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Chiang Yee, Dabbitse, 1955

There's a chance this may be Daddy's Birthday Cake (Rand McNally,'53), by Miss Frances (Frances Horwich) of Ding Dong School fame. The Ding Dong School books resemble Golden Books.

F71 fairy/robin: could be Wild Robin, written and illustrated by Susan Jeffers,  published Penguin and Dutton 1976, pbk edition 1986 "Wild Robin, a lazy and unruly boy, longs for home after he is captured by the fairies, but he must wait to be rescued by his brave and loving sister." The story is based on one from Little Prudy's Fairy Book, and is a reworking of Tam Lin, where a young man is stolen by the fairies and rescued by his pregnant lover, Janet.
Jeffers, Susan, Wild Robin, illustrated by author, NY Dutton 1976.  The names are reversed, but this has a similar story. Robin is a wild and lazy young boy who is stolen by the fairies and rescued by his loving sister. I haven't read it so can't say about the carving, but it sounds worth checking out.
Margaret Greaves, The dagger and the bird : a story of suspense, 1975.  It could be this, but I haven't read it to know for sure.  There is no Birdie, though.  "When Luke and Bridget discover a changeling in their family, they set out for the mysterious fairy world to find their real brother."
The girl's name is different, but maybe this will ring a bell:  The dagger and the bird : a story of suspense / Margaret Greaves  Laszlo Kubinyi, 1975  New York : Harper & Row. "When Luke and Bridget discover a changeling in their family, they set out for the mysterious fairy world to find their real brother."
Margaret Greaves (author), Laszlo Kubinyi (illustrator), The Dagger and the Bird: A Story of Suspense, 1971.  The book is NOT Wild Robin, as was previously suggested. That is a fairly short picture book, there are only two siblings instead of three, the abducted boy is not replaced by a changeling, and the girl does not have a carved wooden robin.  This is definitely The Dagger and the Bird: A Story of Suspense.  It's a children's book with fifteen chapters, but it's only 133 pages long.  The girl's name is Bridget, but her nickname is Biddy---easy to confuse with Birdie, because "biddy" is another name for a hen.  Bridget's elder brother, Luke, makes the carved bird for Bridget's birthday, but accidentally cuts his finger and stains its breast with his blood.  Bridget's younger brother, Simon, is emotionally unstable and vicious, and refuses to go near their blacksmith father's forge because he is a changeling and cannot abide cold iron.  When Bridget and Luke discover Simon's secret, they all travel to the world of the fairies to recover the real Simon, who was abducted in infancy.

Damon
A young boy is seen by a female therapist or psychiatrist. He is acting out and uses foul language - he might be evil?  He possibly acts older than he is, making suggestive remarks to her. I believe the book I am looking for is Adult Fiction, but I'm not sure, because I was reading the book in the 7th grade in 1982 and therefore it could be young adult fiction.  If you prefer not to publish my query based on me not knowing if it is adult or young adult, I would understand that and you can keep the $2 with my compliments, either way -- I think you provide a wonderful service.  If you decide not to publish, please let me know so I know not to look for it.   Thank you in advance.

Terry Cline, Damon: a novel of sexual possession, 1975.
Raymond Feist, Faerie Tale, 1989. Ray Feist had a dark fantasy novel about a family who had a baby who was switched out by the faeries. The evil doppleganger left in his place did things that were totally out of place and inappropriate for his age (5 or 6, as I remember), and greatly shocked a nurse trying to help him.

Solved: C. Terry Cline, Damon, 1975. I'm positively delighted to report that the title is indeed "Damon" by C. Terry Cline! After all these years of hunting, I am overjoyed to finally have the book in my hands.  That was $2 well spent, if you ask me.  My hearty thanks to you for your service and to all those people who are kind enough to take the time to read the site and provide guesses.

This must be your book.  Terhune is best known for his dog stories, but he wrote some other animal stories too.
Terhune, Albert.  The Story of Damon and Pythias.  <SOLD>
A lady asked about a book with two deer named Damon and Pythias. The book she is searching for is DOUBLE CHALLENGE written by Jim Kjelgaard in the 1940s.

Dance, Dance, Amy-Chan!
A picture book I read around 1975, but may have been older.  A little Asian girl (possibly Japanese, but I am not certain) is the main character, and one of the things she does is practice several different traditional dances with other little girls (maybe preparing to perform at a festival of some kind?).  One of the dances is a "butterfly" dance.

Is the book poetry or prose?  If it's poetry and there's also a section where the girl talks about being a nurse, I'm searching for the title too!  My copy never had a cover---we always called it "the Ling book" but I don't think that has any relation to the actual title.
Hawkinson, Lucy, Dance, Dance, Amy-Chan! 1964.  I am the one who posted this stumper, but I have found the answer myself.  Amy and her little sister Susie visit their Japanese grandparents in an American city, where they prepare to dance in a street festival.  Amy misses the beginning of the dancing when Susie is lost and she must find her, but makes it back in time to perform her favorite dance, the "butterfly dance".

One Fainting Robin? in Dancers, Dancers, Dancers. Are you sure it was a whole book, not a short story?  I remember one story in the book Dancers, Dancers, Dancers, called "One Fainting Robin", and I'm almost
sure it was about a young girl who has to stop dancing after an injury/accident, and decides to teach/do choreography.  It may not be what you're looking for, but the story is similar.
Lee Wyndham, "Susie" series: A Dance for Susie etc. 1950's or 60's.  I am certain the book you are describing is one of the Susie books by Lee Wyndham. Susie is an American girl studying ballet and befriends a French ballet family and  in the process they teach her Labanotation. These books hardback are almost impossible to find and quite pricey but Scholastic reprinted these in the 60's and these are more readily available.
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Story about young ballet student - 2 books in series, I think - one about dancing in the nutcracker and one about ballet notation systems.

B197  This is the Susie series by Lee Wyndham---it's on the solved mysteries page, which I remembered because there
aren't that many books on labonotation!

A Dance to Still Music
I read this young adult book in the 80's. I only remember a deaf girl who swam alot in a swimming hole. There was a boy who played a guitar and they became friends. That's all I can remember.

Barbara Corcoran, A Dance to Still Music, 1974. I think this is the book you're looking for. Margaret is recently deaf, and she runs away because she doesn't want to go to a school for the deaf.  She ends up in (this is where my memory gets vague) the Florida Keys, on a houseboat with someone who plays guitar. (I thought it was an older woman though.)  There's definitely a boy in it though, who helps her out.

SOLVED: Barbara Corcoran, A Dance to Still Music. That's it! thank you so much.

#D44:  Try Phyllis Reid Fenner as editor.  All her anthologies had the title word repeated three times.
Re D 44 - thanks, and that's a logical suggestion, but unfortunately, I cannot find anything by Phyllis Reid Fenner having anything to do with dance!  So I'm still looking....
I found the book!  Well, actually, someone else found it for me, for which I am very grateful.  It's Dancers, Dancers, Dancers by Lee Wyndham.

Dancers of Tomorrow
Girl (named Anne?) auditions for and attends Royal Ballet School.  Hardcover, black/white photos of actual students at the school. Students' hands x-rayed to see if they'll grow too tall.  Students also learn academic subjects.  Teachers says ballet terms are French, which will help them learn French.  The girl joins the Royal Ballet's corps de ballet.  She's afraid her folks won't recognize her on stage.  Her mother says, "I would know you if you had a bag over your head."  It's not A Young Person's Guide to the Ballet, Ballet Shoes, A Very Young Dancer, or The First Book of the Ballet.  I don't think it's by Rumer Godden, either.

Naomi Capon, Dancers of Tomorrow: The Story of a Girl's Training at the Royal Ballet School, 1957. "An account of the training program at the Royal Ballet School (formerly Sadler's Wells), written by the producer of the B.B.C. television ballet program. The author has interwoven information and fiction with great skill: the story of Ann Blake' s training is absorbing reading, but it could be the story of any student. From the first examination of a group of aspirants, through the years of hard work in dancing, theater arts and academic subjects, there emerges an impressive picture of preparation for a career as exacting as it is exciting. The many photographs taken at the School are illuminating and illustrative." (Bulletin of the Centre for Children's Books)
SOLVED: Naomi Capon , Dancers of Tomorrow, 1957. I'm almost certain that this is the book.   Thanks to whoever posted this answer.  Do you have a copy?  I'd like to order it through Loganberry.  I really appreciate this site's help.
Wonderful news! We will be in touch about getting a copy to you!

Noel Streatfield, Ballet Shoes, 1936.  Ballet Shoes tells the story of Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil, who were adopted as babies by Great Uncle Matthew (or "Gum"). Pauline was the only survivor from a shipwrecked boat, Petrova the orphaned child of a Russian couple, and Posy the daughter of a widowed ballet dancer. They are looked after by Gum's great-niece, Sylvia, and her old nurse, Nana. They go on to have success as dancers. Could this be the book?
Noel Streatfield's "Shoe" books are chapter books (for older readers), with a few black and white line-drawings (no color illustrations at all).  I doubt these are the books the requester is describing.
Hi Harriett, I know it's not Ballet Shoes (I got it from the library to see if it was the one and it is not) as this book was definitely a color picture book about a princess who takes orphans from different exotic locations to her castle where they dance with her. I appreciate the suggestion and can only hope that someone eventually might know the right answer! Thank you
SOLVED: Rudy Finst, The Dancing Queen, 1946. 2011...Four years I've been searching...A friend of my mom's finally figured out the mystery! Saw the book today, and who knew?...you can even get out of print copies on Amazon!

This doesn't answer the main request, but the book about the prince in disguise might be Frances H. Burnet's The Lost Prince.
I remember reading a young adult biography (whose title and author I don't remember) about the young Anna Pavlova, who left her poor family in order to study ballet in pre-revolutionary St Petersburg.  I wonder if this might be the same book.
M Kay, A Circling Star. Also wrote a book about girl in Russian revolution called "Masha"
Gladys Malvern, Dancing Star, 1960.  I read a young-adult biography of Anna Pavlova which sounds a lot like this, too. It was called Dancing Star - hard cover, pale blue (I think), a few line illustrations.

Don Freeman, Dandelion.  Lion gets his hair fixed to go to a party, but the hostess doesn't recognize him all dressed up.
This is definitely DANDELION by Don Freeman~from a librarian
Don Freeman, Dandelion.  I remember this one! It's by the author of Corduroy, Don Freeman. The lion has his mane done up in curlers. It was one of my little brother's favorites.
Don Freeman, Dandelion, 1964.  Are you thinking of this classic book, in which the usually-sloppy Dandelion the Lion decides to get himself "dandied up" for a friend's party, only to be turned away when the hostess does not recognize him all groomed and well-dressed?  It has a yellow cover and is still in print.
Don Freeman, Dandelion
Don Freeman, author and illustrator, Dandelion, 1964.  Dandelion the lion decides to gussy himself up for Jennifer Giraffe's Tea and Taffy Party.  He gets a haircut and manicure and wears a spiffy new coat, and is turned away from the party when the hostess doesn't recognize him!  As the stumper requester remembers, the cover of the book is yellow.
This sounds like Dandelion by Don Freeman.  The lion gets all dolled up for a party, but then no one recognizes him.  I believe this book is still being published. Hope this helps.
I just want to thank you and your users for solving my submitted stumper! When researching the author, Don Freeman, I saw that he also wrote ANOTHER of my favorite childhood books – Mop Top. The wonderful memories of sitting in my room as a little girl and reading for hours come rushing back. I’m thrilled to be able to share these books with my daughters!  Again, you provide an amazing service and I thank you so very much!

Here's what I found: Rankin, Carroll Watson. Illustrated by Mary Stevens. DANDELION COTTAGE. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York, 1966. "When Bettie and Jeanie, Mabel and Marjory dug the dandelions from the lawn of the little square cottage near the church they earned the right to use the cottage as their own for a whole summer. And an eventful one it was in the Northern Michigan village on Lake  Superior.."
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Probably 20 years ago or so, I read a book that I remember that I really loved.. and for years I have tried to find it.. so I thought that I would ask you guys if you remember reading it. Problem is, I can only remember the gist of it, and bits and pieces.. any of this sound familiar?  I *think* 4 girls, young teenagers find an abandoned house, and turn it into a club house. I can remember them cleaning it up, because it had been abandoned for years. One bit that I remember is one of the girls trying to sweep the floor, but it was so dusty that dirt was flying everywhere. She discovered that if she sprinkled just a bit of water, then the dust didn't fly so much.  I seem to remember them hanging up red and white checkered curtains, and several pictures to hide cracks and holes in the walls.  And also something about them hosting a dinner party in the new clubhouse for their parents.. they cooked everything in the house, and invited their parents over. All of this was over summer vacation.  This is not Foxfire by Joyce Oates, I've checked that one.  Any other ideas?

Kathryn Kenny, Trixie Belden:  Secret of the Mansion.  might be a Trixie Belden.  The first one of the seires has the Bob-White Club fixing up an old building
Elizabeth Enright, Gone Away Lake, 1957.  This sounds a lot like Elizabeth Enright's Gone Away Lake (a Newbery Honor book)....all the details you mention are there, but while there are four children, they're not all girls. The story takes place during the summer when a girl and her younger brother are visiting a cousin...they discover a small resort town of (mostly) abandoned houses by a lake that has gone away(its marshland now). You might remember the elderly brother and sister who are now the sole inhabitants of the "town", or the children dressing up in old fashioned evening clothes, or the younger brother getting stuck in the marsh. Hope this helps! (and just an fyi...there was also a sequel, called Return to Gone Away Lake).
Carroll Watson Rankin, Dandelion Cottage, 1966, reprint. I bet it's this one.  Four young teens (Bettie, Jeane, Mabel and Marjory) have their eye on a cottage owned by a church -- they'd like to use it as a play house.  But there's a catch -- they have to weed the lawn, which is covered with dandelions.  The house is also dirty and in bad repair -- it does contain a scene the girls "sprinkle" the dust with Aunty's watering can before sweeping.  They have many adventures in the house, but the plot mostly centers on inviting Mr. Black (the town banker) and Mrs. Crane (a widow) to dinner.  Unbeknownst to the girls, the two are actually estranged siblings and the whole town is pulling for their reunion.  This is a terrific and very touching book!
This isn't Secret of the Mansion but it might be a subsequent Trixie Beldon book. In the Gatehouse Mystery - the third in the series - teens Trixie, her two older brothers and friends Honey and Jim discover an abandoned gatehouse and plan to fix it up for a club house. But first they must solve the mystery of a diamond they found in the gatehouse's dirt floor. It's been many years since I read this series but I'm certain they didn't get around to fixing up the gatehouse in this book, though, but they do eventually.
Rankin, Dandelion Cottage, circa 1904.  This sounds a little like Dandelion Cottage.  Four girls, neighbors, are given permission to use a small cottage (after weeding dandelions from the front lawn).  They clean it, fix it up, briefly rent it to a young woman, almost lose it to a pushy girl (new neighbor), and ultimately have a dinner party.
Christine Govan, The Curious Clubhouse, 1967.  If there were boys involved as well as girls, this could be it.  There was a mystery involving a sinister looking portrait in the old house.  The children found the old house when their parents told them to find someplace to put all of their collections of toys, junk, etc.  There was  a party for the parents at the end.

I was reading one of the solved stumpers about a book that is published where I work!  The book about four girls and the little cottage they get to have as a playhouse after pulling all of the dandelions out of the yard is called Dandelion Cottage.  You definitely got that right!  I just wanted to let you know it is still in print and available through the Marquette County History Museum.  The author lived in Marquette and wrote the story for her daughter and friends.  There actually is a Dandelion Cottage in town which inspired the story.  It still stands today!  If anyone is interested in the book or wants any more information about it, check out our website, marquettecohistory.org

Worm, Piet. (1958). Three Little Horses: Blackie, Brownie and Whitey.  New York: Random House. It's from the Dandelion Library collection.  Each book contained two stories printed back-to-back but upside-down, so that the book actually has two covers.  The flip side of the Worm book is a story about a hippo called Veronica by Roger Duvoisin.   I used to have three or four of them, although I can only find the one containing the stories by Worm and Duvoisin. The reader is right in remembering a Babar story in one of the books.
H23: Horses in split books -- The split book series were the Dandelion Flip Books. The THREE LITTLE
HORSES-BLACKIE, BROWNIE, AND WHITEY book had VERONICA on the flip side and were by Roger Duvoisin and Piet Worm.
H-23 - I don't know the name of the series, but the second story that is described, with the crow and the reiteration of "...in the garden," is probably L. Leslie Brooke's Johnny Crow's Garden.  Perhaps one could work backward and find out in what books that story has been anthologized and get an answer that way.

Hmmm, looks like this might be a hard nut to crack.  i am writing to share with you that I sent the inquiry to the Bookshare volunteers and you would be surprised (or not) to know how many immediately thought i was referring to Lord of the Flies.  This is partly because in trying to discuss my reading of the book i mentioned that the talking book was narrated by William gladden, whereupon they confused that with author William Golding! I had tried to be specific about names, and I even threw in another detail about condensed milk, but I suspect most of the guessers hadn't read Lord of the Flies in quite some time if at all.  Or perhaps they just don't trust my memory, at which i take no offense, not trusting it all that much myself.  Mr. golding wrote a far more compelling and horrifying book than the mystery one we're looking for; this is just a nice little sea adventure where eventually everyone lives happily ever after and nobody gets his brains scattered over the beach.  Still, it's fascinating to me that my description led to this interesting conclusion.
A search in the National Library Service website for books narrated by William Gladden showed two anthologies of sea stories: True tales of the South Seas (Selected and edited by A. Grove Day and Carl Stroven, 1966) and Post true stories of daring and adventure (selected by the editors of the Saturday Evening Post, 1967). The titles in the second one sounded more like WWII stories, while the first contained stories by several famous 'sea tale' authors. This story may be in one of those anthologies.
Sorry, but F189 is not a short story and not included in an anthology to my knowledge,  it is an independent novel.  Also, the young men are wearing oilskins during part of the book if that helps any.  I don't think there was any reference to World War II or any other, but that's debatable.
 Danger Rock, 1960.
Richard Armstrong, Danger Rock, 1960. The person who suggested this title was right.  I found a copy and am reading it now.  I had begun to give up hope but should never underestimate the readers who flock to this site.  Many thanks!  It's great to have this exciting sea adventure to enjoy all over again.

This is Robert Daley, The Dangerous Edge (S&S,'83). The "master criminal" responsible for the heist, Alberto Spaggiari, also wrote an account, Fric-Frac: the Great riviera Bank Robbery ('79). (The film, The Great Riviera Bank Robbery, also came out in '79).  The robbery takes place in Nice; Spaggiari engineered similar heists in Marseilles & Nice.

I6: This was a Weekly Reader Book Club book called something like Dangerous Island...can't think of author.  (late 1950's - 1960.)
Mindlin, Helen Mather-Smith. Dangerous Island. New York: Dodd,Mead & Co., 1956. Weekly Reader Book Club
A bit more information on the suggested title:Helen Mather-Smith Mindlin Dangerous Island NY, Dodd, Mead, 1956, Weekly Reader Children's Book Club Edition, 178 pages. Illustrated by Manning de V. Lee. "When three young children are carried out to sea on a raft, they become modern day Robinson Crusoes on a remote island. They discover buried treasure too."
Wow!  That question was months ago!  Imagine my surprise to get an answer now.  Thanks for the information.  I'll see if I can find a copy of the book, to confirm that it really is the story I was trying to remember.  I'll let you know if I want you to search for me.  Thanks again!!!!
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This book is about kids who are looking for shells (I think) and end up on a very small island.  They find gold bars on this island and, of course, someone else wants the gold.  At the end, a helicopter rescues the kids and the gold and the island sinks into the ocean.  I always thought it was called "The Lion's Paw", named for one of the shells they were looking for.

in reading through your list, someone's reply to T90 seems to be the answer to my stumper.  I am looking for a story about kids who are looking for shells and find an island with gold bars and they get rescued at the end by a helicopter and the island sinks.  Is this  Dangerous Island?  I don't know the plot of that book....can you help me?

