Full-color picture book published between 1940 and 1980. At the beginning, a coal delivery to the boy’s basement through a chute. Then the boy’s father takes him to the circus, and he sees a clown car but can’t figure out how they do it. Somehow, he thinks of the coal chute and figures out that there must be a trapdoor under the car for the clowns to go. Then he makes his own clown car.
Stump the Bookseller
New format, same book stumper solving.
Very likely, I stumbled on your book today! The book I found was It’s a Secret (1950) by Benjamin Brewster and illustrated by Bernice Myers, who turns 90 this spring of 2015! Published by Wonder Books. (Myers also wrote/illustrated plenty of her own books – don’t confuse Brewster’s book with Myers’ 1980 book Shhhhhh, it’s a secret.)
Thanks, Lenona! I just got ahold of the book, and that’s it all right! And better than I remembered it. I’m still not sure why that book stuck in my mind, but I’m glad to find it and pass it on to my nephews.