An illustrated children’s book written before the 1970’s. Detailed fairy tale style color pictures of magical box containing singing heart. Read at library in WA state in 70’s.
Tag Archives: fairy tales
365B: Fractured Fairytale from the 80s
I’m looking for a book that my mom read to me in the mid-late 80s. In it was a man named Hans, maybe a handyman. Had a red beard in the story. It was a collection of fractured fairytales. The most remembered story was about a princess or queen who melted. I cannot find it anywhere and hope you can help.
362Q: Old Fairytale Collection
I am looking for a fairytale collection that I remember from my youth. My mom bought them for us in the 1950s and my stepmother has thrown them out. Sorry, I do not have the title. Here is what I remember: There was a set of three books. The cover was hard-bound and cream-colored. Each book had a small colored panel on the spine. One green, one red and one brown. I recall that they contained “The Princess and the Pea”, “Rapunzel” and “Rutabaga Tale” I would love to buy these treasured tomes if anyone has them.
357O: Scandinavian folk tale collection (Solved!)
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.
352L: Storybook with Dragons, Circuses, Witches, The House that Jack Built
I seem to have misplaced my favorite storybook from my childhood. So here is your challenge. It includes the rhyming story "The house that Jack built." The cover is blue with red lettering and a white bearded wizard. It is at least 25 years old. Hardbacked. There are stories of dragons and circuses, and witches.
346X: Fairy Tale Collection From Pre-1950’s Era
343F: Fairy Tale Collection With Golden Cover
Looking for a children's fairy tale hardcover collection with golden/yellow cover. I think it had a "realistic" illustration on the front or back, of a sleeping kitten on an open book. Contains stories such as Tinderbox, Why The Sea is Salt, Ugly Duckling, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi.
340N: Fairy Tale Anthology, Blue Cloth Cover, 12 Dancing Princesses
I had a collection of fairytales in 1990-1995, though it may have been published prior to that (c. 1980-90). It had a royal/dark blue cloth cover with a small, embossed-gold pegasus in the center of the cover (possibly with children riding the pegasus).
The collection was rather thick (perhaps a half inch) and contained at least 20 stories. Each story was illustrated with at least one color illustration on each page (some small alongside the text and some full page). There were different illustrators throughout. The text was regular-sized font.
I specifically remember these stories, though there were more (I’ve listed the more rare first):
- The Twelve Dancing Princesses (I specifically remember the exquisite illustrations of the prince breaking off a branch of the silver tree)
- The Snow Queen (illustrations of Kay and Gerta with the penny on the window, the snow queen in her carriage driving away, the garden of flowers Gerta visits, and her red shoes)
- The Water Babies
- The Little Match Girl
- Cinderella
- Rapunzel (an incredible full-page illustration of the witch’s garden)
- The Sleeping Beauty (illustrations of thickets of thorns, sleeping kitchen maids)
- Rumpelstiltskin
- The Frog Prince
- Hansel and Gretel
- Jack and the Beanstalk
- There may have been some Aesop’s fables as well, but there my memory gets hazy.
325D: Huge Book of Bedtime Fairy Tales
My book of bedtime stories? Huge light blue book with pictures of the characters on front and inside the cover. Beautiful thick pages with each first letter having vines/ flowers. One fairy tale was about a poor boy who had to do heaps of tasks in order to marry the king’s daughter. Like row a boat on land and catch heaps of rabbits? Ect. I think another story may have been called Princess Gloria. She was locked in a dungeon and had to sort through millions of coloured threads. Another story was called The Fountain of Youth. And I think The Little Match Girl was also in this book. Please, please help me find this book. I have been searching for it for 20 years. So looking forward to hearing from you.
322B: A Sea Princess Riding a Great Dane (Solved)
Looking for a children’s book we used to get from public library. Dewey number in the 300s/fairy and folk tale section. The story involved a sea king’s daughter and a tea party? The end pages had a black line with color washes drawing of the sea princess (with crown/long wavy hair) riding a Great Dane type dog (with antenna.) Another illustration was an underwater scene with anemone and a glass palace. We read the book in the mid to late 90s. No idea when it was published. Do not think this was a mermaid tale. The artwork was subtle & lovely, not brash or cartoonish. Do not recall if there were other stories in the book.