Category Archives: YA (grades 7-9)

358L: “Baby” Doll Can Be Adopted After All

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I’m looking for a young adult book about:

Young mother with 2 girls, they lost their house to a fire, and therefore lost everything including their dolls and toys. I remember these phrases “Maybe a mouse in a box of matches”, and “I’ve got both my girls.”  They stay with relatives/friends and the girls have to sleep on an old sofa that due to the springs it is uncomfortable and creaks.

The mom finds a job as a cleaner in a motel/hotel.  They find a new home.  Outside their new home is a crab apple tree where the girls play catch with an apple. Somebody tells them about a place where they can borrow dolls and if they take good care of the dolls, they can adopt them.  They walk with their mom to find this place. Just when they are about to give up, they find it.  

The younger girl finds a doll and names it “Baby.”  Both girls are happy and one of them says “There is so much to do now”.  The mother sews the dolls new clothes and the girls are happy. However, a neighbors dog licks off the face of “Baby” and the younger girl runs back to the place where she borrowed it from to return the doll, knowing she won’t be able to adopt it.

So, now she won’t be able to join her sister in the adoption party. At the end of the story, the doll “Baby” is returned to the younger girl, all fixed up with a new face.  The man said because the younger girl showed responsibility with the doll by immediately bringing it back to the place where she picked it out, she is allowed to adopt it. This happened at the very end of the adoption party.

358E: All About the World War

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I recall there was a book I read when I believe I was about 8 or 9 years old which I really enjoyed but forgot the name. It was about a World War (can’t remember if it was the first or second) and it was made in a way (cover, text) which was mainly for children/young adults but was also suitable for adults. I remember the cover of the book looking somewhat childish – a yellow cover or something?
Also, the author’s name was mentioned right before the book title which was something like, ‘All about the War’. So for example, if the author’s name was John Smith, it would be, ‘John Smith’s All About The War’ book, if that makes sense. I also believe the author was British/English.
There is also one page which I very clearly remember. There was an image of a man and a woman wearing military dress and the text next to it was written by the author and said, ‘this was my mother and father during the war (again, unsure which one the book was about) who served in the RAF.

357V: Traveling between the realms

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It’s been bugging me for a while. This is a young adult book from my childhood likely read between 2006 and 2010 from my school library.
It’s a fantasy book and the cover has flames on it with (I think) electric blue writing on it (like literal lightning font).
My very rough description: there’s a group of people traveling between realms (sort of like heaven and hell).
I’m so sorry that’s all I have!

357T: Three Interwoven Rings

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Would you please help me find this book?

The main character (could have been a girl) and a father who traveled to far off places or jungles a lot brought home a wooden crate and inside was a seraph. And it was in the attic or the main character played in the attic. Maybe someone was sick or dying in the hospital throughout the book. At the end something about three interconnected or interwoven rings.

I checked it out from a middle school library in the 1980s. It would’ve been a newer looking book at the time. That’s all I can remember.

357O: Scandinavian folk tale collection (Solved!)

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I am looking for a book that was a series of short stories or collection of Scandinavian (?) folk tales. It could possibly be classified as young adult but likely for a younger age range (10-14). The usual searches (Norwegian, Swedish, Scandinavian folktales) have not turned up the book, so perhaps it was a collection of general folk/magical themed stories. There were pictures throughout book. They were not in a cartoon style but drawn and I believe one picture showed a cave and/or beach. I only remember these drawings being in black and white. There was at least one story about the sea. The version I had was paperback. Cover art: White background, young girl (face of a young girl). It is was nymph like, or some type of fairy. Very g-rated. There was some green on the cover. It was more modern looking than the usual cover art for Nordic folk tale books, however, an overall flowy feel to the cover. Timing: I received it sometime between 1998-2002. It was likely purchased in Canada at either McNally’s Robinson bookstore or an independent seller.

357I: A 1960’s book about a lost lamb

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Looking for a fiction YA (perhaps adult) book from the early to mid 60’s that I read in junior high. I was given the book as a present. It’s about a lamb that gets lost in a forest/jungle. I remember that it had a jaguar, panther or puma that befriended the lamb and helped keep it safe. There were no illustrations that I recall; strictly text. It was a fairly long novel, about the length of the Harry Potter novels. The book had a green hardcover with the lamb and trees on it. I want to say that the lamb on the cover was black, but can’t be sure. Does anyone remember this book? I know it sounds vaguely like The Jungle Book, but that really isn’t it.

356Y: No Silverware

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I don't remember the actual book title but here are some details that I remember: 1) I read it around middle school 2) It has a female protagonist 3) The plot involves a girl or young woman who gets lost at sea and winds up on a mysterious island where time doesn't exist and people don't use silverware. 4) Eventually she is found and returned to her family but the island seems to have disappeared, and she can't remember how to use forks anymore. 5) If I remember correctly it was either a middle grade or young adult book, and was most likely published before 2006.

356I: Seeking the name of a YA book from the 80s

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So there’s this YA book I read as a kid that I’ve been trying to figure out for years. Here’s what I know/remember about it:

*It was about a girl, age 9ish-12ish, who was an only child.

*Her mom gets pregnant, which I don’t think the kid was thrilled about, but mom has a stillbirth or miscarriage.

*There’s a scene where mom comes home from the hospital after losing the baby and the girl is cuddling with her and there’s a rather detailed description of what the mom’s tummy feels like now that there’s no longer a baby in it.

*There’s also a scene where the girl’s aunt is babysitting her, I think while mom is in the hospital, and the aunt takes the girl to a bar for dinner where the aunt’s boyfriend’s band plays. The girl orders spaghetti and a chocolate shake. I remember this because it blew my mind at the time and sounded like the best dinner ever.

*I THINK there may have been another book to the story, wherein the mom winds up having another healthy baby.

*It was written in the 70s or 80s.

*I read it sometime in the late 80s.

*It was similar in style to a Beverly Cleary or Judy Blume, but I DON’T think it was written by either of them or by any of the other really well known children’s authors of that time.

*I am NOT thinking of the Anastasia Krupnik series.

That’s it. Any ideas? There’s no particular reason for me trying to remember, except that it pops into my head every once in a while and drives me bananas.

355V: 1970s Judy Blumesque YA Novel

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I’m sure I got this book from Weekly Reader in the early 80s but was probably published in the 70s. Opens with protagonist making a homemade costume for school with spray painted gold boots and a sword. I think I remember parents getting a divorce. I remember main character going into his parents’ bedroom looking for help with costume and mom getting dressed and getting a run in her pantyhose and saying, “Damn!” which I perceived as scandalous as may mother would never use such language - ha! Protagonist has an older high school age brother who is enamored with girlfriend and their song is “Stairway to Heaven”.