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324I: Weird Creature Turns Against Boy Who Spared His Life

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Looking for a children’s science fiction collection. Only remember one story. It was about a boy who finds an alien or some weird creature in his room, behind a chair I think. He goes to swat it or stomp on it, but it startles him by talking to him, begging for its life. It convinces him it’s friendly. But by the end of the story, it’s clear the creature had malicious intentions; but it’s too late. And the end of the story is the creature telling the boy he should’ve killed it when he had the chance. That’s how I remember it, but I read it 30 years ago.

324G: Vampires create living breathing buildings out of human slaves

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I read a fiction series in 2006 while I was pregnant with my daughter. The author was male.  It seems there were at least 9 books in the series…maybe as many as 15.  I checked them out in hard cover from the public library in Boise Idaho.

I remember the series beginning in a land where Vampire masters harvest from herds of worker slave humans.  Humans are basically chattel to the masters.  The masters transform the bodies of live slaves into buildings. The stuff of body parts are re-purposed for architectural functions…..tall, complex buildings where slave lungs and hearts are pumping water and fresh air throughout the layers of the buildings.

The vampires called their homes “eyries” like eagle nests.  Tall buildings.

The series moved forward being quite political as Vampire masters battled amongst themselves to destroy each other.  Alliances, betrayals, etc…

As the story developed, it turns out that the vampire land is an alternate plane of Earth. Some characters from modern Earth cross over, get themselves into trouble, then return to Earth.  Eventually, guns get introduced to the vampire kingdom.   During the final (?) book, a battle is happening between a handful of characters and Nazi soldiers who are jumping back and forth across the dimensions.  Absolutely crazy stuff…

I realize this isn’t a whole lot to go by.  Thank you for any help you can provide. My brain has residue of the images of the breathing, living buildings. Amazingly creepy and awe inspiring.

324F: As Railroads Are Built, Professional Pie Lady Looks For Love

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I’m really hoping someone can help me with this one because I’ve been trying to remember the title for years now after losing the book in a move.

It is a romance I read in the late 90s set in the Midwest while building the railroad. The woman gets hired on with the train company and makes pies in the dining car (I think shes running from an arranged marriage or bad home situation like dean guardian?). Her big thing is pie making, lots and lots of pies. Eventually the company moves up into the mountains (?) where she is responsible for cooking for the one crew. She gets involved with the lead foreman (?) and at some point gets kidnapped by an Native, and he goes after her. Pretty sure I remember her being pregnant when shes kidnapped. And that’s about the sum total of my memory on this one. Thanks!

324E: Dolls Come to Life

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This was an old book that I read around 1987-88. I remember it being beautifully descriptive, concerning the dolls, which came to life and spoke to one another when the girl was away, and their house and dresses. I think I remember the descriptions depicting debutante style dress, with parasols and the like. There may have been conflict regarding a less auspicious doll joining the house. This story does not match up with anything I have yet looked up, though The Best-Loved Doll did come close to ringing a bell.

324D: A Young Boy At A Sheep Ranch (Solved!)

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Seeking a copy of a book that my father gave me circa 1963 when I was almost 7—the only and last present he gave me before disappearing from my life forever. Narrative follows a young boy sent to a sheep ranch, perhaps as an orphan(?) I believe, but little else comes to mind except a blue cloth binding and white or silver spine lettering.  It was a YA book, over 100 pages, with some illustrations, which of course I could only read a few years later.

Inside he wrote: “Keep your right up” as he had tried to teach me to box, but I don’t think boxing is part of the story line.

(I had this copy until my sister sold it at a yard sale when I went away to school at 14!)

324C: Child Tries and Fails to Downsize Possessions

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Child is given three boxes to clean their room: one to keep, one to give away & one for trash.  Children’s hardcover book, possibly from the 1970’s.

As the child sorts through their room, instead of sorting into the give away or trash, their imagination takes over with each item, with detailed illustrations, and they convince themselves they must keep everything.

324B: Boy Changes Into Animals To Discover Their Worlds (Solved!)

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I was born in 1951 and read a children’s book at roughly age 6 – 8.  We probably got it from the library.

I have no title, but the book told the story of a boy who changed into a different animal in each chapter to explore what that animal’s world was like.  I specifically remember the chapter in which he became an otter.

There were black and white drawings/illustrations at the head of each chapter but otherwise is just text.

Many thanks for your help!

324A: Painting in Colors

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Hi, I’m trying to find a book from the 70’s.  It was given to me by my father who was a professional photographer.

I’m not 100% sure of the title but I think it was called “Paint in Color.”

It had different color “gels” in the book of primary colors that when cleverly combined made a new color. Ex. Blue and yellow made green and so on and so on.

Any one remember this book?

323Z: Girl Grows Up In Coastal Town, Where Body Is Found On Beach

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The book I am looking for I read between 2006 and 2010. I believe it was a young adult novel/ coming of age and had a dark blue/purple cover with cursive writing. Looked to be a night image above the sea, maybe?

Plot was about a girl that, I believe, lived in coastal town (maybe northeast) with her family. They ran some sort of store (deli, small grocery or something) and they lived in back or above the store. She had a sister who got pregnant and married. I think her sister might have moved back home after she had the baby. She also had a couple brothers or one who was missing or had died. Tommy is ringing a bell of a character.

The main girl made friends with another prettier girl who was popular, and they were friends with a couple boys. They went to a dance at a local country club or golf club and I remember the main girl having issues over picking out the dress she wore. Something either yellow or with eyelets maybe?

I think someone died or drowned in the book? There was something that happened where a body was found down on the beach…Maybe related to the town trouble maker (his brother ?).

Sorry this is fuzzy and I think some plots of books I read during the same time running together. I thought a man wrote the book and it was out of his normal genre but I could be wrong.

I would greatly appreciate your help! I have been searching for this off and on for years. My friend has recommended it but she cannot remember it either.