Beautiful White Witch Who Helps People
"I'm guessing I was in second or third grade (1962
or
1963) when I checked out a book from the public library in Danville
Illinois. It lingers in my memory to this day, but the
title/author has
evaporated from my conscious mind. The subject matter made such
an impression that I would love to read it
again as an adult. It was not a picture book, and the story read
like a real tale. The concept of the book has stayed with me
because at the time it was revolutionary to an eight year old girl.
"The main character was a wonderful woman who
was a good person
that helped people. She was referred to as a "white witch" in
that she used her supernatural abilities to assist people. She
was also beautiful. This appealed to me so much; and I wanted to
be just like her when I
grew up." Tell Aunt Book
Coppertop, Who Has Strange Powers
"This book is about an old man, a professor I
think, who finds a
baby abandoned on his doorstep and adopts him as a son. The boy,
who I
think is called Coppertop (he has red hair), grows up with strange
powers and connections with nature. He makes friends with a
girl
called Ishtar (his name for her), but the ending comes
with him disappearing into the forest. I think it is set in
Victorian or Edwardian England. I read it in the 1960's when
I was
about 10, but I think it may have been an old book even then. I
have
always loved the story but the details have faded from my brain over
the years. I would be grateful for any information on it." Tell Aunt Book
Girl Whose Father Is A Singer From
England
"A girl whose father is a singer from England.
They move to the eastern U.S. She makes friends with people, but
during a dance she makes enemies
with the popular girls, and they hate the girl. One of her
friends falls
in love with her in the end. The title said something about
seventh and so on; I'm not sure." Tell Aunt Book
Overcoming Bad Habits
"I remember reading a Christian book about five or
ten years ago.
It was designed like a child's book. It was an over-sized board
book, with large, full-color glossy photos. I believe that the
cover had an eagle on it, and may have been orange or yellow. The
content of the book was on overcoming bad habits, overcoming
temptations, etc. It cited many scripture quotes, and I
distinctly remember a story about an eagle getting baited into a net by
a trapper's fish. I am afraid that this is all I can remember,
but I would appreciate it
so much if you could help me find this book!" Tell Aunt Book
Tartan Chameleon
"I read it at least 25
years ago. It was about a chameleon called Claude (I think) who
liked to show off how clever and talented he was at changing
colour. He became very bigheaded. One day a Scotsman
arrived and challenged him to change to a tartan. Claude manages
it
after a great effort but can't change back! He can't catch any
more
insects to eat because they can spot him a mile off and he begins to
starve, until the Scotsman turns up again and adopts Claude as a clan
member and whisks him off to Scotland where he is spoiled rotten and
eats
chocolate coated flies." Tell
Aunt
Book
Dog Who Is Looking For a Friend
"This is a picture book. The book has to be at
least 10 years old. The main character is a dog (short legs and
big floppy ears); we think
the dog is a bassett hound. The dog would approach other dogs
(fast dogs, strong dogs, smart dogs,
as examples), but the main character could not keep up. He was
seeking a
friend, but no one wanted to play with him. He then met a little
girl who loved him for him and he finally had a friend.
"One scene is that of a dog jumping over a fence,
and
the little dog could not jump the fence." Tell Aunt Book
Series About a Boy in a High
School Dormitory
"I am looking for the title to
a series of books that involved a boy who was in a dormitory for high
school. He didn't particularly like being there and he was mostly
playing hijinks most of the time. I do remember one of the books
where a magician came into town and the boy went to see him and then he
decided to put
on his own magic show. He got one of his friends to work with him
and he would have his friend pick someone out of the audience and then
his friend would alter the way he asked what the person was
holding. (e.g., if he says. 'What is Philip holding in his
right hand?' the word right would mean that it was a book,
etc.) There was a small series of books with this main character
and I think the entire time he was at this boarding school, but I am
not sure. I expect that I read this in the very late 1970's or
early 1980's." Aunt Book believes this is the Great Brain series,
by John D. Fitzgerald, but has not received confirmation from the Dear
Child who submitted the query. Are you that child? Tell Aunt
Book
Girl Stabs Mean Uncle In Bottom With
Pitchfork
"When I was younger I read a wonderful book, but I
cannot for the life
of me remember the title or the author. This was in the early 1980's,
although the book may have been published before then. It
definitely takes place in an earlier time. There is one class in the
schoolhouse, and it has kids of all ages working on their own grade.
"It's about a girl and her brother, PW
(Peckerwood?), who live with their
aunt, cousins and uncle. The Uncle is really mean to them and
the girl winds up stabbing him in the bottom with a pitchfork.
(It was
kind of self defense; he was beating PW). So, anyway, they steal
some food from the pantry and run away to
their schoolhouse and set up house. It's winter in the book and
school
isn't in session, I think. The teacher finds them and moves in with
them. The girl has a crush on him until he's there a while and the
meals of
beans get to her. At the end of the book, the children's mom
comes back from wherever she was and it ends happily." Tell Aunt Book
Boy Falls Off Cliff, Girl Is Blamed
"This girl wakes up to her friends' throwing rocks
at her window, I
think. She gets in her car with at least two guys, brothers or
friends.
She drives to the cliff where it overlooks the city. It's really
popular. One guy either loses his balance or purposely falls off
the edge
and lands. The girl gets in her car to go get help. On the
way to get
help, she is 'thrown' off the road by a truck/semi and wakes up in
a hospital. Her mom and friends come to visit her. I think
the guy who
fell off the cliff dies, because his brother or friend comes to visit
the girl, and I think accuses her of his death. Then she is invited to
a
dance with a boy and she goes." Tell Aunt Book
Short Stories, Including Mouse Whose
Believes Moon Is Made of Cheese
"I am in search of a book from my childhood.
It was published in the 1980's.
"It is a collection of short stories and
fables. One that pops out in my head is the story of a mouse who
wants to know if the moon is made of cheese, so he goes on a journey
and finds cheese on a table, eats half of it, and the moon outside is a
half moon in the end.
"One of the other stories consisted of 3 "ugly"
monsters of some sort. If you know anything about this collection
of short stories, please let me know!" Tell Aunt Book
Wind Switches Hats "I am hunting for an old children's book
about hats in the wind It's when everyone's hats fly off their
heads and land on another person's head (the baker's hat lands on the
minister's head, etc.)" Tell
Aunt
Book
Story Hidden Inside Book Whose Title
Has Nothing To Do With It
"The second book is more or less a hidden
book. After reading about five pages of it, it says something
like, "Stop! This is not the book you thought you were going to
read. I hid my story in it so the world knows the truth,"
etc. It then goes on about how he is a boy that moved to a new
city/village. There was something wrong there with the candy
store; the person who was running it was evil but the candy was really
good. I’m not sure, but I think I remember vaguely something
about children the life sucked out of them and gone missing and that
the candy then was better. Because the inside of the book was different
then the outside, I remember that the title of it had nothing to do
with the actual story.
"I read both books in the nineties and in Dutch, but
I don’t know if it they were translated (for all I know they were
Chinese originally)." Tell
Aunt
Book
Yellow Nursery Rhyme Book
"The first is a yellow book of nursery rhymes.
It included the nursery rhyme 'Old King Cole.' The title of the
book may even have had 'Old King Cole' in it. I believe I
received this in the 1980's or 1990's in Australia. It was a
yellow hardcover book and was not overly thick, although I couldn't
tell you the number of pages." Tell Aunt Book
Green Nursery Rhyme Book
"The other book was a green hardcover book of
nursery rhymes again. I also received this in Australia, probably
in the early 1990's. I remember using this book for ideas on
dress ups for school, as I went as Little Bo Peep. This book
contained the nursery rhyme of Little Bo Peep. The printed
writing style was old fashioned and the book was full of
illustrations." Tell Aunt
Book
Castle Siege with Peanut Butter and
Jelly "I read this book at my local library in the
mid 1980's. It involved a castle siege with knights using peanut
butter and jelly sandwiches to push against the castle in the
war. I think the picture on the
cover showed a slice of bread leaning against the castle with the
knights around it." Tell
Aunt
Book
Caribbean or Jamaican Ghost Stories
"The book I am thinking of is a book of
Jamaican or Caribbean ghost stories that was published in the UK in the
1980's in an edition with a coffin and a spectre on the cover. As
this book was in circulation in the 1980's, I don't think it was Duppy Talk or Duppy Tales unless those books are
older than they seem. The front cover featured a night scene with
a coffin surrounded by candles. The smoke from the candles rises
up to create the form of a ghost. I believe the title was
something like Jamaican or Caribbean Ghost Stories. The stories
inside included stories about weird kids with no faces and backward
feet and a ghost that played guitar. Can you confirm the existence of
this book and help me track it down?" Tell Aunt Book
Ghost Story in Sherwood Forest
"I read the story I'm looking for in a collection of
short ghost stories when I was 10 or 11. It was set in Sherwood
Forest (England) and follows a small group of children as they
explore. They discuss how the forest used to be much bigger, and
used to have bears and wolves. With them is a bully who mocks
them and destroys young trees as they walk. They find a nest of
baby birds, and when they turn away for a minute the bully pulls the
nest down and kills all the birds (by breaking their necks, I think).
"They hear the sound of a horn and can't find the
bully. Later they find him dead with an arrow in his chest, and a
horn and I think a quiver full of arrows hanging on a tree nearby. I'm
not sure if it was stated or just implied that he was killed by Robin
Hood, but that's the impression I have today.
"I think the title was "The Horn" or something
like that, but that's not for certain." Tell Aunt Book
Little Girl's Imagination; Tops of
Umbrellas
"Children's book that is at least 25 years
old. It's a story about a little girl's imagination. When
she looks out of her window on a rainy day all she sees are the tops of
umbrellas walking down the street. Also, the sliver of the moon
looks like her thumbnail in the sky." Tell Aunt Book
Short Story: Another World
Inside a Dark Pool of Water
"I am looking for a short story that I read in
elementary school in the mid-1980's. It was about an explorer, or
maybe just a curious person, who saw what looked like a star's
reflection in a dark pool of water. He discovered that the light
he was seeing was not a reflection but a light coming from a distant
place in the pool itself. He jumped into the pool and swam
towards the light and came out into another world. If I remember
correctly the new world was a desert-like planet with soft sand."
Tell Aunt Book
World War II Book, Discusses Wounded
Soldier Treated on Ellis Island (This is not a children's book per se, but
nonetheless Aunt Book is posting it).
"I was in 5th grade in 1990. I remember doing
a report on World War II. I came across a book whose name I can't
remember. In that book there was a part about a man named Jerry
(Genaro) Romanelli who was shot in the stomach and brought to Ellis
Island and treated. The book had a red cover and was maybe 3 inches
thick and 8-9 inches long and 5-6 inches wide. If anyone could
tell me the name of the book or tell me how I might be able to find the
name of the book I would appreciate it. The man mentioned is my
88 year old grandfather. I told him about this book and he really
wants to read it." Can you help? Tell Aunt Book
Life On Different "Planes"
"I'm not sure if this is a children or young adult
book but I got it from the same school library where I borrowed The Chronicles of Narnia and A Wrinkle In Time. The
protagonist was a young man. The main theme centered around how
life would be different on other "planes." They mean dimensions
but in the book they definitely called them "planes," maybe even in the
title. In one plane, he is about to get married. In
another, he is working with his father(?), etc. The writing style
is sort of Ray Bradbury-ish but it's not him. It's just that the
book somehow reminded me of The
Martian Chronicles. Tell
Aunt
Book
Surgeon With Detachable Arms
"As I remember the book concerned a special kind of
surgeon that had detachable metallic forearms that (after putting
themselves in a trance) they removed and proceeded to do a sort of
telekinetic or ghost surgery. The only other detail I can
remember is there was a woman in a full biomechanical suit that though
she was an angel." Tell
Aunt Book
Girl Is Going to Marry a Lord, Is
Kidnapped
"All I can remember of the book is that there's a
girl who has to leave where she comes from and has to marry a Lord of
some sort. She's an important person with 3 other
'sisters.' On her way to meet her future husband I think she gets
kidnapped and meets some other boy or man who also gets
kidnapped. She eventually falls in love with him but at first
she can't stand him. So I think in the end this Lord dies or gets
killed and she goes back home and this boy follows her and I think they
leave together on a ship." Tell
Aunt
Book
Black Leopard That Limps
"The book is fairly thick. On the cover
of my book it had the head of a black leopard. It's about a baby
leopard whose mom died when he was a baby. His foot was crushed
by a log so he has a limp. He ends up befriending a lamb that was
chased from the flock by a mean dog. The book mainly focuses on
the animal life in the forest and at the end things happen on the farm.
