Alice's Books for Sale
OUR LATEST REVISED LIST -- FEB 10 2021
THIS IS OUR VERY LARGE LIST OF BOOKS FOR SALE!
IT INCLUDES SERIES, "MALTSHOP ROMANCES," MYSTERIES,
AND A LOT OF OTHER YOUNG ADULT BOOKS FROM THE PAST!
**NEW EACH MONTH! ANOTHER LOVELY SELECTION OF $2 HARDCOVER BOOKS! **
ALSO, $2 to $3 SERIES BOOKS!
S0 YOU CAN GET ACQUAINTED WITH A "NEW" SERIES!
AND -- Be sure to look at the huge list of $2.00 paperback books! *****
New titles added there, too!
Including -- vintage, maltshop, series, historical, mystery, fiction, just about everything!
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A FEW PRELIMINARY REMARKS --
IF YOU HAVE A NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS and you want to be notified of each new book list,
please let us know!
IF YOU DON'T GET NOTICES REGULARLY, but want to know when we list new books, please Email and ask to be added to our notification list. We'll be posting another list just as soon as we can, because we have A LOT of books that we want to offer to you! If you don't want to get these notices when we send out a new list, let us know.
FIRST COME, FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED!! We try to take books off this list as soon as someone orders them. We do this so that people are not disappointed by wanting books we have already sold. However, sometimes we can't remove them for a day or so. Because of that, we can't guarantee the availability of all the books you want to order. SO -- If you look at the list, then leave it for a while -- be sure to refresh the list, as some books will have disapeared because they were sold.
AFTER I WRITE WITH PRICE DETAILS ABOUT YOUR ORDER, you'll have a week for the check to arrive, or for us to receive Paypal payment. After that the books will go back on the list -- unless we work together on a different plan. The Sooner The Better!
PROCRASTINATORS BEWARE!
SO WE WILL KNOW IT ISN'T SPAM:
When emailing an order please use "Book Order" for your subject line.
To Order, Email us at Trixie@midcoast.com and use "BOOK ORDER" for your subject line!
BILLHEIMERS' BOOK SALE LIST FOR THIS MONTH 2021 Here's a huge new sale list for this month, with some exceptionally good books for you to examine and perhaps want to buy. They're predominantly vintage books for teens and young adults, but there are some more recent books, some for younger readers and a few that were originally meant for adults. You'll find this list fascinating and nostalgic, as well as very reasonably priced! We have a lot of fun collecting books and compiling this collection! And we love to get acquainted with our customers and fellow collectors! **** IMPORTANT ****E-mail us
******We recommend asking your browser to reload or refresh to make sure you have the latest version of our web page. We might delete books several times an hour, as they're sold!******* SOME OF THE CONTENTS!! (Not necessarily in this order) 1. a selection of JUDY BOLTON, CHERRY AMES AND OTHER SERIES BOOKS! 2. SEVERAL SPECIAL SALES HERE AND THERE! Including (in this list) a great many $2 (Two Dollar!) paperback books and a brand new list of two dollar HARDCOVER books, too! 3. A BIG SECTION OF YOUNG ADULT MYSTERIES THAT COULD ALSO BE "MALTSHOPS ROMANCES," OR TEEN NOVELS. We call these Maltshop-Mysteries. 4. Some CAREER-ROMANCES, a very popular category! 5. FOR HOME-SCHOOLERS, sometimes there are NEWBERY award winners, historical novels, some non-fiction books, as well as other wonderful books to read. 6. FOR SERIES book collectors: you'll find many new additions of popular as well as unusual series to check out! You never know what I'll come up with! Usually including Judy Bolton Dana Girls Maida Beverly Gray Linda Craig Jean Craig Cherry Ames and some interesting ones you may never have seen before! 7. Lots of additions to the "MALTSHOP" novels from "the nostalgia years." Many used book shops don't bother to stock these categories, so this is an unusual chance to stock up up on these teen-girls' novels from the 40s through 60s. 8. BOOKS BY WONDERFUL AUTHORS!! INCLUDING SOME OF THE FOLLOWING, AND MANY OTHERS Mildred Wirt Elizabeth Hamilton Friermood Betty Cavanna Anne Emery Maud Hart Lovelace Janet Lambert Catherine Woolley hundreds more!! 9. MAINE books from our home state. A NEW CATEGORY OF VINTAGE SERIES FOR BOYS, MANY WITH DUST JACKETS OR BEAUTIFUL COVERS. ALL VERY, VERY INEXPENSIVE! 10. ALICE'S PICKS -- books that I love best or books I've recently discovered 11 Alice's Wish List 12. And who knows what else? Contents won't be in the same order as this list, but everything is there, somewhere ******************************************************************** PRICES OF THE BOOKS REFLECT Condition Popularity Scarcity My opinion of them! *************************************************************************** We use a few abbreviations, including these that you probably recognize- HB -- hardcover book PB -- paperback book XL -- library discard book DJ -- dust jacket PC -- picture printed on the cover YA -- young adult (teen) book cond == condition If you don't understand something in our sale list, Email and ask us. OUR POSTAGE POLICY We weigh all orders, and charge the actual postage that we figure out from a chart. If we feel that we will be using a lot of padding, and packaging, that's figured into the price. All will be sent Media mail unless you want to pay more for 1st class or whatever. If you want insurance, we'll figure out how much extra that will be, and let you know. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED!!!!!!!!! WE ACCEPT PAYPAL!!! *******************************************************************************************
THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE SALE LIST, NO MORE COMMENTS OR INSTRUCTIONS! EXCITINg NEW CATEGORY -- VINTAGE SERIES FOR BOYS, LOW PRICES BETWEEN $1 AND $3! Take a look even if you've never been interested in boy-series. You might have a male relative, young or old, who will love seeing these. Books for anyone interested in sports, aviation, Boy Scouting, camping, detecting -- there will be books for almost any interest. And don't forget -- girls will like these books, too! Wings for Victory (Roy J. Snell) 1942. No DJ, but a full-color glossy frontispiece. WWII story which can be offensive. Snell was a prolific author (if that's really his name -- it's always hard to be sure.) Good condition except for some fading and staining to cover. $1.00 Jack Lorimer's Substitute (Winn Standish)1909. Several sports included in this story -- cross-country, wrestling, and more. The book's in good condition, and features a glossy frontispiece and a very nice printed picture cover -- Jack or his substitute, jumping over a hurdle. Though it's more than 100 years old, this cover picture could be mistaken for a modern sport illustration. HB, PC, v good cond. $2.00 Captain of the Eleven (Harold M. Sherman) 1933. Football (you guessed it!) There is a very long list of books by Sherman, he was obviously a popular author in his day, which I hope is still true. Book's in very good cond aand DJ is also very good except for that pesky spot at the top of the exterior spine, just a tiny bit of paper missing. Book with DJ, $3.00 Stories of the Foreign Legion (P. C. Wren omnibus)1947. To quote the DJ flap "The name of P. C. Wren conjurs up visions of the French Forengn Legion, and loves or blod and thunder fiction will not be disappointed in his latest omnibus." 650+ packed pages of it! Book is in good cond, DJ is rough, but complete and quite dramatic. HB, DJ, $2.00 MORE VINTAGE BOYS" SERIES Tom Stetson and the Giant Jungle Ants (John Henry Cutler) 1948. If that title doesn't thrill you, you are thrill-proof! Nice Whitman edition with most of the DJ -- front cover, back cover, and both flaps. Lots of dramatic illustrations. $2.50 The Ghost of Mystery Airport (Van Powell) 1932. Popular Author of mostly aviation-themed adventures. This book was probably pretty popular, as it has been read enough that I can only grade it as a reading copy. But that does NOT mean it's falling apart -- I'm just referring to the lack of prettiness and rather loose binding. Pages are in good shape -- and very readable is the story! Enjoy chapters like A Pilot who Liked Spooks, The Thing that Never was, and Avenging Wings. HB $1.50 The Submarine Boys And the Middies (Victor G. Durham) From The Submarine Boys series! 1909. I didn't know there were submarines way back then, did you? Subtitle -- The Prize Detail at Annapolis. Book in fairly good cond. The pages are in good cond, and there are several full-page illustrations. The cover is not pretty, but it's all holding together. For this price, you'll love it! $1.00. Jack Lorimer's Holidays (Winn Standish) subtitle -- Millville High in Camp 1908. Nice-looking printed picture cover shows Jack in front of a camping tent, cooking over a fire. The binding is a little loose, but not badly. The pages are clean. Lots of lists of other series books at the end of this book, and there is a glossy frontispiece. HB PC, $2.00 WOW, MORE BOYS' SERIES THAT GIRLS MIGHT ENJOY, TOO! Under the Basket (and other basket ball stories)1932. a big, book, lots of stories. Cover of the book the front of the DJ are a bit scruffy, but the book is whole and firm. 7 short novels or very long short stories. HB, DJ, $2.00 NEXT Category -- $2.00 Hardcover books, most are new to this list. Some are so beautiful, they like new. Some have good dust jackets, some don't. Some are vintage-looking, which is always enticing to me and I imagine, to you, too. Some are worth a lot more than $2, some are worth just about that, but still they are somewhat scarce and you'll be excited to see them on this list. Enjoy this nostalgic visit to the time when almost all books were hard-covered, and a lot of them had dust jackets that have survived. NOTE very few of these books were writen for little children, or beginning readers. In other words, they are not picture books, but books for a junior-high or older teen -- or you and me -- to enjoy. NOTE The first part of this list brings you Young Adult Mysteries! These are $2 each, hardcovers, in good (at the least!) condition. Some in excellent condition! Here is the beginning of the Two Dollar Hardcovers -- have fun! Tammy Camps in the Rocky Mountains (Elizabeth Baker) 1970. Illustrated by Beth Krush! Part of a series about a young girl's experiences -- absolutely adorable! HB with PC -- $2.00 The Girl on the Deer (Eleanor Frances Lattimore) 1969. One of Lattimore's many wonderful and varied books for sub-teen reading -- and I love all of them! The deer in this title refers to an iron deer in the yard of the mansion where the girl lives -- and is lonely. good HB, XL, with good DJ. Anne of Windy Poplars (Montgomery) Grosset and Dunlap edition, cameo picture on cover (they call THAT Red hair?) Fairly good ocnd $2.00 Francie (Jean O. Robinson) 1970. Girl isn't too happy about having a new step-father and new siblings, too! Of course she changes, and for the better for both herself and the family. Written for middle-grade age to high school, a gently amusing story, especially the illustrations. Good HB, v good dust jacket. $2.00 Annette (Mystery at Medicine Wheel) 1964. Yes, THAT Annette, the Mousketeer that my husband had a crush on from the Mickey Mouse Club. This copy has a few "issues" but it's all there, cover is bright, pages are clean. Nostalgic! There are other copies of Annette books, in somewhat better condition further along, on this list. HB, PC, $2 Donna Parker at Cherrydale -- from the very good Donna Parker series. This is a good way to introduce yourself to the series cheaply -- the book is in so-so condition, but the very bright and cheerful covers are all there -- I especially liked the back cover picture! HB $2.00 MANY MORE $2 HARDCOVERS COMING ALONG NOW -- Hannah Elizabeth (Elaine Sommers Rich) 10-yr-old Mennonite girl feels that she's between 2 worlds at times, but manages to have a full life and eventually work out her problems! HB, XL, DJ, all in good cond. Calico Bush (Rachel Field) with the original wood engravings by Allen Lewis. Beautiful book, originally from 1931, Newbery winner, I believe that this is the reproduction of the original format, but I'm not sure. Very artistic and beautiful, anyway. HB, DJ, personal copy. $2.00 Hotel for Dogs (Lois Duncan) 1971 Illus by Leonard Shortall. Like dogs? Enjoy a funny story? Want an ingeniouas solution to a sticky problem? READ ME! HB with PC, good cond. $2.00 White Stag (written and illustrated by Kate Seredy) 1937. Seredy was one of my all-time favorite authors as a teen (especially The Open Gate, which is NOT for sale here, sorry!) Hungarian legends and incredibly fine illustrations. Good cond, with no DJ, but embossed stag on the front cover. $2.00 THE NEXT BATCH OF TWO DOLLAR HARDCOVERS (with occasional large paperbacks..) Striped Ice Cream (Joan M. Lexau) 1968. Lovely story -- aimed at early grade readers, but I loved it again when I re-read it very recently. Family of very limited means, very big hearts. HB PC, $2 Rainbow's End (Berta and Elmer Hader) 1945. Another book that was originally aimed at early grade readers, but if you loved it as a child, you'll love it even more now. Sailor and his cat help everyone else but themselves, and get a lovely surprise. Exceptional illustrations by the Haders, including a special frontispiece, you'll want to frame it! HB $2.00 The Haunting of Captain Snow (Rachel Nickerson Luna) 2003. This large paperback is, I think, the 2nd in at least a 3-book series -- Eel Grass Girls Mystery series. I just noticed that it's also autographed! There are more than 300 pages, a lot for a girls' series, especially these days. LIke new $2.00 Miracle in the mountains (Harnett T. Kane with Inez Henry) non-fiction, this time. Story of a woman who could have been one of the idle rich as daughter of a plantation owner, but started helping very poor neighbor children to stay in schol, and went on to establish a college and more. HB, DJ, HB, $2.00 EVEN MORE $2 HARDCOVERS AND SO FORTH! A Lantern in her Hand (Bess Streeter Aldrich) A nice copy of this popular historical story, written in 1956, covering pretty much the entire life of a pioneer woman who "with a lantern in her hand, went forth to light the way for future generations." Maybe even your own generation! Stunning dust jacket picture. HB with DJ $2.00 The Fireball Mystery (Mary Adrian)1977. Her books area always very entertaining -- and educational in a nice, casual way! In this one, you'll learn a lot about what you might see in the sky! Fairly good hardcover $2 Mystery of the Fat Cat (Frank Bonham) 1958. Only a reading copy (rather worn) but a good HB mystery by a popular YA mystery writer. $2.00 Evening Star (Faith Baldwin) from the mid-1960s. Baldwin DID write 4 books in a series for teens, but don't get your hopes up -- I don't have any of them for sale (wish I could share them with everyone.) This is one of Baldwin's books that are compilation of her very, very popular articles for magazines of the day, refelctions on country living, family life, etc. This book is divided into chapters for each month. A sort of scrapbook, including some recommendations for books you'll still like to read. Moderately good cond, HB, $2.00 INTERESTING VINTAGE HARDCOVERS, ONLY $2 PER BOOK! A French Book to Read all by Yourself (Helene Octave)1936. Such fun! Learn to talk French with Paul and Lisette, who seem to have a very interesting life with trips to La Ferme (where they meet La Poule and la VAche) and have a lot of toys like her Maison de Poupee and his soldats and la petit chat! Quizzes, conversations, reviews, beautiful (nostalgic) illustrations, a respectably long Dictionnaire, and more. I reviewed my HS and college French, and wished I'd had this book back then. HB, a bit of writing in the margins etc. $2.00 Make and Make-Believe, a Work-Play Book by Gates and Huber. 