Category Archives: 1960s

210A: kind of “charm school” in book form

I regret very much that I cannot recall the name of the book, and I do not know who the author is (but I’m pretty positive it was a female author). The book was one of a stash of books my grandmother sent to me one Christmas — I think I may have been about 12 or 13 years old. I was born in 1956 so that would be 1969, but my memory is weak, and I cannot recall precisely how old I was.

The book had pen and ink illustrations, and basically, it was a “growing up” book for young ladies or teenage girls. It dealt with good manners, proper etiquette, poise, appearance — kind of “charm school” in book form. I remember some of the passages: advice on what to do when you are a guest in someone’s home, how to address an invitation; how to properly rsvp to a wedding invitation, how to set a table, proper table manners, etc. — I even recall the instruction to leave some morsel on your plate when you are a dinner guest, rather than leave your plate completely cleared…..so as not to give the hostess the impression that you were left still hungry..!!). There was a chapter on good grooming, and the mention of an anecdotal story about a young secretary who, earning a meager salary, owned only one blouse, yet nevertheless took care that it was always clean and pressed….the young woman’s attention to her neat appearance eventually gained her the attention of her boss, who ended up marrying her.

I’ve searched for more than 30 years for this book — I did not own it for very long, as I was foolish enough to loan it to an irresponsible classmate who never returned it to me.. But having 3 daughters myself, I have often thought of this book and wished I could find it to share with them. The author’s writing style and language had a certain refinement that I do not find in the books that I’ve come across in my internet search for this particular book.

I’ll be astonished, and more than grateful, if my Stump the Bookseller inquiry is unsuccessful and you do actually locate this book for me.

205A: Uncle Elgin’s Attic Trunk

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I am looking for a book that was about, I think, two boys named Andy and Joe who found their Uncle Elgin’s attic trunk, and inside of it was a kaleidoscope and possibly other things. I remember one line that read “Goodness gracious,” Andy said to Joe, “I think I see an eskimo!” This book was probably published in the 1960’s. I was born in 1966 and a lot of my childhood books were Little Golden Books, various picture books, many published around 1969. I was a good reader by the time I was five, so this book was older than that. I have been unable to find the title or author of the book. My mother told me she looked everywhere for a kaleidoscope because she used to read this book to me and wanted to show me what a kaleidoscope was like.

199H: Girl enters magical kingdom, fights off goblins, rides dragon (Solved!)

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I read this book somewhere between 1963 and 1966 when it was new. It was sold through an elementary school book fair. A girl wanders off and finds herself in a magical kingdom. There she is a princess. There’s a fight in a castle. Goblins enter the castle by turning themselves into doorknobs. At some point in the magical kingdom, she wanders up a hill and finds a dragon cave. The dragon turns out to be peaceful, although misunderstood, and she has tea with him and they become friends. He flies her around the kingdom and alights on the roof of the castle with her.

The book was paperback with a light blue cover.

195H: Mouse picking up shiny things

194F: 1960’s book about accepting disabilities (Solved)

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Looking for a Children’s novel. I probably read it around 1963 or beyond. It was a library book. It was about a young girl helping her friend (possibly named Sarah?) who had a disability (possibly Cerebral Palsy?). I remember the girl helping the disabled girl/Sarah and helped her in school and at play and to generally feel accepted by others.

194E: adventures of the toy soldiers that Emily, Charlotte, and Bramwell Bronte

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In 1968 when I was teaching 4th grade in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a read a book to my students that I think had been recently published and they loved it. I do not remember the title. It was a book about the adventures of the toy soldiers that Emily, Charlotte, and Bramwell Bronte had and wrote about in the imaginary country of Angria. The author took their stories and compiled them into a larger book. I thought maybe the author’s last name was Clark but I cannot find any thing under that name. Finding good books for good students aged 10-12, particularly boys, at that time was difficult and this book they loved.
Thank you for any help you can give me.

193C: Littlest Hippo

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The book I am looking for was a children’s book from the 1960′s. I don’t know who the author was. I blieve it was called “The Littlest Hippo” the story was about a herd of hippos whom lived together and the smallest hippo either became separated, or was they might have all been looking for something that they couldn’t find. the little hippo looked behind things, under things around things, etc. it wasn’ until he figured out to look “UP” that he found what he was looking for (which may have been the rest of the herd of hippos).

183C: WW2 Children Crossing Boarders (solved)

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The book was about some children in WW2 who for some reason had to cross countries – I recall Poland being one – think that they picked up a few more as they traveled on foot mostly – it was told from the girl’s point of view. Can’t remember title or quote from the book, but read it in 60’s

182A: “No School Tomorrow”? (solved)

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This is a children’s book that I believe was written in the 1920’s or 1930’s. It is a chapter book about a little girl and her summer vacation. She would play in her backyard and make little houses out of twigs and leaves for fairies, and cook out in the backyard. Her father calls her by the nickname of “Louella Pouella”. She is having her bedroom redecorated, and her father asks her if she would like to have her bedroom painted “sky blue pink”. I believe the book was titled “No School Tomorrow” or “There is No School Tomorrow”, but I have no idea who the author was. I purchased this book in 1966 at my grade school book fair. Any help would be appreciated.

178E: brother and sister, Benji and Betsy? – who were sent to work in a mill after their parents died.

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I am searching for an old children’s book that was read to our 6th grade class back in the mid 60’s.

I am not certain of the title of the book, but I thought it had the word “Incredible” in it.

Other details, not certain about them:

I seem to think the author’s name was S.E. Stevenson. I can picture the book on the shelf in the school library, and it was near the end of the fiction section. The cover was red, white and blue, with simple graphics. I think there were birds flying along the ocean shore.

The story was about a brother and sister, Benji and Betsy? – who were sent to work in a mill after their parents died.

The story took place in either England or New England, I remember British terms used.

There was a mean foreman at the mill, who was very harsh with the workers, but was semi-friendly to Betsy

I thought the book won either a Caldicott or Newberry award, but I checked the lists and didn’t seem to see it.