The lamb or the leopard or the dog might die... I can't
remember." Tell Aunt Book
Book Refers to Both Christmas and
Hanukkah
"I'm searching for a book that includes references
to both Christmas and Hanukkah. I can remember only a scene or
illustration of an older gentleman appearing at a boy's window to talk
about the holiday. I recall some of the lines to be very funny -
at least to an adult;I think some of the references were above the
children's heads. I last read it about 10 years ago and it was an
older book then." Can you help? Tell
Aunt Book
Foster or Adopted Child Jealous of
Brother
"It was a book for kids from probably 10-14 years
old, about a boy who was a foster child, or possibly adopted. I
don't remember all that much about it, but I remember that he had a
hard time and he was jealous of his older brother because he thought
his older brother had a "real" family. In the end, it turned out
that his older foster brother was adopted as well, which helped him
cope." Tell Aunt
Book
Locket Whispers Girl's Name
"I keep thinking about this book I read in school
when I was about fourteen. It was a teen horror novel, not very
long, and it had a girl coming out of the water as the cover
photo. The only thing I remember is that the main character was a
diver, and one day she had an accident. When she resurfaced, she had a
locket by her bedside, something she'd apparently found at the bottom
of the ocean when she was down there. The locket keeps whispering her
name at night." Tell
Aunt
Book
Girl Travels On Train, Meets Different
People
"Young girl travels on train by herself to visit
distant relative. On the many train stops she meets families of
different backgrounds and social status. The book was several
hundred pages with a few ink illustrations. I believe the period
of time would be early 1900’s." Tell Aunt Book
Girl Really Wants Doll, Gets Sick
"This book is about a girl who wants a doll oh, so
badly, but she can't have it because I think the doll was too
expensive. Anyway, I think she has two brothers, and one day they
were playing kick the can in the cemetery and a gravestone fell over on
one of her brothers' hands and broke it. During what was supposed
to be her Christmas break, I guess she started to get sick and so one
day her brother had to carry her home because she was so sick.
She was so sick that she slept through Christmas. Her older
brother had to go off to work at a factory or go to war (one of the
two), and she didn't want him to go. But in the end I think he did and
he sent her the doll that she'd wanted in the mail." Tell Aunt Book
Puppy In Pet Shop Wants To Be Adopted
"My granddaughter loved a book about a dog who
wanted to be adopted from a pet shop. As various other animals
were adopted the dog tried to assume to qualities of that animal, such
as slithering like a snake. In the end a boy did adopt the dog
and everyone was happy." Tell
Aunt
Book
Girl Draws Fantasy World With Pastels
"It is about a young girl (maybe oriental) who
receives some pastels, and she draws a fantasy world and enters
it. Her teacher joins her one time and they leave the world
happier and more fulfilled. Then a girl steals the pastels and
draws her own world but hers is evil. It has a blue cover with a
sky and pink flowers on the front." Tell Aunt Book
Crazy Goings-On In a Private School
"I am looking for a book I read a while ago.
It's based in a private school and it's about all the crazy
goings-on. The school was private and for the filthy rich, so the
kids basically dictated what happened because the teachers didn't want
to lose out on the money. I can remember the name of only one of
the characters: Lance. He didn't talk to anyone unless he wanted
to. There was a prince in it, I think, and I seem to remember he
had a monkey. The school nurse is a bit lonely and because no one
ever goes to visit her whenever she hears that someone is ill she
practically chases them and forces them to spend time in her
office. The main character is a girl and she is of a normal
upbringing but her parents won the lottery and want her to mix with the
rich and famous so send her there." Remember this? Tell Aunt Book
Fathers in Nontraditional Roles
"I'm looking for information regarding a book I read
some 12 years ago in an elementary school library. It was a small
book that from my memory seemed to have a distinct 1970's quality,
called something along the lines of My
Daddy
is
a Ballerina and dealt with children whose fathers held
rather 'effeminate' jobs. Each vocation was accompanied by a line
drawing of the father doing his job as well as text from the child's
view talking about his dad." Tell Aunt Book
Bunny Goes to Market
"My mom and I were discussing my favorite childhood
book from circa 1987 and we can't think of the title! She told me
it's about a bunny, or a bunny and a kitty, going to a party (possibly
a birthday party). The bunny 'goes to the market to buy carrots
and leeks and everything good to eat.' It's one of those
cardboard children's books, about seven pages or so. The cover is
white and all the pictures are simple, primary colors, with black
outlines, about 7''x5," from what my mom remembers." Tell Aunt Book
Mismatched Children and a School
Newspaper Club
"I used to be in love with this book series about a
group of mismatched kids who joined or created their school's newspaper
club, and became best friends after that. For the life of
me, I cannot remember the name of this series. I just
remember that I loved it, and that there was a female character in it
who was a tomboy and who was always chewing gum or something. A
few friends and I were talking about things from our early years today,
and that's what triggered the nostalgia. I'd appreciate it if you
could tell me the name of this series!
"It wasn't the "Get Real" series by Linda
Ellerbee. I did read those books as a child, but this was
different. I believe the kids were of elementary/middle
school age, and there was a group of them, rather than just
the main girl in the "Get Real" series. The
kids were very different from each other: nerds, populars,
loners, tomboy, etc. I remember that the tomboy had curly brown
hair (not that that would be of much help), but she also
chewed gum all the time. Some kid would pick his or her
nose. They either started a newspaper club, or all joined it, and
eventually became best friends. I'm pretty sure it was
a series, rather than just one book, but I'm not 100% sure of
that. I do remember the paperback cover's having a picture of the
four or five of them and one of those frosted glass doors leading
to the newspaper room." Tell
Aunt
Book
Overpopulated Future, Tunnel to Beach
"I am looking for a book that I read in the
mid-1970's. It was about a family that wanted to travel to the
beach. It was set in a future with overpopulation. They had
to travel through a tunnel to get to the beach and risked the chance of
being closed in the tunnel and gassed to deal with the
overpopulation. The story centered around the family's taking the
risk to go to the beach. I never got a chance to finish the book,
but have never forgotten it. I would appreciate any help." Tell Aunt Book
Future, Secret Society, Train To or
From New Orleans
"I read this book a few years ago, and all I
remember is: It is set in the future. The first chapter is
from the point of view of a girl living with her mom. No one
lives in the center of the United States because of a disease or
nuclear explosion or something of that sort. Another character is
a teenage girl who is pregnant. A secret society calls all the
characters to meet at a certain place (I think the title of the book,
but I am not sure). They take a journey, and all the characters'
plots tie together. A male character becomes a romantic interest
of the girl at the beginning of the book. I remember the pregnant
girl was on a train to or from New Orleans." Tell Aunt Book
Gypsy Sisters, Boel and (Possibly)
Irene
"The book I'm looking for is about a group of gypsy
kids. I remember two of their names - Boel and (possibly)
Irene. They are sisters. Irene grows up to be a thief and
is encouraged in her ways by their grandmother and uncle. Boel,
on the other hand, refuses to do anything bad and this gets her into
trouble with the family. Later on in the story Boel is taken to a
pastor's house where the pastor and his wife look after her
kindly. I think at the end of the story Boel turns out to have
been kidnapped from her birth family when she was a baby." Tell Aunt Book
Girl Who Quilts, Little Girl Forced to
Sing
"A girl’s house burns down. I think she goes
to work for some people, quilting. She gets yarn from an old
lady. There is a boy working for the people too. They hear a
little girl singing. They find out that the people are making her
sing." Tell Aunt Book
Pop-Up Book With Fairy Tales
"I would love to find a pop-up book that my
godmother gave me as a baby. She was an English tutor at a posh
girls’ school and always gave me delightful books.
"These are the things I remember:
"This one was given to me around 1947 –
1951. It was the size of the next size down (smaller) from
A4.
"I’m sure the cover was green – not very
decorated – all the colours were in the pop ups. The covers were
made of cardboard – quite matte.
'I am fairly sure the first story was ‘The
Sleeping Beauty.' The pop-up picture was incredibly detailed and
Sleeping Beauty had long ?blonde hair, but I remember clearly that the
quilt she had over her was bright pink, quilted looking. The
Prince was bending over her.
"Another story was 'Thumbelina.' The
pop-up depicted a tiny girl sitting on a leaf floating in water. There
was a frog looking on. Once again, extremely detailed."
"I cannot remember the other stories. I
think the majority of the books I had were printed in England." Tell Aunt Book
Hans Christian Andersen Story Book
With Pink Cloth Boards
"I’m looking for a Hans Christian Andersen story
book, given to me in the 1950’s, that had plain pink covers – no
decorations - that consisted of boards with hard pink cloth on
them. There was only one item on the front cover and that
was words in flowing writing – I think it was Hans Christian Andersen.
"There are tons of his works around, but not
in these plain pink covers. Also the book did not contain Grimm
Brothers stories.
"The illustrations were magnificent and the
pages were very white and shiny.
"The stories I recall were: The Little Match
Seller ; The Princess and the Pea (the mattresses were on the right
hand page); The Tinder Box; The Brave Tin Soldier; The
Shepherdess and the Sweep; The Emperor’s New Clothes; The Red Shoes (I
think); The Ugly Duckling. I think the swan it became was on the
left page.
"If I could locate that same book but in
different coloured boards, that would be OK." Tell Aunt Book
Man On a Flying Bicycle
"I am looking for a book that I read as a
child. It was about a man on a flying bicycle who traveled all
over. I thought perhaps it was written by Robert McCloskey but
can’t find it on his list. Perhaps he illustrated it for someone
else." Tell Aunt Book
A Is for Apple, Rosy and Red
"I'm trying to find out the title of a children's
book for another person. All she remembers is 'A is for apple,
rosy and red; B is for bunny and also for bed.' Obviously it's an
ABC book; would you be able to tell us the title and also the
publisher? It could be a Little Golden Book, Wonder Book, or
something similar." Tell
Aunt Book
Adventures of Two Park Rangers
"I am looking for a series of perhaps three books
which I read in the late 1950's or early 1960's from our local
library. In retrospect, I am guessing that they were written in
the 1940's or early 1950's. They were adventure stories of
two park rangers based, I think, somewhere in the American
Midwest. I can remember only a bit about the opening of first
book. In it a young man gets off a train somewhere out west and a
shifty horse trader sells him a semi-wild horse. This horse
eventually lets only this one man ever ride him, everyone else he bucks
off. Soon after buying the horse, this man meets a park
ranger who hires him on to help stop cattle rustling in the park
(I hope I'm not mixing up plots here).
"As I say, I think that there were only a few
books in the series but perhaps my library simply carried only the
first few. I have tried Booksleuth in ABEbooks but no one was
able to help. Searching key words on the internet I discovered a
series by Montgomery Atwater, the first being 'Rustlers on the High
Range.' However, I would have to read the first couple of
chapters to determine if I'm right. Short of buying a copy I don't know
how I could do this." Tell
Aunt
Book
Secret Place While On Vacation
"There were two children, maybe a boy and a girl,
maybe cousins, who spent their vacation at the same place. They
had a club house or some place special to them. This trip was
different because other kids were around and they wanted to keep it a
secret. Reminded me of the adventure type of Bridge to Terabithia." Tell Aunt Book
Socially Awkward High School Girl;
Male Teacher
"Book about a high school girl who is socially
awkward (I think due to family problems). A male teacher (I think
math) takes an inappropriate interest in her and he understands
her. She cuts off her long blonde hair." Tell Aunt Book
Book of Animal Poems
"Looking for a book of animal poems that included
'The Tin Frog' (Russell Hoban); 'Only My Opinion' (Monica Shannon); 'An
Otter' (Ted Hughes); 'Cats (Eleanor Farjeon); 'Cows' (James Reeves);
'The Toads' Chorus' (Rumer Godden); 'Cat' (J.R.R.
Tolkien); and other poems. I believe this was a small book,
about 8" x 6" and it had simple black and white line drawings. I
read this at the British Council Library in Sri Lanka between 1978 and
1989. It was probably published in UK." Tell Aunt Book
Rabbit Witnesses the Resurrection
"A few years ago, in an Episcopal bookstore, I saw,
and have wished ever since that I had bought, a children's book
about a rabbit who lived in a lovely garden with plenty of clover,
etc. But one afternoon he saw some very sad men come into the
garden carrying another man, who was dead. He saw them put that
man in a cave in the garden and roll a large stone over the
opening. After that the rabbit felt sad and solemn as he hopped
about and ate clover. Then very early in the morning a
couple of days later, there was a bright light and something momentous
happened. But he was just a little rabbit and didn't understand
that sort of thing. The story I remember, as I remember it, took
place all in the garden, and the only people I remember in
it were the men who carried the body in--I'm not even sure the guards
were mentioned." Do you know this book? Tell
Aunt Book
Troll Tries to Find Kidnapped Spring
"The four seasons are human. Spring gets
kidnapped and a troll is trying to find her. The illustrations
are beautiful and dark. There was a scepter that was handed off
between all of the seasons. The book was green with a gold Celtic
symbol on the front." Can you help? Tell
Aunt
Book
Farmers So Efficient That They Starve
Their Animals
"I am trying to find a story which I believe to be
in a Jewish children's book, perhaps one of the 'Fools of Chelm'
stories.
