Sorry it wasn’t the book you were looking for. Good luck!

Sorry it wasn’t the one you were looking for. Good luck!

Maybe take a look at Blair’s Nightmare by Zilpha Keatley Snider?

“A giant Irish wolfhound might be the dog of David’s dreams in the third book in the Stanley Family series, a companion to The Headless Cupid, from three-time Newbery Honor winner Zipha Keatley Snyder. With five children, a raven, and a pet turkey named King Tut, the Stanley house is full-to-bursting. But David desperately wants a dog—even though his dad has forbidden another pet. So when Blair begins sleepwalking and having dreams of an enormous dog that comes to the house every night, David assumes Blair just wants a dog too. But what if Blair’s Nightmare, as the kids quickly name the dog, isn’t only a dream? Is Nightmare the dog they’ve always wanted? And how can the kids keep him—without letting their parents know?”

“The Stanleys are back from Italy (The Famous Stanley Kidnapping Case), more-or-less resettled in the Westerly House (The Headless Cupid)—where David, a shaky 13, doesn’t know what to make of family-fantasizer Blair’s nightly jaunts to see a dog in the yard. . . or how to deal with hulking, taunting classmate Pete Garvey. Adolescing stepsister Amanda is an enigma too—admiring Pete’s physique, punching him out to protect David, looking sympathetic? pitying? And why does Pete start hanging around? But the problem that grows ever-bigger is Blair’s dog. Dad and stepmother Molly quarrel over his clamp-down on Blair’s “fantasizing.” Six-year-old Blair’s twin Esther, and resident-snoop Janie, huddle with him. A neighbor’s smokehouse is broken into—only maybe by two escaped cons. On a spooky night—when the cons have just resurfaced, and Dad and Molly are out—the older children discover one thing at least: there is a real dog, a monstrous, gentle Irish wolfhound, whom the little children have named Nightmare. Further sleuthing by Janie (who spotted the breed in a book) explains his old bullet-wound and his fear of grown men: guard-dog training, by a vicious owner. All the more reason, then, to conceal Nightmare from Dad—who’s already vetoed the idea of a dog, who’ll feel obliged to contact the owner. The ensuing conspiracy is an all-hands, full-time operation. Nightmare spends nights with Blair and David, behind a warily locked door. (Once, Molly does demand admittance.) Days, he disappears—where? Massive as he is, he must be massively fed—hence the kibble caper. Then, for a couple of nights, he doesn’t show up; Blair steals off to search for him; David finds both of them—turning up the fugitive cons (sick, dejected), bringing them in, becoming an embarrassed/ pleased hero. Amanda has made her new sisterly feelings known. Pete, confiding his (transparent) interest in Amanda, tells the still-droopy David not to confuse fighting and courage. As for Nightmare, you know Dad won’t be able to resist his oversized appeal, his part in the heroics, or Molly’s good-natured teasing. (“How could an imaginary dog be a burden?”) The family mix continues to work its charm, the personalities to unfold independently—with more to be seen or heard, it appears, of Blair’s elusive friend Harriet.”

Thanks, Suzanne – and sorry for being in the wrong place with this inquiry! Will email you with pics. All the best, Peggy

I’m looking for a beautifully illustrated children’s book about a boy, a sea serpent in a Japanese village. I remember colorful balls I think on the cover. The boy somehow saves the day. It was a paperback about 25 years ago. Any ideas? Thanks for helping!!

A bit of a long shot, but maybe take a look at The Third Wish by Emily Rodda? (book three of the Fairy Realm book series)

“When raging wildfires threaten Jessie’s Blue Moon home, a wish-stone becomes the only hope for rain. Fortunately, her granny is the deposed fairy queen and sends Jessie back to the homeland in search of the mythic rock. Plot twists keep the action moving forward and add mystery to this over the top girlhood fantasy. The characters include a miniature pony, an elf (who is the only “boy” in sight), and several mer-people. Imagination supplies a shell necklace that allows Jessie to breathe underwater and communicate telepathically with Ripple, her mermaid guide. In the end, success requires common sense and Jessie’s quick thinking to save the day. She gains a renewed appreciation for her humanity, which allows free travel on both land and sea.”

