127E: Boy builds plane from vacuum cleaner

A boy builds an airplane from a vacuum cleaner and flies off to rescue his dad. I think it’s to get him home for Christmas. On the way back home they stop off to buy presents for each other, and they buy the boy’s mom some perfume from Paris.

Addition: It’s a picture book – a fairly short story on large, colourful pages. I read it in the 1970s and it seemed of its time. Borrowed from my (then) local library, in fact. Would it help to mention I’m in the UK?

 

10 thoughts on “127E: Boy builds plane from vacuum cleaner

  1. Karen McCarthy

    I also remember this book from around 1975-1976. I borrowed it from the library and read it several times. I can still see the pictures in my mind and it’s driving me crazy that I cannot remember the name. I do remember that the boy builds the plane using bits and pieces from around the home and has adventures without his mother knowing I think. I would love to read it to my own children.

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  2. Chanda

    Possibly ‘Bored – Nothing to Do’ by Peter Spier (1978)?

    “A humorous tale of two bored boys who, when told by their mother to “Go do something outside” decide to build an aeroplane using whatever comes to hand. Needless to say the parents are astounded to find many items around the house missing and that the boys are actually flying.”

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  3. sds

    I am trying to find the same book. I read it as a child in England and thought I’d google it.

    Alas, all I could find was this unsolved query. Not much use to you I’m afraid, but I hope it helps to know there are others out here, who were touched by this story.

    Having company certainly set me a-glow.

    Reply
  4. Pierre

    He buys perfume for the mother in Paris and a smoking pipe for his father. Nice colored Images. The vacuum hose runs along the side of the plane as a exhaust pipe. This was my favorite book when I was a child.

    Reply
  5. Robin Hannah

    Has anyone found this book yet? I notice the posts are from 2020. My son has talked about it forever, I would love to find it for him.

    Reply
  6. Lesley

    I’d love to find this book. I remember reading it to my children and would really love to read it to my grandchildren. Thank you

    Reply

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