Robb White, The Lion's Paw.  I'm not sure if this is the right book, but The Lion's Paw is about a boy and girl who stow away on a boat.  The girl's name is Penelope, and the owner of the boat ends up sailing someplace tropical and I think they do find treasure.  And yes, the lion's paw was a seashell.  I don't remember a sinking island, but it's been years since I read the book.
White, Robb, Illustrated by Ray, Ralph and Beck, Charles , The Lion's Paw,  1968.  You remembered the title correctly yourself, I believe... my fourth grade teacher read us "The Lion's Paw" one chapter at a time.  An online search gave this: "Ben, Penny and Nick are running away. Searching for them are Ben's uncle, the Coast Guard, everybody. Will they make good their escape? And will they find the Lion's Paw?" (must be the cover teaser.) I remember distinctly that the tide comes in and they bearly escape... thus the "sinking island".
White, Robb, The Lion's Paw, 1946.  This book has absolutely nothing to do with a sinking island.  It concerns two orphan children, Nick and Penny who stow away on another kid's (Ben's) boat. They sail across Florida to Sanibel Island where they look for a rare shell (the Lion's Paw). There is a happy ending. This is probably the most beloved Florida children's book.  It is scarce as a hardback except through librarys. Paperbacks can be found weekly on eBay for about $15.  Sorry that this doesn't solve the mystery.
I'm the person who sent in this stumper.  The book I was looking for is Dangerous Island and I found a copy. The Lion's Paw is, of course, another book I must have read as a child.  I'll try to find that one as well.  Thanks everyone.
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My stumper:  It's called either "Vanishing Island" or "Sinking Island"  I don't have a clue as to who wrote it.  It was a Weekly Reader book from the 1950's.  It's about a couple of kids who get marooned on an island they didn't know was there.  They're reduced to eating seagull eggs etc. and the island starts sinking and the tension rises -- will they be rescued in time... which of course they have to be since it was Weekly Reader in the 50s and people weren't allowed to die back then.

HRL: Mindlin, Helen Mather-Smith. Dangerous Island, 1956. See Solved Mysteries for more.
You are a marvel!!!! It's solved already and I was surprised at how many other folks were also looking for it!  It was Dangerous Island by Helen Mather-Smith, 1958.  Thanks so very very much... now I have a title etc. to go hunting a copy!
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This is a childrens book written pre-1980. The key detail is this island turns out to be slowly sinking, and the waves close over the highest rocks just as the kids are rescued. It's not Baby Island, Abel's Island or Mysterious Island.

Walter Macken, The Island of the Great Yellow Ox, 1965. Could it have been this one? There are four or five boys, captured by criminals while exploring an island. They're kept underground for the first couple days, then escape. The island is sinking, and they do get saved in the end. If it's not that one, you might check out Jane's Adventures on the Island of Peeg, by Jonathan Gathorne-Hardy. I think that one's more humorous, but I think Jane and her private school friends are also rescued from a sinking island.
Helen Mather-Smith Mindlin, Dangerous Island, 1956.You'll get a lot of responses to this one.  I'm sure it's in the Solved section as well.  Frank and Dorothy are siblings vacationing at the beach.  They meet another boy, Pug, and together they build a raft.  One day, while rafting safely in the Sound, the tidal current becomes too strong and sweeps them out to sea.  They eventually land on a tiny rocky island and manage to survive.  Naturally, a huge search-and-rescue effort is launched.  Meanwhile, the children realize the island is gradually sinking.  They are rescued just as the waves wash over the top of the island.  There's pirate treasure, too!  http://loganberrybooks.com/solved-d.html
SOLVED: Helen Mather-Smith Mindlin, Dangerous Island, 1956. That's the one! Thank you so much for the help!

D 140 This biog has quite a bit abt Simon Girty. If it helps ring bells, all of the illustrations are brown. Brown, John Mason.  Daniel Boone; the opening of the west.   illus by Lee J Ames.  Random, Landmark series, 1952. 

Stumper C5 sounds like it might be Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine by Jay Williams and Raymond Abrashkin.
I am pretty sure this is Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine by Jay Williams and Ray Abrashkin.
Congratulations !    You and your readers solved my stumper (formerly C-5), Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine.  Once armed with a title and author I was able to conduct some other online searches and found several sources for the book.  When I saw a picture of the cover, I recognized it instantly, though it's been over 35 years since I'd last seen it. I was even more pleased to learn that there was a series of Danny Dunn books, so now I will be acquiring even more.   Your service is so great because I have previously made this same request to other long-time book dealers and children's book specialists, but none had a clue.
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This book had a sci-fi flair to it, it wasn't exactly a children's book but more of a young adult's adventure kind of story.  It seemed to predict the advent of virtual reality.  The story involved a young boy who befriended a scientist who had developed a flying device with "eyes and ears".  It was in the shape of a dragonfly.  A person could control this dragonfly by wearing goggles and putting on a pair of gauntlets.  Everything the dragonfly saw could be seen through the goggles and its claws could be controlled by the gauntlet.  It was really cool because it was like you actually "were" the dragonfly.  At the end of the story the dragonfly is destroyed in a fire of some sort, because I remember the boy's hand feeling really hot.  I don't remember the author or title, but if any of you recognize this please let me know!

G3-Danny Dunn, Invisible Boy
I think I can confirm the red poster's guess on the second story as Danny Dunn, Invisible Boy by Jaw Williams and Raymond Abrashkin, illustrated by Anne Mieke, published 1974, 134 pages. "When Professor Bullfinch invented ISIT (the Invisibility Simulator with Intromittent Transmission) it seemed just as fascinating toy. For his young friend Danny Dunn and his friends Joe and Irene the 'flying' of the dragonfly-like probe opened up a whole exciting new world of experience." The cover illustration shows Danny with a motorcycle-type helmet with a visor (much like a VR helmet) and gauntlet gloves with wires leading to a box. The mechanical dragonfly hovers in the air above him. On page 125 "The clear plastic of the dragonfly's body burst into flame. It had not occurred to Dan that he would feel the pain of the burning. Involuntarily he snatched his hands away from the controls. But they were still in the gauntlets, and he could still feel the fierce, terrible heat."
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This was a funny, lighthearted book I read sometime in the 70's that would be extremely dated now and I'm sure it's long out of print.  A boy and a girl - I distinctly remember her name was Irene- have something to do with computers.  These were the giant computers of the 60's or whenever that filled entire rooms.  I remember that Irene tried to use the computer to write a homework assignment at school, but the computer produced page after page of gibberish (I guess programming code).  I have a mind picture of Irene standing at the front of the class trying to read it aloud.  Does that ring a bell for anyone?

Sounds like Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine by Jay Williams and Raymond Abrashkin.  to me.  Check out the other postings and copies for sale on the Solved Mysteries page.
Yaayy, that must be it!  Sorry I didn't see it on the solved mysteries page - I'll go back and plow through all those for more.
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There was a series of books I read in the late 70's that had a boy who was something of a scientist.  He had many adventures through the use of science and his inventions.   As I recall he lived at home on the second floor and possibly only lived with his mother.  I believe there were also a couple of friends (a boy and a girl?) who often helped him.

Jay Williams, Danny Dunn series, 1960s.  The description sounds like the Danny Dunn series
Jay Williams?,  Possibly the Danny Dunn series.
Jay Williams and Raymond Abrashkin, Danny Dunn series, 1958.  This is a series of books about a boy who lives with his mother and an inventor (Professor Bullfinch). In one story he invented a homework machine (a computer).  In another, he travels back in time.  His bedroom is on the second floor of the house he lives in.
Jay Williams, Danny Dunn and ....  try looking at the Danny Dunn series by Jay WIlliams.
Jay Williams, Danny Dunn books.  S417: Series of books about boy scientist who lives at home.
I think these are probably the Danny Dunn books--Danny Dunn and the Antigravity Paint, etc.
Jay Williams, Danny Dunn and...  early sixties.  This sounds like the Danny Dunn series. Danny and his mom live with "the professor, I think. Danny is always inventing things, like a Homework Machine. His best friends are Joe (a writer) and Irene (a scientist). Great books!
Jay Williams & Raymond Abrashkin, Danny Dunn and... (series), 1960's - '70's.  This is a possibility:  Danny Dunn lives with his mother and a science professor, Euclid Bullfinch (his mother is the professor's housekeeper  his father is long dead).  Danny and his friends, Irene Miller and Joe Pearson, get into a lot of adventures involving the professor's experiments and projects. Irene wants to become a physicist  Joe is often reluctant to follow Danny's enthusiasms, and composes poetry while he waits for disaster to strike.  Some titles are Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine (about an early computer), Danny Dunn and the Automatic House, Danny Dunn and the Anti-gravity Paint.
This sounds like the Danny Dunn books. His mother rented a room to Prof. Bullfinch, a scientist. Danny's friends were Joe and Irene. One title was Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine. There were several books.
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1970. This is not The Mad Scientist's Club. I read this book in the mid '70s and would guess that it was written about 1970. Two teenage boys are involved in a number of amateur science/engineering adventures. For example, they mount an ultrasonic generator on the back of a jeep to use in suppressing brush fires. In another, they conceal a miniature military surplus homing proximity fuse inside a golf ball to steer it toward the hole. Each chapter was another of their escapades. The stories had a "serious" tone. The father of one of the boys was an engineer, I think in the aerospace field. I also remember that the events were set in California. It seems that most of their endeavors failed to go as intended. The copt that I read had a blue cover.

Could this book be earlier than 1970?  Because it sounds a little like one of the Rick Brant Science Adventure series books.  (Either The Flaming Mountain or the Flying Stingaree--I can never remember which is which of those two).  If it is Rick Brant, the author was John Blaine.  Rick and his friend Scotty work for Rick's father, who runs a scientific foundation off of Spindrift Island in New Jersey.  They help him out and usually end up solving some mystery in each of the books through science. The series started in the 50s (or maybe even late 40s) and the last volume was written in the late 60s.
This is not from the Rick Brant/Spindrift Island series. (Thank you for the suggestion!) I remember reading the first three or four of these books and what I am looking for is not one of these. While I don't think that I made it as far into the series as the titles that you have mentioned, I do clearly recall the characters Rick and Scotty. I should have also mentioned that the book I remember is not the Carl & Jerry adventures in electronics series that appeared in Popular Electronics magazine, or the Brains Benton mysteries. What I remember had a "backyard" or a "down the street" feel about the individual stories. Each account was a chapter and there was, as far as I know, just one book about these two boys. These stories weren't the grand adventures of Rick Brant. I am reasonably confident that they were written about 1970. That was the period for the hardware that the boys used.
Not sure- but maybe one of the Danny Dunn stories??
 Danny Dunn series, 1950s - 1970s. 'The basic setup sounds like the Danny Dunn stories.  Danny Dunn is a young teenager whose mother is a housekeeper for Professor Bullfinch, an absent-minded genius inventor/professor.  Danny and his pal Joe Pearson get involved in all kinds of adventures with Danny's inventions, none of which ever work out the way Danny expects them to.  Several of the books also featured a female friend Irene Miller who also wants to be a scientist.  Each of the books has one 'main' invention that drives the plot, but most of them also have several other side plots involving other inventions.
 

Interpreting Condition  Grades

Williams, Jay and Raymond Abrashkin. Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint. Illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats.  Whittlesey House, 1956.  Children's Weekly Reader Book Club edition, 1957.  Pages acidic, otherwise VG/VG.  $20 Williams, Jay and Raymond Abrashkin. Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine. Illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats.  Whittlesey House, 1958.  Children's Weekly Reader Book Club edition, 1959.  Pages acidic, otherwise VG/VG.  $20 Williams, Jay; Abrashkin, Raymond. Danny Dunn and the Fossil Cave.        illus by Brinton Turkle    McGraw    1961    Young Pioneer edition 1967      boards rubbed, soiled; pages good    [YQ8313]  G  $7 Williams, Jay & Abrashkin, Raymond. Danny Dunn and the Swamp Monster.      illus by Sagsoorian,  Paul    McGraw   1971    Weekly Reader edition    boards good;  a few page  corners crunched  [EQ19573]  G  $10 Williams, Jay and Raymond Abrashkin. Danny Dunn, Scientific Detective.  Illustrated by Paul Sagsoorian. McGraw-Hill, 1975.   Ex-library with the usual marks, mended dust jacket.  G/G  $8 <SOLD>

Possibly Dapple Gray, the story of a rocking horse by John Symonds, London: G.C. Harrap, 1962.  "Even though his new
owner is a nice little girl, a rocking-horse decides to run away to find his old master and clear up some unfinished business."
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At night a boy's rocking horse (or perhaps statue of a horse?) becomes real.  The horse is white with a black mane and tail.  It's possible that, like Pegasus, the horse flies. I think this was a short book, with lots of illustrations.  The illustrations were bright and colorful, and rather cartoonish and flat, not realistic.

Dapple Gray, the story of a rocking horse by John Symonds, London: G.C. Harrap, 1962.  See more on the Solved Mysteries page.
Hi, I was just reading part of the description of Dapple Gray.  Part of it said a boy's statue of a horse comes to life and flies like Pegasus.  I owned several of these books when I was a child.  They were about the size of Little Golden Books and the illustrations were indeed colorful and cartoonish.  The boy's name may have been Timmy and the horse's name may have started with an L.  The boy would chant, "O winged horse of (something something), Oh, take me on a magic flight!"  The horse, which was a statue on the boy's chest of drawers or bedside table, would then turn into a real winged horse and the the boy would ride it on all sorts of all adventures.  It was definitely a white horse with a black mane and tail, not a dapple-gray rocking horse. 

B122: Dar Tellum: Stranger from a Distant Planet, by James R. Berry, 1973. Global warming and melting polar caps are the problems, and Ralph and his E.T. friend figure out the solution is to scatter a special algae that will turn the gases into cool oxygen with the help of a rocket. The main tools used are telepathy and telekinesis - and careful deception, since Ralph generally knows better than to expect anyone to believe him.

Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising
Susan Cooper, The Dark Is Rising, 1973.  On his eleventh bithday, Will finds out that he is one of the 'Old Ones', destined to protect the world against the evil Dark. His first quest is to find the six signs that must be joined to aid in the battle. He keeps the ones he has found looped on his belt. There is a prequel and three sequels to the book.
Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising.  This is definitely The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper.  It's part of a series of books-  Over Sea, Under Stone, The Dark is Rising, Greenwitch, The Grey King, and Silver on the Tree.
Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising, 1973.  This is Susan Cooper's Newbury Honor book The Dark is Rising. Part of the Dark is Rising sequence, which also included Over Sea, Under Stone, Greenwich, The Grey King and Silver on the Tree.
Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising,  1973.  You all have no idea how great this is to finally get to reread this book (and the rest of the series).  Thank you all so much!!!
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It has 5 parts, split between two different sets of sibling main characters, with an old "great uncle" as a thread connecting them.  This "uncle" is a wizard (if not Merlin himself), and the children (I am fairly certain) are from different time periods.  The uncle sets them on mini quests.  In one instance, the kids have to travel into a sea side cavern to get a piece of cloth or the holy grail or something.  The first and third books focus on one set of kids, while the second and fourth focus on the other set. Your help will be greatly appreciated.

Susan Cooper, Dark is Rising series.  Sounds like the Dark is Rising Series...one set of children do refer to the wizard character as their "Uncle Merry," but Will Stanton (in The Dark is Rising) calls him Merriman.
Susan Cooper, Dark is Rising series.  This is the Dark is rising series which includes Over Sea, Under Stone in which Jane, Simon, and Barney search for the grail under the guidance of their great-uncle Merriman;  The Dark is Rising in which Will Stanton realizes his role as an "Old One" and gathers together the symbols of power;  Greenwitch in which Jane shows compassion to the Greenwitch and completes another part of the quest; The Grey King in which Bran Davies, son of King Arthur is introduced;  and Silver on the Tree in which all the children work together to vanquish evil.  A classic series.
Cooper, Susan, The Dark is Rising series
Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising series. Definitely!
Susan Cooper, Dark Is Rising series. Books in the series are: Over Sea, Under Stone,  The Dark Is Rising,  Greenwitch,  The Grey King,  Silver on the Tree
Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising series. a great series of 5 books, still in print.
T289 is possibly Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising sequence:  Over Sea, Under Stone, The Dark is Rising, Greenwitch, The Grey King, The Silver on the Tree. 1 & 3 are particularly about Simon, Jane and Barney Drew.  Will Stanton features in 2, 3, 4 & 5.  Great Uncle Merry or Merriman is the old man in all of them and there is travel to other times and places.  Currently available in UK Puffin as a collected book of all 5.
Susan Cooper, Dark is Rising, 1973.  This is the Dark is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper. Titles are: Over Sea, Under Stone (1965), The Dark is Rising (1973), Greenwitch (1974), The Grey King (1975) and Silver on the Tree (1977). Dark is Rising was a Newbury Honor book, The Grey King won the Newbury Medal. The two families are the Drews (3 children) who first appear in Over Sea, Under Stone, and the Stantons (a large family, Will Stanton, the protagonist and last of the Old Ones is the 7th son), who appear first in The Dark is Rising. The Merlin character is Merriman, another of the Old Ones, known as Great-Uncle Merry or Gummery to the Drews...Merriman appears in all of the books. A fantastic series, luckily all still in print.
Could this be part of THE DARK IS RISING series by Susan Cooper? Titles includes OVER SEA, UNDER STONE; THE DARK IS RISING;  GREENWITCH; THE GREY KING, SILVER ON THE TREE~from a librarian
Easy stumper.  This is absolutely Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series.  The underwater cave with the grail is from Over Sea, Under Stone.
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I'm looking for a book/series that I read in the eary 80's.  The subject of the books is a boy that has to collect these medallions and place them onto a belt.  It seems that the story takes place in Europe, Wales area.  I remember there was alot of references to crows/ravens when something bad was going to happen.  People have pointed me to Deltora Quest but that wasn't out when I read this series.  Thank you for the help.

Susan Cooper, The Dark Is Rising,1973. This is the first book in a series of 5.  The Dark Is Rising chronicles the adventures of Will Stanton as he struggles to find the 6 signs (or medallions) that will hold back the Dark and allow the Light to triumph in the final battle.  This is his path as the last of the Old Ones, which he discovers he is on his 11th birthday.  Once he has found the first sign (which is brass) he starts threading them on his belt in order to keep them together and safe.  The ravens are agents of the Dark and, as you remember, frequently portent something ominous or downright evil occurring.
Cooper, Susan, The Dark is Rising. On his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical signs that will one day enable his kind to triumph over the evil forces of the Dark. This is part of a 5 part series.
Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising. And its sequels.
Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising. Will Stanton is the last of the Old Ones. His quest is to seek the six signs, circles quartered by a cross.  He does keep them on his belt until he has all six.
Susan Cooper, The Dark Is Rising,1970.This is the book you are looking for (soon to be made into a movie).  The first, or second (depending upon how you look at it), of a series by Susan Cooper and one of my favorite books of all times. "When the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back,/Three from the circle, three from the track/ Wood, bronze, iron/ water, fire, stone/ Five will return, and one go alone." With these mysterious words, Will Stanton discovers on his 11th birthday that he is no mere boy. He is the Sign-Seeker, last of the immortal Old Ones, destined to battle the powers of evil that trouble the land. His task is monumental: he must find and guard the six great Signs of the Light, which, when joined, will create a force strong enough to match and perhaps overcome that of the Dark. Embarking on this endeavor is dangerous as well as deeply rewarding Will must work within a continuum of time and space much broader than he ever imagined."
etc.
Cooper, Susan, The Dark is Rising. Thank you!  That is exactly the one I was looking for!

there's The Dark of the Cave, by Ernie Rydberg, illustrated by Carl Kidwell, published McKay 1965 "Ronnie and Garth each have a secret. Since 9-year-old Ronnie cannot see his new friend, Garth, his choice of friend shows the natural unprejudiced values of a youngster." At some point they are both trapped in a cave, and Ronnie is blind, so this may be it. 

