Category Archives: Early Reader

308I: The Cat with Amber Eyes

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The title somewhat resembles: The Cat with Amber Eyes or The Cat with Green Eyes

(In all honesty I’m not sure myself.)

Some of the details I remember from the book are that the cat had multiple brothers and sister that had (if the main cat had amber eyes) green eyes, or (if the main cat had green eyes) amber eyes. I remember the flowy and descriptive language describing how the cat would move from the trees to the ground.

It was (from the small fragments I remember) a book about a cat who felt like an outcast since his eyes didn’t match his siblings. Sorry that wasn’t much.

I don’t remember when it was published, nor by who, but I believe the cover had an illustration of a black cat with either green or amber eyes. (Another detail, I’m also sure the cat was all black).

I remember the book to be like a short novel a second grader can read, with large font; hardcover.

I’m sorry I don’t remember much, but I do hope you can find it with the little information I’ve given you.

Thank you very much,

308E: Girl Slides Amber Necklace Beads for Time Travel

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A young girl slides amber (or precious stone) beads along a necklace (possibly belonging to her grandmother or found in an old house or bestowed upon her?) to travel to different periods in her own life and maybe throughout history, with a specific goal. She sees herself as a young woman, a grandmother. Her siblings are involved somehow, particularly a younger brother. At some point a knife or bloody knife portends something about how her younger brother is doing back in the present day (much like in many fairy tales). Her name was simple and classic like Jane or Anna or Annie. This book must have been published pre-1987, when my school librarian suggested it to me. It seemed already old at the time (which may just have been kid perception) so could possibly have a publish date anywhere from 1940s through early 80s.

It was a chapter book. Though it may have had a few line drawing illustrations throughout the text, it was not a picture book.

308A: Penny for your thoughts, a girl and her parents

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I am looking for a children’s color illustration picture book that is about 15 to 20 years old, maybe 25 years or so. Unfortunately, I do not recall the title or author. It may have been a Scholastic book, but I am not sure. The characters had no recognizable names, such as Madeline, Judy Bloom, etc., as I recall.

It was about a young girl and her parents. It was a  series of illustrations showing different scenes, with the girl and her parents with a different fantasy happening, such as they are on the beach at night and you see pirates approaching, and in each scene the girl asks if her parents would let her go and the response is always the same, something like “For a nickel I would” or “We would for a nickel.”

It was a short book, not chapters, maybe about 10 to 12 scenes (each scene covered two pages as I recall) and page size was at least paper size or magazine size, not a small book. I can locate a number of books using the word nickel in the title, but I do not believe the word nickel was in the title of the book I seek, and it was not about the nickel (as the subject of the story), it was about the girl and her parents interaction about letting her go on each adventure.

Any help or suggestions on how to track this down would be appreciated.

Thank you.

306Y: All of the Families on the Block

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I owned the book as a child in the mid- to late-fifties. The size of the book may have been larger than typical for a children’s book. Each chapter told a story of one of the fictional families who lived on a block. As I recall, they were linked by the relationships and adventures of the children. I remember being intensely curious about how other people lived.

306W: Animal figurines come alive, children’s book (Solved)

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It was a book that my 5th grade teacher read to us in 1996-97 in Missoula, MT. There were magical rules to when the animals can come out of the china hutch. It’s really hazy, but I do remember that one of the main characters was a dog and something tragic happens to him. I feel strongly that the book had a red, white, and black cover. Something makes me think it has something to do with ‘Valentine.’ Maybe it’s a character’s name? It was probably a chapter book. I think the figurines where porcelain? It may also be set in the Victorian era, or other era I would have considered old timey as a child. The memories of this book are very visceral and strong but not detailed. It made me cry. Please help!

306Q: Cookies that have gold coins in them

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The book I’m looking for is a children’s story and it’s about a family trying to escape the Nazi’s and the family can only take one item each, as not to raise suspicions. They take cookies that have gold coins in them to pay off the guards along the way. At the end of their journey, they realize that they have not given the correct cookies to the guards and still have some of their wealth.

I’m not even sure if I remember if it was a chapter book or a picture book, based on the fact that I was in sixth grade at the time I’m really hoping it’s a chapter book.