In the early 1960s, I had a hardback book, oversized and about the dimensions of a typical high school yearbook, and probably about 1/2 to 3/4 ” thick. I remember the cover being solid yellow and blue (an azure shade of blue), perhaps mostly blue with a vertical yellow column on the right side. If I recall correctly it was a set of two books, and I remember it was full of colorful illustrations of everything from dinosaurs to depictions of the future. It’s particularly the future art that was fascinating to me. Sadly, this is about all I can recall. The book(s) disappeared by the time I was a teenager, and presumably my mom gave them away. I’ve wanted for many years to determine what this was, and attempt to obtain another copy. Thanks to anyone who can offer any help!

Hi. I’m looking for a picture book published in 1993 titled “The Magic Tree House” that is not part of the chapter book series. Can anybody tell me the name of the author? The main character is a girl with red hair.

Hi, Im looking for a childrens book – i had it in the early 90’s. It is about an elephant who lives in a house made of cake – 2 levels. She has a taste one night and then eats the entire house which i think was iced yellow. She then has to rebuild and cooks bricks of cakes to repair the damage – she stayrd up late to ice it and i think did it pink this time. Would love any help at all!!!

I think it was a middle grade book; it was about a girl with a birthmark on her face in the shape of a hand. She lived on an island I think and everyone in her tribe thinks she’s cursed and don’t like her. Her path crosses with a girl from the mainland who has white hair and I think is supposed to become the governor at some point? The white haired girl discovers her caretaker is trying to get rid of her and she has to run away. This is when she meets the girl with the hand birthmark.

I am looking for a book that our mother read to us in the mid-late 50’s. It is about a little boy who gets lost in the zoo. The kind zoo keeper walks the boy around asking if each animal is his mother until they can find the boy’s mother. Don’t remember the name.

I’m looking for a children’s chapter book from the 1960’s. It had a girl who was having to living in a boarding house with her mom and brothers. She made a playhouse in a large hydrangea bush and they didn’t live far from a beach. It was the first chapter book I remember reading and it had a pinkish tan cover. My dad use to buy me books at Goodwill so it may have been from the 40’s or 50’s. I read it in the mid 60’s.
Any thoughts or help are appreciated.

Hi all

I am looking for a book I read in the UK in the 90s. It was about a family of trolls/monsters/goblins. One storyline was about the baby of the group finding a tin of (blue?) paint and painting a line along the wall which you followed as you turned the pages. Another thing was that the book had a really distinctive perfume smell about it- but that may have only been the one I had! Any ideas? I can’t find it anywhere

Does anyone know of a children’s book from the 50’s or 60’s known as Baby Marcheek?

My brother adds thus “Book from 80s at latest but likely 70s or earlier…

Illustrated kids book that has this happen…

Mouse/Frog/Insect riding Raft/Boat/Leaf/Matchbox down stream through obstacles.

-Mattress Springs
-Broken Down Car (headlights like eyes of monster)
-Glass jar “cave” (broken bottom that serves as stalactites)

It is NOT….

-Wind in the Willows
-Stuart Little
-Frog and Toad Series
-Tim Mouse goes down the stream
-Rescuers (only checked 1 version)
-Scuffy the Tugboat

Hello, I’m looking for a children’s book from the 70s about a daddy mouse who is preparing for the arrival of his wife’s baby. He goes out to find food and such and ends up getting stuck in a grain silo or grain bin and has to eat his way out.