This is Dorothy Lyons'  Dark Sunshine -- pretty easy to find used.
Possibles: Vian Smith Tall and Proud Archway, 1970 "A little girl recovering from polio finds that love for her horse and his faith in her, will help her learn to walk again." Dorothy Lyon Dark Sunshine Voyager, 1951 "When a young girl named Blythe with polio moves to an Arizona ranch with her family, she eventually decides to ride horses. One one ride she finds Dark Sunshine, a magnificent buckskin mare trapped by a landslide and sets about to save her."
More on the suggested title - Dark Sunshine, by Dorothy Lyons, illustrated by Wesley Dennis, published Harcourt 1951. "This newest book by the author of Copper Khan and Golden Sovereign portrays a girl's valiant struggle against the crippling effects of infantile paralysis. Blythe's efforts to train her horse, Dark Sunshine, for an endurance ride have more far-reaching results than she anticipated. Ages 12 up." (Horn Book Sep/55 p.285 pub.ad)

Ray Bradbury, "Dark They Were, and Golden Eyed", 1949.  Ray Bradbury's short story "Dark They Were, and Golden Eyed" has this basic premise. I don't recall it well enough to say if it matches the exact plot points given.  It's also been published as "The Naming of Names."  It's been reprinted in several anthologies and in several Bradbury collections, including S IS FOR SPACE and A MEDICINE FOR MELANCHOLY.
Various Authors, Three Green Men and Other Stories, 1966.  The title story fits your plot pretty well.  Here's a detailed summary I found, no mention of grass turning green or three eyed cows, though  :(  "Once, many years ago, three men in space suits went to Mars. The Martian exploration team enjoyed the red planet... but there was something odd about it. Everywhere they looked, there were green cukes growing. Each cucumber was about the size of an eggplant and covered with pretty patterned leaves. Two of the astronauts were afriad of the cukes. But the third man wasn't afraid of the cucumbers. He noticed that they didn't seem to be bad, or growing poorly. Most of them were about the size of an eggplant... only green and cucumber shaped. So one day... when the other two slept... he snuck out and got a cucumber. He ate it with his breakfast... and didn't notice his skin was turning green. With each bite, his skin became greener and greener... until it was green as the cucumber. He also found it changed him around on the inside... it changed him so he could live on Mars. He slowly convinced the other two men to eat the strange cucumbers as well, so they could conserve their food supplies and oxygen...Then their spaceship broke, and they were stranded on Mars. Many, many years later... more astronauts came to Mars.. and were surprised to see a colony of Martians, who looked strangely human... only with green skin."
Ray Bradbury, Dark They Were, and Golden Eyed, 1949. Dark They Were, and Golden Eyed is definitely it.  As soon as I saw the title I knew it was the story I remembered.  I found a copy online and was pretty close on some of the details - The grass turned purple and the cow grew a third horn.  Now I just need to pick up one of the Bradbury collections with this story. That was fast!  Thanks for your help.
I was the person who suggested Bradbury's "Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed."  I've since had a chance to reread the story and I'm pretty much certain this is the story being asked about.  (The cow grew a third horn rather than a third eye, though.)  Also I should have made clear that Bradbury has used "The Naming of Names" for two different stories -- that was the original title for this story when it first appeared in a magazine, but he later reused that title for a different story when he changed the title of this one for book reprints.  All rather confusing, actually...

Alan Dean Foster, Cachelot, 1980.I don't remember a blue triangle and you don't mention how old you were when you read it, but this is about humans (a mother and daughter figure prominently) who crash on a planet colonized by relocated whales and dolphins.  I think it's out of print.
Cachelot doesn't ring a bell and I don't recall a mother and daughter.  I remember the dolphins were telepathic however.  I would have been about 12 when I read it.  Thanks for the suggestion though.
David Brin, Startide Rising, 1984.  Ok, how about this one?  It is about an adult human crew who fly a spaceship along with modified dolphins and chimpanzees.  The theory is that humans must "uplift" client species.  They crash land on a watery planet, chased there by a host of intergalactic enemies.  One of the humans is a young boy.  The dolphins communicate with one another and with the humans using modified haiku.
Have done some more hunting around and think this may be a book called The Dark Triangle by H Walters.  Does anybody else think this may be correct?
The Dark Triangle.  I have managed to track down a copy of this book and I think it's the right one!  I can't wait to read it and find out that it is! :o)  Thanks to everyone for their help

No idea on the book, but could the poster mean "incubus," rather than "Icarus"?  That word would fit the character's description more accurately.
Pierce, Meredith Ann, The Darkangel: The Darkangel Trilogy vol 1.  c.1998.  classic YA fantasy novel.  Protaganist is Aerial, the gnome is the duarough and the darkangel is called Icarus.
Pierce, Meredith Ann, Darkangel, 1982.  Could this be Meredith Ann Pierce's The Darkangel, first book of her Darkangel trilogy?  Aeriel is the name of the main character, and the dark-angels (vampire-like, indeed) are also called icarus.  The other books in the trilogy are A Gathering of Gargoyles and The Pearl of the Soul of the World.
Meredith Ann Pierce, The Darkangel, 1982.  I daresay lots of people will answer this one!  It's very atmospheric and memorable - I read it from the school library fifteen years ago and I still have vivid recollections.  It was reprinted (in the US) a few years ago, so it should be easy to find.  Oh, and it's the first of a trilogy.  Opinions seem to vary rather on the third one, but I gather the second is well worth reading too.
Pierce, Meredith Anne., Darkangel.Boston, Little Brown 1982.  I was going a little crazy, because I knew I'd read this and couldn't remember the name!  The servant girl Aeriel's friend and mistress is stolen by the Darkangel, a vampire-like being with black wings. When she follows, she finds that her mistress has already had her soul sucked out by the Darkangel, and is a wraith like his other wives. Aeriel is to be his last wife and make his power complete. She stays to care for his wraith wives (and her friend) but finds herself falling in love with her captor and wanting to redeem him - which leads to a strange quest through dangerous desert lands and a revelation of his true nature. First part of a trilogy, the others being A Gathering of Gargoyles and The Pearl of the Soul of the World.
DarAngel.  That's it!  That's the one!  Thanks so much - I've already ordered it and can't wait to read it again!  (what an awesome site this is)

A possible - Designed by Suzanne, by Kathleen Robinson, published Lothrop 1965. "A warm, sympathetic novel in which Suzanne faces the decision of whether to embark on an early marriage or a career in designing clothes. Ages 12-16." (Horn Book Apr/65 p.133 pub.ad)
This sounds very familiar to me.  I vaugely remember a book like this from my childhood, and for some reason I remember it as being by Zilpha Keatley Snyder.  Does this ring any bells?
L36 leaf skirt: here's another - Design for Ann, by Darlene Geis, published Crowell 1949 "How Ann made her love of beautiful things lead her to be a famous designer. Girls 12-16." (HB May/49 p.177 pub.ad)
L36 leaf skirt: another designer-career book is Flair for Fashion, by Betty Ferm, published Messner 1967. "Set against the background of the fascinating multimillion dollar fashion industry, this is the story of a girl who learns you can't cut corners to achieve success." (HB Oct/67 pub ad)
L36 leaf skirt: another possible is Whirl of Fashion, by Marjory Hall, published Westminster 1961. "A career story about a girl who has few clothes and fewer friends - until she becomes interested in dress design, and by talent and hard work wins a fashion scholarship to Paris. Girls, 12 to 15." (HB Oct/61 p.487 pub ad)
1950's or early '60's.  I'm sorry my books are in storage, so I don't have the title or author, but I remember one about a teenage girl named Saphronia (!) who wanted to be a designer. (Eventually someone uses her middle name, Lee, which *may* be in the title.) She goes to live with her grandmother while her mother is on tour or something, and tries to make friends and fit in in a small rural town in New England. The episode about the autumn-leaf skirt is part of her rivalry with the other girl, including competing for the attentions of a boy named Jonathan  she also makes hooded capes for a Christmas-carol group. There are several other subplots, including a boy, Sidney,  with a jalopy and a little girl, Louisa, who plays the piano. I hope this will jog someone's memory to give you more data. If this sounds right, I can try to dig it out.
Styles by Suzy.  I'm pretty sure I remember the leaf skirt being part of the collection of Tyrolean stuff Suzy designed.
I hate to reopen a Solved Stumper but I have come upon a book that fits the "leaf skirt" book perfectly but it is not Styles by Suzie! (Actually this solution was never confirmed. Someone did list some detail correctly but didn't have the title.)  Saphronia Lee Adams goes to live with her grandmother Mrs. Saphronia Endicott in Fairmeadows, Mass. while her actress mother is on tour in Australia. Lee, as she is called, is interested in fashion design but she has little sewing experience. Her boyfriend's (Jock's) mother, Mrs. Bradford offers to help Lee with her original design, the Autumn Leaf skirt, to be worn at the big Square dance. Mrs. Bradford brings the skirt to her sewing circle to complete the applique, inadvertently setting the stage for the duplicates! When Lee arrives at the dance, Beverly (the archrival) and her five member dance committee all have on the same leaf skirt!! The book: Date with a Career by Jan Nickerson (Funk and Wagnalls Co.-1958)
I can't remember the title either but it isn't any that anyone has named so far. It was a children's book club selection in the late 60's or early 70's. The girl had a rival who stole her designs and showed up in school wearing them. I definitely remember that the girl used real leaves as templates for her appliques. This book is probably still in my mother's attic, but she has gotten very funny about anybody going up there...

Jan Nickerson, Date with a Career.  This is a long shot but there is a part of the book where the main character (Lee) makes an autumn skirt with leaves on it.  The names don't match what you remember, though.  Look in the solved section for more detail about this book- maybe that will help you rule it in or out.
thanks so much for a terrific service!   My search was answered within 24 hours of being  posted!  I was able to locate the book,  purchase it, and it arrived today!  I am  thrilled!  Thanks again!

Jan Nickerson, Date with a Career.  More info available on Solved Pages.
This book is “Date With a Career,” by Jan Nickerson, published in 1958. Saphronia Lee Adams dreams of being a clothes designer. She spends her senior year in high school living in a small town with her grandmother while her actress mother is working in Australia.
Jan Nickerson, Date with a Career.  Thank you so much for the help.  I was able to order the book from an out-of-print website and have just received the book.  I'm looking forward to reading it again!

Janny Wurts (author), Daughter of Empire, (1991). A series by Janny Wurts.  The first is Daughter of Empire (1991), next is Mistress of Empire (1993), and finally Servant of Empire (1997).  The ant-like creatures are the Cho-Ga, I believe.  (This series is linked to another by Raymond Feist, beginning with Magician:  Apprentice.  There are about a dozen of those.)
Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts, Daughter of the Empire, 1987.  Definitely Daughter of the Empire, jointly written by Feist and Wurts. Book 1 of a Trilogy featuring Mara of the Acoma. I'd class it as fantasy, not science fiction. Feist had previously written Magician, which featured a character Pug being taken prisoner by invaders who came from another world. This other world was the setting for the Empire trilogy and expanded the reader's view of the invaders world, politics and mindset, as well as a being a good read and a strong female character. It's one of the ones that started me reading fantasy.

N27: Sounds like Daughter of the Mountains by Louise Rankin and illustrated by Kurt Wiese. Written in 1948. In the last days of the British Empire, a Tibetan girl named Momo (under age ten, I think) gets a pet she's always dreamed of - a rare red-gold Lhasa terrier named Pempa. The dog is stolen by a caravan because a rich (kindly) British woman in Calcutta has requested one. Momo rushes straight after the caravan and all the way to Calcutta in search of her dog. Lots of cultural detail, such as how to greet another person in Tibet (stick out your tongue) and Momo's amazement when meeting foreign people who carry packs rather than having pack-mules to do it for them.
Could N27 be Daughter of the Mountains by Louie Rankin?  I don't remember an astrologer in it & I don't think that the dog had the same name as the child, but the plot says that Momo (who lives on a trade pass in the Himalayas) wants a Lhaso Alpso (sp?) desperately.  When she finally gets one, it is stolen, and she travels down from the mountains into India and actually finds her dog.
N27 Nepal or Tibet: Sounds like Daughter of the Mountains, by Louise Rankin, illustrated by Kurt Wiese, published New York, Viking 1948, 191 pages. Nine year old Momo leaves her Tibetan village and crosses the Great Trade Route in her tireless search for her beloved red-gold dog, which had been stolen.
This has to be Daughter of the Mountains by Louise Rankin.  I got my copy at a book fair in the school library around 1973 and still have it.  Momo's Lhasa terrier is stolen by traders passing through her Tibetan mountain village, and she travels alone all the way to India to find him.  Wonderful adventure.

Daughter of Witches
Young adult fantasy, late 80s/early 90s.  A teenage girl had the power to generate internal fire.  She was traveling with a guy when he was hurt and she had to use that power to keep him alive because it was freezing.  They may have been banished.  Maybe some romance?  My memory's very hazy...

Patrica C. Wrede, Daughter of Witches, 1983. As a child, Ranira watched as her parents were burned at the stake for suspected magic use.  After she escapes from her theocratic city, she discovers that she has magic of her own and attempts to use it to heal one of her traveling companions, a young man (no romance, though).  It turns out that the memory of her parents' death blocks and warps her magic, creating flames that burn her even though no one else can see them.  A few pages later, she tries to summon up the flames on purpose when another of her companions, an older woman, suffers a magical accident that leaves her in an icy, coma-like state.  The book is out of print but has recently been reissued as an ebook.
SOLVED: Patricia Wrede, Daughter of Witches. Thank you!  I think this is exactly the one I was looking for!

Sounds like David and the Phoenix to me.  Check the Most Requested pages for the reprint now available.

V3 vardon, beth: the poster might want to contact Purple House Press, and ask what the steps are to check whether copyright has expired, etc. This isn't exactly a lost-book inquiry, but I guess there's no other place to
put it.

Helen Adler, Davy Deer's New Red Scarf.  Chicago: Rand McNally, 1966.

George MacDonald, The Day Boy and the Night Girl, 1882, approximately.  The story sounds like one of George MacDonald's fairy tales, variously known as "The Day Boy and the Night Girl" or as "The Romance of Photogen and Nycteris."  The collection sought might be one of MacDonald's collected fairy tales (or, of course, might be an anthology that reprinted that MacDonald story among others).  The story is online here along with many other MacDonald fairy tales.
George Macdonald, The Day Boy and the Night Girl.  From an online review:  "I absolutely love this story! George MacDonald has a lovely sort of grandfatherly style, and this is perfect to be divided up as a series of bedtime stories. A boy who has never seen night and a girl who has never seen day help each other cope with their fears."  Was the story you had part of a larger collection?
George McDonald, The Day Boy and the Night Girl.  This is The Day Boy and the Night Girl, one of George McDonald's fairy tales. You can probably find it in one of his collections. It may also have been printed separately. And since he's out of copyright, you could probably find the text online easily enough.
G360: Oooooh, this is a beauty! There's more than one collection of George MacDonald's short(ish) fairy tales, but that particular tale goes under two names - The Day Boy and the Night Girl (The Romance of Photogen and Nycteris) and Son of the Day, Daughter of the Night. You can read it online here  - it's from the 19th century. The first lines are: "There was once a witch who desired to know everything. But the wiser a witch is, the harder she knocks her head against the wall when she comes to it. Her name was Watho, and she had a wolf in her mind. She cared for nothing in itself -- only for knowing it. She was not naturally cruel, but the wolf had made her cruel." (Since C.S. Lewis said that practically every work of his has a "quote" from MacDonald, I wouldn't be surprised if that's where the remark about Eustace Scrubb comes from ("though he didn't care much about any subject for its own sake, he cared a great deal about marks (i.e., school grades)...")  The Green Tiger Press has a description of SOTD&DOTN as follows: "Softcover with Dust Jacket. Wonderfully illustrated with full color tipped-in illustrations by Lyn Teeple. 41 pages. One of George MacDonald's last fairy tales and one highly praised by C. S. Lewis." Enjoy!
MacDonald, George, The day boy and the night girl, 1904.  A curse from a witch decrees that a boy will never wake at night nor sleep during the day  while a girl is doomed never to sleep at night nor wake during the day, until a twist of fate brings them together.
George MacDonald, The History of Photogen and Nycteris [“The Day Boy and the Night Girl”], 1879.  This could be from any of a number of collections. The story described is The History of Photogen and Nycteris, by George MacDonald, but I have encountered it in several different volumes. It's available online here.
Charles Finger, Tales from Silver Lands There is a short story in this book that involves a witch who imprisons two children, but lets out the girl by night and the boy by day.  The children eventually escape from her after overcoming their fears (the girl was afraid of the day and the boy afraid of night).  I think they escape using a magical flying stone.

#W47:  Winkie the monkey:  this may be pretty far off, but there's a story in Volume 4 of the 1956 edition of Childcraft, Animal Friends and Adventures, called Wappie's Surprise Cake, and it is about a monkey.
From The Horn Book Sep-Oct/42, p.296, ad for Viking Junior Books Little Lost Monkey by JoBesse McElveen Waldeck "... All sakiwinki monkeys have a bump of curiosity, but Winki had the biggest of all. It involved him with the Bushmaster Snake, and with the terrible wild pigs, but as it also made him such friends as the Labba, the Deer, and the Iguana, in the end he wasn't really sorry - only wiser than before. Illustrated by Kurt Wiese. Ages 8 to 11. October. $1.50."  There's a line drawing beside it of the little monkey squatting on a tree branch and scratching his head. The monkey's name and the date sound about right.
Maybe the series of Quinlan Basic Readers, including Day By Day, by Myrtle Banks Quinlan, published Allyn and Bacon, 1949. These are stories featuring Winky the Monkey, Jane, Billy & David.
w47 winkie book: a possible title in the readers series - Winky The Monkey, (Quinlan Readers) also featuring Billy and Jane, dated 1939, "easy reading for the young learner, great monkeyshines and graphics throughout" 46 pages, 6 x 7 3/4 inches.
In reference to Book Stumper #W47, I don't have a solution but was wondering if the book she is looking for is also one that I  would like to have.  I'm not sure of the title but is about a Monkey named Winkey that went to school.  There was also a song in the book about things that happen to him that went something like this: I am a monkey, I go to school, I do I do I do, I was so hungry, I ate my crayons, I did I did I did and also something about I missed the nail and hit my tail, I did I did I did.  We had this book many years ago (50 to 60) when I had just learned to read and probably belonged to one of my older sisters.  I think it was a book that was used in school as a reader. I loved that book.

I don't remember the pet caterpillars, but this could be the popular The Golden Books Treasury of Elves and Fairies again.  See more on Most Requested Books.  But that's really more poetry than story.  If it's really that oversized, then perhaps it's the rare and elusive  A Day in Fairy Land by Sigrid Rahmas.  I've found two editions: Little Neck, New York: Ramborn Corp., pictorial boards, no date stated, elephant folio.  And surely a later printing:  Charlotteville, N.Y., Story House Corp. [1967].  "The fairies and elves celebrate the fairy queen's birthday in a wonderful and delightful way."
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Fairy Queen's Birthday? c. 1946-50  What I remember is an oversized, whitish book with a brown fuzzy spine.  Published in Europe. The lllustrations were magical to a little girl.  Fairies wore beautiful ballerina-type outfits.  Plot was fairies and elves preparing for the fairy queen's birthday party.

A Day in Fairy Land by Sigrid Rahmas.   Pretty magical to adults too; it's quite a book production.  See more on Solved Mysteries.

This sounds like it could be one of John Jakes' American Chronicles series...The Bastard (1974), The Rebels (1975), The Seekers (1975), The Furies (1976).  I think those were the four I read before I lost interest  I don't know which one it was, but one of them was very similar to your description.  There's 8 books, total, in the series, following the Kent family through the Revolutionary war era.  A list of all the titles can be found on this website.
This story line sounds like one of F. Van Wyck Mason's historicals, available in my local library in the late 1960's and the 1970's.  I checked www.bookfinder.com but couldn't pick out the precise title -- have your poster look through his titles to see whether any of them strikes a spark.
Agnes Sligh Turnbull, The Day Must Dawn, 1942.  I still have this book. The back of the dust jacket encourages us, the readers of books, to protect freedom by buying war bonds. I am a librarian who has just discovered your web site and am hooked!
I submitted a query years ago, probably five years ago... and today, I googled "nanny tea" again, leading me back to your website.... and found that some divine librarian knew exactly the book I meant... bless him/her, tears came to my eyes, I *knew* I didn't dream up this story!!!  I have ordered the book, the 1942 version, very inexpensively from Half.com.  I figured I was maybe 12 years old when I read this book and then lost it... I remember having to pay a library fine... I will be 52 this year, so for forty years I have been looking for the story so that I could read it again, but I could never remember the title.   Thank you thank you thank you for your fabulous website, and for the wonderful people who peruse it offering lifelines to other bibiophiles!!!!

There are several  Little Golden Book editions (#407, #203-1, #203-31, #304-56) called A Day on the Farm by Nancy Fielding Hulick, and illustrated by J.P. Miller in 1960.

Yikes, now that I have this in hand, I'm not sure it's the correct solution at all....

Interpreting Condition Grades

Hulick, Nancy Fielding.  A Day on the Farm. Illustrated by John P. Miller.  Golden Press, 1960.  Little Golden Book #407.  Minor wear, but overall VG.  $8

I don't have full details for this one, but could the person who's looking for a book about a boy squashed flat by a steamroller be wanting The Day the Cow Sneezed?  It's about a bizarre chain of events that does include a
runaway steamroller that squashes people flat.  The narrator's brother chases a rabbit instead of bringing the cow in, so the cow stands in the stream and catches cold.  The cow sneezes, and one thing leads to another, including fireworks and a runaway ferris wheel, besides the steamroller. It was published in the 1950's but there's a much more recent paperback copy of it at our pediatrician's office!  My son, now 3, always digs it out for me to read to him.
Flora, James.  The Day The Cow Sneezed.  Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1957.