"The main point of the story: Farmers were
trying to be more efficient and started feeding their animals less and
less, until they feed them nothing at all and then their animals
died. They then said that if only they had feed them a tiny bit
more, they would have reached perfect efficiency." Tell Aunt Book
Book of Animal Poems
"I'm looking for a book of animal poems that
included 'The Tin Frog' (Russell Hoban); 'Only My Opinion' (Monica
Shannon); 'An Otter' (Ted Hughes); 'Cats' (Eleanor Farjeon); 'Cows'
(James Reeves); 'The Toads' Chorus' (Rumer Godden); 'Cat' (J.R.R.
Tolkien); and other poems.
"I believe this was a small book, about 8" x 6", and
it had simple black and white line drawings. I read this at the
British Council Library in Sri Lanka between 1978 and 1989. It
was probably published in the UK. It was kept in the children's
section." Recognize this? Tell Aunt Book
Vampire Goes to Night School
"I'm looking for a book about a college-aged vampire
who goes to night school. I'm sorry if this is vague, but I read
this book when I was really young, and this is all the
information that I could remember. It was published in
1984." Tell Aunt Book
Two Girls With Different Destinies
"I read this book in middle school and I have no
idea what it's called. It was a fantasy fiction book for teenagers. All
I can remember is the following:
"There are two girls born. One baby is noisy while
the other is quiet. There is some kind of ceremony or something and
there is some object. The noisy baby reaches for the object, or
something like that, so she is given a certain destiny. The quiet baby
is given another; I believe it wasn't a very good one. The two girls
are raised very differently. The noisy baby is spoiled and picked
up a lot.
"So they become older..but not too old, and the
quiet baby turns out to be very pretty and the loud baby is
average-looking.
"There is something about a forest; something about
protecting it. It turned out that their destinies had been mixed
up, and the loud baby was supposed to stay and take care of the forest
or something, and the quiet baby was supposed to take care of or lead
the village. The loud baby is killed by something in the
forest." Tell Aunt Book
Changeling Sister, Multiple Worlds
"The book is a fantasy, about this girl who lives in
a village. This village is like a swamp at the bottom, and the people
think they are the only humans living and whoever goes out of the
little village will perish. The girl lost her mother. Her father
remarried. The girl is about 16 and has a little sister for whom
she cares deeply.
"One day she wakes up to find the little sister
kidnapped and a thing looking exactly like the baby sister, but with
pitch-black eyes, the darkness even filling the white part of the eye,
left behind. She is grief-stricken and goes to an old lady who knows
everything; everyone thinks she is crazy, but she is not. The old lady
tells her to visit a man in a city past the forest. The girl runs away
to go find her real sister. While she is going through the forest she
meets a man who is a traveler and is going to the great city and has a
horse and wagon. She offers to pay him with the little money she has
for a ride to the city, and he agrees. She travels with him and ends up
getting to the city in one piece.
"The traveler goes to a bar to find out where the
man for whom the girl is searching is. The girl finds a another girl
about her age and starts talking to her. She finds the man and finds
out there are six worlds (I think) and the council of these worlds has
taken her sister for special training or something like that.
"The only way to travel between these worlds is a
house, but this house's guardian is the problem: if she finds
you, you will die or be her servant forever. The girl gets to the house
and travels through it and the rest is fuzzy but the girl she met
before ends up being the sister, traveling back from the house. When
she is in the house she finds a girl who helps the other girl to get
out.
"I think it was made in the US and in English.
It was two or three years ago I read it but it was made a long time
ago." Can you help? Tell
Aunt Book
Dying Boy Asks Mother to Take Pain Away
"A teen patron has asked for a book with a title
something like Mom, Please Make the Pain Go Away or Mommy, Make It
Stop. The patron says is it about a single mom and her son who
lived on a farm. A pig attacked the boy. The boy was dying,
and he asked his mom to make the pain go away. The mom shot the
boy to stop his pain. Tell Aunt Book
Playmates Build With Scrap Lumber
"I'm looking for the title of a children's book I
read to my family back in the 1980's, about a group of playmates who
built projects with scrap lumber. The projects (clubhouses, etc)
kept getting torn down and the kids had to rebuild them. As I
recall it was a very short story." Remember it? Tell Aunt Book
Julian, a Girl, and A Black Cat
"It's a book I read when I was about 9 or 10 so I
don't remember much. It has to do with a boy named Julian, the
girl he meets (and likes), and a black cat. Somehow the cat saves them,
possibly from sickness or something. I remember someone's being
ill. I read it in 1995. It was a longer fiction book, no
pictures that I can remember." Tell Aunt Book
Griffins or Bird-Men Used to Be Human
"My grandmother took a trip to the UK around 1984-85
and brought me back a children's book. In the book, all of the
characters were some sort of bird-men, or possibly griffins. Their
dress was Elizabethan, or perhaps earlier, and I distinctly remember
their curved beaks. The story followed one character from hatching, to
his discovery that all the people used to be human, and his reversing
of the (spell?), which turns everyone back. I seem to recall the book
being a paperback, about 25-50 pages, and approximately 10" by
8"." Tell Aunt Book
Ballerinas and a Slimming Lunch
"I am after a book that I really enjoyed in my
childhood. I was born in 1982 and I believe I read it maybe
between the ages of 7 and 10. It was about ballerinas. I
remember its seeming somewhat Parisan in style and there was a good
deal of food in the book as well. My mother believes there was a
line in the book similar to this: 'they had a slimming lunch of
steak and spinach after she ate so many carrots.'" Can you
help? Tell Aunt Book
Short Stories With Morals
"There is a book I remember reading when I was young
here in England but I think it was an American book. I think they it
was part of a series.
"Each chapter is a new story and they all seem quite
dark with a moral at the end.
"A few that spring to mind are one about a girl who
was taught the opposite words by her mean, controlling father.
After a house fire, when asked if anyone was still in the house, she
replied 'No,' and the end was saying some people think she meant to
kill her father.
"Another was a guy who made super strong glue that
lasted forever, except it actually lasted only an hour, so people died
(like a canoeist in a river) when the glue weakened. At the end a
guy with a flying machine lends the glue man a flying machine. They're
up in the air and the flying guy says 'Your machine is the best because
I made it with your super strong glue,' and then the glue man's machine
comes apart and he dies." Tell
Aunt Book
Princess With Wagon and Mare
"I am trying to find a couple books that I read as a
kid. I'm 25, so I hope that will give you a good timeline. The first
one was about a girl (maybe a princess?) who went on some type of
adventure and among other things had lots of obstacles. In
one, she was trapped and had to climb a tree to get eggs from a bird's
nest for food so that she did not have to eat the food that an evil
person supplied to her. There is a dragon in the book that I think was
supposedly bad, but was only upset or something like that. At the
beginning she fixes up a wagon, which she uses along with an old mare
throughout the story." Tell
Aunt Book
Girl Dreams She Has Turned Into a Cat
"I am trying to find a couple books that I read as a
kid. I'm 25, so I hope that will give you a good timeline. The
other book is about a girl who had a cat; a black cat, I think.
She loved the cat, and she dreamt that she turned into a cat, and a
large portion (of what I can remember) was about her adventures as a
cat. She could talk to her cat, and there was a part where she
discovered she could purr. At one point she woke up to find it was all
a dream, or so she thought." Tell Aunt Book
Funny, Silly Ideas About and For
Everyday Life
"I read a children's book in the 1980's in the
U.S. It was fairly large, fairly thick (for a kid's book) and had
lists of things to do to get in trouble and out of trouble, silly
pranks, and just funny little ideas about and for everyday life.
Most of them were ridiculous to the point no one would actually try
them.
"The only things I clearly remember were
to play checkers or chess with candy or cookies, and a fake menu for a
road-kill cafe.
"It was illustrated with simple, yet detailed
brightly colored drawings.
"I hope you can help, my son would absolutely
LOVE this book." Sound familiar? Tell Aunt Bookk
Chores and a Picnic Golden Book
"When I was a child I had a favorite little golden
book. The plot went something like this: a little girl is
going on a picnic and wants a little boy to come too, but he can't
because he has so many chores to do. So she goes without him and
pulls her wagon up a hill. She gets to the top but something
causes the wagon to roll all the way back down the hill to where the
boy is doing chores. So she decides to help him with the
chores so they can both go on the picnic. I called this book
'marmalade' because they had marmalade sandwiches packed for lunch, but
I have no idea what its real title was. This would have been in
the late 1970's or early 1980's in Colorado. I also kind of
remember the girl's having a dog or cat with her, but I'm not sure
about that. I also think it may have been farm chores that the
boy is doing, but I'm not sure of that either." Tell Aunt Book
Jane and a Knight From Another World
"I read the book in sixth or seventh grade. It
was about a young girl. I think her name was Jane. She lived with
her family on a farm and did everything a girl her age was supposed to
do such as cook and clean. I remember one really vivid
scene were it describes cleaning the chickens after they had been
slaughtered.
"Well, Jane has to round up the cows one day when
she meets a man in the woods. He's different. He gives her
a rose, but then leaves and is gone for months or years at a time; but
he always comes back. They eventually fall in love, but they
can't be together. He is a knight in a different world and his
queen wants him back. I think she was the queen of red roses or
something like that. Jane goes into his world and has to pass a
series of test to get him back. Eventually after grueling tests
she wins.
"When Jane returns she realizes what she thought was
just a couple hours was years. They live happily ever after. Or
something like that." Does this sound familiar? Tell Aunt Book
Hamlyn Children's Hardcover Fairy Tale
Book
"I'm writing to ask about a book of fairy tales that
I had sometime between 1978 and 1984.
"I'm quite certain that the book is from the
Hamlyn publishing company. It was a hardcover book. I read the
book in India.
"What stands out in my memory is the back
cover of the book. On the inside of the back cover were pictures of
characters from the book. I remember a wizard or dwarf-like character
in a pointy, floppy hat.
"The book itself was illustrated very lavishly.
"From looking online A LOT, I think this book
is one of the editions of the Giant
All-Colour Fairy Tale Book by Jane Carruth. But which imprint or
impression or edition (or whatever publishing term is the right one) is
it??
"Now, the Giant
All-Colour Fairy Tale Book by Carruth was first published
in 1971. There were some reprints or impressions that followed
over the years. Then there was some edition that came out in
1984, but that's too late. I had already lost my book by then.
"So, to summarize: I remember that the book
was from Hamlyn, it had a hardcover, it was fairly large, illustrated
very nicely and the inside of the back cover had the pictures of
characters from the book.
"I THINK that the back cover was white in color and
glossy" Can you help? Tell Aunt Book
Words Stolen and Replaced With Nonsense
"I read a book in the later part of the 1980's about
a person or alien who stole words from the minds of young adults and
replaced them with nonsense words. The book was set in America. I
think it mentions Venice Beach, and it all happened in a disused
building that was boarded up. If I remember rightly, the stolen words
were taken through some sort of vortex or tunnel. The main character
was a boy." Tell Aunt Book
Small Town, Vampire Boy
"I read the book in the somewhere between 1994 and
2000.
It's about a boy whose parents are dead. His sister makes him
move to a small town; he's still in high school, and she is a teacher,
I think. Anyway, they move to this small town where there
are a lot of murders occurring. In addition, around
that time a group of teenagers went missing with a teacher.
In the town the boy meets a girl; I think she has red hair.
The girl is rather standoffish, yet the boy is drawn to her and
they two start to get close.
"The story then crosses to another
boy (I want to say his name is Andy or Adam) who wakes
up in the middle of nowhere not really sure who he is or how he got
there. It's dark. All he knows is that he has a thirst for
blood. He tries not kill people, but this need for blood keeps
getting worse.
"Meanwhile, we learn that this town has a lot of
secrets, and the new boy in town learns that one of the missing
teenagers is the redheaded girl's boyfriend, her first love. She
confides in him that there was a teacher who took the teenagers to
join a cult or something like that and killed a lot of them.
"Back to the blood sucking boy: he keeps
having flashbacks of his life before he felt this need to kill, and the
flashbacks are of the redheaded girl and the town where he is from.
"I don't know what happens from there but it
is something like the boy who is now a vampire returns to the town,
where he see the girl he loves, but she's with the new boy.
There is some love triangle stuff. Vampire boy tries to kill
people and in order to stop him from killing people the redheaded
girl makes a trade or something and then the teacher who 'took'
the other kids comes back to town.
I think the title of the book is something like The
Missing, The Hunger, or the Thirst, but I've searched for it and none
of the books with this name sound anywhere close to the this
book." Tell Aunt Book
Sweeping the Driveway, Bathing in
Washroom for Dogs
"The first book is about a young black woman who
goes to a lady's house to work. Parts of the book I remember are that
she was made to sweep a long driveway everyday and she was to bathe in
what resembled a washroom for dogs." Tell Aunt Book
Girl's Family Moves, She Stays Behind
Reading
"A young girl, I believe she was a pig in the story,
had lots of siblings and they were moving from their home. When
they moved the girl got left behind (or refused to leave). She
reads a book in her favorite spot in the empty house and falls asleep.
