Category Archives: Unsolved

135E: Elderly Woman, Blind Bird or Goose, Sad Ending

 

Was wondering if someone could help.  My recollections may be off on some details. 

The book was likely published before 1985, and it was a children’s pictorial book.  The book told the story of an elderly woman who took care of a debilitated large bird (perhaps a goose or similar).  Each winter the woman makes the decision to not travel to warmer climes (to join a relative), and chooses to stay in the cold snow country to take care of the bird.  A portion of the story is around how she teaches the bird to come to her at mealtimes.  At some point, the bird becomes blind after being mauled by wolves, and the woman teaches the bird to fly to her (for feedings) by the smell of the food and the scent of a nearby tree (she fed the bird by the side of a lake or pond).  Eventually, the woman dies, and the bird flies to her grave and lies down on the grave (presumably to die as well).  The story ends with the bird and grave being covered by the snowfall.

 

Any possible leads would be very appreciated.  This book has stayed on my mind for over two decades.  Many thanks.

135D: Something for Jimmy?

I am trying to find a book from around 1974 or 1976 time frame.  The title is Something for Jimmy. It is about a young boy and his friends who found some fireworks and Jimmy lit the fire works and they exploded in his hand causing Jimmy to go blind. I would really love to find this book.

 

135A: good witch bakes muffins for her next door neighbour

A children’s book with stories about witches & wizards from the late 80s/early 90s.

The book had colourful illustrations; one witch had striped leggings & funky punk clothing/ hair.

One story was about witch baking special muffins that turned a girl into a goblin to make friends.

Update . . . . . .

I think I mixed up a couple of stories from that book I had wanted to be found… I believe the good witch in that particular children’s book actually gives her neighbour-girl a hat that turns her into monster to make friends with the other little monsters that also live around the area… I hope you can find this book… I’ve been trying to search for it for many years.

 

134D: Readers Digest Collection

This was a collection of tales that had been published originally in Readers Digest. Included was a story about a family being slowly poisoned by the lead in a decorative pitcher they drank from every day. There was also one in which a car breaks down in the desert and the children coat their lips with the mother’s lipstick to avoid them drying out. (At one point they get so hungry they eat the lipstick, I think)

 

134A: Burgundy tooled leather children’s storybook set sold w encyclopedia 1950s

The books were regular sized, approximately 8.5 x 11″ and were numbered. Maybe 8 to 12 of them? Illustrations were art deco or art nouveau (I get them confused). Not lots of vivid colors. Heavy black lines/white/gray/yellow/rose colors. Each book had stories and poems. I am not positive that they came with a set of encyclopedias, but that is my general recollection. I could have been World Book or Encyclopaedia Britannica, since we acquired both around the same time. Any ideas?

133G: The Blue Chest

I am looking for a children’s book written between 1940 and 1965, for ages 10-12 years old. It is the story of a family that moves from a house to an apartment, I believe in New York City, and the children find a hidden room in the apartment behind a blue or pink chest. It may had a few illustrations in it. Also, the mother sews their clothes and makes matching outfits for the boy and girl. I read this book just when I moved to a new school, in 1967, and really hope to find it!