Book written in the 60’s-early 80’s. Illustrations are photos (like stills from a movie) not drawings. Set in England in 1800’s or early 1900’s; poor boy is friends with rich girl. They play together a lot. I think at one point she’s not allowed to play with him. One scene they are on the street and roll a sixpence down a hill which they lose in a drain (or something like that). The two grow up and fall in love. I know there are scenes in her rich house. I believe his father works for hers or he is just a little scamp of some kind. He has blonde hair. They spend much of their days outdoors. That’s all I can remember. I just remember reading this around 1981 and I was 11 years old. It was a chapter book, kind of thick, written for older children, but not quite young adult. I remember their clothing was old fashioned. Please help! I’ve searched since my friend lost it in 1981-82. I would LOVE to find this book! It means so much to me. Thank you!!
Category Archives: MG (grades 2-6)
212F: Boy with ability to copy other’s skills. (SOLVED)
I read the book in 6th grade (1990-1991.) The book most likely printed mid to late 1980s or early 1990s. Set in modern times in North America/USA. Male lead age 13-15. Junior high or high school student. He finds out one day he can some how summon abilities. Example in the only scene I remember he’s being followed. He confronts his stalker and summons the abilities of a boxer and fights off his stalker. Through out the book he summons skills. Sometimes he can do it other times the power fails. Doesn’t understand how he can do it.
Can anyone help?
212E: Horse named Magic (Solved)
Horse named Magic boy with asthma. Boy can’t kep up with his older brothers, but parents give him elderly horse named Magic, when time for the horse to die the groom arranges to have the horse disappear, stall door left open, boy is heartbroken but a little older and growing healthier.
211D: GIRL FINDS A FAIRY
I’m looking for a children’s book from ca.1945-1952. It’s about a little girl who finds a tiny girl fairy child and then keeps her. It has lovely color illustrations. One illustration shows the little girl giving the fairy a bath, using a soap dish for a bathtub. Can anyone identify this book?
211A: Collection of Stories for Girls
Collection of Stories for Girls, maybe American Girl? Stories of inspiration in tough times. When parents die, being overweight, not being pretty, hardcover, book (not the dust jacket) may have been green, story about a girl making window decorations for her father’s hardware store, story about a girl eating celery and skim milk to lose weight, story about a girl’s dress that was sky blue tulle with butterfly’s on it.
210E: collection of stories (3-ish) about foxes
Looking for a collection of stories (3-ish) about foxes, all from the fox’s perspective with little-to-no human interaction. Very descriptive of the natural environment, tells of fox’s travels, struggle to survive, escape a hunt, etc. Would have been read in the mid-80’s, not sure of publication year. Likely for pre-teen/young adult readers, and may have been purchased through a Scholastic Book Sale. Not sure if all stories were from the same author, but writing was very similar for all. Total length of the collection was around 120-150 pages. If memory serves, the title of one story was fairly long (may also have been the title of the collection), other titles were short. The book I read was a brown hardcover, some light illustration on the dust cover. Previous searches have turned up “Red Fox” by Charles G.D. Roberts. I do not believe that is the book I am looking for, though the synopses would be very similar.
210A: kind of “charm school” in book form
I regret very much that I cannot recall the name of the book, and I do not know who the author is (but I’m pretty positive it was a female author). The book was one of a stash of books my grandmother sent to me one Christmas — I think I may have been about 12 or 13 years old. I was born in 1956 so that would be 1969, but my memory is weak, and I cannot recall precisely how old I was.
The book had pen and ink illustrations, and basically, it was a “growing up” book for young ladies or teenage girls. It dealt with good manners, proper etiquette, poise, appearance — kind of “charm school” in book form. I remember some of the passages: advice on what to do when you are a guest in someone’s home, how to address an invitation; how to properly rsvp to a wedding invitation, how to set a table, proper table manners, etc. — I even recall the instruction to leave some morsel on your plate when you are a dinner guest, rather than leave your plate completely cleared…..so as not to give the hostess the impression that you were left still hungry..!!). There was a chapter on good grooming, and the mention of an anecdotal story about a young secretary who, earning a meager salary, owned only one blouse, yet nevertheless took care that it was always clean and pressed….the young woman’s attention to her neat appearance eventually gained her the attention of her boss, who ended up marrying her.
I’ve searched for more than 30 years for this book — I did not own it for very long, as I was foolish enough to loan it to an irresponsible classmate who never returned it to me.. But having 3 daughters myself, I have often thought of this book and wished I could find it to share with them. The author’s writing style and language had a certain refinement that I do not find in the books that I’ve come across in my internet search for this particular book.
I’ll be astonished, and more than grateful, if my Stump the Bookseller inquiry is unsuccessful and you do actually locate this book for me.
209D: shadow story
Book I read in late elementary or middle school (1980’s-1990’s) . I think the main character was a boy and the story had something to do with shadows. I remember doing a book report on it and making a map of the city that I think I copied from the book. I also feel like there might have been a neighbor involved in the story.
209C: Girl’s discover magic tools in cave
I’m looking for a book I read in the ’80s when I was probably 12. Pretty sure it was set in North America. Small chance it was Britain, as I grew up in Canada and read a lot of British literature. A girl goes to live with her aunt and cousins for the summer. In a bunker/cave/room they find in a nearby hillside they find some books about magic and the room is filled with magical/witch stuff. The girl becomes very interested and tries some magic. In one scene they discover there are repercussions for the magic they’re trying and when they get back to the house after a spell they discover the pet canary is missing. At some point they may have also accidentally made the aunt disappear too. ?? I feel like there was a lot of yellow on the cover, but that could be 100% wrong. I’m a librarian and I’ve been searching for this for YEARS and I just cannot find it. I’m really hoping you can find it for me! 🙂
209B: Telepathic Spelling Bee contestant (Solved)
Brother and little sister with male friend try to save a neighborhood park slated for demolition by entering little sister into a series of spelling bee contests for the prize money. Sister can read the minds of the boys while the boys look up the spelling of each word in the dictionary during the spelling bee while it is her turn to spell. Don’t know what ending is because the school year ended and library closed while librarian was reading the book to our class. Please help!