Category Archives: Unsolved

295J: He tries to introduce her to the skeleton

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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

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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

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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.

295D: Enchanted Book

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Beautiful cover with a picture of an opening through a Forrest. The colours were browns and golds and green. It was a story about a boy and girl traveling into an enchanted place and the things they experienced there, an adventure.  I read this book over 50 years ago

295B: Aliens coming to earth and taking people’s pets

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What is the name of the book about aliens coming to earth and taking people’s pets so that there were many postings of lost dog signs? Other very strange things, electrical, are happening which causes the main character to search for their source. This same author wrote a story about a man who left his family and went to work in the city as a blind man selling pencils on the street corner.

295A: Plants feeling pain

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Looking for paperback science fiction collection of short stories (probably from about 1958-65) with a story about plants and trees being able to cry out (at a pitch not audible to humans) when they feel pain. A scientist, who devises a way to convert the sounds to those audible to humans, goes mad when he is able to “hear” the effects of mowing a lawn.

294Z: It’s not Paddington

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Children picture book about a bear, illustrated with photos of stuff bear in activities-short tale- seems he traveled- I remember suitcase – I knew it in 50’s might be older-I would check from OakCliff – Dallas library – know just where it is but library is gone – prob 10 x 13 size few pages.

It’s not a Paddington bear – I’m familiar with him and in this one the illustrations are photographs of the stuffed bear in the activities.