Category Archives: 1960s

171I: illustrated children’s non-fiction book

I’m looking for an illustrated children’s non-fiction book from the early 1960s, a collection of several stories. The only two I remember clearly are 1) an account of the killing of Blackbeard the pirate, and 2) a theoretical account of the first moon landing—wrong as it turned out, since it posited a re-entry vehicle with wings and landing gear. Thanks for any help!

169C: YA Romance Set in Early 20th Century, Lead Characters Play Romeo & Juliet in School Play (solved)

I remember reading this YA book, which I believe had a sequel, in the mid 1970s.  It took place in the early 20th century in the New York area, somewhere slightly north of New York City, possibly Westchester or Tarrytown.
The book(s) tell the story of the budding romance between the female protagonist and a boy who is a fellow student. At one point, the pair is cast to play Romeo & Juliet in a school production.  Another slightly older female character (either a friend, or a sister), has a crisis (an unexpected pregnancy?) and she drinks a bottle of laudanum in response.

162A: Lissa was found alone as a baby or toddler after the Great San Francisco earthquake (solved)

I used to read a book when I was a teenager in the 1970s called either Lissa (or perhaps Lisa). I am not sure if that was the actual title, but she was the main character in the book.  Lissa was found alone as a baby or toddler after the Great San Francisco earthquake, her parents were never found.  She is now in her late teens and living alone in San Francisco and working at a large department store. The owner’s son or a relative ends up falling in love with her.  They end up I believe by accident finding her real Grandmother and it turns out that Lissa is from a wealthy and influential family.  I am trying to find the title of this book and the author.  It was probably written in the 1950s or 1960s

 

161A: Snowman delivers flavored snow-cones around the world (solved)

I am trying to locate a book for a friend of mine. He is not sure when it was actually published, but remembers reading it the early 60’s as a child. The snowman could fly, and he delivered flavored snow-cones to kids all over the world. The illustrations were typical for a lot of children’s books from that era – soft watercolor or gouache – and the snowman closely resembled contemporary “Frosty” snowman characters we see today – top hat, cherry/carrot nose, coal eyes, etc. He thinks it could be a Little Golden Book, but he has not found any evidence of that yet.

My friend is a cancer patient and this would make him really happy!

 

156C: 1960’s lighthouse “boy and girl go to big city” “department store” escalator

Only story I remember from a book of stories I received in the 1st or 2nd grade, mid to late 1960’s.  A hardcover book with color illustrations, about a boy and girl, lighthouse keeper’s children, who go with Mom to a big city department store with an escalator.  No title, author or publisher.

 

149B: Caroline and her Friends (solved)

I had a children’s (picture) book in the 60’s called something like “Caroline and her Friends.” Caroline was a little girl but her friends were all animals. They traveled around the world. I don’t remember much text, but the illustrations were marvelous and detailed, sometimes a 2-page spread, in which each animal friend was doing something that fit their nature: being scared or brave etc. There was a storyline of being castaway after their ship sank, they built a raft, ended up in India where they helped a prince regain his kingdom (he’s trapped in a pit with a tiger when they first find him, I think).  There may have been two books in a series. At the end of one, they return to Caroline’s house and do spring cleaning. At the end of another, they are in a ski resort, one of the animals breaks a leg and has to stay inside. I may not actually have the name Caroline right. My mother threw this book away when it got moldy in the attic and I’ve longed to see it again for years.