Tag Archives: poetry

375D: Poetry Anthology Including “If”

I am looking for what I think is an anthology of poetry, illustrated, that contains an extremely cleverly illustrated version of Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If”. Black and white line drawings I believe. I remember seeing it in a bookstore in Ithaca circa 2012 it might have been newly published then. There were other poems in the book, possibly also short stories? And authors besides Kipling?

373O: Primer featuring a little fairy/brownie

I am looking for a copy of the first book I ever read (I have been looking for it since 1995 without success). What I remember is:
– I was born in 1960 and started reading in 1963. We were poor and the only books we had were from my father (born in 1940) so the book would have been 1920-1940s for when he went to school in 1945.
– I remember the color of the book had a dark sandy brown cover and had the words “first primer” or “young reader” on the cover. Primer figured prominently on the cover and/or title page but I cannot remember the exact wording. I think there was a square illustration on the cover but am not sure.
– There were stories, poems, and I think a musical score at the center of the book. The main story involved a little brownie (fairy/sprite) with a red cap, with squirrels for friends/neighbors. The illustrations were only two to three colors, red and brown primarily.
– I have been looking for this book for approximately 30 years. off and on, without success. Other books in the similar time frames come close but they are not the one. The closest ones in style, illustration, and structure are The Work-Play Books Make and Make Believe by Gates and Huber and The Children’s Own Readers Book Two by Ginn and Co. circa 1920s.
I grew up in Norwalk, CT in the 60’s if that helps in any way.

372Q: 1940s classy children’s anthology

I’m trying to find a much-loved book given to a relative around 1948 (in England, so presumably a UK publisher).

It’s an anthology of stories and poems for children, clearly by someone who loved literature and didn’t want to look down on children or preach to them. It included things like Christina Rossetti’s poem “Goblin Market” and the Chinese folktale “Blue Rose”, and had illustrations by Aubrey Beardsley (obviously not done for the book as he was long dead).

The book is hardback with a leaf-green cover, and fairly large.

371X: If I had a pony

I’m hoping you can help me find a book my grandmother used to read me. I believe it was called ‘If I Had A Pony’ it was a long thin rhyming book. A line from the book was, If I Had a Pony I’d name him baloney…but we do have a turtle and his name is Fred. I know that’s not a lot to go on. Thank you for your help. Have a wonderful day, 

371O: Children’s book about boy who writes poems outside on a typewriter

Looking for a children’s picture book we read at our local library about 2-3 years ago about boy (maybe called max) who sells/gives poems out on the sidewalk (maybe at a stand?). Kids pass him on the street and ask for poems. One is about buttons and repeats the word multiple times, like, buttons on your buttons buttons, one is about seashells after a friend is headed to the beach, one is about kittens because someone is giving them away and the last one is a gift for his sister whose birthday it is the next day.

367X: Family takes an elevator underground – whistle if you get lost

The book I’m looking for is as follows:

Children’s book   – from the UK
I read it in the UK when i was a kid in the 1970s

It was illustrated but with line drawings – was for older kids, maybe 7/8 and up?
There was a story in it about a family who takes an elevator down into the ground, and they whistle to each other if they get lost.
It was a collection of stories for kids. 

It might have also had poetry in it
This story has haunted me for years, no idea if it will ring a bell with someone somewhere

360R: I hate the dope that thought up soap

When I was a child in the late 90’s there was a book of I think children’s rhymes in my grandmother’s house in North Carolina that she used to read to me. I think it was already an old book at that time, possibly from her years as a teacher or from my father’s childhood.   It had the phrase “I hate the dope who thought up soap.” And something like “I wish he’d eat it!”   Something along those lines. I’ve googled this phrase and found only the books by Megan McDonald, but those were published starting in 2000 so are too recent to be what I’m thinking of.  Help please?

357G: The Little Old Lady (Solved!)

This might actually be in the title of the book. It may have been published in the 70s or before but definitely not later than the early 80s. I believe it was a book of children's poems about an old lady and one of them was "There was an old lady who wanted to ski, she wouldn't take lessons - it's easy said she! She tried and she tried but she just couldn't go. Nobody told her she had to have snow."

355S: Children’s Book, 60s, Green cover?

I’m looking for a book that I had in the early sixties.
It showed a mom on the cover who was sitting on a sofa in a living room reading from a book.

On the cover of the mom’s book – there was also a picture of a mom reading from a book.

I can’t recall if the children were on the couch with her or were on the floor in front of her as she read.
I think the book had rhymes or poems or stories.  I thought it was green.
Thank you so much for trying to remember this book for me!