1930 ir 1943 (both are listed in different places. School reading textbook, beautifully illustrated, very interesting stories! Could be enjoyed by any children in lower grades -- and their parents! Poems, animal stories, quizzes, etc. I couldn't help myself -- I had to read it before selling it! HB #2.00 The Mystery of the Great Swamp (Marjorie Zapf) 1967. Hardcover with very nice picture cover. $2.00 Mystery of the Missing Stamps (Margaret Goff Clark) 1967. Good hardcover book with very nice picture cover. $2 BELIEVE IT OR NOT -- MORE $2 HARDCOVERS! GREAT VARIETY The Cat who Never Died (William Mackellar) Did this beautiful cat wander out of an ancient Egyptian tomb? His new owner, a boy and his aunt, explain strange things, otherwise? HB with DJ. $2.00 Harry Cat's Pet Puppy (George Selden, illustrated by Garth Williams! 1974. Sequel to Cricket in Times Square. Beautiful Williams pictures (his animals are unsurpassed!) HB, XL, with DJ. $2.00 Tucker's Countryside (George Selden) with Garth Williams illustrations! If you loved "Cricket in Times Square" you will be very happy to find this sequel. HB XL, with DJ, $2.00 NOW FOR SOME MORE TWO DOLLAR ($2) HARDCOVER BOOK SALE! MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORIES -- A TREASURE HUNT! The Terhune Omnibus: "Presenting the best dog stories of Albert Payson Terhune, novelist and breeder of famous collies.")1937 HB with dust jacket. DJ is rough, but the front picture of one of Terhume's beautiful collies, is pretty much intact. Many stories that even cat-lovers like me, love to read. Several glossy print full-page photographs. Book itself is in nice condition. HB, DJ, $2.00 Jane Lends a Hand (Shirley Watkins) 1923. An unusually strict father, jolly mother, a bakery shop, an orphaned nephew with artistic talents, and many other requirements for an entertaining book -- a dance, family squabbles, a wedding! HB book in fairly good cond. $2.00 McGuffy's Fifth Eclectic Reader, a brand new reproduction of the famous reading text from 1879 (with various revisions over the years) Instructions in the front section, then short stories, articles, poems, etc. Give this to your fifth grader and I rather think it might be fun to compare with today's reading texts. Vintage look, brand new condition. $2.00 A Few $2 Series books! Mary Jane in New England (Clara Ingram Judson) 1921 "Mary Jane" is a long series that takes a little girl to many locations in cluding overseas. This one seems to concentrate around her trip to Boston to watch Uncle Hal's graduation from Harvard -- with many trips to historic and beauty sites. HB, $2.00 Rescued in the Clouds (Franklin W. Dixon) 1927. A Ted Scott Flying Story. Doesn't that author sound familiar! He was usually busy writing about the Hardy Boys, but took time out for a few Ted adventures, too. Nice cond! HB $2.00 Pollyanna's Western Adventure --HB in fairly good cond. Remember -- I love this Pollyanna series! They are a lot better than their reputation. $2.00 Cherry Ames, Senior Nurse, Hardcover in fair. A bit of trouble -- some of the pages are very loose. Surprise -- this one is free with any other purchase! Cherry Ames, Student Nurse -- #1 in the series. Fairly good condtion with some wear to the cover, and corners, but clean and fresh inside. Former owner's name in small letters inside cover. $2.00 Cherry Ames, Army nurse Cherry Ames, Army Nurse (#2 in the series) Former owners' names inside front cover, wear on the front cover, otherwise nice red tweedy book. $2.00 Nancy Drew, Mystery of the Jade Tiger #104. OK, just this one is a paperback! But it's a series, so here it is in the series list. $2.00 Cherry Ames, Chief Nurse #4 in the series. Fair cond, with slightly brittle pages, using regulation wartime paper. Wear to cover, but still has strong binding. Might be first ed, since the gift inscription says Christmas 1944. If that is significant! No wonder the book seems a little elderly -- that makes it 75 years old! $2.00 Cherry Ames, Veteran's nurse. HB in retty good condition, some wear along the edges, nice red tweed cover. $2.00 MORE $2 SERIES BOOKS AHEAD! The Moving Picture Girls at Rocky Ranch (Hope) 1914. There are 7 books in this up-to-the-minute series from the early 20th century (early days of Moving Pictures, too!) This is #5. Subtitled Great Days Among the Cowboys. Yipee! HB, condition not bad at all for its age. $2.00 Black Stallion Returns (Farley) ofiginally 1945, this seems like a recent reprint -- it's like new with a very good DJ. $2.00 Here are some more $2 hardback series books!! Silver Wings for Vicki -- #1 in the Vicki Barr series. Rather well-read but sturdy copy, good snug binding. $2.00 Patricia (Grace Livingston Hill) Hill was phenominally popular in her day (this one is from 1939) for her romances full of anguish, love, and all the other things that kept people buying her books. This copy is in good or very good condition, and so is the pretty dust jacket. $2.00 Stranger within the Gates -- (Grace Livingston Hill) 1939. Christmas is close, but what is this horrible thing happening to the perfect family? The rather young son has written just (written, no less!) that he is married and bringing his new wife home for the holidays. You'll find youself in the middle of what seems to everyone back home, to be a tragedy worse than death. But wait -- we'll show sonny the stupidity of his ways, according to Mother! Are they right, or is it a case of extreme snobbery? I Loved reading this book! And it has such a beautiful cover that I was tempted to frame it. $4.00 MORE HARDCOVER BOOKS (NOT NECESSARILY SERIES BOOKS) FOR $2.00 EACH! Little By Little, A Writer's Education (Jean Little) 1987. Autobiography. HB with DJ. $2.00 The Great Wheel Written and illustrated by Robert Lawson. 1957. Newbery Honor book. Hardcover with printed picture cover showing the Great Wheel -- better known to us as a Ferris Wheel. This is the story of an Irish boy who came to America in the years when so many Irish people came here, and he very fortunately got a good job working at the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, working on the Ferris Wheel (all this, after a lot of other adventures!) there is also a romance -- not a big sentimental one as the book is written for middle-grade readers! But enough of a romance to make it interesting to girls and all the rest of us! HB pretty good cond, XL, such fun! $2.00 Cape Cod Adventure (Wilma Pitchford Hays) 1964. Kids love their Cape Cod cottage, but their dad doesn't care for living there. Mystery, boats, fishing, etc. $2.00 (2 copies) More $2 Hardcover books -- Mystery at Fire Island 1978 (Hope Campbell) exciting and dangerous adventure for a couple of girls who spend the summer solving a strange mystery in an unusual setting. HB, very good DJ. $2.00 The Treasure Tree (Majrory Hall) One of her historical novels for YA -- takes place on and around Christmas of 1733 when a storm causes a shipwreck and the young couple is marooned on an island. Mystery and great interest! Xlibrary HB in great cond with beautiful DJ. Air Service Boys over the Atlantic -- subtitled The Longest Flight on Record (by Charles Amory Beach) 1920. Good-looking hardback,with gold title on red cover. WWI story deeply influnced by the races for record-making air adventures from the 1920s. HB, $2.00 Cinnabar, the One O'clock Fox (Marguerite Henry) 1956. Wonderful, humorous, and lots of beautiful Wesley Dennis illustrations! You'll love it! HB, fairly good condition, $2.00 The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery) later edition of this very popular 1942 book. Has a DJ! very good condition. $2.00 LOOK -- SOME MORE EXCELLENT $2 HARDCOVER BOOKS! Mystery of the Vanishing Visitor (Florence Heide And Roxanne Heide) 1975. Spotlight Club mystery. HB, Xlibrary, no DJ, but in nice condition. $2.00 Catch a Cricket (Carla Stevens) "About the capture and care of crickets, fireflies, and other companionable creatures." (Not to mention earthworms!)This one IS a picture book -- photos and lots of information about these mostly very nice insects. Attractive in every way. $2.00 National Velvet (Enid Bagnold) illus by Paul Brown. originally from 1935 this is a later ed. Very popular girl-and-her-horse book that was turned into a very popular movie with Eliz Taylor. fairly good HB with good DJ. Another copy without DJ, either one for $2.00 each. THE NEXT SELECTION OF $2.00 HARDCOVER BOOKS -- Mosby, The Kennedy Center Cat: A True story made legend (Beppie Noyes) originally from 1978. I have to believe that this is true. It has elements of filling-in details but the things that happened are written by someone who certainly understands the way cats act in various situations. The cat lived for years in an unfinished area of the Kennedy center, eating leftovers from banquets, listening to concerts, and making devoted human friends. Do you cry over cat stories, as I do? Have a few Kleenex handy. Beautiful HB with DJ Finnegan II: His Nine Lives (Carolyn Sherwin Bailey) illus by Kate Seredy. 1953. If you love cats, this is your book. Beautiful story, beautiful pictures, I won't give any more of it away. HB, cat outlines on front cover. $2.00 Secrets of a Silent Stranger (Ruth Hallman) 1976. It's a short book, but includes family dynamics, mystery, a little history, nice N Carolina setting, and a very touching story. HB, PC, $2.00 PLENTY MORE $2 HARDCOVER BOOKS (not necessarily mysteries or series books) Jacob T. Marley (R. William Bennett)2011 HB with DJ. I love "A Christmas Carol" so I was naturally drawn to this book about his "friend" and former business partner who wondered why he hadn't been given a chance to revise his wasted life. HB with DJ. New condition. $2.00 Run, Reddy, Run (Betty Biesterveld) 1962. Girl loves animals and makes friends with wild animals wherever her migrant family has to move. In Ohio, finds a young fox and really loves it -- unfortunately there were fox hunters around. Nice illustrations (love that tiny fox pup!!!) and very nice ending. HB with pretty good DJ, beautiful front cover picture. $2.00 Adventures of a Brownie (Dinah Maria Mulock) 1929. Cute book, has been very popular for most of its nearly a century. Many editions -- this one may be the original, with a picture of the Brownie (elf, not scout) sitting on the edge of his bowl of milk, sipping from a spoon as big has his head, and looking mischiveous. Book in fairly good cond, some nice full-page illustrations including some full color. HB, $2.00 SOME MORE TWO DOLLAR HARDCOVER BOOKS! Between Dark and Daylight (Crystal Thrasher) 1979. Sequel to another book "The Dark Didn't Catch me" about Seely (age 12) and her family. Both take place during the Depression, and the DJ descriptions sound as if they reflect the very hard times and desperation of many lives. In the first book, which I don't have, the family moves abruptly so the father can try to find work, and both good and very bad things happen to them. In the one that I have here for sale, they are ready to move again, but the old truck breaks down before they arrive at the place where the father has found work, and they have to find shelter and a way to subsist. Neither book sounds like Merry Sunshine, but their reviews were very, very good. HB, former library book, in good cond with DJ. $2.00 The Flint Hills Foal (Francis) 1976. Nice small book about a girl and a foal. Enough of a horse story to satisfy horse-lovers and enough about a girl and her family problems to satisfy me. HB, horse on cover, $2.00 THESE $2 HBs ARE WRITTEN BY BETSY BYARS (YOU'LL LOVE THEM!) The TV Kid (Byers) I liked this book a lot but if you hate snakes, better not read it. HB, XL, DJ, $2.00 A Blossom Promise (Byers) 1987 another Blossom family saga! HB, XL, PC a nice copy. $2.00 The Blossoms and the Green Phantom (Byers) 1987. Continuing the Blossom family series. HB, XL, DJ, $2.00 INTERESTING HARDCOVER BOOKS, ONLY $2 EACH! Horseshoe Hill (Pamela Reynolds) 1965. Girl's family moves to the country, where the girl faces new problems. An old horse helps her to face life and grow up. HB great cond, good DJ! $2.00 Dinny and Dreamdust -- a Signal Book (Doris Townsend) illus by Sam Savitt. Dreamdust, as you may have figured, is a horse that Dinny really wants to own, but there are many stumbling blocks in the way. At the same time, she is in the process of figuring out whether boys are anywhere near as important as horses... spoiler -- they are! 1962, HB with nice printed picture cover. $2.00 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NEXT --A VERY EXCITING NEW SALE -- SERIES BOOKS OF ALL KINDS FOR $3 EACH! GET ACQUAINTED WITH A "NEW" SERIES BY TRYING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOOKS AT $3 EACH! I'VE CHECKED, AND FOR JUST A LITTLE MORE THAN THAT PRICE, YOU CAN FIND OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES ON ABE BOOKS OR ELSEWHERE. BUT MANY OF THE BOOKS THEY OFFER ARE VERY RECENTLY REPRINTED COPIES IN PAPERBACK -- PERSONALLY I DON'T CARE FOR THOSE "PHONIES." BUT IF I WANT TO READ SOME PARTICULAR BOOK, THEY'RE BETTER THAN NOTHING! Most OF the books on this list do not have dust jackets, and the books aren't always extra-pretty, but all of these books are in fairly nice condition! No ugly stains or loose bindings. Great reading -- or for your collection -- for $3.00 each! ***** First group of HARDCOVER VINTAGE SERIES books for $3.00 each -- Marjorie in Command by Carolyn Wells from 1910. Marjorie series Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall from 1902. by Charles Major *****MORE $3 VINTAGE HARDCOVER SERIES BOOKS! Dorothy Dixon and the Mystery Plane (1933) The Meadow-Brook Girls Across Country (1913) Robin Kane -- The Candle Shop mystery (1967) *****MORE $3 HARDCOVER VINTAGE SERIES BOOKS Madge Morton's Victory (1914) Bluegrass Champion -- Famous Horse Stories series (1949) *****MORE $3 HARDCOVER VINTAGE SERIES BOOKS Bertha's Summer Boarders (Linnie S. Harris) 1893,I'm not quite sure it's a series book, but has the look of one with a girl on horseback (side saddle of course) wearing a huge hat, riding the desert and hills. Great quality book, good condition. $3.00 Thunderhead (1943) Series includes My Friend Flicka and others. Has good DJ! Mountain Pony and The Rodeo Mystery (Famous Horse Stories series, 1949) Wild Palomino (Famous Horse Stores series) 1946. A FEW HARDCOVER HARDY BOY BOOKS WITH DUST JACKETS! $3 each Mystery of Cabin Island -- vintage #8! Even I liked this Hardy, involving some of my favorite things to read about -- Christmas, camping out in a log cabin on a lake, and a cool cypher. Fair condition book with pretty nice repro dust jacket! $3.00 While the Clock Ticked -- vintage #11. The book needs some glue but nothing is missing and the pages are in good cond. The DJ would be worth the price if you have a copy without DJ and would like to dress it up. Nice Grandfather clock looks just like the one we have in our house.$3.00miyford ***** MORE $3 VINTAGE HARDCOVER SERIES BOOKS AHEAD Nancy Drew #37 Clue in the Old Stagecoach. These Nancys are (flashlight" reprint hardcovers, just like the vintage books except for the glossy covers Nancy Drew #38, Mystery of the Fire Dragon Meg Duncah, The Treasure Nobody Saw (1970) very nice condition Jean Craig Finds Romance (1948) ***** MORE HARDCOVER VINTAGE SERIES BOOKS AHEAD! Connie Blair Clue in Blue -- first book in the series. Tweedy cover, great cond. $3.00 Ginny Gordon and the Disappearing Candlesticks (1948) The Case of the Diamond Eye (Amelia E. Walden) 1969. Lisa Clarke mystery series!