Just guesses, but possibly One Monster After Another by Mercer Mayer or The Five Chinese Brothers by Claire Huchet Bishop. Both have parts that deal with the sea drying up.
Both are on the Solved Mysteries pages too; check out the comments there.
Wallace,  Ian, Very Last First Time, 1980's?. Newer than the enquirer indicates, but maybe worth checking ?
A picture book about a little Inuit girl who goes under the ice to collect shell fish while the tide is out.
Spillane, Mickey, The day the sea rolled back, 1979.  Actually a mystery, two boys in the Caribbean discover amazing things on the day the sea rolls back for miles.
A more fantastical take on this idea is The Plug at the Bottom of the Sea, by R. Lamb, illustrated by M. Hopkins, published Allen & Unwin 1968, 143 pages. "Craig and Cindy find themselves washed up on the side of a windmill when their dinghy capsizes in a storm. However, this is no ordinary windmill for its sails only move when struck by lightning. The children shelter there and in the morning awaken to a strange world that has been completely drained of water. So begins a strange journey to replace the plug at the bottom of the ocean and restore the world to normality. On their journey they are joined by a host of strange characters. There is Moses the old sea captain, Captain Tiny who is searching for gold, Windmill the seagull, the seahorse which they carry in a bottle, the penguin, and not least of all the beautiful mermaid who is searching for her ten children." (JB Apr/68 p.104)

I think there's something on the Solved Mysteries pages similar to this, but I didn't find it on first run-thru.
William Corbin, The day Willie wasn't, 1971.  "After his visiting cousin teases him about being fat, Willie overdoes his reducing campaign."

I believe this is The Fairy Tale Book by Marie Ponsot and illustrated by Adrienne Segur.  It was a lavishly illustrated volume, one of my most requested, which has at last been reprinted.  It is now available again at an affordable $20, and I have copies available.  Your stumper had me fooled for a while, because "The White Cat" is named "Queen Cat" in this version, but your illustration is there.
Sorry. This is not the book I'm looking for.  I say a description of it from another stumper.  The key is
that the story in it i loved the most was The White Cat.
Dean?, (Dean's) A book of Fairy Tales, 1977, reprint. After reading this, I was amazed to recall reading the very same story. It all came back to me, very vividly. I adored this story as a small child, and frantically searched for it. I hoped it hadn't been sold at a garage sale, like many of my childhood books were. I was a "big girl" then, and wanted to get rid of "kid's books" to show it. It was among the last box of books. I was grateful that my mother had the forethought to save a few of the best books... Here is is bit of extra info, gleamed from the inside  coverpage:  Published by: Playmore Inc., Originally Published as: Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales; Janet and Anne Grahame-Johnstone Gift book of Fairy Tales; Gift Book of Fairy Tales; The White Cat.  Hope this helps!
The solution submitted by a fellow visiter to the site was indeed correct!  I found the book on an ebay
auction and will be bidding on it shortly! thank you so much for providing this service!  I have been
wondering and longing for this book for years! I also can't wait to visit your shop.  I live in Michigan so I will make a priority when I get down to Cleveland!  Thanks again
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All I remember is that is was a large book (or seemed it to me).  It is a compilation of nursery rhymes: The ones I remember included were winkin' blinkin' and not, lavender blue dilly dilly, one about fairies in the rain. The illustrations were so beatiful.  On the cover was a parade of children - I think playing instruments.

A59 - Might be worth checking Hilda Boswell's Book of Nursery Rhymes and Harold Jones' Lavender's Blue - both large-sized books and have some similarities to the description here.
I believe another described it in A59: I recall the beautiful art included "House That Jack Built" "Old Mother Hubbard" "Jack Sprat" Pictures of A Doctor running up to his waist in water, mostly elves depicted in artwork.  The old man with Peas Porridge Hot has a stream of smoke looking like a long beard coming from it.  I want to say Rand McNally or Random House published it but really not sure.
Father Goose / Tales from Brothers Grimm (one or both in title), early 80's. Yellow cover, hardback, children with instruments are Wynken, Blynken and Nod
Dean's Mother Goose BOOK OF RHYMES- illustrated by Janet and Anne Grahame Johnstone. Previously published as Gift Book of Nursery Rhymes and New Gift Book of Nursery Rhymes. My 1977 version has the three poems you cited. The  fairies in the rain is "Millions of massive raindrops/Have fallen all around/They have danced on the house tops/They have hidden in the ground...." Pictures to accompany this show little winged fairies dancing on slate roof, on gatepost, on tree roots!
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I have been looking for this book for about 10 years. I got it from an aunt when I was about 5 or 6. It was a collection of nursery rhymes. I can't remember the name of the book or the author, but it had a bright yellow hard cover and it was oversized. The illustrations were very disctinct--elves and fairies with pointy ears, and it seemed at the time that every person depicted in the book had pointy ears. The book had stories about wynken, blinken and nod, the old woman in the shoe, the house that jack built, little jack horner, and tons of others. I mainly remember the illustrations, though. If anyone can help me with this, I would greatly appreciate it! I miss this book.

The Tall Book of Fairy Tales?  Except it isn't bright yellow, it's more of a brown...
Dean's Mother Goose BOOK OF RHYMES (Dean & Sons Ltd., London, England) Illustrated by Janet and Anne Grahame Johnstone. The 1977 edition has the poems you mentioned and it has a yellow cover. In most of the pictures the characters have an elfin quality: curly toed shoes, some pointy ears, shaggy hair! I hope this is it! This book has appeared also as, Gift Book of Nursery Rhymes and the New Gift Book of Nursery Rhymes.
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As a child I had a hardback, grey book which I lugged around everywhere. I'm sure it seemed large at the time due to my age, however, I am positive it had a complete compilation of fairy tales which would, in fact, make it a pretty large book.  It had such stories as The Princess and the Pea, Little Red Riding Hood, Princess and the Frog, Puss N' Boots, Babes in the Woods, Hansel & Gretel, Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskins, etc.  It also had The Little Match Girl, which I distinctly remember being the last story in the book.  There were full page illustrations that were absolutely beautiful.  There were several stories which I did not list because frankly, I'd flip to my favorites which I listed above.  I was born in 1972 and I'm unsure when the book was purchased.  I do not remember it being a used book.  There were no marks or damage so I do not believe it was handed down to me.  However, I have no memory of the dustjacket.  Everyone in my family remembers the book but no one can remember the name of it.  It was lost in a house fire years ago.  I have searched all over the internet and have found books that are close but usually they lack a story or two.  I periodically search every  year in hope one will turn up on an auction site.  So far, I've had no luck.  Any information would be nice.  Of course, finding the actual book would be blissful.

Negative answer! C101 is NOT this - at least not this printing of it [tho it does have a very modern 1-page version of the Sun & Wind removing man's jacket]   Bjoland, Esther M, editor Stories of childhood  vol 1 [of 6-vol set] various illustrators The Child's World  c1947
I'm remember an anthology that my mother use to read to me when I was a little boy. (72-77) The stories I emember from it were Pinoccio, Puss in Boots, and possibly a story about a fellow who goes to Hell? and buys a
noodle-maker? off the devil, which his wife ends up flooding the town with noodles because she didn't know how to stop it. (Might have been a different book) There were more stories that I don't remember, oh wait there was Beauty and the Beast. The thing I remember most about the book was the illustrations. They were the creepist pictures I had ever seen. (at the time) The illustrations for Puss in Boots were by Dore. The Beauty and the Beast illustrations were by Crane, and I believe the pinoccio illustrations were by Folkard.I also remember the stories being original, not homogenized.In other words they were creepy. I don't remember what color the book was. I hope this helps somebody remember. I would like this book also.
published by Parents Magazine Enterprises for Playmore, Inc.  NY NY, Best Loved Fairy Tales, including Mother Goose
Selections, 1963.  I don’t think this is the answer to the original stumper (with the matchstick girl), I believe this is the answer to the “anthology” including the “noodlemaker.” The title is deceptive as I don’t think there is anything of Mother
Goose in it.  It also says that it was originally published as Vol. 3 - Young Years Library.  My copy is the 1974 edition, and is red with a color picture of a gray-toned swirl which is, I believe, Aladdin’s genie on the front, as though projected from a book held by a boy.  The stories included are:  Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp ~ Cinderella, or the Glass Slipper ~ Beauty and the Beast ~ Sleeping Beauty ~ Rumpelstiltskin ~ Puss In Boots ~ Whittington and his Cat ~ The Real Princess [a.k.a. Princess and the Pea] ~ The Tinderbox ~ Jack and the Beanstalk ~ The Shoemaker and the Elves ~ The Elves and the Changeling ~ The Servant Maid and the Elves ~ The Wonderful Tar Baby Story ~ The History of Tom Thumb ~ Jack the Giant Killer [a.k.a. The Little Tailor] ~ The Husband Who Was to Mind the House ~ The Emperor’s New Clothes ~ Bremen Town Musicians ~ Hansel and Gretel ~ Snow White ~ Ugly Duckling ~ Steadfast Tin Soldier ~ Rapunzel ~ Why the Sea Is Salt ~ The Alligator and the Jackal ~ How the Raven Helped Men ~ The Frog Prince ~ Pinocchio’s First Adventures ~ A Mad Tea Party [excerpt from Alice In Wonderland] ~ The Little Gnome [a poem] Why the Sea Is Salt seemed a bit mature for the child audience, but what do I know?  It tells the tale of a rich and a poor brother.  When the poor brother must ask his rich brother for food for the Christmas table, the rich brother agrees on the condition that the poor brother do one thing for him.  The poor brother will do anything he asks, so the rich brother gives him some bacon and tells him to go to Hell.  somehow he manages to find Hell and gets a magical quern which grinds out whatever the user wants.  The poor brother knows how to work it, but the rich brother ends up getting it but does not know how to stop it.  So when he asks for herring and broth, made “both good and fast,” the quern churns them out as asked and floods the house and it pours down the street.  I
would say that 90% of the illustrations are incredibly creepy and some of the stories are darkly humorous (like this one) and use very archaic language (who didn’t have to look up the word “quern”?).
Gyo Fujikawa, Oh What a Busy Day! 1976.  On another note, the Babes in the Wood is featured in Gyo's book, and is quite beautifully illustrated.  I know it's not the book you're looking for (my apologies), but it does come highly recommended.
Jessie Willcox Smith, A Child's Book of Stories.  See A116 ~ The contributor who suggested A Child's Book of Stories by Jessie Wilcox Smith seems to have a book similar to mine and their book has Babes in the Wood.
Bridget Hadaway (retold), Fairy Tales.  1974/1982/1985/1987.
A Book of Fairy Tales, 1977.  I believe the book you are looking for is "A Book of Fairy Tales" by Dean. It was published by Playmore, Inc. in 1977 with lovely illustrations by Janet & Anne Grahame Johnstone. There was another story that I loved in there called "The White Cat" that has stuck with me and why I'm searching for it too!
I believe this last suggestion is correct.  It was published under a couple different titles, the most common of which is Dean's Gift Book of Fairy Tales, London: Dean & Son, 1967.
I'm not sure if I ever thanked you for helping me find this book.  It was  right!  I have since gotten two copies to share with my children.  I have enclosed picture of the book if you'd like to use it for your solved page.  Again thanks for your help in solving my stumper!
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I'm afraid my memory is very spotty, but I would be grateful if by some miracle you are able to piece this together.  I'm looking for a fairy tale book I had as a child.  It was hardcover, and thick, a couple of inches maybe.  I had it in the early 80s.  I think the title of the book was in brown.  I think the background was white with brown-toned illustrated characters (from the tales in the book, I presume).  The cover had a line of characters from big to tiny walking up a path (maybe to a castle in the distance).  The characters wrapped around the book from front cover to back cover.  I think the last character ended with a mouse.  I also think there was a giant somewhere on the front cover.  The fairy tale stories were color-illustrated on every single page.  The type went around the heavily illustrated pages.  Some pages were not even white, but completely colored. I think there was more than one illustrator.  However, one of the stories I think was titled "The White Cat".  This story was illustrated as if the characters were from the 1700s.  The illustration for this story was very detailed: meaning no simple lines or cartoon-like). I remember staring at the woman that the cat turned into as a little girl, thinking she was an angel.  She had tight curls, which were just around her chin and a silver/white gown, with a corset.  She may have held a rose.  The background page color was a pewter-like color.  Another illustration in the story, which I remember, was of the white cat eating with the gentleman. The gentleman may have looked like a Musketeer with brown, shoulder-length hair.  I think he was even wet from the rain.  There were torches with arms and a white cat eating at a table in a gown.  The cat was on the right and the man on the left.  A banquet was before them.  There were lots of other stories, but for the life of me, I don't remember them.  I'm guessing "Jack and the Beanstalk" and some story with a donkey and a rooster on it's back  peering in a window.  I may be confusing these stories with other fairy tale stories for this book.  The memories I am certain of is of the 1700s woman, thick book, and colored illustrations throughout.  I wish I had more.  Any suggestions would be welcomed.  Thank you.

This is an old book from the 1890's, but it's the only book I could find that had both your stories together, and I'm sending it along because you mentioned the illustrations were old looking. However, there is no mention of illustrations in this one, so it's probably a false lead.  But here's the info -- Fairy Book: the best popular stories / Dinah Maria Mulock Craik / 479 pgs / Harper, 1890's ? /  Contents: The sleeping beauty in the wood -- Hop-o'-my-thumb -- Cinderella -- Adventures of John Dietrich -- Beauty and the beast -- Little one eye, little two eyes, and little three eyes -- Jack the giant killer -- Tom Thumb -- Rumpelstilzchen -- Fortunatus -- The Bremen town musicians -- Riquet with the tuft -- House island -- Snow-white and rose red -- Jack and the bean-stalk -- Graciosa and Percinet -- The iron stove -- The invisible prince -- The woodcutter's daughter -- Brother and sister -- Little Red-riding-hood -- Puss in boots -- The wolf and the seven young goslings -- The fair one with golden locks -- The butterfly -- The frog-prince -- The white cat -- Prince Cherry -- Little snowdrop -- The bluebird -- The yellow dwarf -- The six swans -- The prince with the nose -- The hind of the forest -- The juniper tree -- Clever Alice.
Just an FYI:  I'm afraid the book isn't what is being suggested.  I can say that the book was published around 1980s not 1890s.  It was a new book for me at the time.  The illustrations weren't old looking, just the artist choose a 1700s period for the drawings for "The White Cat".  I appreciate the attempt.  I'm still trying to see if I can remember anything else worth mentioning.
Illustrated by Janet & Anne Grahame Johnstone, Dean's A Book of Fairy Tales, 1977.  Your description of the illustrations from "The White Cat" match perfectly with this book (except after her transformation, the beautiful woman is holding a red feather instead of a rose).  From inside the cover of my copy:  "Also been published as:Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales, Janet and Anne Grahame-Johnstone Gift Book of Fairy Tales, The White Cat"
Yes!!  Yes!!  This is it!  I can't believe I thought of the wrong cover!  I must have switched covers or made one up!  Who knows, but yes, I had the 1977 version!  With this info I was able to pull up photos.  I've attached them.  I thought that these may help others in the future trying to remember this book.  It's a beautiful book, and more beautifully detailed than I remember.  Thank you so much!!  I am forever grateful!

Dale Cowen, Deadly Sleep, 1982.  I didn't post the S423 stumper, but I did post M348 ("Macbeth-themed Horror/Mystery"), and I think that we were both looking for the same book!  The solution given here sounds right for what I was looking for too! (It's funny how this poster and I remembered very different aspects of the book, but I'm pretty sure it is the same one - take a look)
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This is a book that may have been part of a series like Bantam’s Dark Forces, or Dell’s Twilight: Where Darkness Begins. I read it in the mid-1980s, and I’m pretty sure that’s around when it was published. It was definitely a paperback, intended for the teen/young adult horror/mystery fan. What I remember is a young girl (teenaged) visiting a castle-like estate in Scotland, and nearby is a lake (it may be referred to as a loch) with a large stone or rock that hangs over it. On the stone, there is a conspicuous deep red mark, which legend says is a bloodstain. Supposedly, a young girl named Fiona once lived in the house (or her love did), and somehow he was killed, with a sword or a dagger. He lay dying, and she went and gave him a final kiss, then pressed her lips against his wound, into the blood. Then she ran out to the rock and kissed the stone, imprinting it with the bloody lip-print, and jumped into the loch, committing suicide. People tried to get rid of the bloodstain, but couldn’t remove it. It’s possible that they named the stone for her, like Fiona’s Rock or Fiona’s Leap. I can’t remember if there was something magical or lucky about kissing that spot on the rock afterwards, but if there was, it may have been spooky or frightening as well. I feel like something haunts the modern girl who is the protagonist, and it makes her do it, and it’s a horrifying experience. I think she can taste or feel the blood, or that it grows warm under her lips, very different from the cold stone, or something like that. There are also certainly some aspects that I’m not describing, possibly a modern male character and some romance, and whatever this faux Scottish legend means to the main story. I've been searching and searching, and I'm desperate! Thank you!

Dale Cowan, Deadly Sleep, 1982.  It turns out that the mystery was solved only the day after I sent in my request. I'd ordered several books from old series looking for this one, but I thought it would have a title more like "Watery Grave," so I wasn't expecting it to actually be one I'd ordered already. But Deadly Sleep it is, and it was indeed the first book in Dell's Twilight series. It has since been reprinted as a standalone book, as late as 1992. The stone certainly is called Fiona's Rock, complete with loch, unnaturally cold stone-kissing and untimely death, and there seems to be some romance and some Macbeth mixed in as well. I'm looking forward to rereading it.
Dale Cowen, Deadly Sleep, 1982.  I didn't post THIS stumper, but I did post M348 ("Macbeth-themed Horror/Mystery"), and I think that we were both looking for the same book!  The solution given here sounds right for what I was looking for too! (It's funny how this poster and I remembered very different aspects of the book, but I'm pretty sure it is the same one - take a look at M348!)

Robb White, Deathwatch.  This one recently came up at Abebooks - credit for the solution goes to AnnainCA!
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circa 1975.  The paperback's cover had a picture of a jeep parked in the desert. Plot: A guide takes a rich hunter into the desert, and finds out his client plans to hunt him, and not the area's famed antelopes (?). They end up on a mesa, and the guide outwits the hunter by playing dead, eventually killing (?) him. The book ends with the guide returning to civilization. He may or may not have reported what happend to the sheriff. I believe the same author had another book about American saboteurs in the Pacific during WWII. Most memorable about the latter book was a scene where the saboteurs escape their stricken submarine and swim over 100 feet up to the surface, without scuba equipment, then wreck a Japanese airstrip.

Robb White, Deathwatch, 1972.  This is certainly it, the cover illustration matches, and I remember the taught, suspense-filled story well. Robb White also wrote my favorite YA heroic-type story, The Lion's Paw.
Robb White, Deathwatch, 1972.  Deathwatch is a suspensuful story about two men in the desert pitted against each other, a young man named Bend and a business tycoon named Madec. The two men go on a hunting trip, Ben is Madoc's guide for hire (he needs money for college). Madoc commits a crime, and Ben is the only witness. A hunting trip turns into a survival game between the two. Hope it's the one!
Possibly Deathwatch by Robb White?
Richard Connell, The Most Dangerous Game, 1923.  This sounds a lot like The Most Dangerous Game. This has also been movies and one in the 1990's based on it called The Game with Ice T. Connell also has a book called Murder at Sea but it may not be the other book you mentioned because I've had trouble finding a synopsis on it. HOpe this helps you.
please consider J68b solved. I thank you and the readers who submitted Robb White's Deathwatch, which is the title I was looking for.
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A young man is a hunting guide for big horn sheep in the deserts of the southwestern United States.  When his customer "accidentally" shoots an old hermit the young man becomes the hunters next prey.  The young man must navigate through the desert back into town while being stalked and hunted.  The young man is eventually able to overcome the hunter with just a slingshot.  Young Adult Fiction. Please help.

