Category Archives: 1930s or earlier

223A: Poem about girl eating her first peach (Solved)

This was a book I had when I was very young. The illustrations had children dressed in early 1900 clothing and it may have been published in that time frame. It was a compilation of stories and poems. One poem was about a little girl eating her first peach. I do remember a line from that poem “I’ve eaten it cloth and all Mama but what shall I do with the bone?” She was referring to the peach pit. Another story in the book was about a little girl who was picking blackberries and could not reach the best ones high in the branches. A gentlemen offers to bend over leaning, on his walking stick and let her stand on his back to reach the berries and she refuses saying she would be to heavy etc. The young man remarks that it would be rude to refuse a kindness and the little girl accepts his offer. There was a picture of this scene in the book of the little girl standing on his back and picking the berries.

221B: Girl moves to country with parents and falls in love with boy named Eric

Hi! I’m looking for a book series written in the early 20th century (one in 1913)? It may be a children’s book series. It’s about a girl who moves to the country with her parents, where she falls in love with a boy named Eric.

Unfortunately I don’t have much more to go on, but here’s a few keywords/concepts that should appear in the series:

– The girl gets in trouble for wearing a skirt that goes above her ankles.
– Skiing with Eric.
– Wagons.
– Chickens?

Thank you so much for your help!!!

218A: Where the Elephants go

The book I am eager to find is about elephants and titled, I thought, Where the Elephants Go. I was around 8 to 10 when I read it, so 1942-1944 would be the date.

The book lovingly described an older elephant going out alone into the forest to die, with the herd respecting that but coming to mourn when death occurred.

I’d be so pleased to find it again. At our age my husband and I are being encouraged to move into this and that retirement community – all with Meadow Something in their names. They remind me of Where the Elephants Go.

213A: Generous Queen Marries Curmudgeon

I am Looking for a children’s book, about the size of a Little Golden Book, although I am not sure that this was a Little Golden Book. I think it was called either The Magic Garden or The Secret Garden (not Frances Hodgen Burnett’s book). It was the story of a beautiful, generous queen married to a curmudgeon husband. She had access to a garden full of flowers, elves and fairies, beautifully illustrated. Of course, the husband is ultimately converted by her compassion and dealings with the poor. I recall it from the ’30’s and ’40’s so it was probably published about then.

203A: brother and sister take a train trip

I am seeking a c. 1930’s-40’s reader, probably about 3rd or 4th grade level, in which a brother and sister take a train trip to visit another boy in the country. An illustration shows them having breakfast on the train. There are eggcups on the table, and the text refers to “freshly squeezed orange juice.” I believe that the cover may have had an illustration with orange detailing and black lettering. The book was a discard, given to me in 1953.

Thanks for any help in identifying this long-lost book.

195E: Uncle sends a penguin to his nephew.

Nephew receives a box in the mail from his uncle. When the boy opens the box he is surprised there is a penguin inside.
My father who was born in 1930 tells me this is one of the first books he ever read which leads me to believe the book was published in the 1930s. My father doesn’t remember much else but he always laughs when he describes the boy opening the box and finding the penguin. I would love to be able to find this book for him to read again.