NEXT EXCITING CATEGORY -- VINTAGE PAPERBACK BOOKS, INCLUDING MALTSHOPS AND MYSTERIES,COSTING $2.00 EACH! VERY SHORT DESCRIPTIONS -- BUT I RECOMMEND JUST ABOUT ALL OF THEM!!! Conditions vary from pretty good to quite good! Here are some $2 pbs to start you out on this quest! The Tracy Twins in Japan (E. P. Masshall) ("Don and Bill Uncover a threat to the Free World") from an unfamiliar (to me) series.)1963. Pretty good cond. A Gathering of Days -- "A New England Girl's Journal 1830 - 32" == A Newbury Medal winning book. by Joan @. Blos. Crossroads for Chela (Dorothy Witton) "Love and Danger in the wild Sierras of Mexico" 1967 Pretty Good cond! Nice cover picture! $2.00 Pocket Stew: The Expanded Collection of Favorite Girl Scout Outdoor Recipes -- 4th ed. From the GS Council of Southeast Louisiana. You can count on at least a few spicy Cajun specialties in here -- plus the traditional Girl Scout goodies like trail mix and Girl Scout cookies!$2.00 The Secret Language (ursula Nordstrom) 2 girls who hte boarding school, find ways to survive and even be happy -- thanks to a secret language and a good friend. Recommended by ME! PB in v good cond. MORE GOOD READING IN SOME MORE $2 PAPERBACKS!! No Such Thing as a Witch (Ruth Chew) 1971, $2.00 Get your Ruth Chew books before the Halloween rush! The Trouble with Magic (Ruth Chew) 1976, $2.00 The Secret of the Witch's Stairway, #2 in Meg Duncan series. $2.00 Ginnie and the Mystery Doll (Catherine Woolley) no date listed. $2.00 Saturday Night (Marjorie Holmes) 1959. Very romantic Maltshop! $2.00. Marty (Elisa Bialk)1953 Marty on the Campus (Elsa Bialk) 1956. 2 copies available -- $2.00 The Luckiest Girl (Beverly Cleary) 1958. A huge favorite! $2.00 More $2.00 Paperbacks ahead! Betsy-Tacy (Maud Hart Lovelace) A deluxe harper Trophy paperback -- as far as I'm concerned, nothing is too good for this very special book, #1 in one of the best series ever! $2.00 The Mysterious Schoolmaster (Karin Anckarsvard) Good cond -- lots of fun! $2.00 America's National Mystery Book serles, Mystery at Death Valley. 2010. $2.00 Jennifer (Zoa Sherburne) 1959. Girl is ashamed of her mentally ill mother. $2.00 Mystery in the Pirate Oak (Helen Fuller Orton) 1949 -- 3 copies available. $2.00 Carol (originally carol from the country) Another excellent book! 1950 $2.00 Angel on Skis (Betty Cavanna)1957. Family runs a ski lodge in VT. $2.00 Lots more $2.00 paperbacks coming up! Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys Super mystery, The Last Resort 1989. -- skiing $2.00 Dexter and the Deer Lake Mystery (Charles Geer) 1965. Brand New. $2.00 Candy Stripers (Lee Wyndham) almost a career-romance. 1958 $2.00 Spurs for Suzanna (Betty Cavanna) 1947. The spurs are literal and figurative. $2.00 The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (Avi) 1990 Newbery Honor Book set in 1832. $2 Banner Year (Cavanna) 1987? Girl loves horses, doesn't care about boys??? $2.00 A Year in a Camper: A Family's Story of rediscovering the American Dream. To be honest, I have to tell you that this is an odd and sometimes annoying book, but it's of interest to those of us who have been watching the Tiny House movement with interest (but where could I put my 20,000 books???) Tall PB in great condition. $2.00 Betsy-Tacy (Lovelace) First in one of the best series ever!! $2.00 Now for some more $2.00 paperbacks! Sea View Secret (Elizabeth Kinsey) 1952. One of my favorite "comfort books" -- this copy is in sad condition but all there including the adorable Mary Stevens illustrations. $2 The Unchosen (Nan Gilbert) 1963. 3 teen girls almost give up on popularity/love. $2.00 For Each Other (Janet Lambert) 1959. Romantic story from the Campbell family series. $2 Hardy Boys, Clue of the Screeching Owl -- British Armada edition! $2.00 Hardy Boys, Mystery of the Melted Coins -- British Armada edition! $2.00 Hardy Boys #91, Shield of Fear -- PB $2.00 Hardy boys # 85, The Skyfire Puzzle PB $2.00 Hardy boys#94 Breakdown in Axeblade. PB $2.00 Three "My America" books by very well-regarded authors of history for young people. These 3 books take place around the time of the Civil War, and are in the form of diaries. The books are My Brother's Keeper and After the Rain (Books 1 and 2 about a girl) and Freedom's Wings, about a slave boy who escapes via the Underground Railroad. Great cond. All 3 books for $2.00 A SLEW MORE $2 PAPERBACKS! Never Another Love (Cecile Gilmore)1948. Berkley Medallion pb, I'm not sure whether it's supposed to be for teen or adult -- I guess it's for whoever has been betrayed in a romance, and vows never to love again! I found the book entertaining! $2.00 Come Be My Love (Lavinia R. Davis) 1949. Girl supports herself and finds love. $2.00 (2 copies available) Light a Single Candle(Beverly Butler) Girl loses sight, gets guide dog, & MORE! $2.00 (2 copies available) For Girls Only -- 1957. 11 very romantic short stories. Recommended! $2.00 My Brothers' Keeper: A Civil War Story. (Nancy Johnson) 1997. Brand New. $2.00 Thank you, Jackie Robinson (Barbara Cohen)1974 Baseball and much more! $2.00 Gaunt's Daughter (Eleanor Shaler) 1957. Does she hate her estranged father enouth to give up a big part in the play he is starring in? PB, $2.00 Want to check out some more $2.00 paperbacks? Cecile: Gates of Gold from Girls of Many Lands series (France, 1711) Beautiful book with a matching bookmark. $2.00 Heartland series-- "Healing Horses, healing hearts" New Beginnings 2004. $2.00 Amy Moves In (Marilyn Sachs) 1964. There are 3-4 books about Amy and Laura, $2.00 Smarty (Katharine Newlin Burt) Horses and human relationships. 1965 $2,00 Follow My Leader (James B. Garfield) 1957. Blind boy gets a guide dog! $2.00 Inky: Seeing Eye Dog (Heppner) 1957 Boy trains guide dog. 2 copies available $2 each Escape from Warsaw (Ian Serrailler)c. 1963 WWII adventure. Scholastic edition. $2.00
Welcome to Camden Falls (Ann M. Martin) 2007, Main Street series, book 1. $2.00
Needle and Thread (Martin) 2007, Main Street Series, Book 2. $2.00
WOW, EVEN MORE $2.00 PBs
Nancy Drew Ghost Stories! Of course Nancy doesn't believe in ghosts.... PB $2
The Edge of the Cloud (K.M. Peyton) Flambards #2. $2.00
The Flambards in Summer (Peyton)1969. Flambards #3. $2.00
The Ruby in the Smoke (Philip Pullman) 1985. Sally Lockhart series #1. $2.00
Amazing Grace (A. E. Cannon) 1991. More recent than most, very good reading. $2.00
Hobby Horse Hill (Lavinia Davis)1939. Indoors girl spends summer with horsy family! $2.00
(2 copies available)
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Barbara Robinson) 1972. One of the funniest books! $2.00
Depend on Katie John (Mary Calhoun) 1961. Renting rooms to boarders -- not fun! $2.00
Brian's Winter (Paulsen) 1996. What if Brian hasn't been rescued in "Hatchet?" Super! $2
Brian's Return (Paulsen) 1999.Brian can't adjust to civilization, returns to wilds. $2
CONTINUING THE WONDERFUL LIST OF $2 PAPERBACKS!!
Angel Unaware (Dale Evans Rogers) 1953. Can you read this without crying? I
don't think so.... $2.00
Mr. Popper's Penguins (Atwater) 1938 Newbery honor, 3-generation classic! $2.00
Number the Bones (Ann Rinaldi) Difficult and sad Civil War history. $2.00
Emergency Rescue! Trouble at Moosehead Lake (Cowan) 1993. Maine emergencies. $2
Just another Girl (Melody Carlson) 2009. She's in charge of her disabled sister. $2
Girls to the Rescue Book 3 -- "Clever, courageous girls from around the world" $2.00
Girls to the Rescue Book 4 1996. Short stories about courageous girls. $2.00
Girls to the Rescue Book 5 1998. From Canada to China, clever, brave girls! $2.00
Girls to the Resdue Book 6 1999 Even more stories of girls w/courage & brains! $2.00
MAYBE THESE ARE EVEN BETTER CHOICES OF $2 PAPERBACKS!
Born to Fly (Michael Ferrari)2009. During WWII, girl uncovers spies and plots! $2.00
Henry Reed, Inc (Keith Robertson) 1958. I love this amazing and amusing series! $2.00
Five Little Peppers Midway (Sidney) A very old series, but still fun popular fun. $2
(2 copies available) Prom Trouble (James L. Summers) 1954. From the boy's point of view! Good Maltshoppy cover. PB $2.00 Mystery of the Haunted Hut (Mary Graham Bonner) 1950. Kids have a winter vacation in the far North. I'm not sure it's set in Maine, but does mention the Canadian border -- and temps at 12 below. Summer cottage "Hut" is center of very mysterious and even dangerous happenings. a Scholastic book, which guarantee that it'll be well written and worth reading. I love the wintery illustrations too. Lots of wintery fun -- if you like to be chilly as well as shivery from suspence! PB, $2.00
JUST A FEW MORE $2 PAPERBACKS TO CHOOSE FROM!
Cat's Prey (Dorothy Eden) 1952. Romantic suspense with a very gothic cover picture! $2.00
Dr. Kildare Takes Charge (Max Brand)1941. Remember Dr K on TV? And before that, radio! $2
Little Women (Alcott) Abridged for younger reader, but still 250 pages and wonderful $2
Mystery of the Boston Marathon. 2003, before the tragedy. introduces you to Boston. $2
I'm not sure about the numbers for the Narnia books. There is apparently some
controversy about it, because I saw different numbers on different editions.
The Lion, the Witch and theWardrobe (Lewis) #1 in Chronicles of Narnia $2
Prince Caspian (C. S. Lewis) #4 in Chronicles of Narnia. Very good cond. $2
Voyage of the "Dawn Treader" (C.S. Lewis) book 5 in Chronicles of Narnia. $2.00
The Magician's Nephew (Lewis) Book 6 in Chronicles of Narnia. $2.00
OOPS, MORE -- $2 paperbacks!
Homefront (Doris Gwaltney)2006. Set during WWII, girl has to learn to live with her cousin who is sent to the US to escape London bombing. Excellent story in very good cond PB. $2.00
Orphaned Pup (Eleanor J. Lapp) Girl finds lost pup, has to care for it in secret. $2.00
Wanted.. Mud Blossom (Betsy Byars) Even the dog gets into the mystery this time! $2.00
The Penderwicks (Jeanne Birdsall)"A summer tale of 4 sisters, 2 rabbits and a Very
Interesting Boy. Award winner. $2.00
Misty of Chincoteague (Henry) 60th anniversary edition with Newbery Honor medal. $2
Magic or Not? (Edward Eager) Magic or not, I loved this book! pb $2.00
YET MORE $2 PBs!
