Category Archives: Unsolved

295R: Sandy

This book is titled “Sandy” or “Sandie” I believe.   It’s a story (real-life) written by a doctor about the death from his wife, Sandy (born as Alexandra) from cancer.  I think she must have died in about 1967 or 1968.  She had a 3 year old son called Alexander.     I read the book sometime between 1978-1982 when I was younger.   I’ve always wondered if I could find a copy of it and all my research has come up with nothing.   It’s possible I have some of the details wrong.  I got the book out of the Rochester, NY Public Library at the time.  It was in hard-cover.  I am sure that it was published by a “reputable” publisher.   I have searched for “cancer narratives” to no avail.

295P: Castaway Kid

I read this children’s book as a boy in 5th grade (1953-54), age 9 or 10. It was dreamy & (to me) “romantic,” an adventure, I think, and involved being marooned on an island or shore. Submarine may have been involved. Cover picture showed view toward the sea through a break in the tropical vegetation, from what seemed like a hiding place.

295O: Camille, nicknamed Millie

Juvenile historical fiction from the 1980s (probably) about a girl named Camille, nick-named Millie, who moves with her father into a house with her aunt, uncle, and two girl cousins. The book takes place in New York State or New England in 19th century. There are scenes of a fire with a bucket brigade and ice skating on a frozen pond. I feel like the author’s name started with a D. The book was probably less than 100 pages, and almost square in form. I checked it out from the school library.

295L: Don’t trust Girl B

There was a book that I read in the early 1970s about a girl (A) whose family took in another girl (B), I can’t remember why. Girl B turned out to have powers that she used against Girl A. I remember two scenes. Girl A was going to the prom or a big dance with her boyfriend and was going to make her own dress. Girl B “made” Girl A buy a pattern and color for a dress that was unbecoming to Girl A. Also, Girl B “made” Girl A sick right before the dance so Girl B went with Girl A’s boyfriend. I don’t remember how Girl A got rid of Girl B, but the book ends with Girl A saying whenever she reads a story in the newspaper about a wife dying, or an accident with 3 people where the woman dies, that she wonders if it is Girl B is still out there up to her old tricks.

295K: Adventures in Sweets

I am desperately seeking some help to find a childhood book.

The book was read by my wife who was born in 1974 and was read before 1990. It was about a travelling salesman who sold sweets and each sweet took you on a different adventure.

Fingers crossed you are able to find this!

295J: He tries to introduce her to the skeleton

Please help me find a childhood book probably written in the late 50s 60s or early 70s. Similar to The Secret Garden, it was a weird tale of a boy named, I believe, Micah who gets lost in the woods and he’s gone for such a long time he has to learn to survive eventually he finds an old moss covered skeleton that he befriends similar to that movie “Castaway ” where Tom Hanks befriends a basketball. Anyways, the boy is all alone. I think he builds some sort a little hut and learned to survive on his own. I think, he’s about 12 or so and eventually someone finds him like a little girl or something and he tries to introduce her to the skeleton and she freaks out and runs away so the boy’s left alone again in the forest with his skeleton friend and I don’t remember the dénouement but it’s kind of sad. Eerie yet beautifully written and haunting tale. It wasn’t very long but I think I was about 10 when I read it and it transfixed me.

295G: 90s young adult book with a man who has had his tongue cut out

A couple of kids on a mountain and are either rescued or menaced (possibly both) by a man who has had his tongue cut out. He may have been Native American or it may have been implied that this was done by Native Americans. He might also have had a dog. Probably 1995-2000. May have won awards as this was read aloud in a children’s library where award-winning books were often chosen.

295F: Convicted US Businessman Organizes Mars Colony

I do not know the title. I am looking for a Sci-Fi book published in paperback in 1991. The story is that of a very powerful businessman who is unjustly convicted of disposing of toxic chemicals off the eastern US coast. Fumes from the chemicals come onshore and kill a lot of people. As penalty he is shipped off to Mars where (unknown to him) the colony needs someone with significant organizational skills. He is able to provide those skills and builds a successful life there. A memorable scene is where the bad-doer, who has taken over command of the earth business, goes into a room where ribbons hanging from the ceiling are able to generate electrical charges. To prove his manhood, the bad-doer goes into the room; the good businessman’s valet turns up the electrical charge and kills the bad-doer.