Category Archives: Unsolved

344U: Grumpy Doll in Dollhouse

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• children’s book read in 2006-2011. Could have been quite old by then
• a new doll came to live in the doll house and didn’t trust the human caring for them, she stole things like a coin and a piece of hair to try and cast a spell on them
• the human returned from a trip and gave the doll something nice like a new rug or bed spread and it made the doll realize she was wanted and loved
• this was a traditional dollhouse – old and beautiful. The human was fixing it up and making it nice again. She was very thoughtful towards the dolls.
• this is not The Dolls’ House by Rumer Godden
• might have had a pink cover. It was a chapter book but not very lengthy

344T: Children’s book from early 70s

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I remember a book with very simple line drawings. I only remember the first line: “When Nora(h) was six years old, her parents decided to let her go” and a drawing of the parent holding on to Nora’s foot as she floated away to her adventures.
I read it at my friend’s house when I was about six or seven so mid-1970’s.


Anything you can do to help me hunt it down is much appreciated!

344S: Boy with a Magic Pencil?

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I recall a young adult chapter book from my youth (late 1970s-early 1980s) about a boy with a magic pencil. It is used like a regular pencil, but it might have been blue lead. Like a regular pencil, it needs to be sharpened, and gets slightly smaller each time. I can’t recall the things he made or did with it. Some dramatic emergency with the last bit of pencil.  Apologies but that’s all I remember.

344R: Historical American romance pregnant heroine with amnesia

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I read this book as a teenager in the early 1990s.  It was a paperback, but I don’t think it was a Harlequin.

Hero                     

  • An American soldier/person of importance

 Heroine

  • An American from an upstanding family who were sympathetic to the plight of the Native American Indians

 Location

  • America

 Era         

  • During a war – not sure which one, but it involved Native American Indians

 Main plot                           

  • Hero and heroine marry in a traditional Native American Indian ceremony.
  • Heroine is given a necklace with a carved wooden charm (I think a turtle) in lieu of a wedding ring.
  • Heroine is kidnapped on her wedding night.  She suffers a head injury and gets amnesia and finds out she is pregnant while imprisoned.
  • The hero finds her, but she does not recognise him.
  • The hero claims her and they are married in a traditional Christian ceremony.
  • Heroine gives birth to their child – a girl  – and regains her memory.

 Other plot twists

  • Heroine’s brother is fighting in the war.  He secretly marries a Native American Indian known to the family.  Heroine’s brother is killed in the war, and his wife dies in childbirth, and the heroine cares for their child – a son named Andrew (I think) after his father (the heroine’s brother).
  • One particularly gruesome scene where a preacher is tortured and burned.

344Q: Fruit and Vegetable Creations to Entice Reluctant Child

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I am looking for a children’s book from the 1980s/90s era about a young boy left at home with a babysitter. He hates eating anything healthy and complains about the sitter wanting him to eat apples, carrots, etc until she shows him that you can make it fun and create animals and other creatures with the fruits and veggies. The back of the book had photos and instructions for making your own creations.

344P: Red Haired Princess Must Kill Mother With Ceremonial Dagger

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I’m searching for the title of a young adult fantasy book about a Celtic princess with red hair, who in order to become queen must kill her mother with a their ceremonial dagger, according to their tradition. I thought the title was QUEEN’S BLADE or WITCH'S BLADE, but I haven’t had any luck locating the book. I also think the princess had a Roman father. Any help you can provide is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

344O: Children’s picture book about girl who dances with shadows

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Looking for a children’s picture book about a girl who lives in a village (likely indigenous, maybe based on cliff dwellers?). The villagers see scary shadows on the walls of the cliff they live at the bottom of and thinks they are monsters. Eventually the girl climbs to the top of the cliff (maybe with a grass? ladder) and discovers that the shadows weren’t monsters, but friendly (people or animals, can’t remember.) I read this book as a kid around 2000, my grandparents had bought it, so likely published between like 1990 and early 2000s. They’d traveled to Australia and American Southwest, and I think book was purchased one of those places. It was a hardcover with full color illustrations. Tried googling key words but can’t find it so far, help!

344M: Historical Women Biographies For Kids

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During the 1968-69 school year, when I was in fourth grade, I read a series of biographies on famous historical women from my school library. The ones I remember are Harriet Tubman, Joan of Arc, Florence Nightingale, and Clara Barton, but I think there were others as well. I believe they were hardcover in the style of Nancy Drew books, but possibly a different size. I’ve found many books about these women on Ebay from that time frame, but none that “match” as parts of a series. Does anyone recognize this book series? Thank you for any assistance.

344L: Brother and Sister Run Amuck Through Restaurant

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My book Stumper is a children’s book that I predict comes from the 90s (even 80s maybe). I had it read to me everyday when I was a kid (I’m 22 now).

I have no idea what it’s called, but the cover depicts night time (Navy blue) with a restaurant illustration! I remember the book being rather large and rectangle (long). To give you a visualization, it sort of resembles Van Gogh's “Cafe Terrace at Night” painting!

The book follows a brother and a sister who run amuck through the restaurant - they run through the chefs kitchen and hide under the tables. They also do a lot of magic tricks. I vividly remember a white rabbit in a hat and the extending handkerchiefs!

The girl has black hair in a short haircut, and I can’t remember what the brother looks like.

I suspect that it’s not a popular childrens book as I’ve looked at countless lists and it’s never been there!

If you can find this book, I will be beyond happy. I have literally been searching for it for YEARS!

344K: Love Stories Around the World

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Daughter of the Sun (I thought) was the title.

The book was given by my great grandmother to my mother. My mother is now 60 for reference.
The book was bound in a green fabric with gold accents.
The book was three separate love stories in one book .
Story 1
The first story was Daughter of a Sun. Main characters name is Charlie (Charlotte).  Charlie’s father disappears in the mountains and she ends up backpacking with a former student of her fathers through the mountains to solve the mysterious disappearance of her father. They end up finding her father who lives with a lost civilization. Takes place in South America.
 
Story 2  
 
Woman is an antiques appraiser and falls in love with an engaged client and helps the family find the missing will – that I believe was hidden in a door stop. Takes place in Europe.
 
Story 3
 
Gill has arranged marriage with one brother (I think his name starts with an F) and falls in love with the other brother. She fell asleep in the wrong limo and ended up at a castle-like estate. The man she loves did a business merger with her grandfather. Lover calls her mouse. There is a problem with a landslide. Additionally, he is a race car driver. Takes place in Italy
 
This is the most important book I ever read because it came from my great grandmother. I have no idea who wrote it or if it is even possible to find. I would be humbled by any help.