Robb White, Deathwatch.  This is definitely your book! I haven't read it since I was in junior high, but the writing was so strong and suspenseful that I've never forgotten it.
Robb White, Deathwatch, 1972, copyright.  This is one of my favorites. It's also been solved before, and is on the solved D page.
Robb White, Deathwatch.  This book closely matches your description.
White, Robb, Deathwatch, 1972, approximate.  Definitely Deathwatch, one of my favorites as a kid. The man who hires the teenager as a guide (I think his name is Madoc) kills an old man out in the desert, then proceeds to hunt Ben. Ben manages to get away, turn the tables on Madoc, and bring him back to town...but then he's arrested because people can't believe that his story is true.  Eventually, his story is verified, and the book ends with him saying "I just wanted to report a murder."
Robb White, Deathwatch, 1972, approximate.  This is definitely the book.  As soon as I saw the title I knew it.  Even the names came back to me.  Thank you for this site and service.

This is definitely Deception Point by Dan Brown.
O69 is most definitely Deception Point by Dan Brown, who is also the author of the DaVinci Code.
Brown, Dan, Deception Point.  I just read this a few months ago!  By the same author as The Da Vinci Code...
Dan Brown, Deception Point

D108  Dr. Frances R. Horwich ("Miss Frances") & Reinald Werrenrath, Jr., Debbie and Her Nap, 1953. I hope this is the book, it will help me justify keeping so many of my childhood books :)!  I'm 51, and was given this when I was 2 (and hated naps).  It's indeed the same size as Golden Books, but was part of Rand McNally's "Ding Dong School" series. The cover is blue and shows Debbie as a little blond girl with her hair in 2 bunches, buttoning red print pajamas.  The story tells of her busy morning playing outdoors "with her tricycle and her wagon.  She had some boards and boxes, too."  She builds a zoo with them, (in the picture, she has used boxes for cages, boards for upright bars) and pretends to be various animals.  When her mother calls her to lunch, "Her cheeks were red. Her eyes were shining. Her hair was mussed from her cap."  The rest of the book is about lunch, washing dishes, and getting ready for her nap.  Debbie and her mother help each other and are obviously close and happy.

This is a wild shot -- but is there any chance you're thinking of Deborah Sampson, the woman who disguised herself as a man & enlisted in the revolutionary army in the 1780s? There are a couple of novels based on her story (Cora Cheney, The Secret Soldier, '67; Patricia Clapp, I'm Deborah Sampson '77).
Helen Fern Daringer wrote a series of books about the Endicott family, set in the late 1600s, titles including Pilgrim Kate (published 1949, illustrated by Kate Seredy) and Country Cousin (published 1951,  illustrated by Edward Godwin). Couldn't see a Deborah mentioned, but the time and family name fit.
Helen F. Daringer Debbie of the Green Gate, illustrated by Edward Godwin, 232 pages, published by Harcourt, 1950 "Helen Daringer here recreates the life in Leyden of the English folk destined to become the Pilgrims of Plymouth, as she tells the story of fifteen-year-old Debbie Endicott, keeping house for her weaver father. She gives a quiet unexciting picture of Dutch ways of life, of the crafts and arts of the weavers and printers,
of Debbie's pleasure in skating and visiting the farms and mills in the country. There is a cloud of anxiety, however, over the English king's pursuit of Master Brewster, and the spirited girl shows quick resourcefulness in leading the king's spies away." review in Horn Book, Mar/50, p.105, also shows a line-drawing of two girls skating past a tower, one carrying a muff, both wearing skates with high curved fronts.
D8 Deborah Endicott: did the original poster ever reply to this? Debbie of the Green Gate is about a Debbie (Deborah) Endicott, and is set in the late 1600s so there's a reasonable resemblance.
Hi--I'm the one who e-mailed you (a long time ago) concerning a book about Deborah Endicott.  Then we changed our e-mail address and I never heard anything, so I mostly forgot about it.   Imagine my surprise when I checked your site today and saw my answer!  As soon as I read the title Debbie of the Green Gate, I knew that was the book I've been looking for. Thank you for this web site and thanks to the kind  people who responded to my question.

If it was a Wonder Book rather than an Elf Book, it could be Ann Scott's December is for Christmas Wonder, 1961. "A charming little story about a little bunny who can read and whose adult family members don't think reading is very important, until Jeremy Bunny finds a child's essay on Christmas." "Jeremy Rabbit discovers that he can read! He starts with Dick and Jane and goes on to bigger and better things." illustrated by Alcy Kendrick. It was published also under the title How the Rabbits Found Christmas.
Thank you so much for tracking down the title for me!

Debbie and Her Nap.  Maybe this book?  There is a good description of it under "Solved Mysteries."
Dr. Frances Horwich, a/k/a "Miss Frances", Debbie and Her Nap, 1953.  Almost definitely the book.  This was part of a series of books written by Dr. Horwich, who, on a kids' TV show that I think was called "Dong Dong School," appeared as "Miss Frances." We had a bunch of them when I was growing up, including one where a litel girl "bakes" a clay birthday cake for her father while her mother is baking a real one, and another one where a little girl grows a vine from a piece of a sweet potato.  The covers of all of the books had a bell in the upper right-hand corner with the words "Dong Dong School" appearing on the bell.
Dr. Frances Horwich, Debbie and Her Nap, 1953.  I just sent in this solution and forgot to mention that the book does have a mostly-blue cover with a picture of a little girl with blond hair and pigtails wearing pajamas.
Dr. Frances R. Horwich ("Miss Frances") & Reinald Werrenrath, Jr., , Debbie and Her Nap, 1953.  This is in your Solved Mysteries under "Debbie and Her Nap". I'm the person who sent in the solution, and my description reflects the data from the first poster.  I just want to let this second poster know that *her* (his?) specific recollections are equally on target -- the bunched hair, wardrobe, 50's-style artwork, baby-blue cover, etc.
Bianco, Pamela, The doll in the window.  NY, Walck, 1953.  I would suggest this one. "Seven year old Victoria stood in fornt of the toy shop window. She had come to choose Christmas presents for her five little sisters. But in the middle of the window was a beautiful painted wooden doll, and she wanted the doll more than anything in the world. Then she accidentally lost all her money, and found she couldn't buy anything at all. An unexpected meeting with a little boy who is a cub scout and a very great surprise which comes from the painted doll herself help Victoria and all her sisters to have a happy christmas after all."

Tasha Tudor, Becky's Birthday.  If there were candles floating down the river, this is your book.
Gilbert Delahaye/Marcel Marlier, Debbie's Birthday Party, 1980, reprint.  There are a whole series of books by this author & illustrator about some of the same characters... this looks like the right book to me... Gorgeous illustrations and fireworks at the end! I hope this is right/helps! Let me know if you can if this was right!
OMG....  this is totally the book, Gilbert Delahaye/Marcel Marlier, Debbie's Birthday Party. Thank you soooo much. I did not think I would ever find this book again. This site ROCKS!

i saw the "stump query" for the above, and the answer is: Deegie and the Fairy Princess
Thank you so much.
As I was browsing your "Stump The Bookseller" site, I came across the above inquiry and the answer from one of your readers. I am very surprised and happy find that two people (besides myself) remember the book. Until now, no one I’ve ever described the book to had ever heard of it. I too have been looking for this book for years. I had it when I was a child and loved it! My hope is that you will be able to help me obtain a copy of it.
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I'm interested in obtaining, or a least identifying, a book that was read to me in nursery school in Phoenix in the mid-fiftys.  It was beautifully illustrated and told the story of a male character that had a group of friends (toys?) that vanished/disappeared/were destroyed and he modeled new figures out of clay or wood and they came back to life. I know it's not much to go on but I'd appreciate any clues.

R18 sounds similar to the Deegie and the Fairy Princess descriptions on the solved list. BTW two people on the Alibris board are looking for this as well. Their descriptions are "I'm in search of a childhood memory contained within this beautifully illustrated picture book from the early '50's. It s the story of cherub-like children who make clay figures in a stream which come to life. The illustrations are similar to Bessie Pease Gutmann figures. I would greatly appreciate any information on this lovely little story."and "I've been wracking my brain about this book for years - it's about a lonely child who makes (very good) clay models of imaginary friends & animals using clay from a stream. I think they come to life? I think the illustrations were black & white drawings with maybe 1 additional colour. I would has read this around 1960 & it was probably second hand." The data I have is Deegie and the Fairy Princess by Ruth W. Rempel, illustrated by Dietrich Rempel, published in Akron by Rempel Manufacturing Inc., 1949, 32 pages. I did a web search for the authors, and found that a Dietrich Rempel manufactured rubber toys (Froggie the Gremlin, Chief Wahoo etc.) in Akron, and his wife was named Ruth. He was a designer of the Mickey Mouse gasmask issued to kids. The author of the article on him is Dave Lieberth, who has a collection of Akron rubber toys and Saalfield children's books. I wonder if he has a copy of the Deegie book and what its copyright situation is now? Maybe it could be re-issued, there seems to be a demand.
I am SOOOO thrilled.   Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!  Please do let me know if you can locate a copy.  You are amazing!
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Hi.  I have been haunted by this childhood book for years!  I can't remember the title and certainly not the author. It is a large book (I think) like the old copy of The Littlest Angel.  I had this book as a child in the early 50's.  Anyhow, it was about a boy who lived on a farm, very happily, playing with the farm animals, etc. One day a storm came.  The clouds had faces and puffy cheeks as they blew and blew until the animals were blown away.  He had to hold onto a tree, I think to keep from blowing away.  He was so sad, he went to the edge of the river and made replicas of all the animals out of the clay on the riverbank. Suddenly, there was a pink cloud in the shape of an armchair, in which sat a fairy type woman who made good hot food appear on his table and made his clay animal figures come to life. The illustrations were great, and of course, it was a childhood love.  Hope someone can help me, and thank you in advance :-).

Deegie and the Fairy Princess.  I've seen "Deegie" spelled a variety of ways, and never been able to actually find a copy of the book to be sure of the spelling.  Evidently the book was written to promote the clay figures by a manufacturer branching out from producing rubber figures.  Some of the figures can still be found on eBay at fantastic prices, but the book doesn't seem to be findable anywhere at any price.  It was evidently incredibly well-done, for so many people to remember and ask after it over 50 years later.
Isn't this Deegie and the Fairy Princess by the Rempels again? Can we get Purple House to reprint it or something?
Wow.  If this is the title of the book, I will be ecstatic.  I don't know, the title doesn't ring a bell, but that doesn't mean anything.  I found it interesting that it was published in Akron, as I grew up in Ohio and was born in 1949, the year that book was published.  I can definitely remember the pictures...especially the storm clouds and the fairy's pink chair cloud.  It was a tall book, like The Littlest Angel.  They really should re-publish it like they did Lucky Mrs. Ticklefeather...another favorite and one which I recently got my hands on :-D.  Thanks so much, I am so very happy to get a name for this book AND to see others remember it as well!
By the way, quite a few of the Diamond pottery figures made for Rempel based on Deegie and the Fairy Princess are on eBay right now, if you want to put an announcement on your page for anyone who might like to see them.  Just do a search under "Rempel" on eBay.  No sign of the book yet, though--haven't seen a single copy anywhere!
Deegie and the Fairy Princess: I ran across a picture of the cover of this elusive book, and thought it would be useful, since the illustrations seem to have been so memorable. Jpg attached.
This book has actually shown up twice on EBay in recent months. Once it went for well over $100, the second time only about $60. Having now seen the pictures, I can't say I'm as impressed as I expected to be.
Here's an interesting website about the history of  Dietrich Gustav Rempel's rubber company and his 1946 "Sunnyslope" line of rubber barnyard animals, which were the inspiration for wife Ruth's book, Deegie and the Fairy Princess. Though Rempel started with rubber toys, when these characters were added, they were made of china, introducing Rempel's efforts in that field.  Though extremely rare and valuable, they are MUCH easier to acquire than the book, Deegie and the Fairy Princess.  The reason must be plain to the meanest intelligence:  the china figures were lovingly displayed on a shelf, while the book was given to children who read it to pieces.  Also, both the book and the rubber toys were made of perishable materials in sad shape now if they survive at all, while, unless broken, china is practically perpetual--look at all the Ming dynasty vases and so on still in existence. In the story, a little farm boy named Deegie makes animals of clay to replace pets blown away in a storm.  From the above, it's easy to see the inspiration for the boy's name (Dietrich Gustav, D. G.) and his great perfectionism.  His perfectionism, grief, and love are so great the fairy princess brings his clay animals to life.  Since Dietrich Rempel designed them, it's easy to understand his artistic talent to draw them just as he envisioned.  People in search of this book rave about the illustrations.
Check this out:  A 45 RPM RECORD "COMPLETE ENTERTAINMENT BY THE REMPELS-- DICK AND RUTH-- 'DEEGIE AND THE FAIRY PRINCESS', SIDE 1 AND 2" STORY AND NARRATION BY RUTH REMPEL. THE BACK SIDE IS A PICTURE OF MR. REMPEL AND SAYS "REMPEL THE TOYMAKER PRESENTS NEW RIDING SQUEEZE TOYS--A TOY THEY'LL LOVE AND GROW UP WITH." COPYRIGHT IS 1949, 1962.  Here's more fascinating information:  evidently Dietrich Rempel went by the nickname "Dick," and years after these characters appeared as rubber toys and ceramic figures, they were rereleased as riding toys, complete with a record of the story read by the author!  There's a good chance the book was reprinted at this time, so perhaps even a few baby boomers are hankering after it as well as the older generation!
I was so excited to see so many people on this website asking about Deegie and the Fairy Princess!  I received the book from my grandma in the very early 50's, brand new (I was born in 1948) and have kept it all these 50-some-odd years.  So many people I mention it to have never heard of it.  My problem--I want to buy another copy.  I would like my grandchildren to each have a copy--2 grandchildren, 1 book.  Any ideas where to find another copy of this book?  It doesn't even have to be in pristine condition, as my copy is missing the spine cover, though it is still in one piece.  Thanks for any and all help.
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Here's a real stumper:  I am seeking a beautifully illustrated book from my childhood but I don't know the author or title.  It was about a blond boy who lived alone (on a farm?).  He imagines the clouds are animals, then the cloud animals come to life and join him on the farm.  I think the boy's name was Dondi, but it was not the same Dondi from the comic strips.  The thing that stands out the most is the lovely watercolor illustrations.  Please help me figure out this mustery!

Similar to Deegie and the Fairy Princess (see Solved Mysteries for more).
I think you might have already solved it!  I was surfing your site today, and I found a reference to "Deegie and the Fairy Princess".  When I read the description of that story, I was reminded about the boy making the animals out of clay, a detail I had forgotten.  Then when I saw a picture of the cover, I was certain it's the same book.  I never in a million years would have remembered the name without you.  Now if only I could find a copy - it looks like it's out of print.  Thanks for your help!  It was well worth the $2.
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 I'm looking for a book i loved as a child. It would have been 30+ years ago. It had a little boy that was loney and made creatures out of mud or sand and they turned into the real thing and were his friends, then there was a beautiful princess in the clouds that took him to a castle in the end. He was a little blone boy, the book had very pretty pictures and was a nice easy read.  It was probably about 20 pages or so. HELP...

Rempel, Ruth, Deegie and the Fairy Princess. Little boy makes animals out of clay, fairy princess makes them come to life.
You found the answer!  That's the one! Thanks so much!!!
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I have been trying to learn the name of a book I loved as a little boy in the early 60's I remember a boy who lost his animal friends in a tornado or the like and I can remember one of the last pages, where he had created likenesses of them out of clay on a long table. and a fairy godmother or someone brought them to life. I googled the info and came upon your website to learn that it was "Deegie and the Fairy Princess". Now if I can just find a copy! Thanks so much.

Bristow, Gwen, Deep Summer. (1937)  The sequels are The Handsome Road (1938) and This Side of Glory (1940).  The first book is about a woman named Corrie May  the last book is about one of her descendants, Cordelia.  The series goes from the early 1800s to World War I.
Prob not this one, as she has only one othr book Shadow on the  water - Barnwell, Robinson   Head into the wind    illus by Avery Johnson McKay
The Gwen Bristow series is exactly what I was looking for.  Thank You.

THE DELICIOUS PLUMS OF KING OSCAR THE BAD by Rick Schreiter, NY Harlin Quist (1967). "Geoffrey Hopewell, the story's hero, quietly goes about his business of eating the delicious plums of the king & proving that perseverance truly is the key to success. Magnificent illus in shades of brown, tan peach. Several pictures of Uncle Benjamin traveling in his hot-air balloon, including on the dustjacket cover. A delightful book! Illustrated by Rick Schreiter." I managed to remember the title almost three years ago. As I described it, the king decides to hoard all the plums from a special tree for himself, one boy refuses to accept this, declares he'll ask for some, everyone laughs and says his head will roll, including his enemy Tobias Smudge, and the hero gets taken to the castle by his uncle in a balloon. The humor reminds me of Roald Dahl, somewhat, and even when it doesn't, you know it's post-1960 from scenes like this: "Sometimes he and his friend Kevin would sit on the hill where you could see the castle and Geoffrey would talk about Kings and Plums and Why Things Are the Way They Are." Or: "SUDDENLY, over him fell a huge moist shadow!" 

This is the Demu Trilogy by F.M. Busby.

There are so few children’s books about medieval Spain, I thought I would mention one I recall: Elizabeth Borton De Trevino: Casilda of the Rising Moon, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1967.  This story is about a princess who becomes a saint in medieval Spain. There is some conflict between Muslim and Christian belief systems, and she has a silver locket with the image of the cross and/or a rose hidden inside.
Anya Seton, ? Green Darkness.  I'm sure this is by her - she certainly wrote a love story based around the Cathars - but not sure if it is her Green Darkness or another of her titles ...
Zoe Oldenbourg, Destiny of Fire, 1960,1981,1999.  3rd vol. of trilogy (preceded by The World is Not Enough & The Cornerstone). "Set in 13th-century France, this novel chronicles the suffering of a noble family that was part of a pacifist sect deemed heretical by the Roman Catholic Church, and whose members were persecuted during the ensuing Albigensian Crusade."--NYT,'99

This one I definitely know!  There are only two books in this series. The Mystery of the Roman Ransom and Detectives in Togas by Henry Winterfeld.  They were translated from German, so there may have been more.  Reprinted a few years ago in paperback as Odyssey Classics by Harcourt.
Hello Harriett--Those sure sound like them; please thank your assistant stumper-solver! That's quite interesting about them being translated from German...I didn't know that. Time for a trip to the used shelves...& thanks again for your marvelous service! :)

Catherine Coulter, Devil's Embrace, 1982.The ship captain's name is Anthony Welles and he kidnaps Cassandra the day before her wedding to someone else.
It was Catherine Coulter, Devil's Embrace.  I ordered it and its sequel already.  This website provides an important service to us absentminded folks and I thank you and the person who solved it immensely.

I believe this is a Sesame Street book, and that my son used to have it. The characters were all Muppets. The story was called something like Darling Daisy Dora and the Dreadful Dragon but I'm not sure it was the title story. Maybe The Sesame Street ABC Story Book with stories for each letter (this being the D story).
Sesame Street, The Diamon D and the Dreadful Dragon, 1971.  Thanks to your help, I was able to track it down. My description was a bit incorrect. The land was Dundeedle, not Dundee. Heck, I was close! This site is a valuable resource!!

Diamond in the Window

#A69--Attic Magic:  Makes me think of Susan Cooper's Over Sea, Under Stone, but that mystery only starts in the attic, doesn't stay there.  You may want to check out Jessamy, by Barbara Sleigh, and one called Behind the Attic Wall,both on the "Solved Mysteries" pages, but a lot of stories involve attics, including one called The Castle in the Attic I haven't seen anyone ask about yet.
A69 - The searcher might try Jane Langton's Diamond in the Window.  There are children and an attic involved.
M is for Magic has sibblings and an attic
Well, it starts in an attic, and Curry is something like L'Engle in style. But I don't know how many children are involved: Curry, Jane Louise The Mysterious Shrinking House (original title Mindy's Mysterious Miniature) Scholastic 1970, "Mindy found the miniature house hidden in the attic of the old barn. It was so perfect it looked like a real house--that had somehow shrunk. But she never guessed its terrible secret or that she herself would be trapped inside."
I had submitted a stumper and just checked the answers -- the name Diamond in the Window jumped out at me, and I'm on my way to the library to check!  THANK YOU!!
Maybe Betty Erwin's Go to the Room of the Eyes, published by Little, Brown 1969? It involves a treasure hunt through an old house and a secret room. I don't know whether there's magic involved or not.
The Diamond in the Window was indeed the book I've been searching for!!  I can't thank you enough -- for over twenty years I've wondered about this, and as soon as I read the first page I knew it was the one.  Please pass along my thanks to the kind people who had suggestions. (Funny, but one of my comments had been that it was along the lines of A Wrinkle in Time, and in fact it was next to that book on the shelf at the bookstore -- Langton and L'engle.  Strange the things one's mind holds onto.)
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A brother and sister are put in the care of their aunt and uncle when their parents (who are head of a transcendentalist institute I believe in New England) disappear.  The book is about the chidren's search to find their parents.  At the end of the book, the parents are found trapped in a seashell.  I read this book in the mid-1970's.

