Category Archives: 1950s

254D: Toothsome, savory and oh-so delicious pancakes

My brother and I are searching for a childhood book. I remember having the book read to me when I was two, so about 1957.  It was a story about a nun who made ‘toothsome, savory oh-so delicious pancakes.”  I don not remember the title, nor the author.  It was a picture book.  Not much to go on, but I will not give up, lol.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

254B: Witch whose hair floats above shoulders and beds become boats (Solved)

I am looking for a children’s book, published in the 1970s or earlier (I was born in 1975, read this sometime between the ages of 7 and 12, and recall the book itself physically feeling “old” at the time). Most probably published in the 50s or 60s.

Two children were the main characters, I think they were a girl and a boy. I don’t remember any names of characters, unfortunately. They lived next door to a witch whose property included a walled and gated yard. When the witch did magic, her hair “floated above her shoulders” or something like that. I remember that rowan trees figured heavily in the story line; either they were searching for them or there was something about them the witch needed.

At the beginning of the adventure part of the story line, the children’s beds turned into boats and they were magically transported to a river or creek while they were asleep – one of the children wakes up because they become aware that their hand or the bed linens are trailing in the water.

I loved this book – hope someone can help me find it.

Thanks!

253E: The man who scented the flowers

This was a short story in a book of many. It was a book from the late 1960’s or early 1970’s and tells a story about an old bearded guy or a gnome type that would give the flowers their scent and color. He was carrying the bottles over a river as he walked across a log and slipped into the water and the fish tried to help him collect the bottles. There was also a girl or fairy who was in the story. The pictures were very colorful and fun.

 

253C: Two girls form a friendship and write a book

Children’s book, probably writer in the 40’s or 50’s about two women who were friends when they were younger. They had started a book; one girl would write a chapter and then pass it to the other who would do the same. They had a teacher who they didn’t like. The teacher had hair that was rolled in a bun that looked like sausages. They also painted illustrations for the book on the wax paper the Shredded Wheat biscuit came in.

Thanks!!!

251F: The witch asked for her eyebrows (Solved)

I’m also looking for a book probably written in the 50’s/60’s about a witch that would grant wishes but the children had to give something in payment. So one boy wanted to be able to talk to his dog, but because it was French poodle, it only spoke in French. Another girl wanted a wish granted and the witch asked for her eyebrows.

250A: A Long Lost Christmas Book (Solved)

Greetings from upstate New York!
I hope you can help me identify and find a book I had as a child.
I do not know the title or what the cover looked like because my copy was missing the cover. But here are the facts as I remember them:

I was born in 1960, so this book had to be late 50’s early – mid 60’s
It was a Christmas book – containing many different stories/legends from the birth of Christ to the real Saint Nicholas to Christmas legends like the Christmas Spider
It was a large, oversized book, say 12″ x 18″ ish. It was not a thick book.

What was so great about it was the artwork – very beautiful renderings – not cartoony or modernish, more like realistic paintings. So the art was appealing for even adults, but the stories were short, maybe one or two per page. If I had to guess, I would say the art style was something similar to this picture below.

stumppic

As a child, the images I remembered the most was the story of St. Nicholas paying the dowries of three poor women. They were all sleeping in a bed and he threw a bag of gold in through the window.
There was also a story of this flying ( but I don’t remember it with wings!), hairy, red-eyed beast with sharp tusks/teeth, but I can’t remember the story. LOL – I don’t think it was Krampus, because it was more like an animal (wolfish) than a human devil guy.
Another feature was the rich colors of the end papers. Like a renaissance fabric pattern. I think red with a little blue and gold in a repeating diamond pattern, I think – it has been a long time since the book was lost or given away.

So I know these are a lot of random details – I wish I had the title and publisher, but maybe you can help me – my desire is to purchase a replacement copy to pass on to future grandkids.