Author Archives: admin

199D: Children’s fairytale/fantasy book with illustrations *possibly* by Paul Klee? (Solved)

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I had a picture book, squarish proportions, about knights who set off on a journey to confront “the wizard Bone,” depicted in the book as a rather dragon-like creature. The art style is VERY reminiscent of Paul Klee paintings during his Bauhaus period – very geometric, abstract; the ‘wizard/dragon’ is sort of like a Pac-Man with sharp teeth – or something like Klee’s ‘Death and Fire’ – the lettering in the book was by hand, with a very stick-figure style almost like Viking runes; flattened picture-plane perspective, etc.

I do seem to remember seeing the word “Klee” on the cover; but given that he died in 1940, if it wasn’t him, it was certainly inspired by his work. Oval eyes like ‘Senecio,’ panels like his ‘Sinbad the Sailor.’ and generally geometric backgrounds like ‘Castle and Sun’.

It seemed to have been published new in the early 1970s, late 1960s maybe.

199C: The Children and the Beached Galleon

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I can’t remember the name of the book or the author. A children’s book with plenty of line drawing illustrations, and featured some children who lived near the sea. One morning they go down to the beach to find that an ancient wrecked galleon has been washed up on shore, which I think they explore ( okay, this was before health and safety concerns! 🙁 Then when they go down to play the next day, there has been another storm and the ship has been washed away again.

199B: Easter Island Childhood (photobook) (Solved)

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I can’t remember the name of the book or the author. Photo book about a indigenous boy who lives on Easter Island, and the book follows his day exploring the island, probably suggested as a `biography’. Emphasis is on big B&W photos. It was a hardback book and I think probably from British/UK publishers. I’d say it was about 12 inches by 10 inches – bigger than normal size. This would have been published in the mid to late 60s or very early 1970s. I remember this from South Africa where I spent part of my childhood.

198H: Black cat escapes from pet carrier

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Late 60’s, early 70’s I want to say. As I remember, it was a black and white picture book about a black cat that gets out of it’s pet carrier(?) an walks through the city. I remember the pictures in this book being high quality black and white photographs. The most I can recall about the “plot” once the cat somehow gets out of it’s carrier it travels through the was once referred to as the “ghetto.” Anyways, it’s a long shot but the book had a huge influence on me about inner-city strife and that we as a people need to try to keep trying to improve everyone’s lot in life. I think this is a great little service you have. Cheers.

198G: Girl communicates with an old lady (ghost?) with a pet dalmatian. (Solved!)

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Girl communicates with an old lady (ghost?) with a pet dalmatian. I read it 20+ years ago, I’m assuming it’s 100-200 pages long. There was a young girl who buried a bird, and maybe tied notes to trees. Found a passageway to a hazy, smoke-filled room covered in old throw pillows. An old lady was there dressed in ratty fancy clothes and gaudy jewelry with a long smoking stick. There was a dalmatian somewhere in there too. I think she communicated with the old lady by burying letters in the ground. Maybe she found the dalmatian dead at the end? I read it at the same time as “The BFG.” I was young so some of the details my be completely fabricated!! Hope you can help!

198F: Hot air balloon moving book

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Hi! Looking for a childhood book, I grew up in the 80’s. It had a cut out hot air balloon that moved from page to page under flaps and through slots. The premise was children searching for something (a kite I believe?) I remember the hot air balloon cut out being red and yellow striped (and in our familys case very well loved and taped many times). The reader had the balloon follow a dotted path on each page I believe, so that it landed in the right pocket or slot. I dont remember much more, hoping you can help me I’ve been searching for a long time

198E: Picture book 1960s, tic tac toe game

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We borrowed this strange book many times from the library when my sons were small in the late 1960s. It was an American publication, as the creatures played ‘tic tac toe’ which we would call noughts & crosses. Quite a large picture book – little text I think, very detailed soft grey illustrations with small animal characters in greyscale photographic collage on (pencil-drawn?) landscapes. A very peculiar book indeed, dream-like with a minimal plot and not like anything else I’ve ever seen.

198C: The Changeling (I think).

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I read this book in the 70s. It was a chapter book. I’m a little vague on the plot, but I think a few kids get sent away to the country (might have been England wartime a la Lion Witch and Wardrobe). They go outside, and they are in a different world. There are SO many books named Changeling that I’ve been unable to find it. It is NOT the Snyder book.