Ginnie and the New Girl (Catherine Woolley) this one is only $1.00
Limpopo academy of Private Detection (Alexander McCall Smith) from Dave's and my favorite
series for adults. #13 in series, but don't let that bother you if you haven't
read any others. You have to start somewhere! Large PB, $2.00
For Each Other (Janet Lambert) 1950. A Campbell family story. PB $2
Mystery of the 99 Steps -- Nancy Drew Armada (British) edition. PB $2
Ghost of Blackwood Hall -- Nancy Drew Armada (British) edition. PB $2
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NOW FOR SOME miscellaneous NEW ADDITIONS THAT I PARTICULARLY RECOMMEND! If there are times when you would rather listen to a book than read it, here are CDs ofthe first 2 books in the Alexander McCall Smith series that Dave and I like so very much. They are "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" and "Tears of the Giraffe." Beware -- my sister had been trying to get me to read these books for a long time, and finally persuaded me to listen to these 2 sets of CDs -- and I've never, never looked back! They are among our favorite books (yes, we now have the actual books, too) in the world. 2 books on CD --14 CDs in all -- $8.00 LARRY DEXTER -- 3-book set from the first decade of the 20th century. This set of 3 "career novels" was written by the famous Howard R. Garis, of the well-known family of Garis authors. These three books are about a boy, and probably written just for boys, but they fascinated me by their clever cover pictures and their career-oriented subjects. Full of adventure, full of "up-to-date" subjects -- at least they were modern a century ago! The books are in exceptionally good condition for being as old as they are, unfortunately no dust jackets, but the front covers show Larry in several of his interesting occupations from selling newspapers on the street, to reporting for those same newspapers. There a couple more books in the series. This set include: Larry Dexter's Great Search, Karry Dexter the Young Reporter Larry Dexter and the Bank Mystery 3-book-set, hardcovers in very good condition. $12.00 Next, a big lot of softcover vintage books written for young readers but now collectible and beautiful for anyone who loves old books. 3 of them are from 1934, 35, and 36, and are simple stories of children from other lands (Wilhelmina of Holland, Nigalek a little Eskimo boy, and Chula of Siam.) The other 3 are assorted entertainments for young children (Tom Thumb, Barnyard Babies and My Pert Pussies.) Illustrations are fabulous, the books are made of a heavy "linenette" material that would still be impervious to harm from baby readers. I especially love the one about the kittens (all adorably dressed, and in humorous situations.) Condition -- well, they were "read" a few times and not always with pristinely clean hands. but not bad for their age! 6 books, $7.00 for all. The Lonely doll (first book in the series)A few library markings, but not very intrusive. hardcover with DJ -- $3.00 More interesting and assorted books that I recommend! Seth's Parker's Scrap Book ("By Seth Parker of Jonesport, Maine" 1935. What can I say about this book? Well, it's very much as you would expect from a scrap book of clippings (or supposed to be, anyway. They range fromfunny, sometimes silly, often clever, sometimes quite sentimental. Short stories, sayings like "Some people would rather lose a friend than an argument." Too true! It looks just like a real scrapbook, pages held together by a cord, nice shiny patterned covers. Very good cond. Some photo illustrations. A few blank pages at the end for your own clippings.$3.00 The Wolf Cub Annual 1948. British Cub Scout yearly. I don't know exactly how long these annuals have been published, but for decades. The covers are very decorative (this one shows 2 Cubs on shore watching another Cub launch a small boat. The back cover is just as attractive! Inside, there are lots of stories, projects, educational articles, a play, jokes, and games. This is a small hardcover book that is appealing, informative, and attractive. Small print probably due to continuing paper rationing (there's a lot on each page!) Lots of illustrations. Good if vintage-looking condition. $3.50 MORE MISCELLANEIOUS BOOKS THAT I AM PRETTY SURE YOU WILL CHERISH AND ENJOY!! Tiss, A Little Alpine Waif (Johanna Spyri) 1921. A beautiful book, and a very sweet story by the author of Heidi. Tiss, orphaned, lived with an uncaring family of many children and their unpleasant mother. He never got enough to eat, and was given the harshest of jobs to do. In the miraculous manner of little children in books of the 1920s, he is rescued from his dreary and painful life by his own innate goodness. This is a pretty little book, with a wreath of Alpine flowers on the cover, 2 lovely multi-color pages for the frontispiece and title page. and very pretty, misty endpapers. I loved the story, wiich is short enough to read some quiet evening, also loved the artwork! Vintage HB, PC, $3.00 HERE ARE MORE OF THE INTERESTING AND DECORATIVE BOOKS -- Most of them VINTAGE! Miss Santa claus of the Pullman (Annie Fellows Johnston) 1913. This book has everything! It has a beautiful cover with all the decorative elements you might want! View from a train car, where a very, very stylish lady sits aith 2 cute children, flowers, wreaths, ribbons, countryside. There's a spectacular full-color frontispiece with greenery and presents, several b/w illustrations through the book, a sweet, touching story, and very good condition. HB, PC $6.00 Bannertail, the story of a grey squirrel (Ernest Seton THompson) 1922. Famous author of books about the natural world, fascinates us with the complicated true story of a little squirrel who started out thinking he was a kitten (well, he had plenty of reason to think so, as he was nursed by a mother cat! Hundreds of illustrations, from small margin pictures to full-page glossies. And high-quality deckle-edged pages and a beautiful cover. Vintage-looking bookplate and inscription inside front cover. Illustrations are by the author. HB with paste-down cover picture, $7.00 At the Back of the North Wind (George MacDonald) This is a beautiful, new, very decorative edition of an old tale first presented in 1871. It's a "Children's Classic Everyman's Library" edition (there's a long list at the end of the book, of other books in this series.) The cover is deep maroon with a paste-on square picture in the middle of the front, clever endpapers, lots of b/w illustrations, an attached ribbon bookmark, and a sparkly spine decor. Very spiffy! And a fascinating story that will probably still be cherished by children all these 150 years later. HB, new condition, $4.00 Alone in London (Hesba Stretton) These very old books often don't have any dates in them. This one is part of a series The New Kingship Series, many of which are listed in the opening pages of this volume. I googled her and found a nice write-up on Wikipedia. This author (not her real name) wrote extremely popular semi-evangelical books about homeless children and the evils of the society that allowed such abominations. No date mentioned, but she wrote around the turn of the 20th century. And this book follows that pattern very well. Touching! HB with beautiful if damaged cover picture of pine cones and a snowy landscape. $2.50 International Collectors Library edition of Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales (there are 211 of them!) Modern decorative edition with very fancy gilt decorations on the cover, something of a vintage look though it isn't at all old (no date given.) In perfect condition, with a ribbon bookmark tucked in. $5.00 International Collectors Library edition of Aesop's Fables (Dozens and dozens and Dozens of them!)Intro by Isaac Bashevis Singer. Brand new-looking in a vintage style. Decorative gilt trim on cover and spine, ribbon bookmark. $4.00 COMING UP -- SOME MORE BOOKS THAT I'VE RECENTLY ADDED TO THIS LIST. THEY'RE ESPECIALLY INTERESTING, OR BEAUTIFUL OR WONDERFUL TO READ, OR GREAT BARGAINS! Here's a book that will make you laugh very hard! You've probably seen all the thousands (well, maybe hundreds) of books written by Britain's Enid Blyton. Many of them are about The Five, which are a group of kids who solve mysteries along with their dog. Well, someone named Bruno Vincent has written a series of books called Enid Blyton for Grown-ups, and you could be forgiven if you take a quick look and can't tell them from the real thing. This one is called "Five Go Gluten Free" and the cover picture shows 4 kids eating vegs and feeding the steak to the dog. Look closely at the picture and notice one boy holding his nose as he drinks his juice, and another boy secretly pouring out his green yukky drink. Some of the other books in the series are Five Give up the Booze and Five on Brexit Island. Over 100 pages of fun, pictures, and tongue-in-cheek. HB with picture cover, $2.50 OH SO NOSTALGIC! 2 books from the Billy Whiskers series. Billy was a billy goat, and awfully cute! Lots of humorous pictures (a few in color) and cheery stories of the kinds of trouble goats can apparently get into! Books in only fair condition, but worth something for the pictures and just plain old nostalgia. These books have been reprinted in recent years, but these are the originals! Two books for $3.00 Billy Whsikers' Treasure Hunt 1928 and Billy Whiskers' Twins 1911. Kid Sister (Embry) 1958. Her 2 teenaged sisters think she is a huge pest, but even they were appalled at her latest pet -- a rat! I had 2 younger brothers who also had pet rats and mice, and I know some of the trouble they could get into! But this one best my brothers' pets for "adventures." Nice family story, written for youngish readers but very entertaining for any grownups who like tiny pets. HB, XL, good reading condition. $2.00 MORE INTERESTING OR AMAZING BOOKS! The Penderwicks: "A summer tale of four sisters, two rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy." 2005, by Jeanne Birdsall. National Book Award winner (with gold medal on front of the book.)There are several sequels to this book, so you need to start with the first one in the series! The family rents a summer vacation cottage sight unseen, and finds their cottage is part of a vast and extremely elegant estate. But could there be trouble in Paradise? Evil adults living in the main house, mysteries to solve -- and all through it, a very believable family of girls, each with her own personality. No wonder this book won an important award! HB, XL, very good condition and a very good dust jacket. $3.00 Follow My Leader (James B. Garfield) 1957. "Leader" is a guide dog that helps a recently-blinded boy regain his independence. And lose his hatred for the boy whose carelessness caused the blindness. Despite the heavy subject, this is quite an entertaining story, believe it or not! HB copy in good cond,, with a dust jacket that's in fair condition. Dog lovers will especially like this story but I'm a cat person, and I've read it 3 times myself. $2.00 MORE INTERESTING ADDITIONS TO THE LIST 16 Jack and Jill magazines -- just a sample of the kind of magazines I've been collecting all my life, or at least since I was 5! These are not perfect, for sure, but the price is right, and you can get an idea of what I love about these magazines. If you fall in love, too, you can usually get some very good bargains for big lots of them on ebay. The ones I'm selling here are -- of course -- duplicates of ones I own. There are missing pages, small rips, worn areas, etc, but there are also the famous wonderful covers. Only one of the magazines still has a "centerfold" paper doll, but there are lots and lots of stories, poems, crafts, music, poems, and the monthly newsletter from Finnie, the Office Goldfish! To be specific, you'll get: Sept and November of 1948 March, August, Sept, Oct and Nov of 1949 January and May of 1950 Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Sept and Nov of 1951 16 Vintage Jack and Jill magazines -- $14.00 (plus postage along with your order) ANOTHER BATCH OF INTERESTING AND ENTERTAINING NEW ADDITIONS: The next few New Additions are books with real decorative value. You may or may not want to read them (probably won't be able to resist) but they will certainly add something beautiful or interesting to your life!
A Spinner in the Sun (Myrtle Reed) 1906. Grey cover with a golden web and flowers.
Each page in the book is decorative, framed and with red chapter headings.
The pages have what I think if called deckle edges -- looking hand-made. I'll
have to admit that I haven't read the book, but it looks rather romantic and
philosophical. HB with very decorative picture cover -- $2.50
The Eagle's Mate (Anna Alice Chapin) Mary Pickford Edition, 1914. Pretty cover
shows Mary Pickford and a man, one on each side of a horse. Endpapers show
Mary and 2 men in a very, very rustic cabin. The guys don't look as if they're
up to any good! Lots of b/w photos from the movie, throughout the book. The
picture cover is a little scratched, but colorful and entertaining.
HB in fairly good cond, PC, #2.00
MORE NEW ADDITIONS THAT I RECOMMEND -- NOT IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER! Spin a Silver Dollar: The Story of a Desert Trading Post. 1944-5. author --Alberta Hannum with incredible illustrations in color by "a Navaho Boy Artist, Little No-Shirt" (Beatien Yazz) The story is essentially true, Little No-Shirt was a real person who grew up to be a highly respected artist. This is a readable story about the couple who went West to operate a trading post, and started the shy boy on his career. Very nice! HB with picture of a horse on the cover. Good condition HB. $3.00
The Yearling (Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings) 1939. I know, you can get this book in
many editions, some of them beautiful, some of them low-priced. This copy,
though, is very special! I don't think it's a true first edition, because
there is a printed notice saying that it's the Pulitzer Prize Edition. Doesn't
that mean that it came out earlier, and was given the prize at that time?
But it is a very early edition, with the very unusual burlap cover printed
in contrasting brown, and deckle-edged pages. And amazing N. C. Wyeth
illustrations, 14 of them. The book isn't in perfect condition, someone
(I like to say some crook!(tore out the first free page with its Wyeth
illustration -- but the back endpapers are the same, so you do get that
picture. There is some wear at top and bottom of the spine and an ink
gift inscription on the first page. But these are minor flaws. In good
condition, this edition is selling for quite a bit on ebay. My price, $5.00
MORE NEW ADDITIONS THAT I RECOMMEND -- NOT IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER!
BIG LOT of The Little Colonel series by Annie Fellows Johnston. This series started
in 1895 and was obviously popular as it continued for many years and there are
seventeen books or related items in the series. When I was a kid I tried to read
the first book in the series, but I had trouble wading through the Southern
dialect and didn't really know what a Colonel might be! The books are certainly
not Maltshop types! But the series is interesting in that (along with Elsie
Dinsmore) it's one of the very early series for girls and in some ways, is the
prototype of what series books were like for many years. Here are 4 books from
the series, enough to give you a fine idea of what they are like -- to see if
you might be interested in reading more of them. Kentucky setting.
The books include:
The Little Colonel,the first book in the series, and a book that's pretty special.
The bright-colored cover shows Shirley Temple with her, big smile.
The book is full of photos from the 1930s-era movie. They even persuaded me to
give the book another chance! Not too bad. HB in good cond, with pretty DJ.
The Little Colonel's Christmas Vacation
The Little Colonel's Chum: Mary Ware
The Little Colonel Maid of Honor.
TThese are very, very substantial (heavy and long) books, plenty of reading. Except
for the first one, which I described above, their covers are a damask-type pink
material, with gold printing and decorative floral embellishments. Glossy frontispiece
and at least 8 internal illustrations in each. Quite a pretty set. Another interesting
thing about some of them is the extensive pages listing other series books for girls
and boys. I'm sure there are some in there, that you've never heard of before!
4 LITTLE COLONEL BOOKS -- $17.00
MORE NEW ADDITIONS THAT I RECOMMEND -- NOT IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER!
Books by Elizabeth Enright, favorite books for several generations of avid readers
who began to feel just like part of the Melendy family as they read and re-read
them! The illustrations are so simple, cheerful and humorous that they really
should get half the credit for the popularity of the books!
The Saturdays (written and illustrated by Elizabeth Enright) 1941. First book in the
Melendy series. Each week one of the 4 children can choose what the will all do
that Saturday. They combine their allowances and have an interesting adventure
to quell their boredom with every-day life! Paperback copy of this wonderful
story, new but fairly attractive cover picture. Moderately good condition, $1.50
Spiderweb for two: A Melendy Maze (written and illustrated by Elizabeth Enright)
1951. The 2 youngest children miss their older siblings very much, until they
are sent on a hunt with amazing clues to the solution to a mystery. Nice pb copy,
original internal illustrations, new but quite attractive cover picture. $2.00
MORE NEW ADDITIONS -- GRAB BAG OF INTERESTING BOOKS! Five little books in the series -- Read with Dick and Jane. CUTE cute cute!!! these are 5 books from a longer set which I don't have for you, but you already know how to read pretty well! They are decorative and very nostalgic, 32 pages in each paperback in the set, with each one advancing from the very simplest of reading "We Look" to the last one with an actual story using words like Family, and Something. Happy reading! The 5 pb books include numbers 1-4 and 12. The pictures are priceless! $4 for all 5.
Pee-Wee Harris On The Trail (Percy Keese Fitzhugh) "Approved by the Boy Scouts of America"
dated 1922. Despite the odd name of the title character, this is an attractive book,
in good condition and the DJ has an unusually appealing cover picture. 2 Boy Scouts
in the front seat of a convertible, a small child (boy? Girl?) sitting in back, car
headed straight into the sunset with an adorable gabled cottage in the background.
Clever, witty, mysterious and quite poetic story! Whitman edition. $4.00
Playground and Indoor Games for Boys and Girls (Winifred Wilson) 1999 British Pryor
Facsimile edition of the original, published around 1910. A beautiful book, and
surely would still be helpful to a primary grade teacher or a parent. 226 indoor
and outdoor games, all well described and illustrated with diagrams if necessary.
This is a hardcover book with a nostalgic cover picture, a frontispiece picture,
and a list of other facsimile editions in the back of the book. These include a
primer, classroom drills, song books, and humor books for all ages. Brand new
book with the original $22 price tag at the back. For this sale, $3.00 (2 copies
available.)
