I’ve been trying to find a book that I read in elementary school for a long time now and haven’t had any luck. I don’t know the author or title of the book, which I know presents a huge problem. What I do know is this:
I read the book around 1982 — I think I was a 3rd grader
The book that I read was a paperback.
The illustrations were black and white drawings, not photos.
The basic story was about two kids, a boy and a girl, that I think were siblings that went to a beach house for the summer. I think the beach house was owned by their grandparents or an older uncle, etc. The kids find out that there is a large diamond hidden somewhere around the property. They find various clues to the location of the diamond throughout the book and eventually discover that the diamond is a rough cut diamond that is tied on to a fishing net. The fishing net is hanging in plain sight above the fireplace in the house and the diamond appears to just be a weight attached to the net.
One illustration I remember near the end of the book was of the fishing net hanging above the fireplace.
Another illustration I remember is of sand dunes near the ocean with a fence and grass
I’m sorry that that isn’t much to go on, but if you could help me out I’d really appreciate it.
Doubt this is your book, but there was a similar incident in Elizabath Enright’s Melendy Family series, where the younger daughter Miranda finds a diamond stuck to a caddisfly-shell. She sells it for war bonds (the story’s set during WW2), gains a local bit of fame for that. The book did have several good line-drawn illustrations, which did inspire my thoughts. Hope you find your book,
The Secrets of the Pirate Inn
by Wylly Folk St. John, Frank Aloise (Illustrator)
From the back cover:
“Bucket of Blood” reads the old sign hanging over the doorway of the weather-beaten house where Uncle Will lives. But he will have to move to an old-age home unless Sally, Amy and Jack can find the treasure… money, and an uncut diamond!
The only clue is a counting-out rhyme: “William Mr. Trimbletoe,” it goes, “catches fishes, puts them in dishes…” It makes no sense at all.
The sleuthing begins. Each clue brings a new treasure, but as the hunt continues, Sally, Amy and Jack discover that the most important clue is the hardest of all to unravel.
I checked the end of the story and they do find the diamond attached to the net hanging over the mantel.
THANK YOU!!!! I’m so happy you found the book! I can’t wait to read it to my daughter! I’ve looked for this book for years and it is finally found. Thank you, thank you, thank you!