She realizes that she misses her family and they come back to the home
to find her." Tell Aunt
Book
Boy Escapes to Fantasy Land
"This book is more fantasy than anything. I
think it is about a boy and girl. The boy has some fantasy land
into which he 'escapes,' and the part I remember is 'welcome ye to
Faire Fair,' or something similar. I do remember that he
called he land Faire Fair or something very similar to that." Can
you help? Tell Aunt Book
Tiny Boy Who Is a Mushroom or Wears a
Mushroom Hat
"The book centered around the exploits of a tiny boy
who resembled a red-and-white spotted mushroom. (I was never sure
whether this was a hat the boy wore, or if he was in fact a
mushroom!). Over the course of the story the boy meets a
ladybird. If I remember correctly, his adventures take place in a
kitchen. I remember illustrations of him hiding behind salt and pepper
pots, cups and saucers, etc. These illustrations were beautiful and I
believe must have been created using an airbrush. They were extremely
clean and precise, and almost looked real in places.
"I also have a feeling that the boy's name was Pip,
but as this was my nickname as a child I may be mistaken here.
"The book was only small (and, I believe, quite
square in shape), and as with most books for very young children
contained only small amounts of simple text, the majority of the space
on each page being taken up by the illustrations.
"It will have been around the mid- to late-1980's
that I owned this book. Though it may have been published earlier than
this, the illustrations seemed too modern for the book to have been
much older than that." Recognize this? Tell Aunt Book
Bruce the Blue Bear and Friends
"My dad used to read me a book. It was kind of big,
about an inch thick, with a shiny, blue, hard cover. It was a
collection of short stories. The main character, or the one most
prominent in my memory, was a blue bear named Bruce. He had other
bear friends or other animal friends. I can't quite
remember. It had cartoon, colorful pictures on every page, but it
wasn't completely a picture book." Do you know this
book? Tell Aunt Book
Witch, Caged Birds, Nightingale
"I'm trying to recall the name of a favorite
children's book that I loved as a child in the 1970's. It was a
story about a witch and lots of caged birds and something was important
about a nightingale, I think. (It was not Andersen's 'The
Nightingale')). The illustrations were perhaps what I remember
the most. They were dark and 'woodsy and enchanted.' The
colors were rich and dark and and yet soft at the same time.
There was a blonde-haired girl who either released the birds or she may
have been one of the birds that turned into a girl." Any
clue?" Tell Aunt Book
Snowbound Girls, "Birds Flying Low..."
"This was a story that was a little like the Little
House books. It involved a girl living in a house with her
parents. Her mother is pregnant and has to go with the
father in a carriage to the nearest town, leaving the little girl
alone at home in the middle of winter. Somehow another girl is
with her, and the two girls are kind of friendly enemies. They
get snowed in and have to survive. One taught the other how to
make hominy, and taught her an old saying about the weather (and this
is a definite line in the book): 'Birds flying low, there will
come snow. Birds flying high means a clear sky.' I think I
read this book in the mid 1980's." Tell Aunt Book
Trick or Treat a Day Early
"A children’s Halloween book from about 1990 about a
child going out to trick or treat. The child gets items that are
not candy (a tooth brush, etc). At the end the child finds out he went
a day early." Tell Aunt
Book
Dog Gets Stuck in Cello Strings
"I read this book in the mid- to late-1980's in the
U.S. when I was probably about 4 or 5 years old. All I remember
about the book is that there was a man with a very small dog, and one
night while he was out the tiny dog got stuck in the strings of a
cello. The dog might have fallen inside the cello as well, but
I'm not sure." Tell Aunt
Book
Fairy Tale Characters Who are Past It
"The main character of this book (who I think is a
guy) goes to a party, and meets a bunch a fairy tale characters, like
Beauty and the Beast, and they all think that they're 'past it,' which
I think means that their stories are over and they're obsolete.
"The guy goes outside and meet the girl from 'The
Frog Prince,' who is playing by a pond with her golden ball. They
talk, and she says that she doesn't want to marry the frog, but she'll
have to if she drops her ball in the water and the frog helps
her. The guys asks why she doesn't just play somewhere
else. I forget what she says then.
"The guy goes on, and comes to a town. He
enters a nameless inn, and meets Jack the Giant-Killer, and Jack of the
Giant Beanstalk. The inn is nameless because they can't agree on
the name. They also feel that they are past it, since there are
no more giants for Jack the Giant-Killer to kill, and Jack of the
Beanstalk has never been able to grow another giant beanstalk.
"The guy goes back to talk to the girl by the pond,
and finds that she has dropped her ball, accepted the frog's help, and
run off to avoid marrying him. She is the kidnapped at some
point, probably by a giant.
"The guy enlists the help of the two Jacks in
helping get the girl back. After this I can't remember much,
except that the Jack of the beanstalk does manage to grow another giant
stalk, using his old trophy bean from the original one." Can you
help? Tell Aunt Book
Prince, Medallion, and Acute Hearing
"I read this book in 4th grade, which would have
been about 2002. It had something to do with a prince, and a
medallion, and people with hearing so acute they could shoot their
enemies in the dark by listening to them breathing. At some point
the prince gets pulled (or falls, or something) under a bog, where he
meets Nog, who always speaks in rhyme. And he also somehow gets a
powerful potion that can cure any ailment (from a fairy lady I think),
which he uses to fix the hearing of one of his friends, who was one of
the people with really good hearing." Tell Aunt Book
Chinese New Year One-Eyed Masks
"Three Chinese children receive gifts of masks for
the new year. they start to paint on the eyes, but have to
stop after only one eye each to go to the festival. A demon mask
tries to harm the masks while the family is gone, but the one-eyed
masks triumph. When the children return, they give each masks its
other eye as a reward. I thought it was called The Three Dumas, but have had no
luck finding that title." Tell
Aunt Book
Cloe or Cleo, Friendly Swamp Creature
"When I was a child, I had a book that I just loved.
I remember reading it myself, but I couldn't swear that I didn't have
it before I could do that and I'm guessing that also my parents read it
to me. I was reading by age five, so we're talking about 30 years ago
in the mid to late 1970's.
"The main character was named either Cloe or Cleo. I
can't remember which way, but it was one or the other. I remember
because it was so unusual; so different from the name of anyone I knew,
and I was enchanted by it. She was a large creature in the
swamp. Everyone was afraid of her because she was so big and
because of how she looked; I'm pretty sure she was purple with big
green spots. But she was really very kind and just wanted to be
friends. Of course the moral of the story was 'don't judge a book
by it's cover.' I'm not 100% sure that it actually said that or if I'm
superimposing that wording in my memory. But that was definitely the
gist of it.
"I especially remember that the book had wonderful
illustrations. I think every page had a large color illustration on the
left side and the words were on the right. When I saw books by
Graeme Base I thought I had found my author, because his illustrations
remind me so much of the ones in this book. But I did some research on
him and I think he's too young to have authored this book, and I can't
find it in a list of his books that I found. So while I haven't
completely ruled him out, I think he's not the author. I think I
had other books by the same author, too, but none of them stand out as
much in my memory as this one." Tell Aunt Book
Baby Dinosaur Outgrows Owner's House
"I am trying to identify a book I had in the late
1980's or early 1990's. The book was about a young boy who found
a baby dinosaur and took it home to keep as a pet. He hid it in
his room but it kept getting bigger and bigger until its head and tail
were poking out of the doors and windows of the house. I think
this image may be on the front cover but cannot be certain." Tell Aunt Book
A is for Apple, B is for Bed
"I'm looking for a Little Golden Book. It’s an
alphabet book and starts: 'A is for apple, shiny and
bright. B is for the bed where I sleep at night.'" Tell Aunt Book
Children Play in a Bush or Tree
"The book might have been a Little Golden Book, but
I am not sure. It was short, and was about children who play in a
lilac bush, I believe. They use their imagination and each child
is in a different area of the bush or tree. I think they each
imagine they are doing something, such as being a pirate or flying a
plane. I read this book in America, probably in the early
1990's." Tell Aunt Book
Calico Kitten Stuck in a Tree
"I'm pretty sure it was a Little Golden Book. It was
about a little calico kitten who at one point in the book gets stuck in
a tree. I vividly remember a fireman on a ladder getting the cat
to safety. I was born in 1993 but it was my sisters book and she was
born in 1986." Tell Aunt
Book
Children Sucked into Television Set
"I read this book maybe in the late 1980’s It
was about a group of children who went into an attic and found a
television set and got sucked into the TV. I believe I read it in
church so it may be some moralistic type of plot." Tell Aunt Book
Spider Things, Walking Greenhouse
"I remember it had a red front cover. Its main
characters were a boy and girl who were brother and sister, I
think. They lived in a house in space, but I think it got
destroyed by some sort of spider things. They went to a planet
then, and there was a moving (walking) greenhouse or
glasshouse. I also remember that there was a female
character called Uma or Oma or something. (She was only a minor
character but I remember the unusual name). The book was at least
300 pages long, maybe many more. " Tell Aunt Book
Hardcover Children's Book Collection
of Short Stories
"I'm looking for a the name of a series of hardcover
children's books containing short stories. I believe it was
something fairly generic like Children's Collection of Classics, but
that search doesn't turn up what I'm looking for. They were
fairly large books, and there were about 6-12 books in the series (the
exact number escapes me).
"They may have been published in the 1950's or
1960's as my parents grew up reading them. I believe the covers were
fairly plain, but the bindings had small line drawing pictures on
them. The books were all solid color hardcovers, but different
colors. They may have been slightly textured.
"They were arranged by subject, one of which was
animals. Two of the stories I remember from the series were 'The
Hobyahs' and 'How Chipmunk Got His Stripes.'" Tell Aunt Book
Special Garden and Fountain
"I am looking for a book that was in my school
library in the mid to late seventies, in Australia. It was about
a girl and a garden with a fountain in it. It had beautiful,
delicate illustrations. Rainbows also featured in it. I
think the picture on the cover had a rainbow in it. The garden or
the fountain was magical or secret or somehow very special." Tell Aunt Book
Light-Up Big Dipper
"I am looking for a book about a daddy bear reading
a bedtime story about the Big Dipper, which lights up. I believe it has
a blue cover and is a larger picture book." Tell Aunt Book
What Does an Animal Really Mean?
"The part I remember is, 'Do you suppose when a cow
says moo that he's really asking how do you do?' 'Do you suppose when a
goose honks clear he's really saying look who's here?' My
daughter was born in 1988. The book was a smaller one with
full-color pictures. There was a goose, a dog, a cow, and a
donkey." Tell Aunt Book
Young Girl Moves In With Aunt, Who
Isn't a Witch
"It was fiction - she got it from the school
library and thinks it was a fairly new book at the time – published
early 1990’s or possibly late 1980’s. In the story a young
girl moves around a lot and finally moves in with her aunt.
People think the aunt is a witch, but she’s not. The cover she
remembers has a girl sitting in front of a closet with moving boxes
around her." Tell Aunt
Book
Cat at Sea
"I read this book to my son when he was young.
He is 25 years old now. It is about a cat that is out to
sea. We think there is something about fish or scales." Tell Aunt Book
Kitten in a Cave Sings
"I used to have the book, as well as the book on
tape, and the story line is something about a kitten (at one point I
thought it was a puppy, but come to think of it now I think it was a
kitten) and all I remember is that she was in a cave and also jumping
on boulders. On the tape she sang a song that went something like 'Get
up and go, get up and go, don't be afraid, go on with the show... get
up and go, get up and go, you gotta just get up and go!' or something
like that." Tell Aunt Book
Living in a Dome
"I am looking for a book that I read in about 1984
(give or take a year or two). I would have been about 8, but I
was a strong reader so it may have been intended for a bit older
audience -- I'm not sure. All I remember is that there were two
main characters -- kids, a boy and a girl, I think -- and
everyone lived in a dome. It was boring and grey and they had to
do repetitive work or something, and they escaped, or tried to." Tell Aunt Book
Baby Helps with Housework.
"An illustrated book where baby helps his or her
(it's hard to tell its sex, I think the baby has overalls on) mother
with the household chores, from cleaning the house to cake baking. I
used to read this book to my daughter around 1978, but think it might
have published before that." Tell Aunt Book
Bracelet With Feathers, Travel Through
Time
"There is a book I've been looking for since the
early 1970's. It was about a girl who wanders into an overgrown
garden. She finds a bracelet with feathers on it. Somehow
she goes back in time and meets seven sisters in their own
time. It's cold and there's something about isinglass windows and
watching the fire in a stove.
"The bracelet belongs to one of the sisters, who
lost it in the garden, and they are NOT nice ladies. She has to
find out how to get back to her own time.
"It may have been a Scholastic Book Club book.
I would have read it between 1971 and 1974 but it might be much
older." Do you know this book? Tell Aunt Book
Scholastic Book of Miscellaneous
Information
"There was a book that I once owned years ago.
