Category Archives: MG (grades 2-6)

335S: Captive Beautiful Woman and Her Captive Aesthetically Pleasing Children (Solved!)

5 Replies
I hope someone can help me with this one!
I’ll start with the part that I remember the most clearly – the part that has haunted me all these years for some inexplicable reason.
Two children are walking behind a beautiful woman down a long, grand corridor lined with mirrors. As they walk, the woman glances to the side to see their reflection in the mirrors.  She says to herself.  “Yes, that is better.  Much better.”  Because previously she had two large, beautiful, dangerous dogs (perhaps dobermans?) following her wherever she went.
I read the book in the mid 70’s, but it could have been written earlier than that.  I read a lot of old books as a kid.
The feel of the book is Gothic and dark.  Something like Wolves of Willoughby Chase  by Joan Aiken or a Bellairs book.  Or possibly even one of those creepy Scholastic paperbacks.  But for some reason I think the writing quality was pretty good.  Of course I was only around 10, so what did I know?
The children walking behind the woman are young and have been all dressed up.  Pre-puberty.  I guess you wouldn’t want sullen pimply teens following you around as decorative props?
I think the children are siblings, a boy and a girl?  Perhaps twins?  But that’s just a feeling.  Maybe because they’re so aesthetically pleasing to the beautiful woman?  In a way that a short, fat blond kid walking next to a tall, skinny redhead kid wouldn’t be.  Like an Edward Gorey drawing of two matching Victorian children in matching velvet outfits.
The children are there against their will.  Although it doesn’t seem like they got there by something as mundane as being thrown in your standard Pedo-Van.  I feel like there was some kind of magic involved.  Like a magic mirror or magic painting, something like that.  But without the humor and lightheartedness that say, an Edward Eager book would have.  These children are definitely in danger.  And are they in another dimension?  Another Time?  I don’t know.
I also think the woman may be held against her will as well.  Like some evil monster? power? man? is keeping her captive with his magic and brought the children there to appease her, but bringing her a couple of kidnapped children was hardly going to cheer her up given that she has zero freedom even though she does get to live in this fancy mansion? castle? wearing beautiful clothes.  She did seem quite depressed.
Does anyone remember anything that sounds like this?  I wish I could remember more.  And I wish I could trust what I think I remember.
Thank you in advance for your time!

335C: Bonnie’s First Crush Goes Awry From A Misunderstanding

2 Replies

I am looking for a book called Bonnie. It may also be spelled Bonny. I read it in the early 1980's when I was in 4th or 5th grade. I believe it was set in the 1950's. The main character sang in an all girls chorus and had her first crush. I think I remember that they went ice skating for one of their dates, maybe their first date. But at some point, she thinks he likes someone else or doesn't like her anymore for some reason. Of course, in the end, it was all a misunderstanding. It was a chapter book and had some illustrations, and I remember the book I read had a yellow cover with a picture of the main character (sketched).

334V: Mystery series probably published 1940-1970 (Solved!)

8 Replies

I do not know the name of any of the books in the series, but I can describe at least one of the covers. Our library had 4 books but there may have been more. All of the books had a deep purple cover. One had a mansion or haunted house on top of a hill or cliff. For some reason murder mansion, Whispering Hill, sticks in my head. I believe there were 2 or 3 kids and one had an odd name. Definitely not the more prolific series, Three Investigators, Hardy Boys, etc. The books were hardcover and not very thick, 70-80 pages and meant for grades 3-6. I hope you can find the series I am looking for.

334I: Magical Animal Speak Decoder Ring

3 Replies

I’m trying to remember a book I read around 1962 - 1965. It was about a boy and girl who somehow get a magic ring and when they put it on, they can understand what the animals around them are saying. I just loved it and took it out of the school library again and again until my teacher asked me “wouldn’t you like to read something different?” I’ve been doing engine searches for a long time now and I can’t seem to find it. I think it was called either The Magic Ring or The Golden Ring and it wasn’t a Raggedy Ann/Andy book. It was cloth-bound and green … I think.  I’m sure that last point is most valuable to you. If you could help me that would be wonderful.

333V: Limited series of choose your own ending books

3 Replies

I am looking for (what I recall as a grade school kid in the early 90’s) a book series where you could choose your own ending. Similar to the popular “Choose Your Own Adventure” and “Which Way” series of books. I recall there being approximately 5-7 books with purple hardback covers. For some reason, I feel like I remember my school librarian telling me, after I read all the books and wanted more, that the authors didn’t make any more of the books and that there was only 1 volume.
I know this is a long shot! But I thought I’d try! Thanks so much!

333T: Boy Uses Light to De-Age Dog and Sister

1 Reply

This is a middle grade book probably published before 2008. It's about a boy who likes science and has an old dog and a teenage sister. The family goes to visit their grandfather, who's dying, and while there the boy discovers a light or something in the attic/grandpa's office. The boy then uses the light to de-age his dog back into a puppy and his angsty sister back into a pre-teen. He then tries to convince the grandfather to de-age himself to be healthy again, but the grandfather tells him not to. I remember the scene where the sister got de-aged because she was really different and kind of confused, since she had drifted away from the friends she had at that age and was suddenly signing up for high school classes. She called up some old friends and kind of made up with them, I think. I also think the boy had a microscope and a fort in his bedroom that he hid the light in while trying to figure out how it worked. I can't remember the title of this book, who wrote it, or what it looks like. Please help!