The Shirley Temple Treasury: Stories from Movies that made her Famous. Four Books in
One. OK, that's the title. Now for the details! This is a large enough book that
if it were for adults, it would be called a coffee-table book. The stories are
nice and long, but obviously abridged. The pictures are profuse and beautiful,
both the scenes from Shirley Temple's movies, and the pictures of the original
stories. Stories include: Heidi, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Captain January,
and The Little Colonel. It's just plain fun, and could be enjoyed by either a
nostalic adult or a child who loves sweet stories. HB in great condition, with a
DJ in good condition (just one goodsized tear at the top front, otherwise darned
good! Picture of Shirley with her own 3 children on the back cover. $2.50 Where the Red Fern Grows: The Story of two dogs and a boy (Wilson Rawls)1961. This promises to be "a tender but convincing story that will warm the hearts of dog lovers of any age." Beautiful like-new HB with very good DJ. $3.00
MORE interesting NEWISH ADDITIONS!! Of course there are new additions throughout the
entire sale list, but these are some intriguing ones that I wanted to highlight.
Circus Boys Across the continent (Edgar B. P. Darlington) subtitle: Winning New Laurels
on the Tanbark. 1911. The best thing about this book is the dust jacket! I can't quite
read the artist's signature, but it's something like Walter Hayn. Anyway, he painted
an amazing scene that would be a beautiful display -- for a circus theme or for
showing what wonderful art used to be "wasted" on children's series books. There
are elephants, a trick poodle, clowns, of course, a gypsy band, tents with flags
flying in the wind, all woven together in a scene of motion, excitement and bright
color. The book is in good condition, and there is a different printed picture on
the cover (acrobats and high-wire artists.) The DJ is in really good shape, too,
just the expected edge wear. Enjoy the story or the DJ -- or both! $6.00
Water Babies (Charles Kingsley) This is a "Young Folks Standard Library" edition,
which doesn't sound nearly as beautiful as it is. watery multi-color dust jacket
pattern, lots of good illustrations, high-quality paper. $3.00 The Blue Fairy Book (Andrew Lang)One of the famous Fairy Books of a rainbow of colors, all collected and edited by Andrew Lang. This is the Dover edition, Unabridged and unaltered republication of 1st edition." As it says on the back cover. Very nice condition. $3.00 HERE'S A NEW SECTION -- CAT BOOKS! THEY'RE FUN AND/OR INFORMATIVE, ALWAYS ADORABLE! $2.00 PER BOOK OR MAKE ME A GOOD OFFER FOR THE WHOLE BUNCH! All in very good or better condition! Also see "Dewey" books elsewhere on the list. The Abandoned (Paul Gallico) 1950) For absolute cat-lovers, this is THE book. I won't try to describe it, but you'll be thinking of this story the rest of your cat-loving life. When I was growing up, our whole family loved and quoted this book (sometimes with tears in our eyes.) Here is a hardcover copy with a DJ, all in quite good condition. HB $3.00 Really Important Stuff my Cat has Taught Me (Cynthia L. Copeland) 2017. Beautiful gift-quality pb full of really adorable (or humorous, or clever, or beautiful) pictures of cats and quotations from famous writers and others, plus stories about real cats that have done brave or clever things. There's a cat just like our kitty, Beany, in a picture on page 30. Gift inscription written by a really little kid on the first interior page, otherwise like new. $2.00 A Snowflake in my hand (Samantha Mooney) "The inside Story of one of the most famous clinics in the world, beautifully told..." Beautiful cover picture, too. $2.00 The Reader's Digest Illustrated Book of Cats. They weren't kidding that there are illustrations! This is an incredible book - history, breeds, illnesses, care, nutrition -- 350 tall, well-filled pages. HB. #2.00 Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Cat Lover's companion. Excellent, huge selection of stories, true or fictional, plus puzzles and helpful information HB with picture cover, $2.00 The Fur Person (May Sarton) 1957. Has been a favorite of our family for generations. PB. $2.00 James Herriott's Cat Stories --1994. SO GOOD! HB with DJ, $2.00 The Cat who went to Paris (Peter Gethers) 1991. Scottish Fold cat's travels! Big PB $2.00 A Cat Abroad, Further Adventures of Norton, The Cat who went to Paris and his Human. big PB $2 The New Yorker Book of Cat Cartoons -- HB with DJ -- great gift for your cat-loving friends! Or to keep and laugh over and over. $2 The Perfect Kitten -- How to raise a Problem-Free Cat (Peter Neville & Claire Bessant Reader's Digest publication. thinking of getting a kitten? YOu need this book! It helped us a lot even though our Beany isn't (ahem) exactly perfect! Amazing photos. HB with DJ $2.00 Cat Tales, Classic Stories from Favorite Writers 1989. Illustrated with Photos. It's Quite amazing how many famous authors are or were cat-lovers and wrote about them! hb with DJ. $2.00 The Cat Who Cried for Help (Dr. Hicholas Dodman) 1997. Attitudes, Emotions, and the Psychology of Cats. Cat psychology! Sometimes any cat lover needs it. Fun to read, and very helpful. Large pb. $2.00 Listening to Catnip, Stories from a Catanalyst's Couch (the CAT is the analyst, and its patients are all cats who need help!)1996 Humorous stories..HB with DJ. $2.00
NEXT, A SPECIAL SECTION OF MAINE BOOKS AND A FEW BOOKS FROM OTHER NEW ENGLAND LOCATIONS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS, TOO. We think that some of the greatest authors in the world live or summer in Maine! Try one or 2, and you may decide to come to Maine yourself. I can hardly believe how much some of these books are getting on Ebay and other places! I knew they were good, but didn't realize that other people knew it, too. My prices are no more than 1/2 of what they are getting other places. Most of my copies are x-lib, but some are very good! My Life in the Maine Woods: A Game Warden's wife in the Allagash Country (Annette Jackson) 2007. If you go by the sales on Ebay and the prices that are being asked on ABE, you can see that this is a very popular Maine book. Along the lines of We Took to the Woods, this book records a world that existed in the 1930s, way before most of the modern era of snowmobiles, cell phones, etc. They had it tough! And they loved it! And I loved this book (as long as I don't have to live that way!) Very good large pb, Pictures, maps, etc, in the front section. $5.00 Exploring the Spirit of Maine: A Seeker's Guide (Karen Wentworth Batignani) A big, beautiful paperback with chapters on almost any type of religious or spiritual practice that you might be interested in, whether historical or current. New condition PB -- $2.50 Forest Trees of Maine, centennial edition (1908-2008.) Maine Forest Service. What a beautiful and useful book! Spiral-bound so yo can hold it open while you examine the tree before you, washable plastic pages, a glossary, technical explanations of all the identifying features of trees, charts, separate pages for each type of tree showing pictures of the whole tree plus its bark, cones, needles, leaves, buds, etc, of the trees and bushes. It would probably be useful mostly to those of us who live in the northern states, but it's beautiful and fun to look through wherever you reside. Some of the information is universal -- warning about deer ticks and photos of them to differentiate them from dog ticks, for instance. A great book for people who love the outdoors. $2.50 Under the Grey Gull's Wing (Alta Ashley MD) 1983. Dr Ashley. who lived on Monhegan Island out in the Atlantic, was semi-retired but took on the school health exams -- our daughters were acquainted with her when they were in grade school (on the mainland!) My mom knew her, too, through verious activities. Mainely, Dr Ashley had a regular column in the Rockland newspaper, and this book is partly composed of some of those columns. Also many pictures -- if you think you had a relative from Monhegan Island, he or she would be pictured in this book. history, social life, winter and summer on an island, lots of pictures, a well-read but still nice paperback book about a VERY special place. PB, goodish cond, And it's autographed! $3.50 Here if you Need Me, A True Story (Kate Braestrup) 2007. 15 years ago, the town where we work and where our children went to high school, was shocked and horrified when their favorite Maine State Trooper was killed in an traffic accident while on duty. This book was written by his wife, Kate, who decided to go to seminary after his death, at the Bangor Theological seminary where he was planning to start studying. This is partly the story of the family's life before and after his death, but mainly is about her work as chaplain for the Maine Warden Service. She's a really good writer, inspiring in the best meaning of the word (though she can also preach a pretty good sermon, as I can attest, from her few substitute stints at the church where I work!) The cover says this book was a National Bestseller, and though some of us who work in books laugh at this ubiquitous claim on almost every book you run across, in this case, I think it's true. So it's not just a local oddity -- you will LOVE it if you are interested in search and rescue and in what goes on with the families while those searches are going on. And it's a very clever family tale, also. Large and quite pretty pb in fairly good condition, $2.50 SOME MORE VERY GOOD BOOKS WITH MAINE SETTINGS
The Maine Dictionary (John McDonald) OK, we don't really talk like that, of course!
But if you want to sound the way you think, or wish, Mainers talk, this is the book
for you. If you just want a chuckle, that's another use for the book. I think, from
the cover cartoon (which is really quite funny in a dreadful way!) that you're supposed
to think this is an all-humor book. But there are definitions of words that I sort of
wish we'd understood when we first moved to the absolute sticks, our first few years
in Maine. And I'm ashamed to admit it, but I laughed (hard) over some of the shaggy-
dog type jokes. Tall and wide paperback, very good condition, $2.50
The Country of the Pointed Firs, and Other Stories (Sarah Orne Jewett) preface
by Willa Cather, reprint of a 1925 edition. Jewett has had a lot of attention
in recent years, as a very fine American woman author. Most of her books take place in
Maine, especially the title story, which shows what life was like in a peninsula
town, way out in the ocean, well over 100 years ago. When I read this, after moving
to the same town, I was struck by the description of a trip to Thomaston, which
was the town where our daughters went to high school, so we sometimes ran up there
a couple of times a day, 15 minutes each way. Well, for the people in this story,
it was a major trip, not to be taken without days of preparation! This is just one
of the lovely reminiscences in the respected and loved story. There are 11 short
stories in this book, too. Large PB, very lovely cover picture, fairish condition, $2.00
Books by Maine writer, Lew Dietz. These have had great appeal to young people who really
love the back-country forests. He wrote about boys, but anyone would enjoy reading
them for the authentic (but very entertaining) stories of life in the wilds. His
writing style is breezy, reading these books is great fun along with the adventures
you'll love! Especially The Savage Summer -- I laughed a lot while I read it! The Savage Summer (Lew Dietz) 1964 first edition. 2 boys are recruited to entertain a summer visitor -- a 15-yr-old girl (the boys can barely tolerate girls!) They take on the job because it pays pretty well, but eventually find that it was -- oh, I'll let you find out for yourself! HB x-library in tgreat condition with laser copy of the original DJ showing the 3 kids in a model-T Ford. $5.00
Jeff White, Young Guide (Lew Dietz)1951. There are 5 books in this series about a young man who has moved to the wilds of Maine where his late father lived and worked. In this volume, he has earned his Maine Guide License and starts his job with a hunting/fishing camp. Where, of course, mysterious things are happening and needing the help of Jeff and his good friend Skipper. Good-sized paperback book in good cond, former library copy that would look very good if you figured out how to remove the few library stickers. On the other hand, the plastic coating kept the bindings and pages firm and neat. $4.00 The Year of the Big Cat (Lew Dietz) 1970. If you are an avid outdoorsperson (even if only
from your comfortable chair) you will be fascinated by the cover picture of several
views of a "big cat" prowling, snarling, etc. And an anxious-looking young man --
wouldn't you be? But there's more in this story, family life, joy of being in the
wilderness. HB, XL OK condition, PC. $3.50
The Year of the Big Cat -- a very nice hb copy with a laser reprint of the original DJ,
showing the boy and the "cats" with a snowy background. First ed. $5.00
Another copy of Year of the Big Cat (Dietz) with a very nice dust jacket, $4.00
YET MORE MAINE BOOKS!
Elspeth Bragdon doesn't have the reputation that many of our Maine YA authors still
have (like Ogilvie and Coatsworth) but her children's books are every bit as full
of Maine atmosphere and joyous interest as any Maine writers". I'll try to have
more books by her, in the near future. There is a Tide (Elspeth Bragdon) 1964. Boy has flunked out of yet another school, but the headmaster suggests that he and his father spend the summer in a house on a Maine island, getting to know each other. Kid has a very bad attitude but you know how Maine people always know how to straighten out people like that! There is a lovely girl and her dog in the story, as illustrated on the cover, but romance is not the main plot. Everything about this book is attractive and satisfying, if you are willing to believe that someone can change his life around because of island residents. And I'm sure that's possible! HB with picture cover, library edition with "Withdrawn" written across the first interior page. $4.00 That Jud (Elspeth Bragdon) 1957. Orphan boy is lonely and sometimes a bit difficult, living in a tiny Maine fishing village. From the DJ Blurb -- "Everyone in Spruce Point, Maine referred to the orphan, either with affection or exasperation as That Jud." And he was blamed or credited for almost everything that goes wrong in the village. Until he shows how much he cares for his town, and how much they rely on him.HB with nice dust jacket showing Jud and his dog, Skipper. HB, DJ, great condition. $6.00
Abbie Burgess, Lighthouse Heroine, Jones and Sargent. Great Maine story! Abbie is still
celebrated in this area where there are still many lighthouses. It's the true story
of a young girl who has to keep the lighthouse going during an emergency. Takes place
Matinicus Rock, an island that's so close to here that some of the few kids who live
there, come ashore to our town for high school. Hardcover book, very nice condition,
with a beautiful picture on the laser copy dust jacket. Shows Abbie in a storm,
with rocks, waves, and that lighthouse in the background. Dramatic! $3.50
Abbie Burgess, Lighthouse Heroine in hardcover, XL, fair condition, with very attractive
dust jacket picture of wild sea waves, and lighthouse. $3.00
BOOKS BY LOUISE DICKINSON RICH
If there aren't very many, then I hope to have more books by this popular and very fine
author on my next sale list. Probably my only "claim to fame" is that Louise Rich was
my first cousin, once removed, in other words, her mother was my grandmother's sister.
But that's not why I love her books so much. My own grandfather was also an author, he
wrote books about religious education -- and I was rather bored when I read one, though he was very well thought of at the time these books were written.
No, Dave and I love Rich's books because they are beautifully crafted and very
entertaining, with a surprisingly wide reach for books about tiny places where
very few people live! The Peninsula (Louise Dickinson Rich)1971 ed. . What a beautiful book! It tells about Rich's years of living in a cottage on the Gouldsboro Peninsula, northeast of where we lived on the St George Peninsula for many years. I was especially interested in her description of the geography and geology of Maine's many similar peninsulas, why they have the vegetation that they do, what's under the surface -- I never would have ralized that all of them are so similar in composition. BUT -- don't imagine that this is just a textbook to study! If you've read We Took to the Woods, also about Maine but such a different part of the state, you know that people, legends, economy, history, and of course personal refelctions, will all be found in the fascinating pages of this book. Did I mention that there are many pages about choosing a LOBSTER for dinner, and lots of ways to cook it! Endpapers with decorative maps of the area around Gouldsboro, lots of clever black and white illustrations. All of you people who have told us how much you wish you could pay a visit the Maine coast, you can almost make that visit by reading The Peninsula. There are about 4 pages at the end of this edition, sort of conversational and friendly about the changes, if any since the original 1958 ed. Otherwise the same wonderful book. Large PB in fairish condition, a good reading copy. $2.50 (2 copies available)
Three of a Kind (Louise Dickinson Rich) 1970. The girl in this story is another of
the "state kids" who live with families on Star Island, to provide enough children
so that the school can stay open. She loves the family she lives with, but things
aren't nearly as nice after their 4-year-old grandson also comes to live with them.
