Author Archives: admin

321B: Two boys go to Switzerland.

A family takes their two boys to Switzerland, and they have many adventures. My aunt can’t recall whether it was a fiction or non-fiction book or whether it was written for children or adults. She read it as a child, and it belonged to her grandparents who lived on a ranch in Southern California. My aunt thinks it may have been written in the 1800’s (she was a child in the 40’s).

Anything you can do to help will be much appreciated!!

321A: Halloween Tales For Kids

I had this book when I was a kid, so around 15 years ago, and it might have been a few years old by then. I can’t remember the title, but here’s what I do remember. It was large. Not just thick, but tall and wide. (I was a kid though, so it might be smaller than I’m remembering.) The one I had was hardcover. The cover might have been dark blue/purple/green, but I don’t remember what was actually on it. It had full-page illustrations, I think through most or all of the book. It had several stories about Halloween characters for kids: – King Neptune was lonely, so he became friends with the ghost of a whale or dolphin. – The ghost of a castle was rambunctious and scared people off from his treasure. – Two witches lived near each other and didn’t get along. – A vampire wanted to act in his school play, and his vampire parents attended in the end. Please help! I love this book, and I would really like to have it for my kids someday! Thank you!

320Y: Lost Doll Brought Home By Father

As a child, my wife had a book from her father (1950s+/- publication date), about a doll she loses after taking it for a bath, going on a carriage ride, having a tea party, etc.  The girl’s father arrives home and goes back out into the night to look for the doll and eventually finds her and brings her home, somewhat tattered.  Can you please help?

320X: Kid Has Dragon Breath

Hi, I was trying to find a book my mom used to read to me that I wanted to read to him. The book was a children’s book that the story follows a phone conversation between a mom and son and she calls him “Dragon Breath”. I thought I had found it when I found “I love you stinky face” but the story didn’t have the mother not home and calling the son (never mind calling the kid dragon breath). My mom remembers the book too because she found a picture of a dragon for my son that looked like one of the pages. I really hope you can help my find this book. Thank you

320W: Children’s anthology: Billy Goats Gruff and others

This was a hardcover anthology of stories for children. I believe it measured about 6” wide by 8” long, but I could be wrong about that.
The book contained a number of stories, but I can only remember two of them: one was the classic Three Billy Goats Gruff. In fact, I think that was the very first story in the book. I remember it had very stark illustrations; thinking about it now, they kind of remind me of Picasso’s “Guernica.”
 The other was a story about making pies, and I remember it very clearly because it was the first time I’d ever heard of a mince pie.

320V: Snail says slug needs to get a house

Dear Stump-Solvers, I'd love to find a children's book I read to my kids in the late 80s-early 90s. Here's what I remember: A slug is moving along and ridiculed by a snail, because the slug doesn't have a shell. The slug suffers a loss of confidence and sadly slimes along. I remember the slime to cross hot pavement. SPOILER: Eventually the slug meets another slug and is happy. Thank you!

320U: Wizard Teaches Children Life Lessons (Solved)

1968 – 1970 I read a book about 4 children (2 boys, 2 girls) who lived on the edge of a wood. Their ages ranged from 8 – 12-ish. The setting was not a specific geographical location although the story was written as realistic fiction… with a bit of fantasy thrown in. I believe the author and publisher are English (from Great Britain) because of where I was living at the time and the phraseology used.  
     Each Saturday the children would visit a wise old man (wizard ?) who lived in the woods behind their home, at the top of a magical tree. His quaint little cabin in the tree was never visible to adults, only children.  During each visit, the children would ask what special “place” or “kingdom” had stopped at the top of the tree, which could be reached by climbing a ladder (inside his living room) that went up into the clouds that would settle on top of the tree. 
     Each chapter in the book told a new adventure the children had in the different magical places that stopped for brief time periods at the top of the tree.  Each adventure also taught the children a life skill, or a positive character trait.
     One such adventure was of a Carnival, where everyone was riding rides, playing games, purchasing trinkets and sweets. But, the children soon discovered that in this place they could not purchase anything for themselves, but only for someone else.  They realized they must work together and pair up to enjoy the day by learning what each other would like and then making the purchases for the other person.  At the end of the day, when they come back down the ladder to the wise man’s living room, he talks with them about what they learned.
    
I wish I could recall other adventures, but it HAS been 50 years!
I believe the book was newly published at the time, so circa 1966-68?  
Here’s hoping that someone knows (or can find) the title/author.

320T: Kid Wants To Solve Mystery

In the 90s my class read a book about murder mystery. Maybe just a mystery. I think his uncle was killed but not really. I want to say he had an uncle Sam or he was born on Fourth of July. He went to a hotel and questions everyone everything. It was my first mystery book.

320S: Owl Tells True Story Of Christmas

Hello, I am looking for a Christmas book from when I was a child. The story is about a brother and sister staying at their grandparents for Christmas. The girl is spoiled and when she doesn’t get what she wants for Christmas, she throws a tantrum and walks out of the house. She walks to a barn where she hears voices, she looks inside and sees an owl telling the barn animals the true story of Christmas, and when they see her, they invite her to come in and hear the story. The book cover is bright electric blue with barn animals and star on one side and then a house decorated on the other. Thank you so much for your help!