Category Archives: Unsolved

157H: Girl awakes with stuffy nose, cant smell breakfast.

Book of short stories (not fairy tales-more like stories with a lesson) with illustrations. presumably hard cover and 8.5×10 (although I suspect I was missing part of the book along with the cover) From the clothing worn in the illustrations, which were few but what I remember most-The book was probably from the 50’s-60’s-The earliest I would have read it would have been around 1979. The stories would be to my extremely fuzzy memory, no longer than 2 pages or so. The ones I remember are as follows: There is an illustration of a mother (very June Cleaver-esque) downstairs in the kitchen cooking breakfast while the smell of presumably bacon can be seen wafting upstairs to a bedroom where 2 girls (early teens) are awaking. I think the girl in the 2nd bed is a friend sleeping over. the 1st girl awakes to smell breakfast cooking but the friend doesn’t. The friend has awaken ill. The story touches on her senses and the mom explains that because she has a cold-her sense of smell is gone. Next story shows an illustration of a younger boy who has fallen and skinned his knee or arm, maybe off of a bicycle..he is crying and and an older brother comes to help him I don’t remember the point of the story but I remember the illustrator drew bags under his eyes to signify the distress from his crying and it looked extremely odd to me, even as a child I thought it odd. also I think he may have been missing some front teeth (due to his age, not the fall). Another story is a father and son at a camping ground or walking in the woods, one of them has a plaid jacket on. I think it is fall. They happen upon a camp fire that was not properly put out or they are about to leave their own campfire (dont recall) but the story is basically the dad telling the boy the dangers of not putting out campfires properly. The last one I remember is an illustration of 2 little girls with short bob cuts,almost identical but one is blonde one is brunette walking in unison in the rain. each one has on a raincoat, rain boots, and umbrella one is all red, the other is all yellow. I think they meet a 3rd girl along the way. She may have not had any friends but she looks like them also. She may have on all blue or green but dressed as the other girls are..this story is about friendship..the illustration reminds me of the morton salt girl X3. I’m pretty sure this story was near the end of the book or possibly the last story. for some reason, these are the only ones I remember reading over and over again..but surely there were more in the book. I’ve longed for this book for so many years!!! Please help!

 

157G: Young Pioneer Woman travels west against many obstacles

I am looking for a book that I loved as a young girl between the ages of 11 and 15yrs (1994 – 1998), it was an old Historical Fiction book at the L.A. County Library in Lancaster, I believed published between 1950 and 1980.

This book was about a young orphaned woman about 17 yrs, married and mother to a baby with a loyal dog(?) and their trip out west. I believe the opening chapter describes the young mama rocking by the fire and day dreaming about her wonderful husband and baby and then her husband telling her his plans to go west alone to set up a future for them and her refusal to be left behind.
On their journey her husband was injured and she continues on with their journey despite the trail boss’ objections. The title I believe was the nickname her husband had for her referring to her size and stubborn/strong heart.

I loved this book and hope to share it with my children. I am so frustrated that I did not keep tabs on it. I really appreciate your help, thank you

 

157F: Kid Paints Town

Story starts out in a black and white town.  Little girl finds a paint set and begins to color the town and the people, paints the grass green and even paints the baby’s face a rosy color.  Possibly published in early 1990’s.  My daughter read it in elementary school about 1993-1998

 

157E: Perdita?

This has been nagging me for years and years.  I am coming up 63 years of age now and I would be eternally grateful to anyone whom could help me.  It is a story that I read when I was about  10 – 12 years old …………… so probably from the 1950’s or 1960’s.  It haunts my dreams – although (however hard I try) I cannot recollect a title.  It is an English book (I am English – although, now, live in NZ) about a girl called PERDITA and a MOUNTAIN.  A mystery story, I think.  Hoping for some help! 

157D: Angry Frog

This is a children’s picture book of average size.

I don’t remember the title but the pictures and story are stick in my mind. It is about a forest animal, a frog, I think, who is feeling so sorry for herself that she stomps through the forest and pond stepping on other creatures and being quite a nuisance in her angry blindness.

I’m not sure of the date of publication but I read this book to my son when he was a little boy (he’s 36 now). Maybe it was newly published at that time or perhaps it was a reprint of an older book—I really don’t know.

 I seem to have lost this book or given it away. I want to have it again to read to my granddaughter.

I recall the frog’s name was an old fashioned one like “Gertrude”.

Wish I could tell you more.

157B: Traveling companions who help each other

This story is one of many characters, and is beautifully illustrated. I recall one character as very tall, lanky man, dressed in oranges, reds, and browns, almost as if a medieval or early renaissance peasant. His hair is a very red-hued brown, spiky, and seems to have its own agenda. His face is freckled, ruddy, and very long. He has no facial hair, from what I recall. His ears are pointed, almost as if elven, and his neck is quite thin. Layers of these dark red and burnt-orange-colored and brown tunics fall over spindly legs covered in what looks like tights of the same colors. His shoes are pointed and seem to have no soles. He is also shrouded in fire, and at one point in the story, he cooks a feast of meats and vegetables for the group, as there were no ovens or other ways to cook. Another character is a large, green-hued man with a very round face, and maybe no neck. He is smiling and dressed in greens. His tunic is flowing and I believe his tights are brown. In the story, he grows tall, as a leafy tree, and protects the group of travelers from wind and rain. There are other characters, but I cannot remember many details. In the story, they are all traveling to meet a Czar, for what reason I do not know. The czar has a pointy beard. I also recall a character who resembles a bee, short, with a pointy nose, and wearing a yellow and black striped tunic. At one point, he turns into a swarm of bees to fight of an intruder. The illustrations are many, and greatly detailed. I know it is not a lot to go on….

 

157A: Turned To Stone

I’m looking for a kid’s/youth book that had fantastic full page illustrations, and was fairly long. It featured a goblin/elf/hobbit-like creature who went on a quest, and at the end of the book, there was a large stone staircase where you would turn to stone/statue, but the main character managed to avoid being turned to stone and complete his quest. I can’t remember much more than that, but the illustrations were great, and very dark in colour.

 

156C: 1960’s lighthouse “boy and girl go to big city” “department store” escalator

Only story I remember from a book of stories I received in the 1st or 2nd grade, mid to late 1960’s.  A hardcover book with color illustrations, about a boy and girl, lighthouse keeper’s children, who go with Mom to a big city department store with an escalator.  No title, author or publisher.

 

155D: book about a wizard and companions

Book about a wizard/sorcerer, a ring carved in the ground around a castle to create a forcefield.  evil sorcerer makes spiders or insects appear and a guard runs and touches the forcefield which then collapses.  maybe an apprentice with wizard, used to read a lot of choose your own adventure books?