It was a Scholastic book that I ordered from within my classroom using
one of the Scholastic order forms. The approximate year had to be
around the late 1970's, or possibly in the very early 1980's; I may
have bought it in 1978 or 1979. It may have had only one
printing. The title was Amazing Days. The cover was red, it
had stickers on the back inside. It was a book with at least one
thing to make or do, information, quotes, historical stuff, stories,
etc. for every day of 365 days of the year.
"It was awesome and like a virtual
children's Book Of Days. I remember one day there was a bit of
history about the comic of Little Orphan Annie, and how she used to
say, 'And the Goblins will get you, if you don’t watch out.'" Tell Aunt Book
Silver Slipper and Dungeon or Castle?
"My fifth grade teacher read to us throughout the
entire year. There is one book that I enjoyed more than others
and have tried for years to remember what it was called, so I could
find it and read it again. I think the title had the words
‘silver slipper’ in it, but I'm not sure. I know there was a
group of children, and a castle or dungeon involved, but unfortunately
I can’t remember much else." Can you help? Tell Aunt Book
Children's Halloween Book
"I was hoping you could identify an 80’s children’s
Halloween book. I remember its being written like a comic
strip. It would have had to be in the early 1980’s and I remember
being scared of it, but I was young at the time so it may not have been
all that scary. I recall skeletons, bats and ghosts."
Remember this? Tell Aunt
Book
Cinderella On a Farm
"I remember it was a children's illustrated
Cinderella book. It was set in the West of the USA, I believe.
Cinderella didn't really have a hard life; I don't remember if she had
stepsisters. I remember she was waiting for her fairy godmother. She
wanted magic. As time went by, she got married to a nice sturdy
boy and lived on a farm and raised two nice sturdy children, I think
one boy and one girl. When she was older, her fairy godmother
came by! There was a big party being held in the nearby mansion
and the fairy godmother dressed her up in a frilly dress so she could
go. She turned a watermelon into a carriage, I think.
Cinderella looked at the party and her dress, then thought about her
husband and her kids and said, 'No thanks, I'm happy as is.'
"The illustrations were fairly simple, but
full-page. The book was definitely from the Easy children's
section. I read it in the US." Tell Aunt Book
Hedgehogs, Including Peter
"The books were about a family of hedgehogs; I am
sure the main one was called Peter. The books followed them and
what they got up to. One hedgehog once had a broken leg. A
family would put out milk for them and the lady of the house mended the
broken leg. It ended when the one (I think Peter) was very old
and died. He had watched his family grow and had grandbabies,
etc. I am sure I read it in late 1970’s or early 1980’s." Tell Aunt Book
Girl With Genie's Lamp
"It's a little obscure, and I think it's for middle
school-aged kids. All I can remember about it is that is was
about a girl who had a genie's lamp - I think perhaps she stole it -
and that the genie was a boy, and sort of snarky." Tell Aunt Book
Secret Room With Dolls
"I read a book in the mid to late seventies that I
borrowed from my elementary school library in Arkansas. It was a
chapter book, with very few pictures. Those included were (I
think) crude sketches.
"The main character was an unhappy girl who
discovers a secret room in an old house. In the room, she finds a
collection of dolls." Tell
Aunt Book
Half-Indian Girl Goes Back in Time
"I'm looking for a 1980's book about a half-Indian
girl who walks into the forest behind her new house and goes back in
time. She travels back to the events of the Cherokee Indians and
the trail of tears and it has sort of a romance with an Indian from the
past." Can you help? Tell
Aunt Book
Gidget? Midget? Widget? Elf
"I am trying to remember the name of a book I read
as a child. If there was a paper cover over the hardcover, I have
never seen it. The hardcover was blue with, I believe, dark blue
writing and drawing on it. It was a picture of a sprite or an elf.
"I do not remember the storyline but I believe
it had something to do with this little elf fixing widgets. My
mind is telling me widget was in the title as well, or midget (e.g. Gidgette the Midget) but that is
all I can think of." Tell
Aunt Book
Cat Hires Mouse
"I've been thinking back to a book I read in 4th
grade (which makes it 1999 or thereabouts) that I never got to
finish. I seem to recall that it was a short chapter book, the
plot of which involved a cat hiring a mouse as a maid or cook
(anthropomorphic cats and mice, that is) and the peculiar situations
that might result from such a set-up. " Sound familiar? Tell Aunt Book
Apple Book About Horseback Riding
"I read this book in 6th grade. It has a blue
cover and it is an Apple book about horse riding. I think it is
nonfiction." Recognize this? Tell Aunt Book
Historical Mystery, Canada, World War
II
"I do not know the title, author or the publisher,
whether it's an individual book or part of a series. I read it about
five years (2006) ago when my grade eight class got new books (or
possibly the year before).
"The book is set in Canada roughly during or after
the Second World War, or maybe even after the First. The main
character is a girl who travels by train to visit a grandmother or
aunt for the summer holidays. There is talk that at night you can see
enemy submarines in the lake or bay (either coast of Canada). She is
Scottish. She has nightmares of a black stallion running on the
beach with red skies (which is supposed to be traditional). She meets a
girl who isn't well liked by the town because her mother left for
Europe and returned pregnant with her years ago. They're about
12-15 years old. They meet a boy who lives in town who rides a bike.
Near the end of the book there's a town picnic at the beach, with
fireworks. The girl's friend mysteriously disappears with her
mother and strange men. I would say this is a historical mystery. The
book has more to it, I just can't remember." Can you help? Tell Aunt Book
Little Girl Fits in Mother's Sewing
Basket
"This was my favorite book as a kid. I think
it was called The Littlest Girl. It had a green cover. The
little girl was so small she could fit in her mother's sewing basket.
" Tell Aunt Book
Children's Bedtime Stories Treasury
"The book I am thinking of was purchased in the late
1980's or early 1990's in the US, although I'm not sure of the actual
date of publication. It was a collection of several short bedtime
stories with color illustrations. It was an approximately 9"
x11" hardback with a blue cover with some writing (possibly
yellow) and color illustrations that I can't remember. I was
maybe about 100 pages long, but that's just a guess. The only
thing I remember about the title is that I believe it had 'Bedtime
Stories' in it. My mom thinks the title may have been Illustrated
Treasury of Children's Bedtime Stories or something to that effect,
although I've tried searching for that and haven't found what I'm
looking for.
"I remember there being four stories on a two-page
spread in about the middle of the book. These were my four
favorites so I don't remember much about the other stories, although I
don't remember any of them being familiar stories like Hansel &
Gretel, Cinderella, etc. They were more obscure and very short
(which is why there could be 2 on a page).
"The stories I recall on my favorite two-page spread
are: 'The Coffeepot and the Teapot,' which had an illustration of
a coffeepot and teapot and the coffeepot had an angry face because he
was mean to the teapot; one illustration of a ladybug and the story was
about how someone thought the ladybug was a Martian; and a story about
a rabbit, and I remember that the illustration was a white rabbit
sitting on a chair or window ledge. I can't remember the fourth
story right now.
"As I said, there were several more stories in the
book but those are the ones I recall from my favorite couple of
pages." Can you help? Tell Aunt Book
Boy Wants a Pony
"I am looking for a book that I used to read when I
was a kid back in the 1980's. I think the book was called Daddy,
I Want a Pony, but I'm not sure. I remember it was a hardcover
yellow book. The cover art may have been a stable with a little
boy and the horse. I think the book was pretty much about a
little boy that wanted a pony and his father had him work at a stable
so that the boy could see how much hard work it is to take care of a
pony. The only picture I can remember inside the book is the boy
and the horse eating apples." Tell Aunt Book
Two Boys Fix Up an Urban Apartment
"I am a children’s librarian, and a patron called
recently looking for a book I couldn’t identify. She said that it
is a picture book, published sometime in the 1960’s, that she read as a
child. The story is about two boys who fix up an urban apartment,
and the boys are on the cover with a mop or broom. That’s all she
could remember about the book. Any ideas?" Tell Aunt Book
Shadow Boy in Garden
"I'm looking for a children's book I read in the
1970's. I was about a child who discovered a shadow boy in a
garden. The book is for older children and is not a picture book.
I wish I could remember more but the story is about a child, a girl if
I remember correctly, who discovers shadow people in a back yard
garden. I think there was a fountain in the garden which is where she
found them, something like that." Tell Aunt Book
Bedtime Stories Including One About
Car Wash
"I am looking for a collection of bedtime stories
that I was given as a child in the early 1980's. It was a blue
hardcover with an illustration (I can't recall what). Among the
stories in the collection were one about a car wash. The
cars were able to talk to each other, if that makes sense I think
it was something about a dirty old beat up car and a brand new sports
car that wasn't very nice to him. There was also one about the
tortoise and the hare. There was one about the man who traveled
the world in 80 days. The shape of the book was somewhat
square. I believe it was purchased in the USA, but I'm not
certain." Tell Aunt
Book
Series of Books That Progresses in
Difficulty
"I have very little recollection of a children's
book
read in approximately 1987. I remember them as being a series of books,
with each series being designed for a slightly older reader so in
school we would move up through the books as we progressed through
school.
"I can remember only one story, about two children
who live on the same street as each other. They have a system
using torches or lamps and colored lenses and a secret code to
communicate with each other." Tell Aunt Book
Girl With Nutty Family in RV
"I took a book out from my local bookmobile
somewhere in between 1999 and 2012. I remember that it was blue, and it
was about a girl and her crazy family. They lived in an RV, or in
a camper, but I'm pretty sure it was an RV. I think she had a
weird grandpa, and several siblings, there may have even been set of
twins within the group, but I am not completely sure. I just remember
she was annoyed because she felt she was wasting her summer living in
this RV with her nutty family." Can you help? Tell Aunt Book
Two Boys and Two Girls On Journey
"I'm trying to find a book about a dark-haired girl
who is very angry and cross all the time. I think she goes to
live with someone and then runs away and meets up with two boys and
another girl who is pretty and blond. They are sent on a journey
that might have something to do with a tree, and a lion might be
involved. I know the two girls are always fighting because one is
prettier than the other and eventually the boys and girls pair up after
they completed whatever it was they were supposed to." Tell Aunt Book
Little Girl With Wagon of Toys
"I remember a Little Golden Book that had a little
girl in overalls (I believe) who had a wagon with her toys in it.
I believe it was about friends." Tell Aunt Book
Old Lady on Motorcycle
"Its a 1980's children's book, I believe. An
old lady is riding a motorcycle to do errands, and she has a lot of
cats." Tell Aunt
Book
Man Kidnaps Child, Puts Him in Bag
"When I was in elementary school, 1972-1974, I used
to check out a book from the school library that was about a man who
kidnapped children (or at least one child) and put him or them in a
cloth bag that he carried around the streets of some European-type
town. The book was illustrated in darker colored,
sketch-like drawings, and I just remember the little man walking the
street and turning corners." Recognize this? Tell Aunt Book
Girl Works in Flower Shop, Problems
With Aunt's Boyfriend
"I read this book at least six years ago
(2006). It was a library book in Scotland and I would really love
to know the name of it.
"I don't remember much about it but I hope it is
enough to help you find something. I know you do better with children
books, but I think this is a young adult book. I read it when i
was about 12.
The book is about a teenage girl who has a gothic
style (i.e black nail varnish, and perhaps dyed black hair) lives with
her aunt. Her room is in the loft or attic. I cant remember much
of the plot, except that she gets a job in a florist shop, which is
owned by an Italian man and a woman (who might be his mother).
She wasn't going to get the job till the woman convinced the man to
give it to her. She likes working with the flowers and takes some
home but only if they are in a state of dying. She assumes that
the old woman can't speak English as she always speaks to her son in
Italian, so the teenager confesses all her troubles and problems about
her aunt's boyfriend's trying to assault her. It turns out the
woman can speak English.
"There's a character who they talk about but who
doesn't come into the book till near the end. I think she was
another aunt, or her aunts friend, and i think they called her the
Queen of Cups as she did things with tarot cards.
"Near the end she gets a fever, I think, and in a
state of panic thinks she's seeing the aunt's boyfriend in her
room. She stumbles and falls down the ladder or stairs out her
room. She's okay after this but it turns out that he was waiting
in the living room for her, I think, and she gets trapped. I
can't remember what happens but I remember that either she gets slapped
or she slaps him; one of them ends up with a big scratch down his face
just as the aunt walks in and sees everything. Her aunt finally
believes her about him as this is evidence." Can you help? Tell Aunt Book
Bootmaker With English Customer Short
Story
"Fifty-three years ago (1958), I read a short
story that was part of a school curriculum.
"The story is about an elderly
bootmaker who made bespoke boots that met specific needs of his
clients. The story is told in the first person by a client
who returns to the bootmaker's shop regularly for many years to order
new boots. The bootmaker is from a European country, and
the client is an Englishman. It is a somewhat poignant tale that ends
with the death of the bootmaker. The client returns to the shop
to find it closed and hears from a neighbour of his bootmaker's death.
"And a last thought, the story may have been called,
'Boots.'" Does this sound familiar? Tell Aunt Book
"Grab a Pole! Joe's In a Hole!"
