I’ve been looking for a childhood book that I loved from the 1960s or early 1970s, I think. I was about a prince who didn’t want to kill a dragon. The name of the prince may have been “Guy”. I think the dragon loved ice cream. The illustrations were only 2-color, maybe green and brown. Do you know what it was?
All I know at this moment: I know it was fantasy. There were characters named something similar to Demonicus (evil dragon sorcerer, quite powerful) and Heregio (evil fire sorcerer). In addition, I know the main character, a boy, lives in the modern world and works in a library or bookstore, or his parents own it, but he then travels to a fantasy world (I am not sure about the detail) and lives a life there? Eventually, falling in love with the daughter of the evil dragon sorcerer. I also remember that at one point in the book, that daughter comes with the main character to the real world, where he’s in an awkward position as his real girlfriend is also there.
I know that the tone was likely relatively dark? and the story itself quite intense, but I am not quite certain.
I also remember that somewhere in the middle, there was a clash between Heregio and the protagonist, but the protagonist survived, and Demonicus actually beat Heregio for betrayal.
It’s a book I read about 8 years ago in print from my local library in Dutch (likely a translation from another language)… I was still in primary school, but I read anything fantasy. I have been searching for this book for years, and it’s frustrating me I can’t find it.
I came across a website called “what to do when you can’t remember the title of a long lost children’s book” and I used their guide to scrape the inside of my skull for details to give your group-mind.
Now, I’m only assuming the title of the book is “Dragon of the Mountain,” but I could be mistaken. That’s just… what the book was about, and since nothing comes up on Google or Amazon, I’m probably mistaken. Maybe it was Tears of the Dragon, or who knows, uh, Dragon Mountain and How the River Came To Be or…. take a guess and yours is as good as mine, honestly. So, here are my scrapings:
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STORY–Write down what you do know about the story.
It’s about an Asian (Chinese? Japanese? I don’t know where, just somewhere in Asia…) folk tale of a village that lives in fear of the Dragon of the Mountain, except for one little boy who goes up to visit the dragon, because he thinks the dragon must be very lonely, and then the dragon starts to weep with joy, and floods the land, and the boy is going to drown, but the dragon takes him on his back and they float down the river of tears together, and the dragon turns into a boat, and sacrifices himself to save the boy.
Do you remember character names or where the story took place?
The title character is the dragon, and it takes place somewhere in pre-industrial Asia. Can’t be more specific than that.
Were there anthropomorphized animals in the story?
Only the dragon, insomuch as he was able to speak and reason. He was still fully a dragon, of course.
Do you think the person reading the story to you may have “improvised” a bit?
No one read the story to me, but given that it is a folk-tale, I would assume the author probably did.
ILLUSTRATIONS–What do you remember about the illustrations?
Were they colorful or monotone?
Very colorful illustrations!
Very detailed or line drawings?
I have the impression in my mind that they were watercolors, but that might just be because of the subject matter, with all the tears and the flooding and the boat and it being an Asian story.
Did they fill the page or just accompany the text?
Just like a Dr. Seuss book.
Do they remind you of any specific illustrator or artist’s style?
Uh, watercolors. They were beautiful watercolors, at least in my mind’s eye they are.
BOOK FEATURES–Physical features are important, too: was the book you read hardback or paperback?
It was hardback.
Was it a picture book or chapter book?
It was a picture book.
What color were the covers?
My memory is extremely vague on this, but I remember a predominantly maroon-ish feeling. I honestly never paid much attention to the cover, I was interested in the inside, not the outside.
Was there a dust jacket?
I don’t remember one, but I don’t have dust jackets from any of my books from back then.
How big was the book?
Similar to a standard Little Golden Book or Dr. Seuss Book.
Were the pages glossy or matte?
I believe they were glossy.
MEMORIES–Personal information is also helpful. How old were you when you remember reading the book and what year was it?
I’m pretty sure I had it at least by the age of eight, which would be 1979.
Were you able to read it yourself or did you need someone to read it to you?
I read it entirely on my own.
Do you think it was a book bought for you at the time or was it a hand-me-down from an older sibling or a parent?
I believe it was bought for me, though I could be mistaken.
Was it borrowed from a public library for you to read?
No, I owned it.
Did you read it in school or at home?
It was my own book, I read it at home.
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I just would love, as all your customers would, to be reunited with my old friend.
Looking for a fantasy book probably published before 1995, with a female protagonist, some form of princess I think. Early in the book she is caught in some sort of maze and manages to get out with some sort of dimensional (vorpal) sword? But the thing I definitely remember is that in the end she slays a dragon and collects the last drop of its heart’s blood as some sort of magical stone. Thanks!
I don’t know how you guys do with a series compared to single books, as this may be memory of the plot being tied to all the books, but I will try to order what I can remember as I go. If I were to guess I’d say there’s between 3 and 6 books.
I was in elementary school in the 70s and I remember reading what I think was an early chapter book series with a boy and his purple dragon/dinosaur/monster. The illustrations in my memory were very minimalist and had a Quentin Blake feel to them but I’ve researched Quentin Blake’s work and don’t see it listed. The dragon/dinosaur/monster was very tall, definitely purple, and walked on two legs. I have a vivid memory of the boy riding on its shoulders. I don’t remember anything about the plot except they seemed somewhat surreal (maybe?) so I don’t know if the creature was real or imaginary. It’s possible the series was school literature only (not mass market published).
Looking for a children's fantasy novel about a poor boy working at a circus who rescues a Chinese girl with bound feet who's a prisoner in one of the attractions. Takes place in medieval Europe, I think. They're on the run and get rescued by a witch or an old woman who heals the girl's feet by breaking the bones and then teaches her how to walk again. The boy and the girl go on a quest together. There may be a dragon involved. Wasn't a picture book and it had chapters. Read it between 2002 and 2008, but was probably published way earlier. Wish I had more info, thanks!
1960s? children's book, full-page B&W illustrations except for red dragon, boy feeds dragon with big appetite with coal, possibly takes place in UK or Wales.
I read the book in grade school in the early 80's.
I remember it’s a mystery book where kids visiting a lake look for a treasure. In the end, the treasure turns out to be worthless confederate money. One scene I remember vividly: The boy is tricked by the girl to swim to the bottom of the lake with his snorkel and look up. She claims it’s a beautiful view. When he does so, the protective valve on the snorkel opens and water floods into his mouth.
I also seem to recall a dragon on the lake at night, but it’s made of paper and burns up from the candles used to illuminate it. It is possible, however, that this memory might be from another book…
Here are the details of a book my dad read around 1960 (possibly as late as 1963, but unlikely).
Plot elements: A boy (named maybe Ling or Lo, or a hyphenated name with one of those syllables) goes on a long quest collecting golden dragon scales that in the end fit together like a puzzle and make a dragon.
Genre: kids chapter book
Publish date: likely late 40’s early 50’s (my dad’s best guess—it was a library book)
Physical description of book: blue cloth hardcover
Illustrations: he remembers an illustrative motif of cranes, like on chapter headings maybe
Some books he claims it is NOT that I’ve found:
Many thanks for whatever you can do! I’ll at least know I tried my best after gnawing this bone for decades.