Category Archives: Picture Book

104A: Black, Pink, and White

Just note that the book I’m searching for is definitely not “A Birthday for Frances”.

My sister and I first saw this book in our elementary school back in the mid 70’s in the midwest of Canada. It was probably an American book perhaps from the 50’s or 60’s.
It was a smallish hard back book. The most prominent aspect was that it was made up of 3 colors, black, pink (my sister thinks it was bright magenta) and white.
The premise of the book seemed to revolve around a black and white animal family (skunks?) and a birthday cake with pink candles. My sister seems to remember that the drawings were very simple using black heavy lines. One of my recollections is that the end pages had vertical black and pink stripes.

Can you help us? We are so desperate to find this book again!!

103L: Girl Pretends to be a Giant

This was a favorite book of mine when I was very little at the Travelers Rest, South Carolina library between 1987-1990 (age 4-7). It was a small picture book, I believe with fairly simple illustrations on white pages. The little girl pretends she is a giant (or thinks she is a giant?). She goes through various scenarios showing this. The only page I remember clearly is when she is eating trees for her broccoli.

102S: Bunny Falls into a Hole

My mom used to read me a book in the early 1950’s which told the story of a bunny who disobeyed his mother and fell into a hole in the woods–eventually rescued, he learned his lesson.  The distinctive thing about the book was that the illustrations were photos of real bunnies dressed up in human clothing–for some reason, I think the photographer’s first name was ‘Bill’, but not certain about that.  Any help greatly appreciated.

102O: 7 Princesses

I would guess from the pictures that I remember that it was very Art Deco, from the 20’s, maybe the 30’s.  I used to have it when I was 5 or 6, but it was old then.  My Great Grandparents gave it to me, I think.  I wore it out.  It was my favorite. I think it was a thin book, like a Little Golden Book, don’t know publisher.  I would love to know the title, author, and if any copies are available.  The pictures are what are imprinted on my mind.  If I see it, I will know it.

It is about 7 princesses that are awakened each night and secretly taken to another land, by boat, to meet their princes and (I think) dance all night.  I don’t remember much more.

102M: Bear with Bionic Shoes

I’m looking for a children’s book early 1980s (or possibly very late 70s).  The main character was a young bear who had bionic shoes – Bruce the Bionic Bear?  He looked like one of the Berenstain bears, but I can’t seem to track him down that way.  When he put his shoes on, he could leap across streams and there was a big rainbow illustrated somewhere in it too.

102L, solved: Large Pine Tree

Circa 1960: Children’s book about a large pine tree in a forest which all the animals and birds seek shelter in, especially during the winter in the snow. The illustration in the snow with all the birds on the branches and the animals sheltered at the bottom of the tree was amazing. I seem to remember a little girl having to take shelter in it too, along with the animals. Then something happens to the tree…it falls down during a storm or something like that. The birds and animals are sad and worried. Then someone plants a new smaller tree which will grow and take its place. The illustrations are beautiful (I realize that doesn’t help) – maybe a German or European author/illustrator? Definitely German or Scandinavian in style. Something tells me the title was “The ____ Tree” but not The Giving Tree, and I’ve searched until I’m desperate.

102I: Angry Sun

This was a library book I read in elementary school in the early 1970’s, so I am guessing the book was likely published sometime in the 60’s.  To the best of my memory, it involved a brother and sister in South America who somehow offended the sun (it could have been the moon, but I am pretty sure it was the sun) and the sun came right out of the sky and rolled after them, chasing them up and down hills.  I remember the sun being quite scary and it having a mouth that was illustrated very similar to a zipper on clothing.  Any help you could provide would be much appreciated.

 

102F: Miniature World of creatures with sci-fi technology

1980s children’s picture book I loved as a boy. It had wonderful, intricate illustrations of a miniature world (possibly in a tree?), where little humanoid creatures lived. I’m fairly certain there were certain sci-fi elements to it, and possibly some conflict between differently-colored factions. The illustrations included cutaways of tunnels and little cities etc. There may also have been bears with technology (rocket suits?), but that might be mixing up with another book. I’d love for someone to help – I’m a children’s book illustrator now and this was an early influence and inspiration for me.

Thank you!