Category Archives: Early Reader

286F: Girls go to wrong house on Halloween, meet strange girl in spider costume (Solved)

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This was a kids’ picture book from the late 70s or early 80s (probably 4/5th grade reading level, 32ish page length, not just a simple picture book but not chapter or young adult) level. The premise is that two friends (I think they were two girls, might have been just one) show up at a house for a Halloween party, They think it’s the right house, but upon getting inside, are met with another girl who I *think* was wearing some kind of a spider costume – she might even have been named “spider”. They proceed to go to the basement (which I don’t remember being a scary development). At some point they swap costumes (possibly against the will of the girl who showed up to the house).  The girl who came to the house doesn’t want to be there, and eventually finds a way to escape/leave. Important to underscore that even though it sounds a bit this way,the tone of the book isn’t scary or sinister – more just a vibe of “strange” and “oddball”. A fun little Halloween story that I vaguely remember and am desperate for help locating!

286D: Friendly purple creature has magic yellow umbrella (Solved)

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I’m thinking this book would have come out in the 70s or early 80s. The general plot, as I recall, was a friendly purple creature was friends with a young boy, and the creature had a seemingly magic yellow umbrella. The umbrella was used in a variety of helpful ways, culminating in the umbrella being used as a big swimming pool for all of the neighborhood children. Those are the primary details I remember; any help much appreciated!

284F: Children with dimpled knees and very round faces

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I am looking for picture books (with words).  I read as a child and checked it out from our local library in Seymour, IN. I believe there was more than one book by the author. I think they were square shaped hard back books. The children in them were cute with dimpled knees and very round faces (not Campbell Soup kid related or Dick and Jane). I recall a girl being sort of the main character in these books about their small adventures. This would have been the early to mid 1980s when I was reading these. The pictures were very simple. I think I recall a story about a mud puddle in one of the books and the girl’s name may have been Mary but I’m not sure.

284C: A girl in an animal swim tube

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This is a small children’s book, most likely written in the 60’s.  It was a small, orange book. It is out of print, possibly in the late 80s, since at one time I somehow was able to research it.

The story follows around a little girl, with a ponytail or pigtails who wears an animal swim tube around her.  She is found in the pictures behind others or in groups, and stands out, due to her wearing this tube.  Though I don’t remember, I’m guessing the story would have taken place in summer.

I’m sorry I remember so little about this book.  My mom and I both remember reading it countless times in the library when I was young (probably early to mid 70’s)

282B: Girl tired of toys

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My friend read this storybook during her childhood in the early 1970s. She remembers it was about a little girl who was tired of her toys and ruins them all. She somehow ends up with either a boy or a bear who becomes her new toy. She forces the boy or bear to do what she wants, including playing maid and brushing her hair. The boy or bear eventually gets tired of this and throws the spoiled girl out in the snow.

Thanks so much! If there is anything else I can provide, do please let me know.

281G: Little girl hides her small treasures in a brick of her brownstone

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I am trying to remember/find a book about a little girl who doesn’t have much, except her little treasures.  I think it was a stick of chewing gum, a jack ball, and a few other small items.  She lives in a brownstone and it seems like she hides her treasures behind a brick.  She takes them out and looks at them often.  The front of the cover had her and another person sitting on concrete steps with a railing.  I don’t know if it was a little golden book or not.  It seems like it was about 5X5 square, about 10 pages?  I would have had it read to me around 1970ish.  I can’t remember much else.  I have looked everywhere for it, only being able to search by the memory of the cover.

 

280F: Lost Cat in Rome found in Mouth of Truth Statue

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Hi there, hoping you can help find a book. I remember reading it in the late 80s/early 90s. It was about a child in Rome who lost his or her cat. They go all over the city looking for it and eventually find the cat in the “mouth of truth” (La Bocca della Verità) statue. I remember it was a blue cover and fairly larger than a regular sized book. It was in English. Hoping you can help track it down!

279F: 1970s Kids Detective Book

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This was a series of books that I read between 1975 and 1981 (I think).  Each book featured 20 or so stories (2-6 pages long) of a super sleuth who solved a mystery, that invited you to figure out how he solved it.  Answers were in the back of the book.   The lead detective was a “Dr.” and he had a sidekick who narrated, and were set in England.

Thank You!

279B: Bunnies go on an Easter Egg hunt

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Hi there! I’m looking for a book my mother used to read to my sister and I as children. It was about bunnies that go on an Easter egg hunt. The book may have come in different sizes, but this particular book was only about 5×5?  The cover was mostly white, I believe and had pictures of bunnies and grass and eggs hiding.  The book didn’t have bright colors. It was mostly pastels. I believe it was geared toward younger children, but we loved when our mother read it to us!! Please help me find this book!