Author Archives: admin

370I: Adult sisters with a troubled relationship/family wedding

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I read this book in the 90s, but I think I may have been published in the 80s.
It was a modern era story. There are two sisters, one is responsible with an adult daughter getting married. I remember at least one woman wore a tartan sash across her chest, but I am not convinced it took place in Scotland, though it is possible.

The other adult sister is kind of a mess. Alcohol or drugs, perhaps? I remember her as the beautiful one who got all the guys, but deeply unhappy. It is mentioned that she wore Poison perfume, and it spills in her room.

I associate the color red/burgundy with this book, so it may have featured on the cover of the book.

370F: Kids exploring cave during the depression era (Solved!)

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I’ve been searching for this book for years.  I cannot remember all the details but the basics:
Farm kids during the great depression, I think a boy and a girl.  They go exploring a cave nearby and pretend its their mansion.  So they don’t get lost they use breadcrumbs but birds eat it.  They decide to use string instead.  A mystery of some sort is solved.  I seem to recall mention of the Hobos that would come around looking for work, and their family took one in and fed him a meal.  At the end of the book he left markings on their fence that was code for “friendly family” or something like that.  Other details: I THINK they took a canary into the cave, there was something to do with the underground railroad, and ration books were mentioned.  

I read this book when I was in 6th grade, possibly 1977/78.  It was an old book at the time, hardbound with the old fabric book covering. I think it had illustrations but can’t quite remember–I read a LOT in those days.  This book belonged to my mom who was born in 38–sadly its been long lost.

370E: The Fun Easter Bunny

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I’m looking for an Easter book from when my friend was a child (born in 1987 in Canada) from early 90s or before. She remembers a silly/mischievous bunny that says “quack quack” and something like “I flap my ears for fun.” The bunny also supposedly sings about calling out the days of the week. In the end she seems to remember that he turned into chocolate or candy.

370D: Good Clean Fun for Kids!

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The book was the size and style of a Dr Seuss book with an orange cover.  It contained fun things for kids to do ie: curly paper  book mark races ( something about Willy?) , rooting a sweet potato and making a newspaper tree.   I think it may have been the same illustrator as the Seuss books.  It would probably have been published in the 1960″s.

370C: Mexican beaches in a jalopy – early 1940s

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An American couple explores the beaches and coastal towns of the west coast of Mexico driving a jalopy. The story ends with the start of WWII, compelling them to return to the States. I read this as a kid in the mid-1960s. I’m not sure whether it was intended for young adults or grown-ups, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

370B: Girl is bored by being in a whale’s stomach

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I would like help finding a book from my childhood, please. I think I read it around 2004, but I often read older authors like Enid Blyton as a kid, so I don’t think this date narrows it down much. From what I remember, it was a book about a book. The characters were self aware, and had to relive the events of the book as it was being read. I recall a girl (possibly a princess) being bored as she was eaten by the same whale for the umpteenth time, and being unimpressed by her love interest. Outside this book, the lives of the readers went on. The book was read by a girl, and then left on a shelf until it was read by her granddaughter. The characters were aware of time passing, and missed the girl, and were surprised she had grown old. I’m sorry I can’t give more details.

370A: Book about a Japanese Girl & Girls’ Day (circa 1959) (Solved!)

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I’ve been trying to remember the title of a book that I read many times back circa 1959. The book was fiction about a young Japanese girl living in Japan. She was learning about Girls’ Day, which involved setting up an elaborate display of traditional dolls representing the Japanese Emperor and Empress and other figures. The girl and her mother had tea and tradition food so that the girl could learn manners and decorum. The book was hard-covered and illustrated with hand drawings in black and white. I don’t remember if the entire book was about Girls’ Day, or if that was just my favorite part of the book.

369Z: Kid’s Picture Book About Too Many Cats Living in a Grocery Store Until They are Given Away to Customers (Solved!)

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I am hoping you can help me. My mom read a book to me as a kid but I cannot remember the name or find it on Google for the life of me. It’s driving me crazy! 
It is a picture book about a man who owns a grocery store and a cat lives there (or comes to live there at the very beginning maybe). More and more cats come to live at the store until they are causing all kinds of trouble for customers, like knocking stuff over. I remember one page was a drawing of a cat popping out of the fish kept in the ice section and scaring a customer. The store owner decides to give away a cat with every bag of groceries purchased. One page is a customer (an older woman I believe) taking home 2 cats with 2 bags. The bags are brown paper bags. It ends with the store owner only keeping the original cat. I think the original cat was an orange tabby but I am not sure about it, sorry.

I remember the pictures take up the page or at least most of it.

It was a softcover book (or at least my copy was).

My brother and I were born in 1993/95 and both remember it so I’m guessing it was read to me in the late 90’s or maybe early 2000s. I think it wasn’t an older book when I read it because of the drawing style- at least it didn’t look old fashioned. It’s a colorful, but not unrealistically colorful picture style. Not overly artistic/beautiful. Just fun, clear, and kid-like pictures. 

The book is in English, but I don’t know where it was published.

I’m guessing it was not a super popular book because I have googled it like crazy and can’t find it.