Jane Langton, The Diamond in the Window, 1962.  There are a few wrong details in the seeker's summary, but I'm quite sure this is the right book.  "Eleanor and Eddy are seaching for th elost children, Ned and Nora, who vanished from the old room a the top of the house without a trace. In the room, they find verses scratched on the window by Prince Krishna before he, too, disappeared. No the verses beome clues to guide them, but hte search is long and mysterious, leading the children deep into dreams that turn into real-life nightmares."  The first of the Hall Family Chronicles which include The Swing in the Summerhouse, The Astonishing Stereoscope, The Fledgling, The Fragile Flag, and The Time Bike.
Jane Langton, The Diamond in the Window,  2001, reprint.  This is from the Hall Family Chronicles about the magical adventures of children whose parents run a 20C transcendental school.
Langton, Jane, Diamond in the Window, illustrated by Erik Blegvad.  NY Harper 1962.  I think this is it, though it isn't parents who are lost, but children (who have grown up in the meantime to young adults). And although there is an adventure in a seashell, and the young heroes have trouble escaping from it, I believe the missing children (and Indian prince) escape from the mirror-globe in the garden. It does take place in New England, and the uncle and aunt who raise the main characters do run a transcendentalist school.
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A young girl or teen (who is unhappy?) dreams an adventure (on an island?) Each night she can't wait to return to the adventure - picks up where she left off. probably 1960's

Joanne Greenberg, I never promised you a rose garden, 1970s?  This sounds like the book you are looking for, the girl was in a hospital with a mental illness and she had to choose between her sanity or her imaginary world
Thanks, but this is not the book. It was a much more benevolent magical story for juveniles (ages 10-12? or so) -- all ended happily. I'm beginning to think I made it up, since no one can remember it.  Thanks for your help.
Could this possibly be Jane Langton's A Diamond in the Window?
Catherine Storr, Marianne Dreams, 1958, renewed 1964, reprint 1989 and  2002.  Here's the cover blurb on my Puffins edition:  "The eerie story of a girl whose dreams become haunted by a boy in a lonely house. Soon after Marianne found the pencil in the old workbox, she began to have strange dreams of an old house, with a boy in the upstairs room. Then the amazing truth dawned on her: it was *she* who had created the house and the boy because whenever she drew something during the day, that night she would dream about it.  As the dreams become more sinister, and it seems that the boy is in great danger, so Marianne wonders whether she is to be trapped forever in a cycle of pictures and dreams...  This marvelous haunting story has become a classic since it was first published in 1958."
Thanks for the tip! I will check it out. I loved Jane Langton as a girl, but it never occurred to me that she might be the author.
I am almost positive that Diamond in the Window is correct.  I will get a copy of the book and check it out. Thanks to the poster who solved this for me.  It is quite amazing because I have a strong memory of loving this book, but no longer remembered the plot, and did not put two and two together. Thanks again to Loganberry.
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A brother and sister must solve  puzzles to save their missing parents. I believe their parents have been kidnapped. I read the book in th 70's. It was illustrated. I believe one illustration contained a stuffed bird (which may have been part of one of the puzzles.)

Langton, Jane, The Diamond in the Window.  Eddy and Eleanor solve magical puzzles looking for their aunt and uncle, who were kidnapped by an evil arabian magician, along with the magicians brother, the good shah. (The children are orphans, however, which might be confused for looking for parents.) One of the puzzles involves realizing that the "eyes" in a clue refer to the feathers on a stuffed peacock.
If it's a missing aunt and uncle rather than missing parents, this book could be Jane Langton's The Diamond in the Window.
Langton, Jane, The Diamond in the Window, 1962.  The Diamond in the Window was the first fantasy novel I ever read, when I was in fourth grade.  I don't know how many times I borrowed it from the library, and as an adult I finally bought my own copy.  Diamond is about the orphaned Eleanor and Eddie, who live with their Aunt Lily and an uncle whose name I can't remember.  The youngsters learn that another aunt and uncle, Ned and Nora, disappeared as children.  The stuffed bird you're thinking of is the peacock in the foyer landing.  Incidentally, the house in the novel is a real house in Concord.
Jane Langton (author), Eric Blegvad (illustrator), The Diamond in the Window.  This is probably the book sought, though some of the details are wrong.  Eleanor and Edward Hall seek their deceased parents' siblings, Ned and Nora Hall, who disappeared years ago during a treasure hunt created by Prince Krishna.  The stuffed bird is Percival the Peacock, who plays a prominent role in the mystery.  A wonderful book, followed by at least five sequels in the Hall Family Chronicles.  See the "Solved Mysteries" D page for more.
I think this is the episode with the stuffed peacock from The Diamond in the Window.
I will check out A Diamond in the Window, it sounds like the right book. I remember the children meeting with their uncle at the end of the story, but I couldn't remember why he was there. This explains it. Thanks so much!
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I remember only one scene in the book and absolutely nothing else:  The children in the book wander into a building of some sort and confront a series of hallways, all lined with mirrors. There are many corners, and many choices to be made about which way to go. At first, they are attracted to the odd looking faces in the mirrors - their own, but slightly changed. As they choose their direction, they at first make choices in which their faces become more and more unattractive and the children themselves become more and more quarrelsome with each other until they are all fighting with each other and saying nasty things.   At some point, one of the group makes the connection between the choices they make, the behavior they are exhibiting (nasty and mean) and the face reflected back at them (nasty and mean).  They decide at some point to turn back and make different choices, ones that are kinder and ultimately, of course, they end up kinder to each other with kinder gentler faces. I believe this was a small chapter book, suitable for ages 9 to 12 or so, along the lines of "Search for Delicious" and those kinds of books (these were the kind my daughter loved at that age).  We read this together about six to seven or eight years ago but I am not sure how old the book was at the time we read it.

Langton, Jane, Diamond in the Window or Astonishing Stereoscope.  I am not sure which of these two books this stumper is from. Eddy and Eleanor have a series of adventures and one consists of them choosing from various images of themselves, and having to go back and make different choices after the ones they initially chose led to some more scary outcomes.
Jane Langton, The Diamond in the Window
I think this might be the scene in Jane Langton's book Diamond in the Window, where the kids enter a nautilus shell.
Langton, Jane, The Diamond in the Window, 1962.  Again!
Jane Langton.  This sounds like Eleanor and Eddie again--I think the Swing in the Summerhouse.
Isn't this a scene from The Diamond in the Window?
Jane Langton (author), Erik Blegvad (illustrator),  The Diamond in the Window, 1962.  This is chapter 13, "The Gift of the Mirror" from  The Diamond in the Window.
Jane Langton,  The Diamond in the Window.  See C359, a few stumpers above this one!
Jane Langton,  The Diamond in the Window, 1962.  This sounds like the chapter in The Diamond in the Window called "The Gift of the Mirror." There's a lot more to the book but that is definitely what happens in that chapter.
Thank you for a valuable service.  I would have never remembered the title and google searches on “brother sister shell question” did not help.
One of your "solved"  mysteries with the tag line "multiplying mirrors" is definitely the diamond in the window by Jane Langton.
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1978-1982.  This children's book features a brother and sister protagonists who have to solve some kind of mystery revolving around their house. I specifically remember the little girl doesn't like her freckles, and she has some sort of maze where she can choose to cover them with powder, which leads her to another set of choices. Eventually, she does not like where her choices lead her, so she traces her way back to the original choice of whether to cover her freckles or not. This time she chooses NOT to cover them and she does like where her choices lead her. Her brother also goes though this maze of choices, but my memory is less clear about his path. I would LOVE to find this book for my daughter. Please help.

Jane Langton, The Diamond in the Window. This episode occurs near the end of The Diamond in the Window.  The boy Edmund's choices culminate in a decision whether he wants to grow up to be a leader or a famous explorer (responsibility or adventure).   There are several sequels.
Jane Langton, The Diamond in the Window.  One of my favorites! Eddie, Eleanor, and Georgie appear in The Swing in Summerhouse, The Astonishing Stereoscope, The Time Bike, The Fledgling, The Fragile Flag, and The Mysterious Circus.
Jane Langton, The Diamond in the Window.  A really wonderful book.  Eleanor and Eddy Hall live in a huge, exotic-looking house in Concord.  One day they discover a room above the attic that has toys and two beds in it, and learn about Ned and Nora, their aunt and uncle who disappeared as children.  When they sleep in the beds they start a series of adventures in their dreams adventures that the missing children had also had, and from which they never returned.  Langton wrote several other books about the Hall family - The Swing in the Summerhouse, The Astonishing Stereoscope, The Fledgling, The Fragile Flag, The Time Bike.  I like the first two best.
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I read the book when I was in grade school, early-mid 80’s, and I just loved it.  It was about a brother and sister sent to live with an aging “aunt” whose own 2 children had disappeared when they were of a similar age.  The siblings soon discovered a secret stairwell into the attic where there was an old playroom, small beds and all.  They were discovered and sternly told to stay away from the attic, which of course they didn’t do.  Whenever they slept in the attic, they had dreams that started benign, and seemed that they were chasing after 2 other children who were always a step ahead.  They had dreams that placed them in the toy block house, a chambered nautilus, and other places that were represented in the playroom.  Finally, the last dream had them trapped in bubbles that they had to work very hard to break.  This was where the other 2 children had disappeared.  The new siblings were able to break the bubbles, which seemed to be globes on the front porch, and the next day, the now adult missing kids came home.  It was a fascinating story and I wish so badly that I could remember the name and/or author.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Jane Langton, The Diamond in the Window, 1973. This is absolutely your book, a wonderful dreamy mystery. You can find a very detailed summary here: http://bellaonbooks.wordpress.com/2010/05/05/old-favorites-the-diamond-in-the-window/
Jane Langton, The Diamond in the Window. This is definitely The Diamond in the Window.  A marvelous book.  Has a number of sequels - The Swing in the Summerhouse, The Astonishing Stereoscope, The Fledgling, The Fragile Flag, The Time Bike, The Mysterious Circus, The Dragon Tree.  I like the first three best.  Fledgling was a Newbery Honor Book.
Jane Langton, The Diamond in the Window, 1962. This is almost certainly The Diamond in the Window. There are several sequels in The Hall Family Chronicles, so if you really liked the first book, you can keep going!
Langton, Jane, Diamond in the window.
Jane Langton, The diamond in the Window, 1969. "Eleanor and Eddy discover a hidden staircase that leads to a secret room at the top of their house. The room has toys and books, an elaborate castle built of blocks, and two small beds. They learn from Aunt Lily that the room belonged to their aunt and uncle, Ned and Nora, who disappeared when they were children."
Langton, Jane, Diamond in the Window. Although some of the details don't match exactly, this sounds a lot like Diamond in the Window.
SOLVED: Langton, Jane, Diamond in the Window. I am so thankful to have found the name of this book I remember so well!  I've thought of it so often through the years, and now to be able to buy it and read it again makes me giddy!  I am also pleased to learn this is the beginning of a series, so my enjoyment can continue!  Thank you so much for you help!

Clark, Catherine Anthony, Diamond Feather, or The Door in the Mountain, Illustrated by Clare Bice, Macmillan, 1962.
The Diamond Feather, or the Door in the Mountain, by Catherine Anthony Clarke, illustrated by Clare Bice, published Toronto, Macmillan 1962, 224 pages. "On Hallowe-en Jone and Firelei, two orphans living with kind Mrs. Carmichael near the Canadian town of Silverslide, wander into the deserted streets of the Old Town. Here they meet Pete, the Frozen Man, who mistakes them for his long-lost children and rows them off to his home across the lake. He soon discovers his mistake, but forces the children to stay with him until the magic 'diamond' feather is found. Armed with this, they set out for the mountain to look for Pete's children. What happens then, when Pete has an accident and the children go through the door in the mountain with the mischievous Rock-Puck to the Valley at the Edge of Time, makes a thrilling and eventful story. They visit the White Bird Indians; they travel with the Wind; they dance at a ceremonial feast; they return the magic feather to Diamond Feather, wife of Chief Raven; they meet Pete's children and bring happiness to him at last. After all their adventures Jon and Firelei return happily to Silverslide, much better able to appreciate their comfortable home with Mrs. Carmichael." (from the dustjacket)

Dickon Among the Indians by M.R. Harrington, Illustrated by Clarence Ellsworth, 1938. My father left this with me when he moved to a new apartment years ago and I still haven't read it! I have the impression it's rather unemotional, however - not like, say, The Light in the Forest. I searched under "Dickon" and "Harrington" and came up with three titles by Harrington. Check 'em out. At least one was reprinted in 1991!
Here's two possible titles, though I found no descriptions.  Among the Indians by Eddie W Wilson (House of Field, 1941) or Nick Wilson, Pioneer boy Among the Indians by Howard R Driggs (Aladdin Books, 1951).
Harrington, The Indians of New Jersey, Dickon Among the Lenapes, 1963, reprint.  This sounds close to what you're  looking for - it's a reprint of Dickon Among the Indians, 1938. It's about a boy who is rescued  by a Lenape family and learns their ways.
M.R. Harrington, Dickon Among the Indians.  First published in 1938, I think  re-published by Puffin Books in 1949. Another edition of the book is called The Indians of New Jersey: Dickon Among the Lenapes.
M. R. Harrington, Dickon Among the Indians,1938.  Also by this author: The Indians of New Jersey: Dickon Among the Lenapes  and The Iroquois Trail: Dickon among the Onondagas and Senecas so it looks as if Dickon had quite an exciting life.

*Dig for a Treasure*, by Dean Marshall, written sometime around 1950.  Second in a series about kids living in the Connecticut countryside; the other two books are *The Invisible Island* and *Wish on the Moon*.  First read these books in the late '60s, and ILL'd them last year so I could read them again.
Yes, I saw those over-priced ones on Bibliofind...unbelievable!  I found copies at the Enoch Pratt Library here in Baltimore, so I will at least get to read them again.  But I think I would like to try to find copies to own. I didn't realize that Dean Marshall was a woman...from Kentucky.  There is
actually a web-site about her and about her books that I found by searching with Google! My brother, by the way, has been in your store...bought an oriental rug there...and says it is very nice.  It surely looks nice from the pictures! Thanks again.

HRL: Sounds like Al Perkins' The Digging-est Dog, 1967.  It wasn't Parents Magazine Press, but it was part of the Random House Beginning Reader series (started by The Cat in the Hat), and was certainly widely available through the Children's Weekly Reader Book Club of the 70s. 

Lee Wyndham, Beth Hilton, Model, 1960.  I am pretty sure this is the book described.  It was part of a series for young girls about careers and romance.  In it, Beth's cousin is a model, but Beth doesn't think she has her cousin's beauty.  She ends up becoming a model and towards the end eclipses Lisa's career.
Emery, Anne, Dinny Gordon, Freshman, 1959.  I posted this stumper, but someone on another board gave me the answer.  In this book, Dinny's three best friends each have a particular beauty problem (one is too tall, one is chubby, one has acne) and the tall one does indeed begin charm school and become a model for the local newspaper.  None of them can understand why Dinny, the only one with no beauty problems, is not interested in dating.

Philip Wylie, The Disappearance.  In this book Earth suddenly becomes two physically identical worlds, one with only women and girls, the other only men and boys.

DO NOT OPEN by Brinton Turkle.  Old lady finds a small bottle on the beach. When it asks her what she
desires, she says, "None of your beeswax!" Then, when she releases the evil genie, she tricks him (by playing on his pride) into making himself small and re-traps him in the bottle.  (Sent above to you before, but my mind was elsewhere and I put the author as STUDS Turkle! Actually, it's Brinton Turkle. Sorry about that.)
G22 genie & beeswax: Do Not Open, by Brinton Turkle, published Dutton 1981, has been reprinted. The publisher's description is "Following a storm Miss Moody and her cat Captain Kidd find an intriguing bottle washed up on the beach. Should they ignore its "Do not open" warning?."

Brown, Margaret Wise.  Doctor Squash the Doll Doctor.  Illustrated by J.P. Miller.  S&S, 1952.  Little Golden Book #157. 

Prudence Andrew, Dog! 1973.
Andrew, Prudence, Dog!  1973, Nelson.  "A ten-year-old boy who is forbidden to have a dog finds a stray and hides him in an abandoned car."

Lois Lenski, Davy and His Dog,  Oxford U Press,1957.  Lenski wrote 6 Davy books this might also be A Dog Came to School (1955).
D71 dog for davy's field.  Probably A Dog for Davie's Hill, written and illustrated by Claire Bice, published New York, Macmillan 1956, 120 pages. "Everyone laughed at the old beggar Billy Bayne who sang Scottish songs and talked of the days of Bonnie Prince Charlie. But Davie Mathieson one morning shared his lunch with him, largely because of the hungry little dog old Billy had on a rope. "A bonnie wee dog, but dreadful thin," thought Davie. Davie was surprised and delighted a few days later when old Billy, who was ill, asked him to take care of his dog Fly. Fly could help Moss and Sweep, the sheep dogs, on the hill, and Davie planned to train him for the Trials. Every day they ran out on the moors and up to Craig Dhu. Fly was mischievous and learned slowly, but Davie was patient and how thrilled he was when Fly placed first in the Novice Class at the August Trials. But it was bad luck too, because Davie lost Fly to Sandy Big Alec through a trick. The story reaches an exciting climax when Davie helps to capture sheep stealers at Craig Dhu and he and Fly prove to everybody that they belong together." (from the dust jacket) However, just to confuse the issue, there's also David and the Mountain, written and illustrated by Christine Price, published Longmans 1959. "David was sure that his dog Fly could be as fine a sheep dog as her mother had been, and he was as impatient for Fly to have a chance to prove herself as he was to prove that he was old enough to take part in the gathering of the sheep on the mountain. Especially interesting are the contrasts to be found in present-day Wales: tractors and buses are taken for granted by farmers and villagers, while the highlight of their lives is the Eisteddfod with the 'chairing of a bard according to the Ancient Rites of the Bards of Britain.'" (Horn Book Apr/59 p.130)
Davy and his Dog, by Lois Lenski, published Oxford University Press 1957 "The fifth book about Davy, who shows young readers what fun it is to take care of his dog Spot, as well as to play with him. Two-color illustrations. Ages 3-6." (Horn Book Dec/57 p.461 pub.ad) The dog's named Spot, not Fly, though.

Unkelbach, Kurt, The Dog in My Life: Thumper of Walden.This was one of my old favorites.  The girl's family breeds and shows Labs, hence her breeder talk in show and tell. On her 12th(I think) birthday she gets her pick of one of the litters to be her own to train and show, and chooses one with a too-big head and other substandard features.  The book covers a series of misadventures, including mistaking a wild skunk for their de-scented pet skunk and Thumper being stolen & sold to a quirky rich dog-loving lady. Thumper eventually grows into his awkward features and becomes a champion. Good book - wish I still had it, even though I practically memorized it.
Patricia Lauber, Clarence the TV Dog, 1971. I keep thinking this is Clarence the TV Dog. The "three dogs and seven bitches" line has stuck with me through the years, partly because my mother always had one or two pedigreed Shelties around along with a lot of books on dog breeding and training.
Kurt Unkelbach, The Dog In My Life, 1966. This is a Scholastic book based on a true story. The family raised AKC Labs and were involved in dog shows. The exact line is "I said we had two dogs and seven bitches." The teacher made her stay after school and called the mother. Then the mother visited the principal and "the teacher didn't ask us about pets again." Great book about family life and told in first person by the 15 year-old Carrie and her dog, Thumper of Walden.
Unkelbach, Kurt, The Dog In My Life: Thumper of Walden, 1966. Thanks to the contributors who have led me closer in my search to find a book from my childhood! Two people have posted The Dog In My Life: Thumper of Walden as the mystery book, and I am positive that is correct. Thanks so much!