You will recognize him as being autistic, but that wasn't a term that people were
using much nearly 50 years ago. Benjy needs a lot of help and attention, which
makes Sally feel -- again -- like a left-out unwanted child. The solution is
delightful. Compainion book to Star Island Boy. HB, XL, both book and DJ in
very good condition. Such a pretty Maine picture on the jacket! $5.00
Star Island (or Star Island Boy -- they're the same book except for the additional
word. (Louise Dickinson Rich) 1968. The residents of an island off the coast of
Maine, don't have enough children to have enough for a grade school, so some of
them decide to apply for foster children to make up the difference. This isn't
the reason that the children are given, but still, the boy is absolutely sure this
will be just like all his former foster homes -- a short stay with a family until
they don't want him any more. Island life and island people are far different from
any he's known before, and he almost lets down his guard... Beautiful story, with
a companion volume about a girl who arrived on the island at the same time and for
the same reason -- Three of a Kind, also called Sally in the PB edition. Both are
books that you'll read more than once. Really special. Cover picture of a boy helping out on a lobster boat in a bay filled with beautiful islands, lobster traps, and seagulls.
Hardcover, personal copy, with printed picture cover. Very good condition. $4.50
Only Parent (Louise Dickinson Rich.) 1953. Mrs. Rich wrote beautifully, anything she
wrote. In this book, I think she was writing for the people who loved "We Took
To The Woods," "My Neck of the Woods," and other books about living in the middle
of nowhere in the Maine woods. I imagine these people were wondering what had
happened to their favorite author and her children after her husband died and
she moved back to town. Like her Maine wilderness books, this one combines humor,
practicality, and poignant observations. Very nice DJ picture of louise with her 2 children and a myriad of pets! HB, very good condition, with a very good DJ. $8.00 The Kennebec River (Louise Dickinson Rich) 1967. To Quote -- "Though small, the Kennebec River, which flows through the state of Maine, reflects the hardy independence of the people who have inhabited its shores -- from the lost races of the Stone Age to the firecely proud 'Down Easters' of the present day..." History in its most appealing and friendly style and very attractive artwork by Lili Rethi (I don't know of her, but her pictures are just so Maine-like!) HB, XL printed picture cover. $2.50 Kennebec, Cradle of Americans (Robert P. Tristram Coffin) 1937. This is a slightly revised edition from 1965. If the title sound a little familiar, it just shows that you can't know enough about the most important fiver in Maine. And written by one of Maine's premier historians and essayists. And this Pulitzer-Prize winning Maine author wrote with humor and a lot of good old Maine common sense! Personal anecdotes and quite a few stories featuring Cap'n Bibber! I wish I'd had him for my history professor! (He aught at Bowdoin, where he also attended.) Originally published as part of the Rivers Of American series, this is a beautiful good-sized paperback witha lovely cover picture. All new condition. $2.50
The Coast of Maine (Louise Dickinson Rich) with photographs by Samuel Chamberlain. Sub
titled "An informal history and guide." 1956, revised several times, this is the
1970 edition. You'll find lots more than just facts; there are characters, books,
little-known interesting sights to see, and all those very fine photos by Chamberlain
who compiled quite a few photographic collections around New England. Chapters on
history, of course, islands, all the varied locales in this large state, things to
do and see, and Rich's personal, conversational style of imparting information.
Very large paperback book, fairly good condition, a cover picture that looks like
what you think Maine should look like -- ships, shoreline, and a lobster boat,
among other things. You'll even get a kick out of the introduction to this
edition! $3.00
YES, THERE ARE STILL MORE MAINE (and New England) BOOKS!
Books by Elizabeth Coatsworth --- One of my all-time favorite authors since I was a
little girl! Most of these book could be listed as Alice's Picks. She lived only a few
miles from where we now live, but I never met her. I have heard her daughter speak
about her mother's works, at several seminars or meetings. She concentrates on her
mother's poetry, as the daughter is a poet herself, but I'm convinced that her
stories are even better! Coatsworth's historical books are almost as good as her
stories about contemporary children. We recently had a wonderful visit from one of
our book customers, who had arranged to have all of us visit the farm site where
Coatsworth and her author-husband, Henry Beston, lived. It was inspiring to see
the view and the lovely countryside that were inspirations for both of those
exceptional authors. I couldn't love Coatsworth's books more than I already did,
but this was a lovely opportunity to understand their background even better. Alice-all-by-herself (Elizabeth Coatsworth) illustrated by Marguerite de Angeli, who also illustrated many of Coatsworth's other juvenile stories. This one takes place in a town where Dave and I spend a couple of days a week in volunteer work --- Damariscotta ME! It's fun to try to figure out where each of the scenes from this book occurs! This book is from 1947, and written about a girl in 1947(at that time, contemporary) but this beautiful area is full of history including a still famous story about Marie Antoinette, and Coatsworth weaves history into this lovely story about a girl's everyday -- shiny -- life in Damariscotta. Humorous, exciting, homey -- everything Coatsworth's books were loved for. Highly recommended by me if you love Maine or wish you could spend time here! The hardcover book is in very good condition, and has a good though patched-together laser copy of our original dust jacket. oh -- and lots of poems! $5.00 Maine Ways (Elizabeth Coatsworth) 1947. to quote the DJ flap -- "she seeks to capture the spirit of their life there (in their nearly 200 yr old farmhouse) which is typical of country life in Maine." She does this with about 60 short essays that you will absolutely love, covering everything from Random Day (first story) to The American Tradition (final story) and including one essay that you'll really love if you've read Coatsworth's Houseboat Summer or just love the idea of a houseboat in general. Beautiful copy, or at least the book itself. The DJ is slightly worn around the edges but has an interesting lighthouse picture cover. HB DJ $4.00 Sword of the Wilderness (Elizabeth Coatsworth -- 1689 history. HB sormer library book, picture covers. $2.50
Jock's Island (Coatsworth) Volcano formed the island, and now it's suddenly becoming
active again. The boy and his wonderful sheepdog have a huge job protecting the
sheep. The illustrations in this book are amazing (Lilian Obligado) and full of
animals -- from the dog and sheep, to cats, gulls, cattle. And the pictures give you
an amazing sense of the power of the volcano and storms. HB, XL, $2.50
MORE BOOKS BY ELIZABETH COATSWORTH AHEAD! -- AND ONE BY HER HUSBAND, HENRY BESTON. The Enchanted (Coatsworth) 1951. One of Coatsworth's Incredible Tales, and very special. About an area of Northern Maine where "it's selcom entered except for lumbermen bound for some winter logging camp from which they return with curious stories." Quotation from the first page of the book. Strange things happen, as we go through the year in this remote place. The book itself is unusual. I didn't think it was made of wood, but Dave said it looked and felt like a thin veneer of wood. It certainly does look like that. Very unusual and appropriate for this tale. HB, Xlibrary copy with just a few stickers at the bottom of the spine. I think you could carefully remove those if you wanted to. Good cond. $5.00
End of books by Elizabeth Coatsworth
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MAINE BOOKS BY DOROTHY SIMPSON Most Illustrated by Dorothy Bayley Morse, who probably
is one of my 4 or 5 favorite illustrators of children's books -- right up there with
Mary Stevens! These books are about the Marshall family, who live on an isolated
island off the Maine coast. They are poor from our point of view, but to them, the
island life is a wonderful adventure, and they really don't want to leave it for
anything, or for anything to change. The books are treasures, from any point of view.
that Island in the Bay is the first in this series, but actually it's a stand-alone
title. The first in this series is "The Honest Dollar" and "Lesson for Janie" is next.
There aren't any of Simpson's books available right now, but you can look for them
in thrift shops and book stores, and you can be sure I'll add them to my list when
I can find more!
New Horizons (Dorothy Simpson) Illustrated by Dorothy Bayley Morse (another reason
for loving these books!) 1961. Probably my favorite of the Simpson books about
Janie. She is thrilled to have a chance to go to the mainland so she can go to
high school. Island children still board with families so they can go to school,
and I'm sure they still find out that there are huge differences between their
former homes and the challenges they face in an entirely new place. And they
probably get homesick and figure they just can't stick it out, as Janie did at
first. Wonderful story with a wonderful picture on the DJ -- Girl at the wheel
of a ship, looking very happy to be back at sea. HB, X-library, in good cond,
with a laser copy of our very good dust jacket. $8.00
MORE BOOKS BY MAINE AUTHORS AND/OR FEATURING MAINE SETTINGS
MAINE BOOKS BY ELIZABETH LADD, one of the best authors of authentic Maine YA books
from all of the 20th century. She lived just about all her life on a rather remote island,
enjoying animals and children, all of which contribute to her wonderful books! Most
of them were illustrated by Mary Stevens, another favorite of ours, and another Maine
native. Some of Ladd's books form series, but any can be read separately with
great pleasure. I'll certainly try to find more book by Ladd very soon.
Set of Three books about Meg (Elizabeth Ladd with Mary Stevens illustrations!!) These are from the Down East publishers near here in Camden Maine, very good paperback reproductions of the original books. I've tried to describe these books without sounding trite, but for the first time ever, I gave up. I'll just say Maine, boats, islands, adventures, danger, happiness, an orphan girl and her much-older brother living hand-to-mouth but happily on the salt water. 3 pbs in pretty good condition. From 1961, 1962 and 1964. $9 for all three. Meg of Heron's Neck A Mystery for Meg Meg's Mysterious Island
Judy's Summer Friend (Elizabeth Ladd) 1958. Mary Stevens' wonderful illustrations. Judy
lives on a remote island with very few other children. A family with a girl her age,
comes to stay for the summer on the island. It takes some effort and time for the
2 girls to start to understand each other, and you come to learn how different life
is (or at least was before computers?) when you live way out in the ocean On an
isolated island. Very good story!!! I love to read variations on "the city mouse and
the country mouse" theme, and this is one of the most interesting of all. HB book in
fair condition, former library copy. However, the DJ is in very nice condition and
the book looks very attractive. This is the 3rd in the Judy trio about the young
orphan who finds a family life on the island. $4.50
The Year of the Pheasants (Elizabeth Ladd) 1957. Illustrated by Mary Stevens. Like the
author, the children in this story live deep in the country, close to nature. The
girl decides to raise pheasants from eggs, and this book tells about the many things
that can happen in a project like this one. Nice family scenes (she has to get have
the cooperation of her brother!) and adorable pictures. XL book is in fairly worn
condition, but has a nice printed library picture cover, plus a fairly good DJ.
HB, XL, PC and DJ -- $4.00
Meg of Heron's Neck (Elizabeth Ladd) 1961. This is the first in the Meg series, and
tells about Meg's going to live with relatives, while always wishing that she could
still live on the boat with her big brother. The cover shows Meg with her pets --
a black cat and a crow -- with an ocean background. As in all the Meg books,
there is plenty of action and mystery in this one. PB in good condition, $3.00 Meg of Heron's Neck (Ladd, with Mary Stevens illustrations) 1961. Former library copy in fairly good condition, with very nice laser copy DJ. $4.00
A Mystery for Meg (Ladd) hardcover with dust jacket, both in good condition! The
so-appealing illustrations of Mary Stevens, showing Meg and "repulsive" the cat,
watching what's going on across the water on an island. Book has some stains
on the bottom corner of each of the covers, but they don't seem to go any
further than the cover, and are more than made up by the very good DJ that covers
the book. The only indication that this book might have been a library copy, is
the tiny sticker with an upside-down map of Maine, at the bottom of the DJ spine.
Other than that, you could hardly find a better-looking DJ. $5.00
A Mystery for Meg (Ladd) 1962. Nice paperback from Down East publications. It has the
adorable cover picture of Mag and her cat, there is a crease across the cover,
but otherwise the book is in good cond, clean white pages, good pictures. $2.50
Meg and Melissa (Elizabeth Ladd) Illustrated by Mary Stevens. 1964. Meg is almost 13
by now, and feels that she has to find a summer job. Like so many young girls, this
first job is babysitting -- she spends the summer with a well-to-do family who
are summering on an island. We don't really have more mysterious things happening
here in Maine, but you would think so, from all the great mystery stories that are
set here! The cover of this one is especially interesting -- a little girl and a
bigger one, both with black braids, peering into the mouth of a cave -- wild ocean
waves below. The book was well-read by kids who got it from their library,
but it's pretty sturdy and surprisingly clean. Laser copy of our DJ. $4.00
Trouble on Heron's Neck (Elizabeth Ladd) 1956. Centering to some extent on Meg's pet
crow, this Maine summer story brings Meg into another mystery, with a bit of danger
and a quiet message about conservation and caring for animals. Along with the
wonderful personality of Meg, who just can't seem to stay out of trouble and
even danger! HB, XL, in very good condition, with a good DJ. $5.00
Another copy of Trouble on Heron's Neck -- more worn than the first copy, but sturdy
enough and clean (the young readers were respectful of their library books!) Has a
laser copy of our original dust jacket, very nice-looking. $4.00
END OF BOOKS BY ELIZABETH LADD. MORE MAINE BOOKS COMDING UP!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MAINE BOOKS BY MARY C. JANE. She wrote some of the best and most popular mysteries
for young people in the '50s and '60s! Each one has a different setting. almost
all of them somewhere in Maine. They're not "fancy" but they show children enjoying
their lives amid some pretty mysterious happenings! Many of the children and their families, are from "working class" homes -- factory workers, mill hands, fishermen, etc. All of these books feature both girls and boys equally, which is quite unusual in YA mysteries, and very pleasing. Animals of several species are
quite often part of the stories. Maine kids love these books, I love them, and so will
you! You really need to have all of them! I've been amazed at the high prices people have been getting lately, for Jane mysteries! I am NOT trying to get anything like those prices. But I would like to get these books to people who appreciate them, so I am including some of her books at prices I rarely charge for any books. All these books have pleasant Raymond Abel illustrations. Mystery in Old Quebec (one of Jane's few books set outside Maine.) 1955. This is a hardcover with a laser copy of our original dust jacket. It's a Weekly Reader Children's book club edition. HB in good cond, with beautiful repro DJ. $6.00 Mystery at Pemaquid Point (Mary C. Jane) 1957. First edition. This one takes place quite close to where we live -- well maybe 30 or so miles. Beautiful country!!!! 1957 furst ed, HB with a laser copy of our original DJ. $13.00 Mystery in Longfellow Square (Mary C. Jane) 1964. There is a Longfellow Square in Portland, with a statue of Maine's famous poet. Maine students might find that this would be a good reference book to study about Longfellow, but mainly all of us would rather see it as a very good Maine mystery with a few interesting points about the great man. Nice HB book former library edition) with a good-looking laser reproduction of the original DJ, all in book cond. As far as I could find, there were no other HB copies of this book available at the time I was writing this description. $9.50
Mystery at Shadow Pond (Mary C. Jane) Set on a remote farm, near a mountain and pond.
