Author Archives: admin

322W: Delightful Arabian Folktales

Looking for a children’s book with a yellow cloth cover and a drawing of a red tree on the front. It had stories about djinns in it and a story about a tree with three different colored branches, and a story about a dress woven from spider webs and so fine it fit into a walnut shell, and a story about a prince who disguised himself with tripe on his head to pretend to be a beggar.

My friend thought the book was Arabian folktales. She saw this book when she was a child, about 20 years ago.

Thanks!!

322U: Girl Befriended By Ghost Boy

Hello, I’m looking for a children’s book, or possibly young adult book, about a male ghost. It is a chapter book. I was born in 1973, and I am guessing I read this book between the ages of 8 and 12. The main character was a girl, and a male ghost befriends her. I *think* this happens after she moves to a new area, and I feel like her family becomes concerned about her. This is all that I remember.

322T: Hardback Children’s Classic Horror Anthology

The book I’m seeking would have been published no later than the summer of 1981, which is when I read it. Most likely it was published in the mid- to late seventies. It was a large hardback anthology of horror stories for children. It contained a number of tales by Poe as well as an abridged and rewritten version of Stoker’s “Dracula,” which took up a big chunk of the entire volume. (The Poe stories may have been rewritten too; I don’t recall.) It was illustrated with black and white art throughout, and my memory tells me that the monochrome art was accented with at least one spot color: green or purple. It may even have been both green *and* purple. Anyone remember this book?

322R: Poor Girl Helps Former Affluent Girl Find Lost Ring (Solved!)

I’m hoping you can help me find a book.  I remember a wonderful book being in my library at Elementary School, I checked it out so often I wasn’t allowed to check it out anymore – and now I can’t remember its name.  I think it was a children’s or young adult book?  This would have been mid to late 80s.

It was about a poor girl who lived with her father.  They were very, very poor and the book mentioned they couldn’t afford heat so she had to take cold showers but often went dirty.  She didn’t have many friends but then befriended an affluent girl.  This affluent girl’s family then fell on hard times and the affluent friend lost a ring – I think a garnet ring?  The poor girl thought if she could find the ring she could solve her new friend’s family’s money issues.  I think she found the stone of the ring in her friend’s dress belt/sash.  Her friend may have contracted a disease like polio in the book.

I’d love any help you may know about this!

322Q: Daily Life In Ancient Civilizations

When I was in the 3rd grade, my language teacher would take the class to the library to check out books we wanted to read. My favorite were a series of children’s books which taught daily lives of people from ancient civilizations: who they were, what they did, what they were known for, & the tools and weapons they used in warfare. It was from these books which I developed a passion for arts & crafts and also the value of history at a young age.
I am 44 years old now and I would like to find these books to have them as part of my knife and weapons collection. It was those books which sparked my interest for this hobby.
I can’t recall the author but do remember the titles:
1. The Stone Age
2. The Aztecs
3. The Romans
4. The Vikings
5. The Egyptians
6. The Phonecians
7. The Greeks
8. The Celtics
It was around 1984-1985 was when I discovered these books. I was wondering if you can offer assistance in helping me find them or a publisher that can reprint them.
Any assistance you can offer is greatly appreciated.

322O: Girl Makes Best Friend, Gets Matching Puppies

Best Friend(s) - title, I think, children's book. I read it about 1960. 3-6th grade reading. Girl's mom is her schoolteacher and she gets called teacher's pet. Grandfather lives with them and she has a great tree house. Half-French girl moves in next door and they become best friends. Archenemy is Millicent. End of story the girls get "matching" puppies. Remembering where it was in library, the author's name began with A-H. Hardcover, minimal illustrations. I think the phrase, "no more sense of time than a cricket" was used.

322N: Aliens Use TV For Mind Control (Solved)

Seeking a Kid's Book, I believe I read it in the early 80’s. About aliens invading and a group of friends trying to stop it? Or kids who had a machine that allowed them to make people think aliens were invading via TV. . . sort of a kid's War of the Worlds. Or kids get a machine from aliens to control people via the TV. May have had some device for mind control like TV or remote control. I think it took place in a big city. Had a cartoon-like cover. . . there may have been similar illustrations throughout the book. It was for kids 8-12 range I’d guess. I know it’s not the book series “Tripods”, for younger kids than that. I was young when I read it. . it's driving me nuts!!! Thanks