Shirley Hughes, Dogger.  David loses his favorite stuffed animal Dogger.  The toy turns up at a school carnival for sale but before David can tell his parents a little girl buys Dogger.  She refuses to sell it back to him until his big sister trades it for an enormous teddy bear she won at the carnival.  This book was also published under a different title- possibly 'David and Dog' but I'm not sure- I've read only the 'Dogger' copy.
Brigitte Weninger, What's the Matter, Davy?, 1999.  Maybe a stretch, but worth a shot! When Davy loses his toy bunny Nicky, he cannot fall asleep at night. His sister lends him her doll, and his mother makes him another toy bunny similar to his old one. Davy is still upset for nothing can replace his favorite toy. After a great deal more searching, Nicky eventually reappears, the delighted rabbit graciously gives the toy his mother made to his younger sibling.
Hughes, Shirley, Dogger, 1988.  It's a dog, not a duck.  The boy's name is Dave and the sister's name is Bella.  She wins a teddy at the school fair and swaps it for the lost dog.  There's also a British version (1977) David and Dog.  It always made our family cry too!
Shirley Hughes, David and Dog, 1977.  Could this be it?  David has a special stuffed animal named Dog that he loses.  Dog turns up for sale at a school fair and a little girl buys him and refuses to give him up.  David's sister Bella then trades a big beautiful teddy bear she has just won in a raffle for him.

I think this person may be confusing two different things.  "Old Dog Tray" is a song by Stephen Foster, but the words aren't like this story.  Maybe it's one of the many books that have titles starting with "Little Dog..." or "Old Dog...", such as Little Dog Toby by Rachel Field, about a dog who joins the circus.  Or Little Dog Tim by Elizabeth Stewart, I don't know what that story is.
#D17, "Dog Tray," is not Old Dog Tom from the Beacon Readers, if that helps.  (I am looking for the rest of the Beacon Readers, published by Ginn, if anyone has them.  That's the only one I have.)
Two possibilities here:  Opal Wheeler's biography of Stephen Foster for children: Stephen Foster and his Little Dog Tray." (c. 1940)   Another might be a Victorian-era book -- the Hollow Tree Book, about the coon and the possum and the old black crow, that lived in a hollow tree and were always outwitting "Mr. Dog." Don't know the author, but clearly inspired by Chandler's Nights with Uncle Remus.  Hope this helps.
This, I think, looks pretty good: The Doggy Book Akron, Saalfield 1940, unpaginated, 12 1/2" x 9 3/4", bright colorful covers featuring Mama Dog, Papa Dog and Tray Dog "Mr. and Mrs. Dog and their son Tray are all dressed up in their very best clothes and start on their promenade down the street and meet Kitty Gray! What do you think happens next?"

Diana Wynne Jones, Dogsbody, 1975. I'm pretty sure this is your book.
Diana Wynne Jones, Dogsbody, This is exactly the book you are looking for: the dog star sirius has been exiled to earth in the form of a dog and is the companion to an (abused?) young girl.
Diana Wynne Jones, Dogsbody, 1975. Sirius the dog star, is reborn on earth as a puppy with a mission to search for the lost Zoi, the murder weapon of the stars." A wonderful book by a great author!
Diana Wynne Jones, Dogsbody
The book you're looking for is Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones....a superb British fantasy author (Lives of Christopher Chant, Dark Lord of Derkholm, Howl's Moving Castle and many others)

Horwitz, Joshua, Doll Hospital, 1983.  This book matches the requestor's description -- black and white photos of the interior and workings of the New York Doll Hospital.  The 1983 date may be a reprint  not sure.  At any rate, the ISBN is 0-394-85332-6, or for the library binding:  0-394-95332-0.  Publisher: Pantheon.  Enjoy! 

The book about the doll that is found in a bag of rags at an auction is The Doll of Lilac Valley by Cora Cheney.
Thanks so much for your wonderful service. The two "mysteries" that I had posted were solved correctly by you or your readers, and I have now re-discovered 2 old favorites: The Doll of Lilac Valley and The Winged Watchman. I will certainly recommend your site to others searching for long-lost favorites!

This is almost certainly one of the Classics Illustrated Junior series, #560 - The Doll Princess. You can probably find it listed for sale on eBay.
Classics Illustrated Junior, The Doll Princess, June 1959.  Yes - The Doll Princess by Classics Illustrated Junior is right! Thank you so very much for helping me. I would never have gotten the title right without your assistance. I ordered the comic book from a dealer and it came today. I can see that my memory of the story was alittle fuzzy (after 40 years.) What a pleasure to read the story again and have memories come back!

I own it. It's called The Dollhouse Caper, by Jean S. O'Connell, published by Scholastic in 1975, illustrated by Erik Blegvad.  The isbn is 0-590-11843-9.  One of my favorite books.
more on the suggested The Dollhouse Caper, by Jean S. O'Connell, illustrated by Eric Blegvad, published Crowell 1976, 87 pages. "Mr. and Mrs. Dollhouse and their lively children comprehend the threat to the humans' house from two thieves whom they have overheard 'casing the joint.' From TV they, like their three male owners, are all too aware of the methods and terminology of such robbery. Hoping to alert the boys to the danger, they ingeniously make changes in the dollhouse which are not immediately apparent, since each boy believes another has been playing with it. The human family is seen driving to its annual post-Christmas skiing vacation while their house is entered by two thugs masquerading as moving men. Suddenly the boys, talking together, realize that the dollhouse people have been trying to tell them something, and they are able to convince their parents that they must return at once. The pen-and-ink drawings add to the individuality of the dollhouse characters and make their two-floor establishment a realistic setting for the action." (HB Jun/76 p.291)

Hariette Arnow, The Dollmaker, 1954.  D244 is almost certainly The Dollmaker by Hariette Arnow--a great book that was made into a movie starring Jane Fonda.
This sounds like The Dollmaker by Harriette Arnow.  Gertie and her family move from rural Kentucky to Detroit to make a "better" living during the war.  Gertie is a wood sculptor/craftsperson, her daughter is killed on the railroad tracks and the family eventually moves back to the country.  The movie is excellent, starring Jane Fonda as Gertie.
Harriette Arnow , THE DOLLMAKER, 1954.  "Strong-willed, self-reliant Gertie Nevels's peaceful life in the Kentucky hills is devastated by the brutal winds of change. Uprooted from her backwoods home, she and her family are thrust into the confusion and chaos of wartime Detroit. And in a pitiless world of unendurable poverty, Gertie will battle fiercely and relentlessly to protect those things she holds most dear -- her children, her heritage . . . and her triumphant ability to create beauty in the suffocating shadow of ugliness and despair."  In 1954, Harriette Arnow published her most impressive work, The Dollmaker. It remained on the best-seller list for 31 weeks and also placed second in the National Book Awards and won the Friends of American Writers award the next year.  It was made into a 1984 TV movie starring Jane Fonda.

Not sure this is right, but one book, nearly a century old, is The Book of Live Dolls by Josephine Scribner Gates(?).
#D18--Doll Comes Alive:  The Story of Live Dolls, published in 1900, is now over 100 years old. An oldie but goodie which should be reprinted.  There's a book called When the Dolls Woke, I'm afraid would be much too recent to be this one, but I may have seen a recent edition of an older  book.
Did they definitely decide #D18, "Doll Comes Alive," was The Story of Live Dolls?  Someone on the Alibris "lost books" list suggested Big Susan as the story of a doll which comes to life.  I hope that wasn't the one they
wanted, as a "fair copy" is $700.  I'd really like the Story of Live Dolls (I've only read the excerpt from Better Homes and Gardens Story Book), but not THAT much.
Not much, but another possibility: Mystery, John (Pseud. Lester Sinclair) John Mystery's Eenie Weenie Winnie Has a Party: the Doll that Came Alive. Publicity Press, Sydney 1938 4to card covers with full colour illustration on front and logo on back. Illustrated in black and white throughout and first illustration in colour. Decorated eps, with front ep comprising a letter from John Mystery. Unpaginated. "Verse story for younger children"
D18 doll comes alive: saw a possible on eBay, part of "Nelson's Books for Nursery Nooks" and the complete title is DOLLIE DARLINGS - TELLING HOW THE PLAYTHINGS CAME ALIVE AND THE WONDERFUL THINGS THEY DID. This is a story of a young girl's adventure with her dolls, toys and imagination. Full page, full color illustrations throughout, book measures 10.5" by 8". Illustrations shown are of girl in willow-plate scene with Chinese doll, flying kites with Japanese doll. Frontispiece shows her standing on globe
with baggage.

D25 is definitely one of Rumer Godden's doll books, but I can't remember exactly which one, either The Doll's House or Home is the Sailor.  The villainess doll is named Marchpane, I believe.
D25 - Is (for sure) Doll's House by Rumer Godden.  Marchpane (or Marzipan) is the evil doll.  I was fascinated by this book as a child because one of the chapters is only a paragraph long and that seemed so strange.
Isn't this The Doll's House by Rumer Godden?  The wicked doll is named Marchpane -- she's dressed as a bride and has spent years in a drycleaner's shop.
Stumper #D25 is referenced in #D13...D25 is that story about the penny doll, by Rumer Godden. I remember reading it as a child. There was a family of dolls living in their dollhouse, & when the evil Marzipan?/Marchpane?
came to live w/them, she made their lives miserable. At the end of the story, the sweet mother figure, who was made of celluloid (I think), ended up being burned up due to The Evil M.'s conniving. Sorry I can't remember
the title of the story either, but maybe the plot details will stir someone else's memory!
Yes it does!! And that is the book! YAY!! Thanks! Rumer Godden's book The Dolls House...

Interpreting Condition  Grades

Godden, Rumer.  The Dolls' House.  Illustrated by Tasha Tudor.  Viking, 1962.  Second printing, 1963.  A beautiful copy. F/F.  <SOLD>

K48 Sounds like it could be Hilary McKay's DOG FRIDAY, DOLPHIN LUCK and THE AMBER CAT. McKay is a British author. Her books feature quirky families who do often get themselves into funny scrapes. The train incident happens in DOLPHIN LUCK. ~from a librarian
This is just a guess since the events described don't ring a bell, but I immediately thought of the Blossom family series by Betsy Byars.  The kids' names are Junior, Vern, Maggie, and (?)Ralphie, Pap is the Grandfather, and the dog's name is Mud.  They have hilarious fun getting into trouble.  Some of the titles are The Not-Just-Anybody Family, A Blossom Promise, The Blossoms and the Green Phantom, and WANTED...Mud Blossom (they put Mud on trial because they think he ate the visiting classroom hamster).
Hilary McKay, The Exiles, 1991.  I think Hilary McKay is the right answer.  Your question refers to a number of different books.  Dolphin Luck, Dog Friday and the Amber Cat are related and answer some of the questions.  The girls sent to the beach question (and the new neighbor) is answered by The Exiles which is followed up by The Exiles at Home and The Exiles in Love.
Yes, we have a winner!!  The book I was looking for is Dolphin Luck.  Thank you so much. 

Someone on the Alibris board suggested that this is Don and Donna Go To Bat, by Al Perkins, illustrated by B. Tobey, published New York, Random House 1966. The original poster hasn't replied yet to say whether this is
correct or not.
B100 baseball switcheroo: more on the suggested title - A Random House Beginner Book, yellow hardcover with picture of the twins and red & blue lettering. "Children learn that gender doesn't really matter in baseball. But true to the period in which it was written, Donna ends up the scorekeeper not the star. That is left to Don."

No luck on a Christmas donkey of this name (several by other names) but in Nan Goodall's book Donkey's Glory, illustrated by Sylvia Green, published New York, McKay 1959 there's a donkey called Laban "In this book the little donkey that carried Mary to Bethlehem and then to Egypt became the grandmother of the one that carried Jesus on the triumphal procession into Jerusalem. The three little donkeys, Trottemenu, her daughter N'Imah, and snow-white Laban, are bound to be loved. This book was published in the early forties in England where it has gone through many printings." (Horn Book Apr/59 p.123)
Thank you, that is the book.  I will keep my eyes open for it now.
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Please help my father find a book that he would like to give to my children.  He says that it is a book he read at around 1951.  It is a childrens nativity christmas story narrated by a donkey called trottemenu.  Please could you help us?

Donkey's Glory, 1940.  Found this on this site.  Was a previous stumper.  Name of the book was Donkey's Glory.
Nan Goodall, Donkey's Glory.  Read the description of this book in Solved Stumpers - it could be the one you're looking for.
Nan Goodall, Donkey's Glory

Marcia Martin, Donna Parker On Her Own.  I'm pretty sure this is the one. Donna stays home with her little brother and a teacher as a chaperone, while her parents travel to India. She has various mishaps, helps plan a school dance and has a party of her own.
Martin, Marcia , Donna Parker: On Her Own.  NY Whitman 1957.  "When Mr & Mrs Parker go to India on a business trip, Donna & Jimmy are left in the care of a teacher from Jimmy's school, mayhem ensues, things are very different." This book was asked about on another forum, and a poster remembered that the girl makes a sandwich loaf frosted with cream cheese (difficulty in getting unsliced bread in 1950s), that they eat ice-cream sundaes, and accidentally picking rare flowers in a greenhouse.
Someone else on another discussion group remembered the book. It was "Donna Parker: On Her Own". Which is evidently part of a series (maybe from the 50's). I mentioned that they made a "cake" that was really a sandwich with cream cheese frosting and someone remembered it. Do you have a copy of this one for sale?
Marcia???(Martin maybe???, Donna Parker on Her Own, 1956.  This sounds like DONNA PARKER, ON HER OWN...it is about 3rd in the series
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I read these books in the 70s but I believe they were set in the 1950s or 1960s.  The main character is a young woman…mid to late teens…who is a camp counselor.  There are several books with her as the main character

Marcia Martin, Donna Parker Mystery at Arawak. This might be one of the Donna Parker books.  There were seven books in the series but I've only read the Arawak one.  She is a camp counsellor in this one.  Other titles are Donna Parker at Cherrydale, Donna Parker- Special Agent, Donna Parker On Her Own, Donna Parker A Spring to Remember, Donna Parker In Hollywood, and Donna Parker Takes a Giant Step.
Marcia Martin?, Donna Parker Series.  Hmmm... this might be the Donna Parker series - the time period fits, but she was only a counselor in two of the books - at Camp Cherrydale and Camp Arawak (or something like that!).
Donna Parker series.  This could be the Donna Parker series by Marcia Martin (some sites say Marcia Levin). Google and see if they seem familiar. My sisters and I read these as kids--we had the Whitman hardcover editions. In Mystery at Arawak, Donna is a camp counselor. I seem to remember something about her cabin presenting an opera or a drama.
Donna Parker series.  There are several books in this series and in at least two of them Donna has a summer job as a camp counselor.  They were still pretty popular during the '70s.  There's a Donna Parker page here.
Marcia Martin, Donna Parker at Cherrydale, 1957.   This sounds like one of the books in the Donna Parker series of the late 1950's. In this story, Donna and her best friend Fredricka (with very red hair!) apply to be counselors at a local summer camp. They have adventures with the boys from another local summer camp, and Donna wins a sewing machine for her mother? Another book in the series was Donna Parker on Her Own, which tells the story of what happened when Mr. and Mrs. Parker went to India for many months on a business trip.
Marcia Martin, Donna Parker at Cherrydale and Donna Parker, Mystery at Arawak.  1950s-60s.  The books could be part of the great Donna Parker series published by Whitman in the 50's and 60's.  There are seven books in all about teenaged Donna living in the town of Springfield but only Donna Parker at Cherrydale and Mystery at Arawak are about her summers as a camp counselor...
Marcia Martin, Donna Parker at Cherrydale, 1957.  There is a seven-book series about a teen-ager and two of the books (#1 Donna Parker at Cherrydale and #6 Donna Parker Mystery at Arawak) are about the things that happen at camp while she's a camp counselor.

Interpreting Condition  Grades

Martin, Marcia.  Donna Parker On Her Own. Illustrated by Sari.  Whitman, 1957.  Laminated glossy boards, yellowing pages (typical for Whitman series books, not brittle).  Some wear to spine, but overall VG.  $12

Newton, suzanne, M.V. Sexton Speaking, 1981, 1990. When sixteen-year-old Martha Venable Sexton gets a summer job at a bakery, her whole life changes as she finds friends, discovers men, learns to balance individuality with "blending in", and comes to terms with her guardian aunt and uncle."
A good book (I bought a copy in the hope it was "the one", greatly enjoyed it), but sadly not the one forwhich I am searching. My book is a little more on the juvenile side (characters under 15?); and I think that definitely the proprietor of the bakery is a relative (and her guardian?). Not as serious/adult a book as M.V. Sexton Speaking.
Perl, Lila, Don't ask Miranda, 1979. I hesitated to send this earlier as I can't remember all the details of the book or the kiss with a boy. Miranda yields to the pressures of trying to be popular and ends up stealing and cheating to buy favour. A bakery figures in the book (which she steals from) and her wise and understanding Aunt Friedl.  A possibility?
If you could please post the following to G400,  I would greatly appreciate it! The solution is Don't Ask Miranda, by Lila Perl. Never hesitate again - this is it!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I never thought I would see this book again!

Hans-Joachim Burgert, Samulo and the Giant, 1970.  Again, I can't find a decent enough description to tell for sure if this is the one: "Everyone in Paradisburg thought the newcomer Samulo very strange until he rid the town of a troublesome giant."
The internet guess is not correct.  I know this much if nothing else. I've been talking to my brother about it and he concurs that the little boy wasn't growing except he remembers there was a little girl involved as well and something about not eating right.  If that helps, thanks, if not I appreciate it anyway.
This is Jack Kent's Dooly and the Snortsnoot (G.P. Putnam's Sons-1972)
A little more info- Mother feels that Dooly needs to eat more vegetables to grow big like his father! Treena is the little girl who helps Dooly with his Fee Fi Fo Fums!
Just wanted to let you that I stumbled on to your website as I was browsing and was looking at your solved stumpers and found exactly what I've been looking for. I have been looking for the title of this book I had when I was little (70's) for the past 3yrs. And thanks to you I can stop racking my brain. Dooley And The Snortsnoot. All I could remember was that he slept in a matchbox when he was small,and his parents were worried about him,and then when he started growing he would play King of the Mountain with the village children. Not a lot to go on I know. God Bless you in your endeavor in helping people refresh their memories.

Doomstalker
I'm looking for a book that I got thru my junior high school but it wasn't a text book. I think it was to get more kids to read regular books more. It had a young, blond girl holding a dagger or short sword hiding behind the corner of a log wall.  She's waiting for these black knights to rounded the corner. Its hard to tell the picture is a winter night scene.  Her eyes seem they were glowing and it was part of a series because it ended in a cliffhanger.  It was in paperback in the very early 80's when I got it. Thanks.

Anne McCaffrey, Dragon Riders of Pern. Just a guess with the information given.
This is not out of Dragonriders of Pern. There are no black knights or glowing eyes (at least, not on the part of the humans) in said books. Also, Dragonrider books don't end in cliffhangers. There are many books like the one she describes in the young-adults section of any library or bookstore. There weren't, at the time, as many fantasy series specifically for young adults as there are now, although of course there were some! Mostly they were Tolkien ripoffs although Zilpha Snyder's Green-sky trilogy came out around the same time (the book she describes is not that, however). Since it was in paperback in the very early 80s, it may have originally come out in hardcover in the late 70s.
SOLVED: Glen Cook, Doomstalker. I found the book... a few years back.

This apparently refers to the Kensington Rune Stone.  I just did a Google search and found multiple sites, many referencing books and articles about the mystery.  You might be able to track down your book that way.
Minnesota Norse exploration.  Try Nevil Shute''s "An old captivity" (1940), most recently reprinted by House of Stratus in 2000.  This is a timeslip - in the 1940s a pilot and a professor's daughter are on an expedition to a Viking site in Greenland.  The story and characters "slip" back to the eleventh century when they are two slave children taken by the Vikings to Vinland (later America) where they carve their names on a stone.
Coatsworth, Elizabeth, Door to the North, 1950. I'm the original poster, and I dearly wanted to find this book again.  Finally, among some files from the very first library I worked in, I found it!! It's called Door to the North, by Elizabeth Coatsworth.  It must have been long out of print since it never popped up on any of my keyword searches.  Mark this one "Solved" (at last!), and All Hail The Packrat!!!!!

This is a long shot, but could this book be Dorp Dead, by Julia Cunningham?  "A very bright boy, who has learned in a year in an orphanage how to withdraw himself completely, is apprenticed to a ladder maker into whose timed routine he fits very well until he realizes the threats of this existence."  I don't remember if he kills the man, but I do think the boy is free in the end because the man is dead.
Cunningham, Dorp Dead, 1965, approximate.  This is the book I was searching for!!  Thank you for your help.

