night, parents, sleep, surprises, teamwork, technology, transportation, truck, verbal communication, work

The ink drinker

Sanvoisin, Eric

A boy, who hates to read, is stuck in his father's bookstore for summer vacation. He doesn't like books, so what's he going to do?Things change and an adventure begins when the boy spies a strange customer and follows him. Maybe the boy will realize he does like reading after all, or maybe not.

Tags

adventures, appreciation, assertiveness, books, careers, curiosity, decision making, discovery, dreams, fear, letters, library, monsters, night, nonverbal communication, reading, self esteem, sleep, vampires, verbal communication, 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?

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

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

The best single mom in the world: How I was adopted

Zisk, Mary

A girl tells the story of her single mother's decision to adopt her from overseas. She discusses their time together and their happy life as a family.

Tags

adoption, beauty, birth, caring, child care, decision making, family, feelings, friendship, garden, grandparents, happiness, love, parents, sharing, soccer, sports, storytelling, travel, work, working mother

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

The babe and I

Adler, David A.

A young boy and his family are living through the Great Depression of 1932. When he learns that his father does not have a job, he gets a job with his friend selling newspapers to help make money for his family. He sells all of his papers outside of Yankee Stadium due to the popularity of Babe Ruth and his stories in the paper. He even gets to meet the Babe!

Tags

author's note, baseball, business, conflict resolution, depression, family, feelings, food, friendship, frustration, hard work, history, money, newspaper, parents, poverty, responsibilities, sadness, shopping, sports, stress management, work, worry

The ant bully

Nickle, John

Lucas is different than the other kids and he is often bullied by one boy in particular, Sid. Sid takes Lucas' hat and sprays him with water and to take out his frustrations, Lucas in turn bullies the ants. To teach Lucas a lesson the ants take him to their queen ant. The Queen ant has the wizard ant shrink Lucas so he can live and work as an ant so he can appreciate what they do. Lucas gathered food, defended the colony, and attended to the queen. The queen has Lucas turned back into his normal size and when Lucas wakes up, he sees that the ants have decided to teach Sid a lesson because how he is ant size.

Tags

ant, bath, beetle, bully, courage, family, food, glasses, hard work, insects, misbehavior, nutrition, parents, protection, revenge, spider, teamwork, television, tobacco, wasp, water, work

The adventures of sparrowboy

Pinkney, Brian

Henry, the paperboy, loves to read the comics. One day while on his route, he imagines that he has the ability to fly. He flies around saving the day like his favorite comic hero.

Tags

assertiveness, biking, birds, books, conflict resolution, critical thinking, exercise, feelings, heroism, imagination, nonverbal communication, reading, self esteem, sparrow, stress management, verbal communication, work

Rocks in his head

Hurst, Carol Otis

Carol Hurst's father loves collecting rocks in his spare time. After the Depression forces him to close his gas station, the father gets a job working with rocks at a science museum, realizing his dream.

Tags

ambition, business, car, careers, collection, depression, dreams, learning, money, moving, museum, parents, reading, rocks, science, transportation, work

Richard wright and the library card

Miller, William

Due to segregation in the 1920s, African Americans are not allowed to check out books from the library. Richard Wright discovers his passion which becomes a road to his freedom - books.

Tags

african american, books, challenges, critical thinking, discrimination, freedom, goal setting, multicultural, nonverbal communication, reading, self esteem, storytelling, stress management, verbal communication, work

Raising yoder's barn

Yolen, Jane

A boy and his family lose their barn to a fire but their Amish community works together to raise the barn again.

Tags

accidents, amish, author's note, barn, communication, community, conflict resolution, construction, cooperation, family, farm, feelings, fire, food, goal setting, helping, lightning, nutrition, prayer, pride, religion, verbal communication, weather, work

Raising sweetness

Stanley, Diane

The town sheriff adopts eight orphans to save them from the mean Ms. Stump, but there are a few problems. Pa is not too good at cooking and his cleaning is quite shabby. The orphans one wish is for him to get married. One of the orphans, Sweetness, believes a letter that arrived in the mail is the answer.

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

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

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

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

Night city

Wellington, Monica

At nighttime, most children go to sleep. However, many people in the city do not. Find out what goes on all around the city throughout the night when many people are sleeping and dreaming.

Tags

art, cleanliness, dancing, light, morning, music, newspaper, night, sleep, sun, time, 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

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 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

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

Market day

Ehlert, Lois

Morning comes with the crow of the chickens and the animals must be tended. Everyone in town packs up and heads off to market day. They pass many animals in the fields as they go to the town square in trucks, on motorcycles, and in carts to buy and sell at the market.

Tags

amphibians, animals, birds, bull, business, butterfly, chicken, farm, fish, food, frog, goose, market, mexican, motorcycle, multicultural, play, rhyme, sheep, snake, south american, sun, transportation, truck, turkey, 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.

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.

Love as strong as ginger

Look, Lenore

While her mother and father go to work in Chinatown, a young girl learns how to make rice dumplings and crab and shrimp soup with her grandma. They then take a bus to Grandma's work where she cracks crabs in a factory for a few pennies per day. Grandma prepares a crab meal at the end of a hard working day, made with love as strong as ginger. Katie appreciates her "Gnin Gnin" (grandmother) and all she does so Katie can follow her dress, becoming whoever she wants to be in America.

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

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

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.

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

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

Jeb scarecrow's pumpkin patch

Dillon, Jana

A scarecrow family is frustrated by the crows. See how young Jeb plans to scare them away.

Tags

birds, conflict resolution, crow, decision making, goal setting, halloween, holidays, scarecrows, teasing, verbal communication, 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

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