I recall a young adult chapter book from my youth (late 1970s-early 1980s) about a boy with a magic pencil. It is used like a regular pencil, but it might have been blue lead. Like a regular pencil, it needs to be sharpened, and gets slightly smaller each time. I can’t recall the things he made or did with it. Some dramatic emergency with the last bit of pencil. Apologies but that’s all I remember.
Category Archives: 1980s
344Q: Fruit and Vegetable Creations to Entice Reluctant Child
344L: Brother and Sister Run Amuck Through Restaurant
My book Stumper is a children’s book that I predict comes from the 90s (even 80s maybe). I had it read to me everyday when I was a kid (I’m 22 now).
I have no idea what it’s called, but the cover depicts night time (Navy blue) with a restaurant illustration! I remember the book being rather large and rectangle (long). To give you a visualization, it sort of resembles Van Gogh's “Cafe Terrace at Night” painting!
The book follows a brother and a sister who run amuck through the restaurant - they run through the chefs kitchen and hide under the tables. They also do a lot of magic tricks. I vividly remember a white rabbit in a hat and the extending handkerchiefs!
The girl has black hair in a short haircut, and I can’t remember what the brother looks like.
I suspect that it’s not a popular childrens book as I’ve looked at countless lists and it’s never been there!
If you can find this book, I will be beyond happy. I have literally been searching for it for YEARS!
343Y: Nonfiction book about two women who exchange lives and husbands (Solved!)
The author was Miriam/Mimi Keiffer/Kieffer/Kiefer?, probably published in the early 80s, paperback. Mimi and another woman traded lives and husbands for a short time; it didn’t turn out well. Miriam or Mimi worked in administration at a university in New York.
343U: Foiled By a Tricky Sock
343L: Boyfriend Sleeps in Snow on Cold Night to Prove Love (Solved!)
I have searching for this book for a while. It is something I read in middle school. I’m 36 years old. The book was about a high school girl that was dating her brother’s best friend. It takes place in a state in the US where it snows and some or all of the book takes place during winter. I remember there was a window seat where she drank hot chocolate and looked out and saw him in the front yard. There was also a scene where they got into a fight and to prove himself to her he built himself a place to sleep in the snow in her front yard. I remember the Mom remarking that it was cold out there. Unfortunately I don’t remember the title or author or names of the main characters but I remember the book being well written and very age appropriate for middle school and early high school. I hope you can figure it out!! I would love to grab a copy for my home library. Thank you!
343K: Jojo the Monkey
343G: Rhyming Alphabet Book
B is for bridge
C is for cookie, would you like a bite
E is for egret
J is for jumping bean
N is for nightingale
T is for taffy
Z is for zeppelin
343E: Grotesque Picture Book (Solved!)
I read this book in the 1980s. There were large pictures on every page. The art was reminiscent of Arthur Rackham or the 1980s movie "Flight of Dragons." The figures could be quite grotesque with pointy ears, grey skin, or warts. The main character is a young girl. At one point she has to cross a wide canyon or chasm on a very thin or invisible string. I believe there is an ogress, troll, or giant that she outwits. The layout of the book was landscape (not portrait) and the cover had a purple border. Any help you could provide finding this book would be greatly appreciated!