Well, Don Freeman's Tilly Witch certainly has red hair, but it is not the book...
This person should really take a look at the Dorrie books by Patricia Coombs. She did not have red hair, but she did have a crooked hat and mismatched socks, and lived with her mother. In Dorrie and the Museum Case, she ends up fading (and looks like she's covered in white flour).
I think that may be it!  I guess my memory failed with regard to the hari.  Everything else is right on. I completely forgot about the mismatched socks until reading that discription.  Thank you so much!!
---
There was a book/possibly series of books that I read in the early 1970s which was about a little witch who lived in the attic of an old house.  She had a cat and was skinny and pretty, looking like a girl more than like a witch per se.  But she did wear a witch hat and had a broom.  I think she also wore striped thigh high stockings.  She was either an orphan or perhaps lived
with a distant relative, but I think she was essentiall a servant in the house.  I cannot recall the storyline but I think the story took place in this old house, not outside of it.  This was a picture book, the illustrations were somewhat stark and I think pen and ink style. Thanks!

One from the Dorrie Witch series? See Solved Mysteries.
Patricia Coombs, Dorrie the Little Witch. sounds like the Dorrie the Little Witch books by Patricia Coombs. The Dorrie website is here:
yes, you were right! it was dorrie the witch. I feel so satisfied to know what it was-now I can buy a couple for my daughter to enjoy as well- she is five and loves witches. thanks a bunch

Interpreting Condition  Grades

Coombs, Patricia. Dorrie and the Witchville Fair.  Illustrated by Patricia Coombs.  Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1980.  First edition.  Ex-library copy with usual markings.  Front free endpaper removed.  VG-/VG-.  $35

Could this be Spiderweb for Two: A Melendy Maze?  There is a girl named Opal (not a main character, but a friend) and I remember that someone likes to eat pickles.  (Maybe Oliver, who is one of the main characters.)  This particular volume features Oliver and Randy, the two youngest Melendys. They're left at home when their older brothers and sister go away to school. On the first day of their (supposedly) boring time without them, they recieve a clue that leads them through clues to an unknown treasure.  It's the last of four books about the Melendy family, so it is part of a series... Probably worth checking out, anyway.
Thanks for the suggestion!!! I checked out the Spiderweb for Two and the other Melendy Family books. The Opal in this book is named Opal Clyde and not Opal Duncan. I remember that the book was told in first person and I thought the boy's name was Homer - it's not Homer Price or the Mad Scientist Club series, but along that ilk.  I may be wrong. I appreciate your suggestion though!  Maybe it's just a bad dream!!!!  Thanks Harriett for a great web site!!!
Ethelyn Parkinson, Double Trouble for Rupert, 1950s. This has to be one of the Rupert Piper titles -- Double Trouble for Rupert, Triple Trouble for Rupert, Rupert Piper and the Dear Dear Birds and others.  I read them in the 1960s, too, and still have copies of some of the titles in the series.

Patsey Gray, Double Standards, 1983.  This one is by Patsey Gray (thats not a typo, she really uses the "e" in her first
name)....girl stays with relative for summer at farm, lives in tree house (doesn't actually build treehouse, though). Printed only in paperback (unlike Gray's earlier horse books), its fairly easy to find.

S249 This is DOWN A DARK HALL by Lois Duncan and has been republished in recent years. ~from a librarian
Lois Duncan, Down a Dark Hall.An evil man and woman hand-select young women for their exclusive private school
each girl channels a famous artist/musician and the couple sells their artistic productions as previously undiscovered work of the artist or musician.  Very creepy.
Down a Dark Hall--Lois Duncan
---
Looking for a book about a girl who is chosed to attend a special boarding school, even though her grades aren't that good--her and her best friend applied and the friend wasn't accepted even with her much better grades.  Once she gets there, there are only about 6 kids in the whole place.  She's very tired in the mornings and after a time the kids find out they're being "used" to write musical pieces and literary masterpieces and things like that while sleeping and the teachers are submitting the kids work as their own to the cultural world

Lois Duncan, Down a Dark Hall. See Solved Mysteries.  This one is definitely "Down a Dark Hall".
Duncan, Lois, Down a Dark Hall.  Why does the exclusive boarding school Blackwood have only four students? Kit walks the dark halls and feels a penetrating chill. What tterror waits around the next corner?   The children are psychic and are channeling famous writers and composers.
Lois Duncan, Down a Dark Hall.  This one is in the solved mysteries section.  "Suspicious and uneasy about the atmosphere at her new boarding school, fourteen-year-old Kit slowly realizes why she and the other three students at the school were selected."
Duncan, Lois, Down A Dark Hall. (1974) This is definitely Down A Dark Hall by Lois Duncan.  The main character is sent off to the Blackwood boarding school, to which her best friend did not get accepted. There are only a handful of students at the school, which is old and creepy. The main character thinks the school seems evil, and then she and all the other student start having weird dreams and sensing presences around them.  It turns out that the one thing the students  all have in common is some sort of psychic power - I think it's ESP, which is very big in Duncan books - and the ESP is why they were selected to come to the school.  The ESP makes them open to possession by ghosts, and the school has been set up so that the ghosts of dead artists - musicians, writers, painters - can take over the students' bodies and use them to create all the masterpieces they never got to do while they were alive.  I don't remember the teachers selling the work as their own, although they may have been - I remember it as the teachers selling the stuff as "lost" masterpieces of great artists. Maybe it was both.  The students eventually start to figure out what is going on, and also that their bodies are being "used up" by the possession, and they will die if they don't escape.  Somehow in the end they get out - the details are fuzzy, but I think there's a fire, and somehow a letter that one of the girls got a servant to mail (their regular letters were being stopped) got through and help arrived.
Lois Duncan, Down a Dark Hall.  I'm sure this is the book you are looking for.  All the elements are there the boarding school with only four students, the unexplained exhaustion of the students, the masterpieces, etc.
Lois Duncan, Down a Dark Hall. (1983)  This is definitely it. I won't say anymore so as not to spoil the twist!
Lois Duncan, Down a Dark Hall. (1983)  I think this is the one! Here is a summary of what I found on Amazon: Why does the exclusive boarding school Blackwood have only four students? Kit walks the dark halls and feels a penetrating chill. What terror waits around the next corner? Suspicious and uneasy about the atmosphere at her new boarding school, fourteen-year-old Kit slowly realizes why she and the other three students at the school were selected.
Lois Duncan, Down A Dark Hall.  I haven't read the book in years, but the poster's description sounds like the summary on my library's website.
This is DOWN A DARK HALL by Lois Duncan, 1974 and republished since.~from a librarian
Duncan, Lois, Down A Dark Hall. (1983) This definitely sounds like this story.  Haven't read it in a long time but I remember her waking up tired and her muscles sore from playing an instrument all night or something like that.  It was a boarding school, creepy and dark tone, like most of Lois Duncan's novels.
Duncan, Lois, Down a Dark Hall. Loved this book in junior high! Just the right amount of creepiness!
Lois Duncan, Down a Dark Hall. (1974)  Sounds like Down a Dark Hall.  Very creepy, and very popular in the 70s/early 80s.

Ah, yes, quite a favorite.  Dr. Goat by Georgiana.  Read more, see pictures, etc. on the Most Requested Page.

This sounds like the books by Scott Corbett about Nick and Dr. Merlin. The first one is DR. MERLIN'S MAGIC SHOP, 1973. Then, THE GREAT  CUSTARD PIE PANIC, 1974, and THE FOOLISH DINOSAUR FIASCO, 1978.~from a librarian
Corbett, Scot, Dr. Merlin's Magic Shop, 1973.  Maybe this one?  "When he stumbles across Dr. Merlin's Magic Shop on a foggy day, Nick finds himself pitting his wits against the famous magician."  Looks like it was published with another title -- The Great Custard Pie Panic, 1974. "On a walk through the fog Nick and his dog discover a wonderful bakery but the owner turns out to be the magician, Dr. Merlin!"
This stumper is solved! The book I was looking for was Dr. Merlin's Magic Shop, though I was disappointed because I remembered it as a nicer story than it is!! Thank you very much for your help.  Happy New Year.

I'm pretty sure the title was Go Cart Challenge.
Edward Radlauer, Drag Strip Challenge, 1969.  83 pages, Chapter book, what we would call "High interest, low reading level". Photo illustrations.  I remember weeding this book from my library about two years ago, so I don't have a copy of it to check the details. It was white, with a photo of a red dragster in action on the cover. It seemed to appeal to older boys, and it appeared well-loved but fairly dated when I had to remove it from the collection. I don't know if it is about go-carts at all, but it certainly has a lot of elements in common with your stumper.
There was an entire series of "Challenge" books by this author.  I have since weeded them (darn it), but I remember Karting Challenge, Dragstrip Challenge, Motocross Challenge - maybe even Soapbox Challenge.

TITLE: A Dragon for Danny Dennis, this is a Whitman Fuzzy Wuzzy book.  AUTHOR: Dorothea Tostrud ILLUSTRATED BY: Judy Stang COPYRIGHT: 1963 by Whitman Publishing Company.  I ran across this information in an ebay auction.
Tostrud, Dorothea, A Dragon for Danny Dennis, illustrated by Judy Stang.  Whitman Fuzzy Wuzzy 1963.  "The cover and inside pages contain a dragon that is fuzzy to the touch. A little boy wishes for a dragon and sees them in his dreams and all around until he "gets" one of his own."

Lawson illustrated a dragon book written by C.S. Forester that was titled Poo-Poo and the Dragon.  His wife wrote the book you're looking for,
Lawson, Marie A. Dragon John. Illustrated by Marie A. Lawson.Viking Press, 1943. Illustrated by Marie A. Lawson. 

Andre Norton, Dragon Magic, 1972.  "Four boys find a dust-covered puzzle in an old abandoned house and try to find it's
secret power. As each boy tries to find it, he enters into an exciting adventure in the past, in a fantasy world occupied by strange men and dragons of lore."
Andre Norton, Dragon Magic, 1972.  Four young teenaged boys enter a vacant house, looking for treasure, and find a dusty
box containing a jigsaw puzzle with a picture of four dragons on the front.  Each dragon takes a different boy to a different place and time, suitable to his ethnic background.  The African-American boy, Ras Brown, goes back to ancient Egypt and Nubia.  Sig Dortmund goes back to Viking times.  Artie Jones ends up in Arthurian England, and Kim Stevens, adopted from Hong Kong, finds himself in ancient China.  I didn't see anything about chopsticks, though.

D105  Judy Varga, The Dragon Who Liked to Spit Fire, 1961.  "No one realizes Prince Frederic's new pet is a
dragon--until he begins to spit fire."
D105 I guess it isn't Eleanor Herder's Darius the dozer or Darius the dragon [in play form] because there is no palace.
>Ods bodkins, things have changed! When Darius, medieval dragon, is unearthed from his peaceful underground cave by a
bulldozer, he is thrust into the noise and pollution of the 20th century. Instead of the clear streams and flowering meadows he remembers, he finds only tall buildings, shiny honking creatures, loud noises and strange smells that make him cough. Darius sets out to find the king of this land. Along the way he leads the Young People in a Crusade and lands in jail. Join the fun as a medieval dragon meets the modern day, and pollution, generation gap and urban sprawl fall before a gallant foe.
This may be the correct book, I won't know for sure until I see it.  Some weeks or months after we began dating, my husband and I discovered we shared the same favorite book as kids.  (The dating began in 1975, the book we read
separately around 1961!)  Anyway, nobody either of us has ever mentioned it to since then has ever even heard of it.  Our own 4 kids are grown well beyond the age for it, but I was never able to find it any other way.  If this is the right memory, it will make a great Valentine's gift for that "old boyfriend".  Thanks for sharing the exciting detective work, I've loved this site!

Barbara Rinkoff, The Dragon's Handbook, 1966. This is definitely the one you're looking for!  I have a copy too.

I don't remember the author or title myself, but if it's the book I'm thinking of, the main dragon saved the boy's life when they were both young by feeding him dragon milk.  The milk made a connection between the two of them in the years following.  All the dragons are originally from the moon, but dark side ones are cannibals.  There is also a subplot about bats helping the dragons and, at the end, the main dragon has to escape an erupting volcano with 2 bats, one of whom (Malachi) gets sucked back into it.  The final part is an ice cream party for the humans using dragons milk so they feel a connection to the dragons and won't kill them anymore.
I am writing about this book as I was the originator. Unfortunately, I still don't have the title, but it's good to hear that I'm not crazy for it. But I DO think whoever wrote this is on the right track! I remembered the bats when I heard the name, and one getting sucked into a volcano!  Gosh, I really wish I could find this. Hah.
Susan Fromberg Schaeffer, The Dragons of North Chittendon, 1986, copyright.  Hey there. I have FINALLY found the book that I was looking for! It's The Dragons of North Chittendon by Susan Fromberg Schaeffer. It took me nearly 20 years to figure this out, and Google saved the day!

The Drawbridge
1960s, children's. This story was in an anthology probably used for a jr. high/high school English classes in the mid 1960s.  I'd like to find the source of the story rather than the anthology.   All I remember is that it was humorous and involved a family taking a car trip.  In one scene (entering a city?), they drive across a bascule bridge, which begins to lift as they're crossing.  The narrator says something to the effect that they held onto the sides of the car, but you can't teach an old car new tricks (i.e., it wasn't going to grasp the side of the bridge).   

SOLVED: Lesley Frost, The Drawbridge (story) -- from Not Really, 1962. I've identified the story at long last, though not the anthology (perhaps a Ginn reader). 

Janet E. Morris, Dream Dancer series. (1980)  These may be too recent to be the ones you're looking for, but the Dream Dancer trilogy (Dream Dancer, Cruiser Dreams, and Earth Dreams) do involve travel through "sponge space", and the series is written by a female author.  Is it possible you read them in the 1980's? The story follows a young girl, Shebat, who is lifted from a life of grinding poverty on decaying earth into the seething morass of intra-family power politics, civil unrest and light speed technology that is the "Consortium," run by the charismatic and manipulative Kerrion clan.
Thanks for tracking down the Dream Dancer series by Janet Morris. I definitely messed up the time sequence on dates, reading it much later than I had thought. Probably  a result of spending too much time in "sponge space" or simply the whim of the Lords of Cosmic Jest.  Thanks again  good hunting

After reading of someone’s search for a children’s book regarding a Dream Maker & his bag of troubles…I remembered a book by Tony Ross (or at least illustrated by him) that I believe is entitled The Troublemaker.  I hope this may help you out!
I believe this is a book called The Dream Master by Theresa Breslin ...It  seems to be out of pint though...
There is a book illustrated by Tony Ross, written by Andrew Matthews, published  London, Methuen 1991, 101 pages, called Loads of Trouble. It sounds as if it might be based on the folktale of sacks of troubles. And it
is illustrated by Tony Ross. If I can get hold of a plot description, it might be the book wanted, if it isn't too recent.
Dream Master, by Theresa Breslin, published Chivers 1999, 164 pages. "This tale concerns the adventures of a young man from London named Cy who rather enjoys his dreams. One morning he dreams of ancient Egypt and finds himself IN his dream, a situation which does not at all please the one who controls all dreams--the Dream Master. Cy and the Master go back and forth between the dream world and the real world, even bringing in a young Egyptian prince named Aten." This makes me wonder if it is the correct title, since the plot of the book wanted sounds like the folktale of the sack of troubles.

Alexandrina Woods, Little Gray (Grey) Doors, 1926.  This may be older than the book you're looking for, but it does contain a story about a mirror and also a magic needle--maybe how she created her dress?   "Collection of several different stories: Little Gray Doors, The Mirror, The Magic Needle, Paternoster, and The Fairy Glen."
many thanks for the suggestion, but I don't think that this is it.  The book very definitely began with a story about a labyrinth and ended with one about a mirror, and I would have remembered if it had had a fairy glen in it.  As far as language goes, the closest I've found so far were some stories by a Canadian writer named Anne Montrose, if that helps at all.  Please continue to help -- I'd love to track down this book.
Helen Morgan, A Dream of Dragons.  This book has been identified, finally!

Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game, 1977.  This has got to be Ender's Game, and the rest of the books in the Ender Series.
Surely one of the many from the Ender Wiggins series by Orson Scott Card?
This does not sound like Enders Game  to me - Ender and the others wer enot transported to the future and there were no psychic powers - instead hildnre were trainsed as battle commanders, and fought believing it was a game (in order that they would fight without worrying about real casulties. Some of the later books in the series do involve forms of telepathy but if it is a single book you are recalling I don't think this is it / (But read Ender's Game anyway - it's brilliant!)
Sorry, it's not Ender's Game.  I haven't read that series, but Ender's Game doesn't seem to have the "ordinary people transported to an alternate universe" aspect at all.  The main characters in the books I read were not geniuses.  One of the central characters was definitely female.  And by the way, I think O46 may be talking about the same book (though I don't remember anything about two moons) but it's not any of the books that have been guessed for that one so far.
I agree this does not sound at all like Ender's Game, except for the fact he uses the word hegemony. Maybe another of his books, or try Anne McCaffrey. She has a couple of series that might fit, The Pegasus series or The Ship who Sang.
Well, there is group called the Hegemony in the Hyperion series of books by Dan Simmons. Look it up in Wikipedia and see if that sounds like your book. The details you mention don't familiar, but then I've only read the first two books.
Sounds like it might be one of Jean and Jeff Sutton's books.  Maybe Whisper from the Stars or The Boy Who Had the Power? There were several with psychic children and space ships...they wrote together in the 60s.  I think he died in the early 70s, and she kept writing.  But it sounds like one of their co-written titles.  Not very helpful, but maybe enough to jar someone else's memory.
T. Davis Bunn (originally under the pen name Thomas Locke), The Dream Voyagers, 1997-1999.  I read this stumper and said "OH, I own this one!" but was slightly perplexed by the description of it as a series when the copy I own is a single volume.  Then I did a search to come up with the author (my copy's on loan & I could only recall the title) and discovered the original version was a series of four books, published under the name Thomas Locke, while the version I own was published later under the author's real name.  If you're trying to find the end of the story, I suggest a copy of the single-volume version, as it gives _an_ ending to the plot. (It also leaves lots of loose ends that could be tied up in a sequal, but the two main characters, Consuela & Wander, have their story wrapped up.)  The series titles are Light Weaver, Dream Voyager, Path Finder, and Heart Chaser, if you're interested.
Thomas Locke, Dream Voyagers. (1997-1999)  Yes, these are the books!  Thank you very much for your help.

Wersba, Barbara, The Dream Watcher, 1968, repub. 2004.  "A teenager considers himself the "All-American" failure until he meets an eccentric old lady who helps him to see the true value of being an individual."  I couldn't find a scan of the original cover, but I am almost certain this is it.  The boy references Walden, and old Mrs. Woodfin talks about Sarah Bernhardt.
Wersa, Barbara, The Dream Watcher, 1968.  Thank You! As soon as I read the name of the old lady in the solution, Mrs. Woodfin, I knew it was right. I even recalled the name of the boy, Albert Scully. Unfortunately, the edition I knew and would most want to have is no longer in print (I beleive its the 1976 reprint that I read). I am in for another long search just to find the edition I want. My $2 was very well spent!

9 titles total:   Ballet for Drina (1958);Drina's Dancing Year (1958); Drina Dances in Exile (1959); Drina Dances Again (1960); Drina Dances in New York (1961); ... in Italy (1962); ...  in Paris (1962); ... in Madeira (1963); ... in Switzerland (1964).  Issued by Vanguard in the US and Hodder in Great Britain; pb reissue (Scholastic Apple, with Estoril as author) in 1989.  According to GSC "The series follows Drina from her first ballet lessons to her performances as a prima ballerina."
The site states there is 9 titles in all - I wish to correct that as there is 11.  The remaining two titles are Drina Goes On Tour and Drina Ballerina.

Roger Price, Droodles books, 1950s and 60s.  Roger Price wrote several books in the Droodles series  one of them may be what you're looking for.
Roger Price, Droodles.
D99 Coould it be Roger Price's  Droodles?
Price, Roger, Droodles.  An artist friend gave me the title.

Got to be Drujienna's Harp by Ellen Kindt McKenzie.  She's a local author (or was?  I'm not sure she's still alive) and I have a signed copy.  It was one of my favorites as a teen.
Yes! That's definitely it. I was starting to remember that the title had the word "harp" in it, so that's a clincher. Thank you!

Drusilla and her dolls:  a true story of a little girl in Boston in the 60's [and that's *1860s!] by Belle Bacon Bond, illustrated by Marjorie Very, published 1921, 57p.

K. and B. Jackson, Duck and His Friends, 1949. Duck and His Friends was one of my favorites.  It is a Little Golden Book illustrated by Richard Scarry.  Rabbit and Mouse decide to help their friend Duck who won't swim by building a raft (after which they eat pancakes).  Duck refuses to go rafting but ends up saving Rabbit and Mouse who fall into the water.

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