Category Archives: 1950s

319F: Island Girl Disappointed With Porcelain Doll (Solved)

2 Replies

A Little Golden Book (or similar style) about a young island (Polynesian?) girl.  A ship's captain visiting her village gifts her with a porcelain doll.  She tries to play with it as she had her own doll, but found that she couldn't get it wet, or feed it sand cakes, etc.  It was a book my grandmother had, but I'm pretty sure it's not a vintage book - probably no older than the 1960's (but that's 10 year old me remembering. )  Still, I don't remember the graphics being older looking.  It was the size, shape and length of a Golden Book.

318S: Poor Lizbeth Jane

1 Reply

Hi!  I’m searching for details about a book from the early 50’s that had a story “Poor Lizbeth Jane” in it.  I’ve been told it’s in The How and Why Program: History.  I’ve been unable to find more information than that.  Thanks!

318M: Pitta Pat the Tabby Cat

4 Replies

Seeking child's book from the 1950's. Tall & narrow with a cut-out top. She's Pitta Pat the tabby cat, the cat who couldn't remember. She chews her soup and drinks her bread and sleeps in the bathtub instead of the bed. She's Pitta Pat the tabby cat, the cat who couldn't remember.

317X: Boy By the Fire Wears Calipers

Leave a reply
…a children’s book from late 50s early 60s (I suppose it could have been made earlier or at least the story could have been set in previous decades) about a little boy who wore calipers; he searched for conkers and his clothes were warmed by the fire. He may have had a nanny?  He may make toast on the fire with his mum/nanny?  I would say it was quintessentially English but maybe just middle class?

317S: Boy Attends Fairy Wedding

1 Reply


I’m looking for a vintage, illustrated children’s book that I believe was made in the 1940s or 1950s. In the story, a little boy (just one boy–no siblings or friends) somehow is invited to a fairy wedding and he dances and parties the whole night with the fairies, elves, goblins and toads before he has to go back home. Other details that stand out: he slides down a tunnel to get to an underground area where the “fairyland” is (my mom remembers this tunnel as starting at the base of a tree); he fills a jar with fireflies to make a lamp when walking through a dark place; at some point, either an elf or a toad or a fairy (some magical creature) is caught in something and he helps him escape and is rewarded by being a guest to a party/wedding (I think maybe the caught creature was the groom?); there is a cute little blushing bride who I believe is a fairy or something–I think the party was her wedding, but I’m not sure. My mother also remembers there being a lot of red-capped mushrooms throughout the book. Thanks!

317L: Late 50’s/Early 60’s Story Book

Leave a reply

I am looking for a children’s book.  This book was published around 1959-1960, give or take a year or two.  It had a medium blue hard cover and was approximately 8 x 6 and 100 pages give or take some.

It had many short stories and poems. The illustrations were primarily black ink and the drawings remind me of Irene Haas illustrations. This book may have been part of a Harper and Brothers adult book club selection because I have another book my mother had from this club and it is titled “The Day Christ Was Born” By Jim Bishop. She said the children’s book was offered as a special selection. My sister recalls the word “Willow” she thought maybe that may have been in the title of the book or possibly a title to one of the stories. I have been looking for this book for quite a few years and any help would be appreciated.

317G: Duck Looking for Water

Leave a reply


The book I am trying to find is about a little duck that is looking for water but there is no rain, so he finds a truck that is spilling water out of the back to follow. My father-in-law had this book as a child in the 1950’s and passed it to my husband but it is now lost. They don’t remember a title or even possible words, they do recall it having wonderful pictures and illustrations. Any help is appreciated!