"The book I am wanting to identify was one I read
many times in the 1960's. I think it was a Little Golden
Book. All I can remember is that it was a rhyming book, and just
one line: 'Grab a pole! Joe's in a hole!' Joe was a crow, and I
believe his friend who helped him with the pole was a squirrel." Tell Aunt Book
Ill Girl Strengthened by Ballet Classes
"The book was a large, illustrated children's book
about a young girl who is ill and longs to go out to play with the
other children in her neighborhood. Her parents enroll her in ballet
classes and then she becomes stronger. It takes place in possibly
a large metropolitan city ( I always pictured New York). I always
remembered there being ballet or ballerina in the title. Not
a lot of pages. The book was probably published in the
1960's and seemed very modern at that time." Tell Aunt Book
Baby Animals Travel Around the World
"The second book was an illustrated book, very
elaborately I might add. It had lots of pages and a very plain
green cover with a small pattern embossed on the front and
back. It was about a group of baby animals, possibly (I believe I
remember puppies), traveling around the world on adventures. It
may have been published in the 1960's. I remember one
illustration where they find themselves in India dressed in turbans and
on an elephant. In another scene they are skiing." Tell Aunt Book
Tea Party With Imaginary Bear
"There is a book I read to my children in the early
1990's which I had checked out from local library. It was about a
little girl who has a tea party with an imaginary bear. She may
have been home sick, and was perhaps in a playhouse." Tell Aunt Book
Mary Is a Schussler (Or Possibly a
Shuster)
"I am trying to find the name of a children's
picture book that was read to me in the 1950's. It was about a
little girl named Mary who lived on a farm and was always getting into
trouble. I believe that one of her mishaps was that she fell down
a well. I remember that a line in the book was, 'Mary is a
schussler' or 'shuster.'" Tell
Aunt Book
Teenage Boy With Cancer Leaves Drawing
of Flower
"I read a book about a teenage boy. In his
senior year he gets cancer. His girlfriend is there to support
him. The teenage boy goes to the doctor and they tell him there
is a surgery he can have to get rid of the cancer. The boy and his
girlfriend go on a trip to visit his uncle, where they get
married. They come back and the young man has the surgery but
does not come out of it. All he leaves his wife with is a drawing of a
flower." Tell Aunt Book
Nursery Rhyme Collection
"I'm searching for a collection of nursery
rhymes. I had it around the late 1980's or early 1990's. I
think I remember a pale green hard cover. Some of the rhymes were
'Dr. Foster,' 'Pat-a-Cake,' one about gypsies in the woods, and
'Sing a Song of Sixpence,' and 'One two three four five, once I caught
a fish alive.' I think 'Peter Piper' was also included.
Each rhyme had an illustration, and the book wasn't very long. It was a
favorite of mine as a young girl and I hope you can help me find
it!" Can you help? Tell
Aunt Book
Little Girl Visits the Amazon
'It was a book about a little girl's trip to the
Amazon forest, and her dreaming and connecting with spirits and
animals. One Indian tribe lived on top of this mountain where the
only access was by climbing through a waterfall, and at the end she
went into deep cave. The book cover was dark blue with some
butterflies." Tell Aunt
Book
Two Books, Same Author
"I am trying to remember the name of an author who
wrote two books whose titles I don't remember. In the first one,
a guy that lives alone does his 150 sit ups or so each day and his
girlfriend is wanting to be a singer but is not really that good.
The other book is about a gang and the book goes round all the members
of the gang and what goes on in their lives." Tell Aunt Book
Snake Kidnaps Girl, Boy Hunts Snake's
Egg
"I am trying to find a book I read in 1996. A
big snake lives in a cave near a boy's town. The snake drags off
one of the boy's female friends. He travels with a black man to
find the snake's egg. The black man plays the guitar. There's a
bad witch who lives in a swampy area. She has a sister who is a
good witch. Some vampires on an abandoned train car, a
cannibal family, ghosts in a wrecked school bus, and racists who
threaten the black man. Near the end, the boy feeds an egg to the
snake." Recognize this? Tell Aunt Book
Book About Where People Live, Written
by First Graders
"This is a book written by American first grade
students. It talks about all of the different places people
live: “Some people live in apartments," “Some people live in
trailers," etc. I think some of the pictures in the book were
photographs, and some were illustrations, but I am not sure. It
was a fairly newer book; definitely written within the past 30
years. It was hardcover, with glossy pages." Can you
help? Tell Aunt Book
King With Songbird in Crown
"One Christmas in the late 1940's or early 1950's I
was given the gift of a yellow book, about 10" by 12" and not very
thick, perhaps 30 pages including illustrations. I think the
cover showed a crown and a lot of birds flying around. I
don't remember the title but it may have been The King's Radio or The
King's Crown or may have had the word 'tune' in the title. I
didn't like the book very much, but for some reason I became
addicted to it for a while and read it over and over again. It
concerned a girl (who may have been a servant of the King) and some
song birds, perhaps canaries, and a king who had some kind of problem,
maybe an inability to sleep, or constant boredom, or a short
temper. Anyway, a songbird took up residence in his crown.
The king mistakenly believed that his crown had become a radio.
The girl's part is very vague in my memory, but I think she became
responsible for turning the radio on and keeping the music
coming. Very odd. I really would like to read it
again to discover what it was that caused both my dislike and my
addiction." Tell Aunt Book
Little Girl Goes Shopping
"I'm trying to find a book I had in the early
1970's. The book perhaps was a Little Golden Book although I’m
not sure. I remember a little girl in a department store in a
city with either Mary Jane shoes or rubbers. She had a dress or a dress
coat on and may have been shopping for shoes with her mother." Tell Aunt Book
Doll Stolen from Indian Graveyard
"When I was little our librarian read us a
Halloween story about a little boy who took a doll from an Indian
graveyard. I can't remember the whole story but I wanted to read
it to my kids who are now 11 and 12. I know as a child i dreamed
about it for years afterwards. I think the ghost comes back to
get the doll until the boy returns it. It was really
scary." Tell Aunt Book
Nursery Rhymes, Boy With Flying Horse
or Unicorn
"My sister and I had a nursery rhyme book that we
read probably in the early 1990's in Canada. It was a large
hardcover book that was probably between 2 and 3 inches thick. It
might have had over 100 rhymes with colourful illustrations for
each. I think the pages were glossy. I remember one
particular poem about a boy who at night snuck out to fly with his
unicorn or flying horse. There might have been another about a
cat in a boat. I have no idea what the name is and it's hard to
picture what the cover looked like." Recognize this? Tell Aunt Book
Girl's Face Divided in Half on Cover
"I am looking for a book i read in high
school. The front cover is a girls face in great shading with a
line down the middle. On side she has a pony tail and the other
side her hair is down. From what I can remember it is about a
girl growing up, and possibly there is rebellion." Tell Aunt Book
Instructions on Everything for a Young
Girl
"A book containing everything a young girl might
want to know: how to make fancy dress, how to make food, recipes,
how to lay a table, all about polite manners... I got it as an
award at school in the 1960's in the UK and as far as I remember
the book had a grey cover and was hardback." Tell Aunt Book
Anybody Know Any Books About a Boy
Named Oscar?
"My brother and his wife are expecting a baby boy in
January. They have chosen the name Oscar. I'm hoping to
find a children's book or two that has the main character
being a boy, and named Oscar." Any suggestions? Tell Aunt Book
Horses Rescue Ship from Doldrums, Left
to Drown
"I write regarding a book or short story
about a young British man who worked on a boat sailing at
sea. The ship became stuck in the doldrums and the crew used the
horses the young man had been taking care of to swim the ship out. The
crew cut the horses lose from the ship and sailed away to let them
drown. The young man went mad and killed the captain." And,
indeed, one can scarcely blame him. Tell Aunt Book
Mother Has Amnesia, Children Fend for
Themselves
"I'm looking for a book I read early nineties but
the novel may be older. It was about three children. The eldest
was a girl, the middle was a boy, and they had a baby sister. The
mother goes away, either for a party or for work (cannot remember
which) and leaves the children at home. The mother is on her way
back when she gets hit by a car and falls into a coma and wakes up with
amnesia. Meanwhile, the children are fending for themselves,
trying to make sure no-one knows they are on their own so they
won't get taken by social services. It's a British kids book as it was
set (I think) in London." Tell
Aunt Book
Girl's Favorite Toy's Place Taken by
Talking Doll
"There is this girl (the pictures are very
interesting) who has a bear (I am almost positive it's a bear) and she
does EVERYTHING with it, until her birthday rolls around and she gets a
doll. It is a talking doll with a pull string. I want to say she
had orangeish hair and was wearing a dress. The girl forgets
about her favorite bear(?) and he is very sad. Then one day, the
doll's pull string breaks and the girl doesn't want her anymore, so she
gives it to her brother and is reunited with her favorite bear once
again. I was read this book many times around 1988 (give or
take)." Tell Aunt Book
Does Anybody Know Anything About an
Author Named Eric Rhoten?
"Does that name ring any bells with you? Eric
Rhoten published several stories, all set in a boys' prep school called
St. Eddi's, in Seventeen in the early 1960's - -maybe earlier and later
as well. Recently I looked him up on the Internet, thinking that
maybe his stories had been collected into a book, and found zip! In
fact, I can't find any real evidence that he even existed, and that
fact makes me wonder whether he published under a pen name. Know
anything about him?" Tell
Aunt Book
Book Called The Diary
"I'm wondering if you can help me to find a book I
read when i was say 13, which was 12 years ago (2000). It's
called The Diary. If I
remember rightly it has a green cover and it mentions New England in
America, I think.
"The plot or some of it is that a woman finally
escapes and meets the love of her life, who dies. That's all I
can remember apart from the fact that it was the first book that ever
made me cry." Tell Aunt
Book
Boy Communicates With Aliens Through
His Tooth
"My husband read a chapter book when he was in
elementary school in the late 1970's or early 1980's. It was about a
boy who could communicate with aliens through one of his teeth. Please
help!" Tell Aunt Book
Numbers in Lift or Elevator Come Alive
"I am looking for an old children's fictional book I
read when I was in primary school. It would have been in the
early 1980's, and from memory the book was a short children's novel,
with some illustrations. The plot as I remember it was about a
little girl who uses a lift (elevator) and finds that the numbers in
the lift come alive. She befriends the numbers. I remember
its being in the section of the library to which you moved after the
picture book section, when you were a little older. Oh, and I'm
pretty sure it was a paperback." Tell Aunt Book
Black Horse With Special Powers;
Underwater Kingdom
"When I was a child one of my sister's and my
favorite books was a beautifully illustrated short story about a young
man, maybe a prince, but he could also have been one of several
brothers, not sure which. He finds a black horse who turns out to
have some sort of special powers. He is on some sort of a quest,
but I do not remember the nature of the task. At some point the
horse takes him to an underwater kingdom; I recall the king as not
being very nice, and it seems there was a girl involved at this
point. I'm fairly sure at the end of the story the horse
disappears or goes away or something like that, and the young man
marries a princess. I would've been reading this story from the
library from about 1986 to 1992, I would guess, give or take a few
years. I thought the name of the book was The Black Horse, but that may have
been what we called the story." Tell Aunt Book
Mob is After Clutzy Family
"I am a Youth Services Librarian and the other
evening I had a gentleman stop by the library looking for a book he
read as a child in the 1960's at our library.
"He said: It is set in New Jersey by the ocean
and is about a clutzy family, always doing silly, stupid things, and
the Mob is after them. Somehow everything always works out okay
for them even though the Mob is trying to ruin them. He said it
was humorous and he was about 10 or 11 when he read it; he remembers
its being a chapter book." Tell
Aunt Book
Boy Turns Into Fish, Trapped in a Pond
"The book I remember had a boy and a girl (maybe
brother and sister). In the beginning they go off at night and
the boy somehow gets turned into a fish and is trapped in a pond.
There may be some relevance to the moonlight.
"The girl has to climb up the frozen mountain
to save the boy; something to do with an ice queen, I think.
Whilst she's coming back down she loses her shoe and the ice queen uses
it to freeze her foot so she can't escape. I believe she rescues
the boy in the end.
"I loved this book as a girl (30-odd years
ago)." Tell Aunt Book
Outcast Worm Leads Boy to Inside of
Planet
"I read this book in middle school in 1997. It
was about a boy with a spaceship who lands on a planet, I think.