Strangers are coming around their home and searching for some old letters that
must be very valuable. If the family finds them first, the letters might make them
enough money so they won't have to sell their property and lose their beloved
horse. PB with the kids-and-robot cover, $2.00 The Ghost Rock Mystery (Mary C. Jane) 1956. Paperback copy in good condition. Sister and brother spend summer with their aunt who has bought a guest house in the most remote and forested area of northern Maine. Aunt needs the venture to be a success, but (three guesses!) the place is inhabited by a ghost (were you surprised?) Kids have to figure out what's happening. Is that one of your favorite plot lines? It's one of mine! PB $3.00 Mystery on Nine-mile marsh (Mary C. Jane) An island, a hermit, mystery -- who wouldn't want to be those lucky kids! PB, pretty good condition, $3.00 (2 copies available)
END OF BOOKS BY MARY C JANE
BOOKS BY MAINE'S FAMOUS ELISABETH OGILVIE -- for both adults and young adults Turn around Twice (Ogilvie) 1962. I love this one especially! A girl wins her choice between a sum that sounded to her family like a huge amount, or an unknown, unpopulated island off the Maine coast. Silly girl, thinks her family, when she chooses the island. She and her siblings end up going to the island for the summer, and love it, but too soon the dream-come-true becomes a nightmare of danger and suspicion. A mystery, a romance, family fun, true Maine atmosphere! This is a beautiful copy in a good dust jacket. $7.50 My World is an Island (Ogilvie) 1950 originally, updated by the author in 1990 if I've read it correctly! Anyway, whenever this large PB edition was printed, it's still a wonderful story of the reality of many people's dream -- owning and living on an island. A nice photo section, humorous illustrations by kids'-book artist, Paul Galdone. Elizabeth Ogilvie and Dorothy Simpson (both authors of kids' books that we all love! live full-time on an island near Port Clyde, Maine. Read it and decide whether you would really love to live on an island (always remembering that this island isn't far from the mainland, but still only accessible by boat!) Book in fairly good cond, beautiful cover, big! $2.00
My late Maine "neighbor" (what's 20 miles, mostly over water, in the country?) Elisabeth Ogilvie, wrote some wonderful books, including YA books in the
1950s and 1969s. I should include most of these YAs in the Maltshop section of
this list, but they are such true depictions of Maine life in the area where
we live, near the coast and on the islands. Ogilvie, who died a few years ago,
lived near here, and was a very nice lady as well as a very talented writer
for both adults and teens. I treasure my books by Ogilvie, and love to
find duplicates so I can let other people read them! I wish there were more
available -- and I will list them when I get any. And other Ogilvie books! After a Blueberry Summer, comes a Fabulous Year. Cass's senior year in HS. I love
this one since I've been in the building that used to be the High School (now
the town library and sometimes a UMaine outpost) many times. Walked around the
town of Thomaston ME and I've worked there as a church organist for many years. But I don't think that's why this book seems so special. Lots of people really love these 2 books, without ever stepping foot in Maine. Bet they'll make you want to come for a visit! And it isn't too often, except for series books, that you can find out "What happens after that" about one of your favorite books (Blueberry Summer.)
PB in fairly good cond -- you'll get a few more readings out of it. $3.50 (2 copies available? Becky's Island (Elizabeth Ogilvie) 1961. I think there should be a law that any book set in a historical period, has to tell the reader what year it took place -- within the first few pages! I'm not exactly sure when this one took place, but on a remote island, what difference does it make? I think early 20th century is the best guess. Tomboy Vicky doesn't want to grow up and be more like her cousin who is about to "come out." Cousin teases her about climbing trees and loving to row her boat. On one of her boat rides, she comes across an area of extreme poverty, and lacking education. And a boy who cared about the people in this area, but is he interested in her, or that debutante cousin? Hardcover, a rather "battered book" with a laser copy of the dust jacket making it look much better. Perfectly readable, the pages are actually rather clean. $4.50 Becky's Island (Ogilvie) 1961 Very nice hardcover (a few library markings but the pages are bright and clean, and binding is tight. In our nice copy of the original DJ. $7.00.
Storm Tide (Adult book by Elisabeth Ogilvie) #2 in the Tide Trilogy, reprinted by
Down East Books here in Maine. From the back "Return to Bennett's Island with
Joanna Bennett, Nils Sorensen, and the other idlands who have come back to
their true home after several years of mainland exile." The other books in this
trilogy are High Tide at Noon, and The Ebbing Tide. As far as I know all of these
are still in print by Down East. Large PB in very good condition, $4.00
I'll list more books by Ogilvie as soon as I possibly can!
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS IS THE END OF THE MAINE BOOK SECTION! NOW FOR .....
ALICE'S PICKS -- A SPECIAL CATEGORY OF BOOKS I LOVE! I'VE LOVED SOME OF THEM ALMOST ALL MY LIFE! BUT SOME ARE NEW DISCOVERIES THAT I WANT TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT AN INTERESTING SERIES THAT I LOVE I wish I had some books to offer by Kathrene Pinkerton -- one of my new favorite authors! She wrote about living in very lightly populated areas of northern Canada or the northern US. She wrote a wonderful 4-book series about living in Alaska. I had thought that books set in the wilderness would be boring -- all those identical trees and lakes! But it's amazing how many people the teens eventually see and how many adventures, dangers and mysteries they encounter! As soon as I finished the first 2 in the series(which I'd had around my library for ages) I splurged and found the other 2 in the series. I could NOT wait! Any of her books that I sell here, will be duplicates of my own copies -- I wouldn't sell my own! SO.... If I don't have any of Pinkerton's books for sale now, you may want to search for affordable copies elsewhere. I'm afraid I don't find them very often. Good luck! NOW FOR SOME BOoks that I love, so I'm really happy to have copies of them for my friends! The Fairy Caravan (Beatrix Potter) 1929. Who knew? Potter wrote this book about a magic miniature travelling circus. It's written for slightly older children than her Peter Rabbit etc. and a bigger book. But, like them, it's all about animals and their adventures. A lovely book in very good condition, with a pretty, slightly worn dust jacket. $3.50 Patricia's Secret (Ruth Daggett Leinhauser) 1956. It's a paperback, and not really in great condition, but don't let that bother you! One of those books that you want to curl up with on a windy or snowy day, when you're either bothered or bored (though how a person can be bored with all those books yet to read?) Patricia doesn't remember her father, who was away through WWII, but he wants her to live with him on an Army base in California. She envisions living in a tent, without her beloved aunts to cater to her every whim, and determines to be a bad kid so her fathre will send her back home. That gets harder and harder to do as she starts to love her Dad and his home (No, not a tent!) I'm running on about this book because I love it so much. Will probably re-read it again for the 4th time tonight! PB, OK condition, $2.50 The Water Babies (Charles Kingsley) introduction by Katherine Carpenter, illustrations by Ethel F. Everett. 1930 edition of a book from 1862. There are dozens of editions of this dear book, but according to completed Ebay auctions and other sources, this is one of the most popular and beloved. 8 beautiful and colorful glossy full-page illustrations, and a fanciful, pretty pasted-down cover picture. This large book has clean, thick pages and interesting endpapers. Firmly bound. I rate the condition Very Good. HB, picture cover, $5.50. Two Wild Cherries in the Woods (Howard R. Garis) 1937. Have you ever seen or heard of the "Two Wild Cherries" series? There are 4 books in the series about the adventures of a brother and sister. And these kids are really wild! They're not too well behaved to tell the truth, though they don't really mean to be in trouble! I think this would be is a good book to read to your kids or grandchildren if they get a kick out of ltherwise nice kids behaving wildly! However, it's a beautiful hardcover book with 260 pages, in regular series-book size, wonderful condition and with a very attractive DJ also in wonderful condition! A chance to own a book from a very unusual series (Howard Garis was much better known for writing about Uncle Wiggily) $5.00 Lot of 7 books == The Curlytops by Howard R. Garis. Dates from 1913 through the 20s. Very cute books! They all hav picture covers, most of them full-color prints or paste-downs. These 7 books are in fairly good to very good condition (amazing, isn't it?) There are a few full-page glossy or matte pictures in each book. I'm sure in their time, they gave the Bobbseys a run for their money. Full of the "exciting adventures" that these books provided for the young readers they were aimed at. Substantial books, of around 250 pages each. Lot of 7 -- #15.00 Here are a few audio books. We do love listening to them in the car on our constant LONG drives (we live miles from everywhere in the world!) I think these are OK -- they were when we listened to them a while back and I'm not going to listen to them all the way through again! Anyway, audio books sell for pretty high prices on ebay, but I'm selling them pretty cheaply! Practice to Deceive (Ann Rule) book from 2013. Rule wrote the best true crime books in the world, I think. This one is exceptionally good! To me, there is a mystery within a mystery -- not only who committed the crime, but why anyone would have done it. Takes place on beautiful Whidby Island off Seattle, covers several families for a decade or more. We just listened to it, so we know that at least up to this point, the 8 CDs were in fine condition. I would rate this book at least PG, don't buy it for your pre-teen. In a good box. #3.00 Island of the Blue Dolphins (Scott O'Dell) Newbery-winning Young Adult book, 4 CDs, 3 hours and 41 minutes. This was formerly a library copy, but it looks as if it were only taken out 3 times. Everything looks very good -- slipcase, case, CDs. $3.50 Beverly Lewis Young Adult books, 4 books included on these 8 CDs. Titles are Follow the Dream, Better than Best, Photo Perfect and Star Status. Each story follows one of 4 girls in 4 different sports -- plus their family lives, personal problems, and friendships. Lewis is well known for her adult romances, especially about Amish families. 8 CDs, 10 hours of listening. $5.00 Hatchet (Gary Paulsen) 3 CDs, the Newbery Honor winning book about a boy who was stranded in the Canadian wilderness in the winter, with only his hatchet to help him survive. I read this one twice, and later we both listened to it on one of our long car trips. That's how much I loved this story! 3 CDs, 3 hours, 42 minutes listening time. former library copy. $3.00 MORE OF ALICE'S PICKS BELOW! Here are 2 Landmark books. This amazing and very long series of non-fiction books were very popular in the years when my younger brothers were growing up (50s and 60s.) I've never stopped being very impressed with them bredth of subject matter, quality of writing, illustrations and photography, and general appeal! These 2 books bring a good example of 2 very different but both fascinating subjects and approaches. If you, like me, were a bit too old for Landmarks when we were young, it's time to get acquainted with them, whether for ourselves or for circa middle-grade readers of today. Fabulous reviews on back cover! Americans into Orbit, Landmark #101, The Story of Project Mercury by Gene Gurney, 1962. Beautiful hardcover book illustrated with lots of photos. Well-indexed, hardcover book in very good condition, with an excellent dust jacket. $4.00 War Chief of the Seminoles by May McNeer, illustrated by Lind Ward. Landmark #50. The story of Osceola, Seminole leader. Hardcover book in excellent condition, with a DJ that would be very good except for an unfortunate small triangle missing from the top of the front cover. $2.50 Little by Little: A Writer's Education (Jean Little) 1987. I had put this book on the list a while back, but at that time I hadn't read it myself. Now I have! I just finished reading it, and absolutely loved it! I've always enjoyed reading Little's fiction, so I don't know why I haddn't delved into this one, which is an autobiography of her life up to the time her first book was published. She is nearly blind, which made her life quite difficult for many years -- teasing from other children, lack of understanding by teachers, and self-doubts. Her family, however, never doubted her abilities or impeded her independence, and eventually she did very well. In the meantime, this book is full of humor as she looks back; it reminds me in some ways of Beverly Cleary in her understanding of the way a child views events. If you've read Cleary's bio of her own young years, don't look for very many similarities between these 2 great writers' childhoods or families. Both of these autobiographies are very much worth reading for insight but more than that -- for sheer enjoyment! HB with DJ, $3.00 His Banner Over Me (Jean Little) 1995. This is something of a biography, in the form of a novel, of Little's own mother, who was the daughter of missionaries, lived in
Taiwan for her early years, then was sent to Ohtario to live with unknown relatives.
Takes place around the time of WWI. Very attractive paperback in fine cond. $2.00
MORE ALICE'S PICKS! BOOKS THAT I REALLY LIKE AND RECOMMEND To Church We Go (by Robbie Trent) 1956. I don't very often recommend any overtly religious books of any type, trying to stay neutral, but this one is so appealing that everyone would love it! If you've seen other books by Elizabeth Orton Jones, you'll know what I mean! Adorable children, sweet animals and birds, an impressive church (but Oh, dear, I would absolutely hate to have to play that beautiful old organ! I've been spoiled by my modern instrument!) The slightly ragged DJ is in color, the other illustrations are what I think is called sepia (like an old photograph) picture-book size, the HB book itself is in very good cond, with a gift inscription for Perfect Attendance at Sunday School in 1959. $2.50 The Journey of the Shadow Bairns (Margaret J. Anderson) 1980. A wonderful book! That's not just my opinion, but also that of the reviewers.) The girl and her beloved little brother are in an intolerable situation after their recently widowed mother dies, too. They come from Scotland but they'd been listening to their father's plans to move to North America. In fact, he'd had a little money saved up for this journey. Not enough of course, but that doesn't stop the girl once she hears the authorities' plan to separate the siblings, put the little boy into an orphanage and give the girl a job despite her very young age. She had promised her mother (on the deathbed) not to separate them, and she did her best. The harrowing story of their voyage and all that they meet up with once they arrived in Canada -- with quite a mystery element -- I was stunned and thrilled with this book, the writing, the plot, the ending. Highly Recommended. former library book in very good cond, with very nice DJ. $3.00
Journey to America (Sonia Levitin) 1970. I just finished reading this excellent
book set mostly in Germany in 1938-39. Jewish family wants to leave the country,
but it's certainly not an easy thing to do. Father leaves first, mother and 3
daughters eventually make their plans to join him in America. But nothing is
easy, nothing is quick, almost nothing is pleasant. Very beautiful story,
with parts that make you rejoice in humanity as well as the opposite. Author
lived through many of the same experiences as Lisa in the story. Scholastic
paperback, middle grade level, good condition. $2.00
The Flight of the Doves (Walter Macken) 1968. I recently read this book out loud
to Dave, and we both thought it was very good! Boy and his little sister leave
their abusive uncle, who has a valuable reason to try to get them back. They
head toward their grandmother's home, but that means a trip (mostly on foot)
all the way across Ireland. They are helped or hindered by various people on
their trip, and are haunted by a man who seems to show up everywhere and scares
them very much. A very exciting book, a very exciting and satisfying ending!