Try ‘Fairy tales’ by Bridget Hadaway. It was published in 1974, 1978 and reprinted again in the 80s. The illustrations are quite brightly coloured – I think there’s more than one illustrator because the styles vary quite a lot and some of them are quite comically anachronistic – the chapter ‘How Tom Sawyer had his Aunt’s fence painted’ has Tom and his friends wearing jeans and tennis shoes if I remember correctly and one of the fairy tales has a very 1970s Dolly Parton-esque looking heroine with bouffant curls. However some of the others are much more traditional. Here’s a list of the stories included: Jack and the Beanstalk — Little Red Riding Hood — Hansel and Gretel — Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves — The Magic Kettle — Aniello and His Little Speckled Hen — The Princess and the Pea — Snow White and the Seven Dwarves — Puss in Boots — Dick Whittington and his Cat — The Pied Piper of Hamelin — Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor — The Snake Prince — Cannetella and the Wizard — The Little Mermaid — The Gingerbread Man — Goldilocks and the Three Bears — The Sleeping Beauty — Rapunzel — The Firebird — The Knights of the Fish — The Little Tin Soldier — Foolish Jim and Clever James — The Three Little Pigs — Beauty and the Beast — The Golden Goose — Aladdin and His Lamp — The Sprig of Rosemary — The Ugly Duckling — The Legend of Sleepy Hollow — Jack the Giant Killer — Cinderella — The Fisherman and His Wife — The Swan Maiden — The Adventures of Pinocchio — the Little Match Girl — How Tom Sawyer had his Aunt’s Fence Painted — Bluebeard — The Elves and the Shoemaker — The Thick, Fat Pancake — The Emporer’s New Clothes — The Wizard of Oz: Dorothy Kills the Witch — The Wonderful Tar-Baby — How Brer Rabbit Fooled Brer Fox — The Straw the Coal and the Bean — The Red Shoes — Johnny Appleseed — Rumpelstiltzkin — Thumbelina — The Goosegirl.

A long shot: The Better Homes and Gardens Story Book. There are slightly different editions and different covers–look for the yellow one.

Hi, I’m looking for two books I had as a child. I don’t remember the titles or authors. They were from when I was in elementary school, so probably written in the late 80s or early 90s. The first book was about talking animals (maybe just cats?) and there was a cat named Lark in it. The second book had something to do with witches and at one point a witch enchanted the children’s toothpaste such that bees came out of the tube. Ring any bells??

Hi I am looking for a book with a collection of children’s stories or fables from the 1970s or 80s (Maybe Good Housekeeping or Reader’s Digest?) that has a story of a hen who got her eggs stolen by a fox, found them, and then replaced the stolen eggs with rocks or stones. My son had that story read to him as a child by his grandfather frequently, and now that my dad has passed away, would love to have that story again. The book was hardcover and had a yellow cover with blue or print accents. The book has disappeared from my dad’s home. Any info would be so appreciated! Thank you.

My mom is looking for a series of certain childhood books. She says, ” I don’t remember the Author or Title , but it was early 1970’s Children’s Literature about a Bat & a Flying Squirrel who were best friends . Bat had a wife .When I try to Google ,I can only see recent stories. They were around the time of Arnold Lobel’s Frog & Toad Series.”

“Obstinate Kathy” is a story in Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories, Vol. 41.

Hi all-
I’m looking for what I think was a chapter book – maybe a series? – from the mid/late 70s about two kids who go on an adventure with help from a magical substitute teacher. They would know the sub was going to appear when the evening before their guinea pigs (hamster?) would begin talking. The sub would do things like freeze the spitball from the class bully in mid-air and send it back at him.

Thanks!

As you probably know, The Bad Island by William Steig (1969) was renamed and republished later as Rotten Island. Copies of the original in jacket are not uncommon but are expensive. You might be able to find an ex-lib in jacket under $100 if you sign up for a Want on abebooks: https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?bi=0&bx=off&cm_sp=SearchF-_-Advtab1-_-Results&ds=30&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=bad%20island&yrh=1969&yrl=1969
Could you tell us a little more about the second book?

I used to have this book about being different isn’t bad. It had these creatures that were purple with yellow stomachs, and played music with their nose using their feet Then this other creature comes in, and has a shorter nose, and can’t really play with it’s feet and everyone dislikes this character until they hear him playing with his hands. I have tried everything and it’s as if this book doesn’t exist.

“Tiger’s chance” by Jan Henry

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2089357.Tiger_s_Chance

Hello,

I am looking for a story book I read as a child in the 90s/early 00s which I read until it fell apart and my mum threw it out! To be recollection it was set on an island with lots of animals (no humans). There was possibly a bear in charge.. a mountain separated the island into two and the animals only lived on one side. They could access the other through the mountain but weren’t allowed. The book was broken down into different stories about the animals with an illustrated picture at the start of each story/chapter. The cover was light blue with an island in the centre.. that’s all I can remember sadly!! Thanks for your help.