Category Archives: Status

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

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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!

102E: Young Girl Who Attends a Catholic School

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Her name may start with an “E”. Nuns at her school would go on about proper nail care – i.e, not showing “half moons”. Girl would also see movies with her friend by using a nickel or a dime and they had strange ratings like “A”, or “B”. May have taken place from 60s – to 80s.

 

102A: Sophie and Her White Lamb

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One of my favorite books when I was young was a big book filled with pictures and stories. They were about children living in the same country house, I believe they were siblings and cousins. One of the little girls was named Sophie and I think she had black hair she wore in pigtails. One story was about her white lamb rocking horse that another child dumped black ink on. In order to find out which child had done it, all of the children had to line up and put their hands in a hidden box, which they were told would find the culprit. The box had flour or something in it, so all the children’s hands were covered in flour except the little boy who did it, because he was too nervous to put his hand in the box.

I feel like the book belonged to my mother or grandmother, and I have vague memories of reading it and thinking the clothing and wording seemed “old-fashioned.” I am 27 now, but I have no idea when the book was published.

I hope you can help!

Thank you!

101A, solved: Portuguese brooch lost in Cape Cod Cranberry bog

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I read this book one summer in the late 1950’s or early 1960’s?  I believe my grandmother took it out of the Harwichport or Harwich Massachusetts libraries for me, as I was about 10 years old.  It is set on Cape Cod and is about a Portuguese Family.  The grandmother has a brooch she brought from the “old country” which is very dear to her.  And her granddaughter “borrows” the brooch without permission and goes skating on the cranberry bogs, where as I assume you can guess, the brooch is lost.  Grandmother turns this into a teaching moment and there is tremendous remorse, etc., etc. Magically, in the spring when the little girl is walking across the bog (or playing there or working there?), she sees the brooch encased in the ice and brings it home to her grandmother.

I do not know why this book is so memorable to me, except that I stayed on Cape Cod with my grandmother most summers and I guess it hit a chord.

I do not remember the actual title or the author (hey it was 50 years ago!), only that the book was about an inch thick and had a yellow cover with sketches of the Portuguese grandmother.  I do believe the entire book was illustrated throughout , as I remember seeing a sketch of the brooch in the ice.

Anyway, not much to go on I know – any information would be much appreciated!

 

100D: Children’s Stories Including Excerpt of ‘The Hobbit’

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I have been looking for a copy of the following book for a long time, but hardly know where to begin. I am afraid that, for a start, I do not know its title nor when it was published, although I imagine it was some time during the early 60s.

I can however describe it.

It was an illustrated collection of stories and excerpts from children’s novels, very lavishly illustrated in colour, in red cloth-bound hard covers. The title, which was something like “The Illustrated Collection of Children’s Stories” was in gold caps on the spine.

I think it was about 7 cms thick and about 28 cms long by 16 wide.

The stories included the opening chapters of “The Hobbit”, “Thumbelina”, “Snow White and Rose Red”, I think some fables from Aesop, and a lot more. Many different artists were involved. “Thumbelina” for instance included full-page watercolours, whereas the Aesops were pen and ink sketches.

Does this ring any bells? I imagine Unwin will know which publishers had permission to use “The Hobbit”.

I had this book when I was very small and I think it was secondhand. From the style of the art I remember it was about 1962, but possibly early. It had long since lost its dustjacket.

I’d be delighted to find out what it was – the pictures were beautiful.

Thank you very much.

 

100C: Katie and Her Guardian Angel

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I am trying to locate a book I had as a child. It’s about a little girl named Katie who accidentally breaks a church stained glass window. Her guardian angel follows her around in the book, cleaning up her messes, and of course, now the window. My parents kept it with our Christmas books, so it may talk about Christmas in the book.