This was a children’s story about Dot, a little girl, around 7 years old, and her day-to-day life and small adventures with her friends. I believe the book was the first in a series, for example, the next book might have been titled, “Dot Goes to the Beach”. The books themselves were hardcover – I don’t believe they were ever released in paperback – and the stories were written for 7 year old girls. I can only guess that they were written in the 1950s or 1960s.
One story had Dot and her friends going on a field trip. Dot’s mother had given her a box that advertised salt water taffy. When the children arrived at their destination, the box of taffy everyone now eagerly anticipated, turned out to be a box that had *once* held taffy, but now had Dot’s lunch (or something else mundane).
A bit earlier than you’re thinking, but possibly the Dot and Dash series by Dorothy West (really Mildred Wirt, who wrote the early Nancy Drews), about a little girl named Dot and her dog named Dash and their friends and adventures. The 5 titles were Dot and Dash at the Maple Sugar Camp, Dot and Dash at Happy Hollow, Dot and Dash in the North Woods, Dot and Dash in the Pumpkin Patch, and Dot and Dash at the Seashore
Oh – thanks for your reply! Unfortunately, I don’t think the Dot and Dash series are the ones I read. I don’t recall a dog, and I believe the field trip took place on a school bus with lots of other kids. Also, it sounds like the Dot series I read were lighter in tone than Dot and Dash. …but now I want to read this series, too!
Thank you for taking the time to help me out!
I just started my search for a book from my childhood that I loved and I found your search request. It sounds like we are looking for the same book. I remember one of the books was green with a girl with a red polka dot dress. She had blonde hair.
I would love to find out the title and finding the book would be awesome!
I know it is not the Dot and Dash series.
Yes! The green cover with the blonde girl in the red polka dot dress! That is the series I’m looking for. I’d thought the title of the first book was “D is for Dot”, but searches don’t bring up any children’s fiction. Here’s hoping someone out there remembers the series and author(s)!
Someone elsewhere suggested the “B is for Betsy” series by Carolyn Haywood. I bought the books, and lo and behold, these were the ones I was thinking of! I looked around, bought and read the first four books, and was so happy to confirm that they were, indeed, the books I was looking for!
@anngoldbach: The books have been reprinted many times, but if you look for the original covers, they may jog your memory, if these were the ones you were looking for.
I recall a book called “Dot for Short.” Could that be it? I loved that book as a kid long ago.