He finds a worm that is an outcast and gets teased, and the worm leads
him into the inside of the planet and he learns some kind of moral
lesson. Not sure if it was a comic or a book but it was a good
read." Tell Aunt Book
Boy Takes Injections to Become
Sasquatch
"The book was about a boy who discovers people who
are like sasquatches living in the woods. They give him the
chance to be one one of them. He agrees, and begins a series of
injections to change himself into one of them. They are advanced beings
and he ends up becoming one of them." Tell Aunt Book
Three Older Witches and a Younger Witch
"I am 55 and trying to find the name of a book that
a storyteller read to the class when I was in the first grade. It
was about three older witches and a younger witch who found a room
outside with jars of different things like eye of newt, and the younger
witch was making potions. It wasn't a scary , it was more magical
to me. I would love it if anyone could help me identify
it." Can you? Tell
Aunt Book
Round House Pursued With Help of Magic
Shoes
"This is at least 60 years old. A man lives in
a roundy house. He has magic shoes that run without his
trying. The house rolls down a hill and he has to catch it with
his magic shoes." Tell
Aunt Book
Man Speaks German to Dog
"I read this book back in 1985 (I think), in my high
school library. It's about an old man who is homeless (I think)
but finds a dog. They become inseparable. I think the dog
is a blue tick. He speaks German to this dog sometimes. I think
the words were 'Cushty Juttle.' The dog was very old and finally died,
leaving his master all alone. I seem to remember the cover's
having tall green grass and maybe an old man walking away." Tell Aunt Book
Necklace Found in Dress Bought at
Church Sale
"When I was a teenager (back in the late 1950's) I
read a book and I do not remember the title of the book.
"The book is about a girl who was new to a
school and was having a hard time. The 'in' girls ignored her and
were sometimes mean to her. The girl went to a church
bazaar where she bought a dress with which she fell in
love. She found a string of pearls in the lining or the hem of
the dress and when she wore them (with another dress, apparently) one
of the 'in' girls accused her of stealing her pearls. It so
happened that the dress she bought at the bazaar had once belonged to
the 'in' girl and her pearls were missing. They had slipped into the
lining or hem of the dress.
"When the truth came out, I guess all was
forgiven. I don't remember much else about the book, but for some
reason the bazaar dress and string of pearls stayed in my memory. At
least I'm thinking pearls. It was a necklace of some kind." Tell Aunt Book
American Woman Married King or Prince
"In 1963 I checked out a book from the St. Louis
Public Library and I think it was in the biography section.
"It was a true story about an American woman
who married a king or prince in an Indonesia-type country. I'm
sure it was an American woman, but I could be wrong. She
described the lushness of the palace and the land where she
lived. I found the book very interesting. I actually read
it twice, but for the life of me I can't remember the title or the
names of the people involved. Sukarno or Sukarto comes to mind,
but everything I've read about them doesn't seem to be the character in
the book. The book had nothing to do with Anna and the King or
the King of Siam stories. The girl in the book was married to the
king or prince. Of all Americans who married foreign
kings, it was not Queen Noor as her marriage wasn't until 1978; I
will have to research Hope Cooke more; I'm sure it wasn't Rita
Hayworth; and it wasn't that Wallis Simpson lady. For some
reason, I seem to remember the title of the book or the cover of the
book had to do with a lush, vegetated area similar to what I imagine
was Green Mansions." Tell Aunt Book
Girl's Closet Portal to Another Land
"The book is about a girl whose closet was a portal
to another land. It seemed the title was something like Silver Chair or something like
that, but it is NOT the Silver Chair
from the Narnia series. In fact when I saw that title in the
Narnia series and read the book, I was so disappointed because I was
expecting that to be the book, but it wasn't. I don't have a
whole lot to go on for that book, only what I've said so far." Tell Aunt Book
Searching for a Castle Holding a
Legendary Blue Sword
"The cover of the book as I remember showed a
straggly forest, with the villain standing in the background holding
the blue sword. Behind him was a large castle of some sort.
"The book opens with the lone traveler heading
towards a town. There is a reference to a strangely-shaped horse
with which he travels.
"As he heads into town, he meets a woman and her
brother after their village was attacked by the villain in the story,
and decides to embark on a quest to hunt the attacker, who carries a
blue sword.
"Along the way there is a battle near an inn, where
they fight demons and the main character is injured. Later in the
story they are guided through a tall grass field by natives in fear of
a mysterious monster that hides there.
"I stopped reading at this point due to fear, as I
was very young. Those are the only details I remember." Tell Aunt Book
Two Science Fiction Books by the Same
Author
"These two books I know are by the same author. One
is about a young girl with telekinesis who is orphaned and goes to live
with the police officer who handled her case. His son is a little
psychotic kid who torments her, eventually leading to his death, and
causing her to move away to keep the other family members safe.
She goes away with her uncle who also has these abilities.
"The second book, by the same author, is about a
widowed Jewish woman, named Rachael, who's husband is murdered at the
beginning of the book. She then has his baby, named Leah, and
lives with her beloved father-in-law. She later finds out that
this man, together with his old friends, can create a golem who then
kills people who have wronged him or his friends. She then is
faced with the choice to have to kill her father-in-law, whom she
loves, to protect others.
"I remember reading both of these books and that
they were both written by the same author, who I think was a woman. Oh,
and I think they were both published in the 1980's." Tell Aunt Book
Mother's X-Rays Give Daughter Powers
"I remember that I read it in the early 1970's. it
told of how the mother of the girl had had a car accident. She
had x-rays done, not knowing that she was pregnant. The
girl grew up and seemed to have these powers that she couldn’t control,
especially when having sexual thoughts. I got the book at the school
library. My mom thought it was too explicit and never let me
finish it." Tell Aunt Book
Girl with Cat Named Moira Talks to Animals
"I'm searching for a book from the 1970's. All
I know about it is that it's about a young girl. I believe she
lives in the woods. She has a pet cat named Moira. She can
talk to animals. She may have spoken to a crow. It's a
Scholastic book from the '70's. The cover is black
woods." Tell Aunt Book
Girl Eats Candy Bar on Trip
"I read it in the early 1960’s. It was about a
girl who was taking a trip by herself, by train I think. It had a
vivid description of her eating a candy bar." Tell Aunt Book
New Neighbors Decorate Rooms
"I'm looking for a book that is probably from late
1950's or early 1960's. It starts with a lonely girl looking at
the rain through her front door's colored panels, when she notices new
neighbors moving in next door. There are a lot of kids in the new
family and she loves being over there. Each new kid decorates his
or her new room and they have a judging contest. They also paint
their house dove gray with a tangerine front door. There is also
a mean girl in their class with black hair who wears a blue satin
skating costume with white fur trim and a muff." Tell Aunt Book
Book with Wonderful Description of Fall
"I remember reading this book that was possibly
written in the 1980's. The main character is a girl and I
remember that it was set in autumn. I remember that when you
first open the book there is an illustration of a field and the
beginning of the book gave a good description of fall and how this girl
felt about the fall. It may be set around Halloween. I
believe it was a chapter book. I just remember that the description was
done so well I could feel fall by reading it. The beginning
illustration helped set the stage. The girl may have been riding
a bike. I read this when I was 10-12 years old, in the mid- to
late 1980's." Tell Aunt Book
Girl Brings Desserts to Wolf
"This book is about a wolf who lives in a house in
the woods and who gets visited by this little girl. She brings
desserts to his door, possibly in return for his not hurting her.
The desserts are homemade goods, such as pies and cakes. In the
end, I recall the wolf's floating away (attached to balloons) across
the sky as a silhouette that appears to go in front of the moon.
I think the village ends up being grateful towards the little girl for
making the wolf disappear. The book could possibly be a spin off
or variation of Little Red Riding Hood, but I am not certain." Tell Aunt Book
Map Shows Where Heroine Visits
"I read this back in 2005(?) during my younger
school days. I don't remember much but I remember that the book
cover was blue (of the sky) and there was a branch of cherry blossoms
on the side. Kind of like this:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M4KpTdwrReQ/T__yRllUixI/AAAAAAAAOfU/tZHfeBnQvS0/s1600/Cherry+blossom+pictures.+(2).jpg
The name of the book and author is in writing on the cover.
"Inside the book there was a double-page spread of a
map. The map was of the places the heroine in the book visits and
it was all hand drawn.
Each chapter had a small picture next to the name of it. I think
the first chapter had a picture of dishes of dim sums next to the name
of the chapter.
"I remember returning the book and someone said: 'If
you like this book why not try Chinese Cinderella,' so I think the
story is a similar genre to that but it was fiction, not based on a
true story." Tell Aunt Book
Girl and Father Watch Circus Set-Up
"I am trying to track down a book I loved as a
child. I'm not sure if it was a Little Golden Book, but it was
that type of book, most likely published in the 1950's. The story
was of a little girl and her father who went to watch a circus being
set up in their town. They returned home to eat lunch and rest,
and then returned to watch the circus perform that
evening." Tell Aunt Book
Creature in Furry Suit Looks Like Dog
"I'm looking for a children's book that probably
came out in the mid-1980's or early 1990's. It was for older
kids, and all I remember is that it was about a young boy who buys a
weird-looking dog in a pet store, and later realizes that it's not
really a dog, but some kind of creature zipped in a furry suit to look
like a dog!" Tell Aunt Book
Spirits of People Hidden in Bottles
"I have been searching all over for a book I read
about 19 years ago (I think it was around 1993) in South Africa,
for ages between 9-13(?). The only detail I can remember is that
this little girl kept these glass bottles of different types, sizes and
colours that she received from her aunt (or mom?). She never knew
what they were but they were very important to her. She then
traveled from her home to a new town where it is ruled by some evil
person or force and all magic is forbidden. She then realises
that these bottles contain the spirits of people hiding in there from
this evil, and they need to be protected until they can come out
again. I think there is also a dragon in there
somewhere." Tell Aunt Book
Secret Entrance to Town of Supernatural Creatures
"I've been looking for a children's or YA book
series that I read as a child. I believe it was written in the
1990's, but I'm not certain. The series is about a kid (or maybe
a small group of friends) who stumbles upon a secret entrance to a town
populated by an abominable snowman and other various supernatural
creatures. I think that the entrance to the town is in a valley
or a cave and only opens once a year on Halloween or something. I
seem to remember that the entrance looks like a normal wall when it's
closed and that the monsters are friendly. There is a similar
series called Spooksville by Christopher Pike but this is a different
series. I hope you can help--this is driving me crazy!!"
Can you save her sanity? Tell Aunt Book
VW Beetle, Unicorn, Parallel Universe
"I read a book in high school in the mid to late
'70's. It opened in Florida and involved the main character's
seeing a unicorn. He travels to a parallel universe in a car (I
believer a VW Beetle) and gets involved in a local war. He meets
a girl, perhaps a princess, and he is unable to stop her from being
assaulted. I also remember seeing the phrase 'que pasa' in the
first chapter, perhaps the first two or three pages. Tell Aunt Book
Colorful Stones are Actually Eggs
"I'm hoping you can help me remember the name of a
book I read when I was a little kid (sometime in grade school),
probably in the mid to late '80's. The details are hazy but I
remember something about a village of beings that move to a new
planet. The village they build on the new planet is on
a hill covered with what appear to be colorful stones; there is even a
mill (a watermill?) with walls that I think are also built partially of
the same stones. It turns out that the stones are
actually eggs, and I want to say the eggs are theirs. They could
possibly be dinosaur type creatures. I'm not sure what it means
but the words 'moon' and 'magic' keep popping into my head, maybe that
the 'stones' do something (glow or sparkle?) at night. I've been
mulling it over in my mind and I would probably
categorize the one I'm thinking of as a picture
book. I remember
largeish pictures of grassy fields or hills with what look like
solid
color easter eggs jutting out of the ground here and
there." The Dear Niece who submitted this says that this is
not The Green Book (reprinted as Shine) by Jill Paton Walsh. Do you know what it is? Tell Aunt Book
Girl Trades Bodies with Witch
"I have been trying to remember this book I read
about 10 years ago [i.e. 2002]. It is about a young girl who
helps out an old lady who turns out to be a witch. She send her
on this 'flying adventure' that makes them trade bodies. The
young girl is trapped in this old woman's body and tries to find ways
to trick the witch into giving her body back." Tell Aunt Book
Rainbow Book of Stories
"I hope you can help. Having just had a baby
daughter I am really keen to track a book that I had as a child and
loved. It was most likely a British book and I have a
recollection that it was either called The Rainbow Book or
was a specific colour in a series of rainbow books. I've found several
references to rainbow books but none of them seem to be the right one.
"The book had a collection of stories including:
"- a little pig who wished for a nose like an
elephant but when he got it he couldn't eat from the ground and people
laughed at him.
"- a letter for A Mouse about a postman who had a
parcel for A Mouse who he assumes is a man so he tries all the flats in
the building, but it's actually for the real mouse who lives in the
basement and the parcel is a piece of cheese.
"- I think it also had a story about a an old man
that all the children were scared of but he turned out to be kind -
possibly also a doll maker." Tell Aunt Book
Old Lady with Many Hats
"Can you help find the name of a book I remember as
a very young child. I was born in 1971. It was a picture
book, soft back, shiny cover and landscape if I recall correctly.
It had a little old lady with a different hat on each page. A
typical 'grandma.' I think she had her white hair in a bun.
