I’m looking for a book about a ghost that has juice spilled on it. And in order to get out the stain, the ghost is put in a washing machine and clothes dryer. When it comes out it has shrunk.
Author Archives: admin
231C: Black and white sketches and no narrative
No idea about the title. I first found this book in the early 2000’s, but it is probably older–90’s or 80’s or even earlier? There’s no narrative, contains (mostly?) black and white sketches of many silly and imaginative designs for ordinary items and new inventions. Just one example of many: a contraption that completely encloses a desk to allow a nap in the office. I also remember a page full of funny-looking footwear; a memorably risque one was modeled after the nude female figure. Sadly, these are all the sketches that I can clearly remember.
231B: A young woman decides to be a book illustrator
I’m trying to locate a short story I read years ago. The protagonist is a young woman who decides she will set herself up as a book illustrator. She advertises her services and her first client pays her a call. The author describes the scene he wants as the cover to his book, full of contradictory requirements: show the moon behind the young lovers and the rising sun in their faces, the reflection of the young lady in the eyes of her beaux, and the glorious sweep of the landscape behind them, etc., etc.. The young woman is so hopelessly overwhelmed by the client’s demands that she retires from the business, having never painted a single cover.
My memory is that it was Edwardian or Victorian short story, and written in a typically late-19th/early-20th century light, satirical tone. It was in a collection of short stories, but possibly may have originally appeared in a British periodical like “Punch” or “The Idler”.
Can anyone identify the story?
231A: Norwegian girl stranded at the train station (Solved)
The book was set in Little Fork, Minnesota, with main characters Kristina Haugen, Martin Stensby and Gena and Ola Bye. Kristina has arrived from Norway with her niece to join her brother. When he is not at the station to meet her, she is taken in by the Byes.
230D: The Miller Sisters
Fiction book about a single father named Professor Miller raising his young daughters Emmaline and Madeline in late 1800’s USA. Published prior to 1980. Possible book series. No clue on the title.
230C: Grade school book of mammals
I remember frequently checking this book out from my grade school library; it was hardcover, no dust jacket; limited to mammals (worldwide species). It was a ‘tall’ sized book and may have had a pinstripe or harlequin design, on the front cover was an oval/circle template with jungle animals. (I do remember a giraffe). The inner illustrations were not photos, but looked painted/drawn. It looked like an old book, maybe from the ‘40s-‘50s?
230B: Young girls dressed in the wrong colors
Three young girls (maybe they’re princesses) dress in the wrong colors. Someone helps them bring out their true beauty by changing the color of their clothing. I owned this book in the early 1960s, but cannot remember the name of it or the author. Can you find this book for me? I would love to find it again.
230A: An itinerant fire eater and his friend, a dog
I am trying to locate a children’s book, title unknown, probably written in the 1950’s or early 60’s. The story is about an itinerant fire eater, (Mexican Indian?) and his friend, a dog, and I believe the story is told through the dog’s POV. The story is about their travels, all I remember is a part about their finding wild strawberries, that they have a falling out and happily reunite…
-I’ve been trying to find this book for decades.
Hope you can help.
229G: Millicent did not Say Anything (Later says Bow Wow)
Looking for a children’s picture book, probably from the 1960’s, possibly late 1950’s. Title, author, publisher unknown. Typical small book like Little Golden Books. Plot included a family with a dog that it is hoped would be a watchdog but sleeps through a burglary. It seems that the father scolds the dog and it says “Bow Wow”. It appears they will have to get rid of the dog. The family includes a toddler, a little girl named Millicent, who never says anything. The phrase “Millicent did not say anything” (or something to that effect) is used after each event. At the end, somehow the dog redeems himself and they get to keep him. At which point, Millicent says, “Bow wow.”
229F: Board Book that lets children change faces
I’m looking for a book for a friend. She read it as a child and unfortunately her description is limited but here’s what I’ve got:
It’s likely a children’s board book. One is able to change the faces and/or bodies of the pictures by sliding parts of the faces/bodies left or right. For example, the top slidable third would be the eyes, the middle slidable third would be the nose, and the bottom third would be the mouth. Thus, one can alter different faces by horizontally sliding each of these thirds left or right.
Also, this friend described a similar (the same book?) that broke down into thirds the bodies of the pictures into head, torso and legs. Same as above. Once can slide the face to, say, a fireman with a helmet, the torso to a ballerina wearing a tutu, and the legs to a man’s suit.
Hoping you can at least give me some leads as to where to find these book(s).
Thank you!
