When I was a child we had this big storybook with a red cover that must have been published sometime between 1960-1990. I haven’t been able to find it anywhere on the Internet by searching details that I remember and I can’t remember the title. The first story I remember was about an old grumpy man whose bathtub begins to overflow because the bathtub knob gets stuck and he needs the help of the whole community to turn the knob. Everyone comes together to help him even though he is so grumpy and mean. I believe this story was called Hot Water Williams, but again this search phrase pulls up nothing for me on Google. The other story I remember is about a boat of fishermen who overfish and their boat starts to sink. The illustrations were very 70s-style. There were several stories but these are the only two I remember. If anyone can help me find it I would be so happy because it was one of my favorite books ever. I’ve been trying to find it for years.
Stump the Bookseller
New format, same book stumper solving.
I was hoping this would also be a book I am looking for, but it is not.
Seems the book you want is Gordon of Sesame Street Storybook – No More Milk
I remember this 1970’s “Hot Water Williams” book too–. A Whole Lotta Hot Water–the many African American characters’ faces are etched in my memory, the plumber, the old man whose bath is ruined…it had a tone of menace and horror. Perhaps my mom has the copy somewhere in her basement storage. I would love to resurrect it, as it seems it has some historical resonance.