She had many hats but the only one I can really remember is one with
fishnet that covered her face. The fishnet made her eyes into
fish. I think they were blue. I think one had roses
too, but I’m not sure I can trust my memory on that one." Tell Aunt Book
Collection of Horror Stories
"I remember it was a children's (or at least young
adult) collection of horror stories. I'm not sure if it was part
of a series or not. One of the stories was about a dead girl on a
carousel horse. Another one was about this red hex that was
painted or written on walls and turning the townspeople into monsters
(e.g., it turned a grocer into this gross worm thing, an old woman into
an eyeless ghoul, etc.) I want to say it was from the 1990's.
" Tell Aunt Book
Blackbeard Story, Hook is Umbrella Handle
"There are a brother and a sister and possibly a
babysitter who tells them a story on a stormy night. The story is
about Blackbeard. At one point it talks about bones, and Spanish
moss as hair. It also has a bit where they think the pirate is
there, but the hook is actually an umbrella handle." Tell Aunt Book
Witch Book that Glows in the Dark
"It was a book about three little witches (I think)
and certain things in the book would glow in the dark. I think they
might have been going to a party but I'm not entirely sure about
that." Tell Aunt Book
Strange Village on Mountain Top
"The book I'm looking for is about a young girl,
about 10, with springy red curls. I think her name was Suzanne,
Suzie, or Susan. I think she was some kind of princess, but she
wanted to go on an adventure somewhere, so she ran away from home to
climb a mountain. On the way up, she met several animal 'friends'
(I think a prairie dog, and a normal dog, and something else).
When she got to the top, she saw a strange village. In a few
days, she discovered that the routine every day was the same: it
rained every morning, cleared up in the afternoon, and all the people
came out the houses and did chores at the same time - 'like clockwork,'
I remember the book's saying.
"I forget how it ended, but I also remember there
being a prince who ended up going on a hunt for her and falling in love
with her.
"I think I recall the title having the words
'Journey' and 'Mountain' in it. The genre of the book was
fantasy/adventure. " Tell Aunt Book
Cat with Very Long Tail
"We are looking for a children's book which we read
in the UK in the 1970's. We read it a our nursery school.
It is the story of a black and white stripey-tailed cat who was
troubled and got into a lot of trouble with his extraordinarily long
tail. He fell off walls when his tail fell and took him with it;
he even tried curling his tail on his head like a turban so he
could sleep on the wall in the sun but it unraveled and pulled him off
the wall. He tried to climb trees and couldn't because his tail was too
long." Recognize this? Tell Aunt Book
Retired Railroad Engineer and Grandson Travel Around the US
"I'm looking for information on a book that was my
favorite in elementary school. It was probably an early reader,
with some black and white sketched illustrations, as I know I
read it myself in 2nd or 3rd grade. This was in the mid '60s and
the book was old and tattered then, so it was probably from some
decades earlier. The story was about a little boy and his
grandfather. The grandfather had just retired after a lifetime as
a railroad engineer, and had a small locomotive of his own. He
and the boy took a trip around the country (US) together, and had many
adventures and of course learning experiences. They saw mountains
and helped a train get over the mountain in the snow, they saw the
desert, prairie, and the city, Chicago maybe?
Stockyards?" Tell Aunt Book
Counting Book About a Snail
"I'm trying to find the title and author of the
first book I ever read. It was a counting book about a snail who
went for a walk. 'One snail went for a walk... he passed two
tulips... eight ants sheltered under nine mushrooms... when the rain
stopped ten snails came out.' I would have read this in the mid
1980's. " Tell Aunt Book
Family in a Wagon
"It was a book I read in the early eighties but it
might have been written in the seventies. It was one of the
hardback books that had a colored cover. The plot had something
to do with moving or a family going somewhere in a wagon. It's
from the US. Not sure I can remember much else." Tell Aunt Book
Girl Meets Ghost in Orchard
"About 25 years ago [i.e. mid-to-late 1980's], I
read a book when I was probably between 10 and 14 years old. It
was about a girl who would meet the ghost of another child, a little
girl, I believe, in an orchard of a big farm she visited. I
believe this book is how I got my interest and love for books about
hauntings and such, but it touched me so much that I just keep
remembering it after all these years. I have no idea where I got
the book, what it was called, where it went, when it may have been
published. I don't remember details about the cover or any
pictures. I believe it was a chapter book, likely for pre-teen
girls. It was by far one of my two favorite books of all
time. The other, of course, was A Wrinkle in Time.
It would be so wonderful if you could help me figure out this
mystery. I'm beginning to think I may have dreamed this book all
those years ago and if so, I could kick myself for not writing it down
so I could find the book." Tell Aunt Book
Dinosaur Book; Ankylosaurus and Flowers
"There was a dinosaur book I had in the 1980's and I
can't remember what it's called, though if I saw the cover, I'd
probably recognize it. It was a large hardcover book that
featured different types of dinosaurs and each one had its own
story. I remember specifically that there was a Dilophosaurus
that was hit on the thigh by a hot chunk of rock from an eruption, and
I remember an Ankylosaurus seeing red flowers for the first time
(flowering plants had just evolved around the time this dinosaur was
alive)." Tell Aunt Book
Friendly Witch with Enchanted Back Yard
"I am looking for the title of a book that I think
was published in the '70's. It's about a boy who lives next door
to a friendly witch who has an enchanted back yard. He has all
kinds of adventures in her yard and she saves him a couple of
times. I think it was a series of stories but I can't
remember. I remember a part where she was not home and he went in
and there were some magical cakes on the table. The whole house
was like magicial but on the outside in the front it looked like any
normal house. There is also a bad witch that lives in the woods
and her house chased him with legs like a chicken." Tell Aunt Book
Phil the Gallant and Melvin the Dragon
"The characters I remember the most are Phil the
Gallant, knight of commonsense, and Melvin the Dragon. Melvin has
six legs. There was a not-so-evil wizard, and an actress that had stage
fright. The world was called Idiocy. It was cube shaped and
flipped over with the sun that revolved around it. There was
Sdrawkcab the town and everything was backwards. There were seven
towns all in a row. There was a town where everyone was happy. They
were trying to figure out why everyone was disappearing. There
was a god that looked over the world that could not interfere because
no one was smart enough to develop a religion to a god. There
were monks trying to figure out what to worship. The most evil of
the wizards was a cockroach that got squished by Phil. If the
dragon and a knight wanted to fight, first the knight would have to sit
down and answer a written survey of senseless questions. There
was creature named Gov’r’met." Tell Aunt Book
Children Turn into Caterpillars
"Some children in a town find this tree with magic
fruit. Once the children eat the fruit, they turn into
caterpillars that eat books. Eventually, they go into cocoons,
and when they emerge they are children again, but with butterfly
wings. The wings fall off later on, but they are still able to
fly. The story is told from the perspective of a girl who didn't
eat the fruit, and watches as all this happens to her
friends." Tell Aunt Book
Ghost at a Lake or Pond
"I am desperately looking for the title of a
book I read in the mid 1990's. I think I was in the 6th
grade. I live in America. The book is about a young girl
who rides her bike to a lake or pond. There she meets a young boy
with whom she becomes friends. She always meets him at the lake
and she notices little things about him, such as that he always wears
the same clothes. She eventually finds out that he is a ghost and
he drowned trying to save his dog, I think. I am fairly sure the
book was blue." Tell Aunt Book
Man and Children with Red Teeth
"The book is set in medieval times. A young
girl is forced to marry a man with red teeth and they have children who
also have red teeth. Our teacher called it Beowulf, which it
wasn't." Tell Aunt Book
Nonfiction Book with Historical and Speculative Stories
"There was a book I loved when I was a boy in
the early 1960s. It was an illustrated nonfiction book with
several historical and speculative stories in it. The only two I
remember clearly were one that detailed the killing of Blackbeard the
pirate, and another that postulated the way we'd land on the moon - all
wrong, as it turned out: the writer predicted we'd use a winged craft
that would return to earth and land on a runway. There might have
been another piece in it about a family whose car got stuck in the
desert and how they survived, but memory is vague about whether that
story was in the same book or another.
"I wish I had more concrete memories of the book.
I'm pretty sure it was oversize, perhaps quarto? I remember the
illustrations as being color and large, but you know how memory
is. We're talking 50 years ago! There must have been
several other chapters, but those two (and perhaps the third) are all I
recall." Tell Aunt Book
Older Lady Who Always Wore Purple
"Can you help me find a book from the late seventies
or early eighties? It was a book for juveniles, not young adult
or little kids. I think it was a mystery of some sort and it was
funny along the lines of Lemony Snickett. There were two kids and
an older lady who always wore purple, even purple underwear. She
had been in love with someone when she was young and he disappeared and
she wore purple all the time in case she ever met him
again. In the end I think they find him but he is disguised
as someone else. I think it had 'gang' in the title, like 'The
Something Something Gang,' but maybe not! I don't know why this
is driving me crazy but I really liked this book. Please
help!" Can you help? Tell Aunt Book
Creatures With Weak Spot Above Upper Lip
"I am looking for a 1960's childrens science fiction
trilogy. A young boy travels to a land filled with creatures
whose weak spot (to injure them) is above their upper lip. He
becomes their servant or slave, doing their errands until he hits his
master creature above the lip and escapes. The front cover of one
of the books has a boy in a hot air balloon. The boy eventually
returns home safely. The term 'the mark' is in my memory, either
in the title or part of the story. I read this story in
elementary school in approximately 1969." Tell Aunt Book
Village of People Who Have to Work at Night
"I'm looking for a fantasy book that my 8th grade
teacher would occasionally read to our class in 1987/88. It was
about a village of people who had to work at night, maybe to hide from
an unfriendly village. The books illustrations had fantasy or
medieval tones to it, and it may have been a series of books. I
believe the main character is a young man." Tell Aunt Book
Orphaned Boy Takes Care of His Sister
"I read this children's book in the early 1990's,
and I think it was set in the 1930's (the fridge is called an ice box)
in a big city. The main character is a boy who, after his mother
dies from illness, is left alone with his younger sister. Afraid
that they'll be separated by social service if the death of their mom
is discovered, he is determined to take care of his sister and himself
alone. I found this book do compelling, and I'd love to find it
for my own children now, but my search has been without results.
Can you help?" Tell Aunt Book
Black and Purple Book
"I'm looking for a book from my childhood, the
1970's or 1980's. All I remember is that either every other page
was illustrated in black and purple or it was all black and
purple. The cover was black and purple, and there was a girl in
an attic with a black hatbox and the light was bright
yellow." Tell Aunt Book
Mysteries With an Element of Magic
"I'll give you all I can but it is not much. I
read the series in the 1980's as some of the first real chapter books I
read. It runs in the direction of fantasy, featuring a boy and
mysteries of which I can't remember details. There was something
sinister about the mysteries, so they're not like Encyclopedia Brown,
more like Lemony Snicket. I keep feeling that there might have
been an element of magic, or that could be part of my fuzzy
memory. At least one of the covers was light blue and had a
drawing of a Victorian house on it. I especially remember the
weather vane, and perhaps lightning. That may have been part of
the mystery. The cover art looked like an etching. It had
pictures within it; they looked like etchings, too. I think one
of the books had a mummy as part of the plot, whether it was alive or
part of the setting, I can't remember." Can you help?
Tell Aunt Book
Grandfather Invents Way Never to Sleep
"I read this book as a child, probably in the late
1970's. It was about a boy whose grandfather (who was an amateur
inventor) invented a pill or potion which allowed them never to
sleep. They also had to put their clothes in some sort of liquid
(maybe to keep them warm or something). They end up in a police
station with their clothes falling apart. I also recall that they
weren't supposed to be hungry or something yet they were. I think
the grandfather used his shed to invent in." Tell Aunt Book
Magic Key and a Mermaid
"I read this children's book in the 1990's and did a
book report on it. There was a boy and he found a key. The
setting was near the ocean, either on the beach or on an island.
There was a part about a mermaid who I think turned out to be his dead
mother. There were also some sea animals that communicated with
him or that he befriended. The key had magical powers. The cover
of the book had a picture of either a key or a shell, or possibly
both." Do you know this book? Tell Aunt Book
King Arthur Gold Paperback
"I'm looking for a King Arthur fiction book I read
in late 1970's or early 1980's. It was a gold paperback, with a
medieval picture on the front. I'm not sure but I believe it
referred to Arthur's sister as Morgana. " Do you recognize
it? Tell Aunt Book
Brother and Sister Scared by an Old Tree
"I read these in the 1960's. It was a book -
or possibly a series of books - about a brother and sister. They
were hardback, large in size and very gorgeously illustrated in
sixties-style painted pictures. The brother and sister had dark
hair. The story I remember most vividly is when they were out at
night in the countryside, maybe camping, in their pyjamas, I think, and
they got scared by an old tree that looked like a monster."
Tell Aunt Book
Anthology Featuring Story About Dog Called "Little Pee-Wee"
"The other book (also read in the 1960's) was
a collection of many little children's stories - an anthology. It
was a hardback book, with little illustrations for the stories.
One story I remember in particular in the book was the story of a
little dog - I think it was a dachshund - called Little
Pee-wee." Tell Aunt Book
