Author Archives: admin

294A: Boy’s adventure in the Northwest

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This was a hardcover chapter book I read in the ’60s. Don’t know when it was published, but it felt like contemporary writing, though the story was set in the early 20th century. No illustrations. A very young man lives with his mother in a small town- the nearest city is Spokane, I think. Possibly his older brother is missing. He goes to the ice cream parlor and has a pineapple ice cream soda. There is some sort of quest, some railroad tracks. He fights a cougar or puma, and is wounded, and emerges scarred but triumphant. He gets the girl.

293Z: Rabbits on the Run – NOT Watership Down

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Picture book – published prior to 1985
Rabbits in jeopardy. Little (young) rabbit wants to escape. Persuades old, previously resigned-to-his-fate rabbit to escape with him.  Big rabbit is scared out in the larger world, returns to his fate where they began.  Little rabbit goes on to other adventures alone.  Could be related to Watership Down – maybe a chapter of that turned into picture book.  Illustrations were beautiful, and NOT clips from the cartoon movie of that book.

293Y: Mother and child mouse encounter a road at night

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Children’s book set entirely in a rural setting at night. A mother mouse guides her child mouse through grass and vegetation — perhaps a meadow — and I think I remember berries in the illustration. I think she teaches/explains her surroundings to the child mouse as they go. At some point, they encounter a road, and the child mouse feels its cold, hard, unfamiliar texture. I think the mother mouse tells him that the road is dangerous. I was reading this book in the late 80s or early 90s.

293X: Harriet, the Hedgehog

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While living in Scotland in the late 70s, I used to read my children a book about Harriet, the Hedgehog.  That may have been the title or perhaps it was just the name of the main character, I can’t remember.  Now I would like to read that story to my grandchildren, but can’t find it.  Can you help me, please?

Thank you.

293V: A little zebra gets lost

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I am writing a memoir and am trying desperately to identify a children’s picture book that would have been published around 1948 – 1953.  It is a story about a little zebra that gets lost.  The only vivid image of it I remember is the little zebra encountering a senior Zebra who was wearing reading glasses on his nose.  The elderly zebra helps the little one find his mother (I think).

I do not remember the title except that I’m sure Zebra was in the title.  It is a picture book.

293U: Stone, pebble or rock

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I remember my mom reading this book which must have been in the late 70’s early 80’s about a Native American girl who was quite independent.  I thought that it had the title of ‘Good Stones’ or something similar.  I do remember it had stone, pebble or rock in the title.  I don’t remember what happened in the story, unfortunately. I appreciate your help!

293T: Girl visits magical world, stranger with furry coat

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This is a book that may be British. It may have Rebecca or Dreams in title. Or Emma or Milly. It’s a chapter book with some illustrations. A girl visits a dream world where there are friends or helpers. One is a tall man (maybe a giant) with a large furry coat. It may be yellow. There may be a room she’s in that’s like being inside a globe, with lots of locks. Also, she may have to solve a series of puzzles to go through this world.

293S: Children’s march/walk to Washington (Solved)

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This was a young adult novel about a group of children who are compelled to walk from New England to D. C. as a form of protest (maybe echoes of nuclear war?). One of the kids is, I think, the granddaughter of the president but keeps that a secret. As the march continues, more children join in. There’s some sort of mystical element. I read the book in the mid-1980s.

293R: Book about a madcap journey through the U.S. south (Solved)

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What I remember: I read it before Borders bookstores closed. I picked it up in paperback on a display that said this type of book was not the author’s usual style. It was long.

Plot: a guy in the south (maybe Georgia?) thinks he kills his secretary and rolls her in the rug and takes the rug to the dump.  The reader has the idea she’s alive, but the hero goes on the lamb in a convertible — I think eventually ending up at his dad’s house.

I also remember at scene where he accidentally sees the neighbor’s wife in a revealing outfit and it causes a family rift. There is a teenager daughter. Maybe he works at a furniture store? I would call it a archetype = hero’s journey

Thanks for any help!!