Category Archives: 1960s

224G: MAX a chubby cat

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My wife’s father read this book with her when she was little, so it must have been published before 1964. Here is what she could recall when I asked her for more details:

“The book title was MAX. But anyways there are no photos of the book covers here so hard to say. This book is an over sized hard cover book (like the I Spy kids books). I remember the cover being yellow and turquoise – the illustrations are hand drawn (the cat is black line drawn) – he is a chubby cat. In one sequence he grabs the hair dryer and is looking at it inquisitively – it turns on accidentally and it blows his hair every which way as he tries to figure out how to turn it off.”

220A: The Mystery of the Missing Diamonds

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Publication: I believe this book was published in about 1969 or 1970.

Genre: Early teen to Pre-teen mystery, possibly bought from Scholastic Books

Plot: A young girl with the last name Duncan solves a mystery of some missing diamond jewelry. She ends up finding the thief, a lady new to town who goes everywhere with her poodle. The diamonds were hidden in the puff on the poodle’s head. Story takes place in the summer. One chapter in the book describes a garden party where the main character’s friend dresses in matching mother-daughter outfit with her mom. Main character appreciates her own mom as dressing in an “unfussy” way.

218C: novelette about a tribe of proto-human nomads

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I’m looking for a 60’s era American elementary school level (age range estimate: 7 – 12) hard back novelette about a tribe of proto-human nomads that were still using trees for both transport and dwelling.

I don’t recall much else, except that we follow a young male tribe member as he grows, learns, and takes on responsibilities.

Fuzzy memory suggests the young male’s name is the title of the book.
Something like Aab, Aag,Oog, Oob…maybe.

Ancient memory suggests that it was a good read, so I imagine you’ll have little difficulty finding it.

215D: Messy Goat Brothers (children’s book)

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This is a surprise for my girlfriend, so I’m dealing w/scant details. Several goat brothers (or siblings, there may have been girl goats as well) are pictured in a kitchen with a sink full of unwashed dishes. An enormous pile of unwashed dishes. It seems to have been a book about teaching kids responsibility. This would have been available in the late 60s or early 70s.

I’d appreciate any help you could provide. Thanks in advance.

213C: Young woman accused of witchcraft in colonial New England, loved by two brothers

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My mother remembers with love a book she read in her youth. She describes it as follows:

“Book was available in the late 50s or maybe very early 60s – I don’t think it was published too long before then but I don’t know . I remember its style being like the Elizabeth Speare books as opposed to say the earlier Girl of the Limberlost.

Brackets are specifics I don’t remember clearly.

Young woman (YW) comes over from [England?] to stay with [distant relatives] in colonial New England. YW’s secret plan is to go back to a [cottage] in the wilds where [her family] used to live and where she believes she will be able to find [money? really don’t remember]. The family she is staying with includes a boy who is in terrible health and is very devout as he doesn’t expect to survive long. There is also an older girl.

There are also two rich brothers, the younger considered the most eligible bachelor in [Boston]; the older considered hopeless as a marriage prospect who accepts fines for not marrying rather than look for a spouse. One and I think both are sea captains.

YW does indeed run off to look for the cabin. Boy, who is convinced she is a witch and has written “witch, witch, witch,” sees her and follows her to bring her back or maybe just report on her. She is exasperated but by the time she discovers him it’s too late to send him back so she takes him with her. On the rugged trip he regains his health and comes to appreciate her.

She doesn’t find what she’s looking for and returns to [Boston] where she is arrested. The boy tries to testify for her but everyone thinks he’s bewitched. The younger brother comes to visit her in jail and promises to wait for her and marry her. The older brother comes in and says if the younger really loved her he’d help her sneak out of jail and would then run away with her – which he then does.”

212D: Mammals in Wisconsin

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Mammals in Wisconsin Children’s book with beautiful full page high gloss pictures and short narratives of common mammals (weasels, fox, deer, bear, etc.) in Wisconsin. Published around 1959-1961. A quote from the book is “When a weasel sets out to go hunting he always asks himself will I eat today or be eaten”? I don’t recall the title, but the book was most likely purchased from a Milwaukee, Wisconsin book store.