Before 1973, poems and pics of imaginary creatures. Two I remember: “What the heck is a bottleneck, I can’t give you a hint to it, but grownups run right into it” and “A frightening beast is the raging inferno, for lunch he eats matches, at suppertime Sterno.”
Stump the Bookseller
New format, same book stumper solving.
Could this possibly be one of Shel Silverstein’s books, e.g. ‘Uncle Shelby’s Zoo’ or ‘Where the Sidewalk Ends’? I don’t have either of these books to hand, and don’t remember these quotes, but it sounds a bit like his style.
It was very much like that, with simple line drawings. I already have “Don’t Bump the Glump,” which (I think) is his only book entirely devoted to imaginary animals, and it isn’t that one. Thanks for your input, though. That was my first thought as well.
Another possibility that occurs to me is Jack Prelutzky.
I like Jack Prelutsky’s stuff, but it wasn’t that. They were slightly more Jules Feiffer-y in a way, with very simple line drawings. As I write that, I wonder if maybe it wasn’t a strictly “children’s” book after all. Dang. Thanks for your help!
John Ciardi had a few children’s poetry books at that time with line drawings. My favorite was Mummy Took Cooking Lessons, but there is one called The Monster Den.
Worth checking out, anyway.
RE: John Ciardi
Neat books! Way too recent, though. Thanks!
…as I look again, maybe NOT too recent. The pictures don’t look the same, but I’m re-looking…
I believe the book you’re looking for is:
BEASTLY RHYMES
I’ve been quoting the one aforementioned rhyme… What the heck is a bottleneck?
I don’t know but it’s got to go….for the past 48 years or more!
Fantastic scary / silly illustrations!
Ii would love to find 4+ copies of this book… My cousin and I shared very close biirth date anniversaries and when we were children visiting in Arlington Heights, IL (nee Appleton, WI) we were both given this book as a gift.
At my Mom’s 90th birth date anniversary this past February we spoke of the book and tried to remember some of the rhymes..
A delightful childhood memory was welcomed….
The book was sturdy and had a hard cover that may be shiny black… One illustration per rhyme.. They were not too scary for really young readers.
Hope we can gain some insight!
Thank you pals, in advance,,
Amy Solie Stegeman
St. Paul, MN
YES. That’s the one! Funny that you had the same book in your brain for all these years (just like me). Thank you!
YES! That’s the one. Thank you! Very memorable little poems, aren’t they?