Category Archives: MG (grades 2-6)

306W: Animal figurines come alive, children’s book (Solved)

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It was a book that my 5th grade teacher read to us in 1996-97 in Missoula, MT. There were magical rules to when the animals can come out of the china hutch. It’s really hazy, but I do remember that one of the main characters was a dog and something tragic happens to him. I feel strongly that the book had a red, white, and black cover. Something makes me think it has something to do with ‘Valentine.’ Maybe it’s a character’s name? It was probably a chapter book. I think the figurines where porcelain? It may also be set in the Victorian era, or other era I would have considered old timey as a child. The memories of this book are very visceral and strong but not detailed. It made me cry. Please help!

306Q: Cookies that have gold coins in them

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The book I’m looking for is a children’s story and it’s about a family trying to escape the Nazi’s and the family can only take one item each, as not to raise suspicions. They take cookies that have gold coins in them to pay off the guards along the way. At the end of their journey, they realize that they have not given the correct cookies to the guards and still have some of their wealth.

I’m not even sure if I remember if it was a chapter book or a picture book, based on the fact that I was in sixth grade at the time I’m really hoping it’s a chapter book.

306P: Above a converted red barn

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I’m trying to locate the title and copy of a book from my childhood. I purchased it at a book fair at my elementary school in Chicago when I was between the ages of 8-10. 1988-1990. Maybe a scholastic title since they sponsored our books fairs and sales?

The book was about a family that lived above a converted red barn, kept livestock and were apple/orchard farmers (not the red barn book)! Beautiful pictures, almost like watercolors, that depicted the family in winter/ maybe fall. Father mother daughter, maybe more kids, based in New England or upper Midwest area. I’ve been searching for several years.

Thanks for your time

306O: Crushed Toys (Solved)

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Hello, I remember a set of books (we had 2 but there may have more to the set) they where hard back and about 2in thick. Plain cover with no illustrations, short stories with just a title on the cover. Each story was about 10-15 pages long and had a illustration at the beginning of the story. I remember one illustration with a car that was 1950’s looking. One story was about a kid leaving his toys (toy cars maybe) in the driveway and dad came home and ran them over. I really don’t remember any other stories from the books. I think the covers where dark blue or grey. The stories where life lessons and not really fantasy, no talking birds or stuff like that, as far as I remember.

306K: Just Plain Nancy

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I was sure was the book was titled “Just Plain Nancy”, as my name is Nancy.  It’s about a girl who has a sister, I think named Marjorie.  Marjorie was named after her mother’s friend, but “Nancy” was just plain “Nancy”.  It was set in the time when “Nancy” could ride along on an ice wagon.

 

306I: Girl Rides Polar Bear

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I read this book in perhaps 5th grade (1975). An Inuit Girl lives with her mother but is either urged to leave or gets lost (set in Greenland?). She encounters a polar bear and is “adopted” by bear. The hardcover book jacket featured girl in traditional parka riding the bear, she has a spear I think.

Sounds suspiciously like East published in 2005, but this was long before that.  I remember her learning to fish.

Any assistance greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

306H: A little boy who builds a robot

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This book was read in the 1960’s (maybe 1967 of 1968) by a friend of mine. He describes it as being a book about a little boy who built a robot out of scraps. Those scraps maybe have been pick-up from a junk yard.  The boy may have been an only child and living with one parent. The second parent may have died or was in the military. The robot’s name or the boy’s name could have been Robbie. My friend definitely remembers the name Robbie. Another character in the book could have been named Tommy or Johnny. The robot and the boy developed a friendship. “Robbie” could have also been in the title of the book.

Books that I have already eliminated: “Andy Buckram’s Tin Man”, “Harry’s Homemade Robot”, “The Runaway Robot”, “Tommy Tinker the Wind up Robot” and “Rosalie, Robbie and the robot”

306B: Boy’s parents leave him alone on a farm

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I read the book as a teen in 1998; it was about a boy (maybe 10 years old) raised on a farm, parents disappeared one day, and the boy continued to tend the farm in their absence. One day he was sprayed by a skunk; he couldn’t smell himself for some reason. He tried to clean up the skunk smell best he could, but as he boarded the bus the school, he could tell he still smelt like skunk based on the looks of the other kids. He exited the bus to return home and he never returned to school. The story goes on to tell his journey of raising the farm without his parents. I believe his parents returned years later.