Category Archives: Status

373B: Jewish woman in the 1930’s – 1960’s Gets a Raise

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I am looking for the title and author of a book I read about 7-8 years ago (2015-2016). I believe it was a fairly recent release at that time, so this book isn’t too old. It is a historical fiction book (I can’t remember exactly what decade it was set in, but I believe it was 1930s-1960s) and what I remember most is that it was about a young Jewish woman who lived in an apartment in New York with her family and worked at an office in Manhattan. The other women at her work weren’t very nice to her, but she was really good at her job and got a promotion. Her home/family life was a big part of the book too. It even talked about cooking on the Sabbath and what was and wasn’t allowed. I know this isn’t much to go on because I don’t remember many details, but I absolutely loved the book. I have tried searching for it for about a year now and have come across a lot of books that hit these points, but they are not the right one. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

373A: Schizophrenic Episode

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I read this book maybe 10-15 years ago and had it from my library. It follows a European man who is a restaurant cook/chef and devolves into a schizophrenic episode. It talks about him scratching his scalp, leaving his job and ending up picking vegetables as a day laborer in a zombie-like state. It doesn’t tell you that this is a schizophrenic episode until his sister finds him (I don’t remember how) and gets him into treatment, you’re just along for the ride from his perspective.

I’ve been trying to find this for a few years, now.

372Z: Patapon the lost baby duck

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Trying to find a picture book about that my mother read as a child in the 1960s. A lost baby duck called Patapon. Patapon’s family go to search and at the end of each picture page the mother duck says, “Patapon is lost and we’re lost too. ” Patapon is found after escaping from a corn field that machinery was harvesting.

372Y: Early/mid 20th century children’s picture book; space fantasy setting; no text

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When I was a child in the 80s, there was an old picture book at the public library. It had no text, but it took place in a kind of fairy tale castle on some other planet. If I remember correctly, each scene followed two children as they explored the castle. They may have been following a piece of yarn that eventually led them to where their mother sat knitting in one of the castle rooms or towers. There may have been a sort of robotic-looking cat playing with the yarn at some point. I remember the artwork as being full color paintings like you find with 1960s scifi book covers or movie posters.

372W: Frau The Hare

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A children’s book which my Dad read to me when I was about 5. About a hare running from the hunt .. I remember feeling her fear .. for herself and her babies back home in the burrow .. When she arrived back safely with her babies I cried and cried !
It was a hardcover with pictures and the story .. a4 on its side . I think it had a dust cover as well ..

372V: A staying-up-late book

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I would’ve read this picture book in the 80s or maybe early 90s but it could have been from earlier too. It was about a little girl (not sure if she was a human girl or an animal like Frances, etc) who thinks her parents (and sister?) have a party after she goes to bed each night. She finally convinces them to let her stay up and it’s fun and I think they maybe eat toast?
It is not a Frances book, it’s not “I Hate to go to Bed”, and it’s not “Amy’s Long Night”.
Thank you!

372U: Novel about a little boy that doesn’t speak but can hear almost everything

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Jessica Vlies,

There is a book I read in my youth — a novel from the library that I am trying to find! I can barely recall any details because I was so young, however, I believe it was about a young white girl from a wealthy family who sleeps with a young black man. Her mother is furious and she gets pregnant. The main plot of the book is the fact that she gives birth to this boy who does not speak but can hear everything (like literally grass growing). It was a good book with multiple timelines and character plots. No details on the cover but I believe that the boy’s name started with an A and was in the title (maybe: the curious tale of. . . — or something like that). Please help!!! Thank you!

372T: Short stories about teaching

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This is a book of short stories about education and teaching.   One of the stories concerns a teacher reflecting on the number of murderers and serious criminals who came through her English class and bemoaning that all she did was teach them rhyming iambic pentameter.    Another concerned an author who was awoken every Saturday and Sunday by children playing soccer with tin cans.   He tired of this so went down and made a contract of sort with them to play every Saturday and Sunday outside his window.  He paid what was then a good amount of pocket money.   Within three weeks they stopped playing.  The obligation had robbed them of the pleasure and he got to sleep in.

372S: Short stories including Afro Americans and Johnny Appleseed

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I’m after a 1950/60 American children’s book of short stories.   Hard cover with a bit of a religious bent.  Featured Afro American people in some stories.  All heavy on doing the right thing and hugely moralistic. One story was about a gardener potting up plants and another was about Johnny Appleseed spreading apple seeds across the USA.
Hope you can help.  Thank you.