OK, very hard to describe this book that’s too vivid not to forget, a sense that it’s always been there, it has to be. It’s a children’s picture book. All I remember are the pictures. Wild exotic animals roaming around places around the city, like a park. One image that haunted me was a lion that was in a library. The art was gorgeous and felt intimidating. I had to be 3-7 reading this book in the early 90s. Book could’ve came out in the 80s or 70s but it didn’t feel old. Suggestion: Animalia, by Graeme Base
Category: Name That Book Request
Request #129
I’m trying to find a book I read several times as a kid, but can’t remember the name or author, lol. It’s about a boy staying in San Francisco with a grandfather? Uncle? who needs $$$. The kid finds money tucked into a book or books in the grandfather’s library. So vague, but I’d really like to find it. There’s a lot of information about the earthquake as well. Mystery at Thunderbolt House by Howard Pea
Request #128
The book I’m trying to remember is similar to #96 — typical information for teenagers on grooming, clothes, nutrition, manners, things like that. The ultimate goal of this one was for the reader to host a successful party and it had a countdown. Something like one month out, make a guest list, three weeks out, send invitations, two weeks out, make a menu and shopping list, one week out, pick out and iron your outfit, etc. It may have been affiliated with a magazine. Seventeen had several books of that genre but none of them that I’ve looked at online seem to be this one, so maybe Co-ed or American Girl, or maybe I’m mistaken about the magazine connection. I got it from the library around 1973 or 74; it may have been from then or from the 60s as it didn’t seem as old-fashioned as the 50s books of this type.
Request #127
I read this one in the early to mid 80s, I believe it was contemporary. A high school girl has a crush on her teacher, and they end up having an affair. This is NOT Love is One of the Choices by Norma Klein. I remember that she had a chess set that her grandfather (I think) had made for her. She brings that to school and they play chess. I think they go away on a ski weekend. The book was pretty racy for a YA book at that time! I feel like the cover has a picture of them embracing in the snow. I don’t think it was part of any series. Would love any leads!
Request #126
I read a YA thriller/romance from my elementary school library – probably in about 1970/1972 – about a girl who is 16? and a competitive ski racer. She comments on carrying extra weight and how it helps cut the wind resistance in competition. She comes across some spies in a mountain hug while out on a trail, and winds up helping them (intelligence agents ), and develops a romance with a young man who’s one of them towards the end – also rescues him from danger. I would love to know the title! Something with “wind” in it, possibly?
Request #125
I remember reading a book about a girl who lived in Florida, set in the summer before she went to middle school. The main character was Bailey, she had a younger neighbor named Frances, her mother was an alcoholic, her father was remarrying, and she had an older brother who had graduated high school and was joining the military. It was probably set in the late 80s-early 90s. I remember the line “lord help us Welawanee” as an inside joke amongst the family. Does this sound familiar to anyone?
Request #124
I’m looking for a book from the 90s (possibly from the late 80s). It was a paperback, possibly published by Yearly or Scholastic. The cover featured a girl on the beach with her back to the viewer and wearing a white dress. The back of the cover featured a small picture of a starfish broken in half. I vaguely recall the cover having a maroon or purple border but I could be wrong. I don’t remember what it was about as it was above my reading level so I couldn’t read it but have been wanting to ever since then. Solved by the original requestor: The Village by the Sea by Paula Fox
Request #123
I think this is an older book… but I’m not sure.
It follows a teenage girl and her friend that’s a boy. There is an audition for a play and one (or both of them?) get parts in the play.
One day the boy goes to pick up the girl but gets in a car accident and dies. At the end she doesn’t go to the funeral and swings on a swing. Help! Suggestion from Lost Classics reader Julie: Say Goodnight Gracie by Julie Reece Deaver
Request #122
How about a book about a dancer slave girl in maybe biblical times. She was well loved and recieved many gifts-loke about beautiful and unusual scarf. But she was kidnapped and hidden in a box with cut air holes. As the box was being carried onto a ship,, she heard her master’s voice and stuffed some of the scarf through an airhole. He saw the bit of scarf and saved her. I was remembering “Slave Dancer” or maybe “Dancing Girl” or “Dancing Slave”, maybe?
Request #121
I’ve been desperately trying to find this wonderful book I read in the 1980s. The cover had a girl in a red sweater walking along with a boy. She was in high school & overweight. She joined a gym, lost weight, & tried out to be a cheerleader or majorette. She made it, & replaced the cheerleader who had moved away. This girl ended up getting a job at the gym, and they had to wear heels at work! She ends up with her male friend in the end. She also helped stopped a rumor from being spread about an unpopular girl. Meaning she was still nice even though she was now attractive & thin & a cheerleader.
Please Let Me In by Patti Beckman a First Love By Silhouette title, solved by Lost Classics reader Sheesh