Trying to help out someone I know. They remember a children’s book
that was available in libraries in the US in the early 2000s (pre 2006
for sure), unclear when exactly it was published but didn’t seem like
a new book at the time it was first checked out and read.
Seems like it was a pretty thin book / short story, completely
fiction, talked about a woman that owned an old oven (or otherwise
damaged it during the baking process), that entered a competition to
win a brand new oven. (Or it was money that she used anyway to buy a
new oven. Like 300$ or 500$ or 1000$) Could have been a picture book,
they don’t remember. But most likely just normal book dimensions, not a
super wide one with big illustrations.
The competition was most likely a cake baking one? But there’s a
chance it could have been pies or food possibly. (unlikely)
There was an Amelia Badelia book they found with a cake baking contest
for money, but it didn’t match the old oven being damaged and getting
swapped out for a brand new oven by the end of the story part.
Stump the Bookseller
New format, same book stumper solving.
A long shot, but could it be the chapter The Very Fine Lady from the very funny 1960 book Triple Trouble for Rupert, by Ethelyn M. Parkinson? You can download the whole (short) book here –
https://pdfslide.net/download/link/triple-trouble-for-rupert
– though it takes a few steps. Rupert narrates the book. The chapter starts on page 62. Mrs. Van Miller wins a baking contest and receives cash and an electric stove. Since Rupert’s school’s stove was damaged by creamed cabbage in the oven, she gives the new stove to the school. The chapter starts with this paragraph:
“The guys in the 6th grade were happy, our school was getting a new stove, until Smart Annabelle and Beautiful Sylvia dreamed up their dear-little-thank-you-note idea.
“All the girls were very happy, because it was worky. Work makes girls happy, and that’s OK. But they try to share their great happiness with others, and that is not OK.”
Also see this, regarding the prequel, Double Trouble for Rupert:
http://w1.loganberrybooks.com/stumpthebookseller/?p=8131
For some reason, the above thread is NOT listed at Solved Mysteries, though it should be.
Hey Lenona! Thanks so much for giving this a go!
Unfortunately this does not seem to be what they were looking for (They are confident that it was a stand-alone book that they read at the library)
I really appreciate the detailed guess here, and I will enjoy the story anyhow when I get a chance 🙂
If anyone has any additional question for us, please let us know!