Plenty of surprises along the way. HB, sturdy binding, printed picture cover,
all in good condition. $3.00
MORE OF ALICE's PICKS AHEAD
Melindy's Medal (Georgene Faulkner and John Becker) 1945. Unusual story, very nice
and appealing. Melindy is what even she calls "a colored girl" living in Boston,
8 years old and feeling guilty because she's the only person in her family who
has never won a medal. Her family moves into a new apartment and she's on her
way to do something that earns her a medal, but I won't divulge the ending of
this lovely but story. HB, fair condition, $1.50
Do you collect Comet books, or wish you had some of these interesting old paperbacks?
Sounds like Comic Books, but I didn't make a mistake, it's "comet" all right. Each
of these collectible vintage young adult paperbacks features a back cover with 9
square pictures highlighting the action in the book with clever comments. Interior
of the books are beautifully presented, with patterned endpapers, tables of
contents, and lists of full-page illustrations. There are smaller illustrations,
too (all in black and white with a wash of one other color. So vintage-looking!)
These 2 Comet books are aimed at boys, but of course girls might enjoy them, too.
The books are:
#11, Bat Boy of the Giants by Garth Garreau, originally from 1948 and
illustrated by Richard Powers. and
#27. Forest Patrol by Jim Kjelgaard, originally from 1941 and illustrated by
George Meyerriecks.
2 Comet paperback books in fairly good condition. $5.00
A Letter to Mrs. Roosevelt (C. Coco De Young) 1999. In the story, it's 1933, and the
girl's family is in terrible financial trouble, about to lose their home. Girl
thinks of a very original way to help the family, as you can certainly guess from
the title. A really wonderful story about a time that fascinates those of us who
didn't have to live through it. Young reader but really good reading for older
readers. The notes say that the story is based on a true family tale. PB, $1.50
MORE "ALICE'S PICKS" AHEAD! The Mystery of Sundial Court (Martha Wickes)1926 -- in a beautiful 1939 edition. Everything about this book is really nice! It's a large, well-made hardcover with a light green cover, strong binding, mostly clean pages with very little darkening. Thick high quality paper! We've made a laser copy of the romantic, artistic dust jacket showing a garden crowned by a sundial. Inside, a good, honest mystery -- while it may not be the toughest mystery you ever tried to solve, you'll enjoy getting to the solution! HB, LDJ, $7.00
***Trolley Car Family (Eleanor Clymer) 1947. Illustrated by Ursula Koering except for a
a new cover picture, which is quite attractive itself, if not just like the original.
Father is a trolley car driver, but busses take over the trolley line, and he loses
his job. As compensation, the company offers him the trolley car that he had driven
all these years, and they move it to the very end of the line, way out in the
country. The family converts it into a nice cozy little house, and they move in.
I absolutely LOVE the process of making the car into a home, including the nice
detailed floor plan and all the interesting things they did to make it liveable.
But wait, there's more!!! What about the grouchy man who lives next door to where
they had lived in town? And who are those people in the farm on the hill above
the trolley lines? When I was a kid, I couldn't get enough of this book, and I've
probably read it 3 more times as an adult. It's truly one of Alice's Picks.
Nice condition PB, $2.50 (2 available)
Adopted Jane (Helen F. Daringer) illustrated by Kate Seredy, 1947. Jane had lived
in the orphanage for most of her life, so she figured that by this time, she'd
never be adopted. But even a summer of living in a real home, was a wonderful
opportunity, and that turned out to be only the very beginning of the exciting
and beautiful changes that came into her life. One of the most memorable books
I've read -- I know that, because as far as I can recall, I've only read it once,
but the whole book is still imprinted on my mind. So lovely! With quite a bit of
adorable humor. Nice hefty PB in good condition for $2.00
HERE ARE MORE OF MY FAVORITES -- ALICE'S PICKS!
Plain Girl (Virginia Sorensen) 1955. Author of beautiful books like Miracles on
Maple Hill, has written about 10-yr-old Amish girl who is supposed to be going
to public school according to the law, but her family is adamantly against it.
her brother was forced to go to school, and he has left home, so the family is
afraid to send her, too. Picture on front of this PB shows a girl in Amish garb,
sitting at a school desk. Sweet ending, a perfect book to read when you feel a
little down. PB, $1.50 (2 copies available?) Miracles on Maple Hill (Virginia Sorensen) 1956. Father comes home from the service with PTSD and really can't handle family life. They move to a rather reomte farm in rural PA,where the decrepit old farmhouse keeps the father occupied, and when maple sugaring season arrives (late winter, to you city-dwellers!) everyone has to work long and arduous hours. Very lovable characters -- with very gradual changes for all of them. A Newbery book, and certainly worth the honor! HB in fair cond. $2.00
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (Kate Douglas Wiggin) 1903. A classic, very early book
for children, by a Maine author. This story is as different as possible from
that other early children's classic book, Elsie Dinsmore! Rebecca is candid,
a little irreverant, and enthusiastic. At the beginning, she's traveling to
her aunts' Maine home to stay, to take some of the burden off her widowed
mother, who is bringing up 7 children. It isn't always easy for Rebecca,
great changes are made in her life. This is a humorous book, a touching
book, and one that you would have read over and over with great pleasure if
you'd been a child during the early 20th century. Nice HB with DJ,
Thrushwood edition $3.50 The New Chronicles of Rebecca -- companion book to Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. 1906. When "Rebecca.." turned out to be very popular, the author was urged to write some more about this adventurous girl, and this is Kate douglas Wiggin's answer to that urging. This copy is a nice thick hardcover with a very pretty dust jacket showing a cute girl in long dres and apron (and pigtails) sitting in front of a haystack, writing in a notebook. Countryside scenes around her. If you've read the original volume, and wondered what happened to the characters, here you are! $3.00
SOME MORE, VERY INTERESTING, ALICE'S PICKS AHEAD
DO YOU LOVE CATS? LIBRARIES? Well, here's a non-fiction book for you --
Dewey, The Small-Town Cat who Touched the World by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter.
2008. Even the cover is beautiful, showing a yellow and white cat with a sweet
face, in front of shelves full of books. As a tiny kitten, Dewey was rescued
from the book drop on a freezing cold morning. He lived his whole life in the
library, became the pet of the town -- and changed lives all over the world.
There's a nice parallel story about the author's life, too. I loved this book,
and wouldn't be selling this copy if I didn't have another to keep for myself.
HB, personal copy, very good cond with a very good DJ. $3.00
PB copy of Dewey, the Small-Town Cat... beautiful cat on the cover -- sitting on
a pile of books! Only thing keeping it from being like-new, is a long gift
inscription inside front cover. Otherwise, nearly pristine. $2.00 Dewey's Nine Lives -- "The Legacy of the Small-Town Cat who Inspired Millions." 2010. After the success of the first book about Dewey, lots of people wrote to the author to tell about how their cats had helped them, or how Dewey's story had inspired them. This book also includes some stories about Dewey that didn't fit in the first book. HB with DJ showing that Dewey was an extremely lovely cat! Very good cond. $2.50
TRY THESE INTERESTING NEW ADDITIONS TO OUR LIST!!
Peter Pan (J. M. Barrie) 1911. This is the original story of Peter and Wendy, not the
play or movie version that we're all familiar with. It's a novel, and the play
pretty much follows the story, but there are interesting differences that make
it a story that's as much for adults as for kids. Very adorable illustrations
in this 1950 edition. HB in good condition, with DJ in fair cond (front cover
picture intact, but edges are worn.) $2.50
BIG LOT of LITTLE HOUSE books. If you don't happen to have all these Laura Ingalls
Wilder books, here are 3 in good condition -- or maybe you can pass them
on to a child who loves to read. These are nice paperbacks with the Garth
Williams illustrations Included are Little House on the Prairie, Farmer Boy,
and By the Shores of Silver Lake. All 3 for $4.00
Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and the people who wrote authorized sequels to the
Little House series. These are pb books in varying conditions, mostly very good.
Price -- $1.25 each
Little House in the Big Woods
On the Other Side of the Hill by Roger Lea MacBride (about Rose as a child)
Little House in Brookfield by Maria D. Wilkes (about Laura's mother as a child)
Missouri Homestead by T. L. Tedrow (from The Days of Laura Ingalls Wilder, book 1)
Good Neighbors by Tedrow (days of Laura Ingalls Wilder book 3)
Home to the Prairie by Tedrow (Days of Laura Ingalls Wilder, book 4)
These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Here is a big lot of Little House -- I mean Laura Ingalls Wilder -- books in the
iconic yellow paperback format with Garth Williams illustrations. All 8 of them
for $10.00. Includes most of the original series and a bonus for a little child.
Very good condition. Make a child happy or give them to yourself for nostalgia!
Little House in the Big Woods
Farmer Boy
Banks of Plum Creek
The Long Winter
Little House on the Prairie
Those Happy Golden Years
The First Four Years
And for a little one -- a chapter book, Adventures of Laura and Jack
All 8 of these books for a total of $10.00
Little House in the Big Woods (Laura Ingalls Wilder) Garth Wiliams illustrator.
Hardcover copy of this wonderful book, in great condition except for a gift
inscription inside the cover -- there are ways to cover something like that up
if you want to give the book away. "Iconic" cover picture! $2.50
Farmer Boy (Laura Ingalls Wilder) 1933. HB copy of the famous edition with Garth
Williams illus. This book is about the childhood of Almanzo Wilder, who married
Laura years later. Fun, hard work. You'll learn a lot about farm living, and the
skills needed to be a successful farmer! And the food descriptions -- it's very
much worth reading just for reading about food preparation and meals! Not quite
as familiar as the stories about the Ingalls family, but very much part of the
series. HB in pretty good condition, picture cover, so nice! $3.00
ALICE PICKS OUT SOME COOKBOOKS! I've been cleaning out my cook book collection,
and I hope some of them will look as good to you, as they did for me. I've read
all of them, which is my favorite way to use cookbooks! Used a few recipes from
each, but I didn't cut anything out of them. Have fun!
Better Homes and Gardens Junior Cook Book (For Beginning Cooks of all Ages) 1972
Good, easy recipes that you can actually eat. This book has been USED! It's
stained and a little bit warped. But it's still nostalgic, with its red and
white checked cover and down-home recipes. HB, $1.50
Better Homes and Gardens Junior Cook book -- HB with PC, good condition, $2.50
Betty Crocker's Cook Book for Boys and Girls. This is a small spiral-bound hardcover,
nice 1950s cover, fairly good condition. Campfire cooking, Breakfast, Lunch,
Dinner recipes, and actually if you like down home cooking, you probably
would never need another cook book! Apple Crisp, Mac and Cheese, Chili, Spanish
Rice, fancy cakes and cookies, you get the idea! Lots of hints to help the
beginning cook. Fairly good condition, $3.00
Betty Crocker's Cookbook for Boys & Girls -- this edition is a tall and wide PB
with a picture of 6 children in what look like 1970s hairstyles, eating
brownies. The recipes in this book are for comfort food and basics, with a lot
of clever ways to serve and garnish -- if you (as an adult) mastered all the
recipes in this cute book, you wouldn't really need to know any others. Barbecued
ribs, meatloaf, soups and sandwiches, pizza, salads, wonderful desserts.
And some very well illustrated instructions and definitions. I learned to cook
by using Betty's books, but would have done even better if I'd had this
elementary teacher! $2.50
MORE ALICE'S PICKS COMING UP!
All-of-a-kind Family is a series about a Jewish family in New York at the beginning
of the 20th century. Probably one of the best children's series ever written,
and so loveable! I'll try to have more of these nice books soon.
Reading copy of All-of-a-kind Family -- read it for a dollar and see why so many
people truly LOVE this series. (2 copies available for a dollar each)
Jumbo Story Book for Boys -- subtitled "A Collection (from Authentic Sources) of
Exciting Adventures, Heroic Deeds and Self-Denying Acts of Bravery." Edited by
E. T. Roe, no date, but it certainly looks vintage! Large book, cute cover
shows a boy with long blonde curls, and sitting on a bored-looking donkey. The
stories aren't as bland as the cover, for sure. Lots of very exciting stories,
plenty of frightening pictures (just what boys liked then, I guess, and probably
still do.) Lions, bears, savages, floods, and in case you thought the connection
between heart disease and cigarettes was just discovered in our generation --
a short paragraph stating that "several boys who were candidates for a naval
cadetship from the Eighth Michigan district were rejected because the examining
physician found that their hearts had been affected by smoking cigarettes."
I think this book comes from around the beginning of the 20th century.
Large format HB, fragile but holding together and as far as I can tell,
complete. $3.00
The Railroad Children (E. Nesbit) New, large, and exceptionally beautiful edition of
this classic about 3 British children whose lives are vastly and positively changed
by living close to the railroad and the people who work on the trains. Large HB
with a very pretty DJ (and if you lose or damage the DJ, there is also a picture
cover just like it, underneath.) Every Child's Bookshelf edition. Nicely illustrated
interior, also. $3.00
MORE OF ALICE'S PICKS COMING UP!!!
Good Housekeeping's Best Book of Dog Stories (edited by Pauline Rush Evans)1958. A
very large hardcover book with tons of stories for dog lovers, or short-story
lovers (I'm the latter, and I had a lot of fun with it!) Here are some of my
favorite authors who contributed to the book -- Alice Dalgliesh, Lavinia Davis,
Marguerite Henry, Carol Ryrie Brink, Doris Gates, James Thurber, and of course,
Betty Cavanna. Lots more, too. The book was compiled for young readers, and is
part of a series put out at the time by Good Housekeeping. Nearly 400 pages, HB
in good condition, with a somewhat water-marked dust jacket, but the DJ is all
there, and has a colorful picture. Book is full of pictures, too. $3.00
High Country Adventure (Marian Rumsey) 1967. You know how it is when a snotty, snobby rich kid is forced to spend time in the country -- or in this case, the wilderness! He or she is changed forever, and certainly for the better. When I read this book, I wondered that he even lived through the ordeal to say nothing of learning to love the back country, or in this case, the Canadian High Country. A wonderful adventure and survival story that I wanted to stay awake reading until morning. HB with picture cover, pretty good condition. $2.50
MANY MORE OF ALICE'S PICKS AHEAD -- Nancy of Paradise Cottage (Shirley Watkins) 1921. This is the story of down-to-earth, practical girl and her spoiled, big spending, snobbish mother and sister -- with barely enough money to keep them afloat. Nancy tries desperately to slow the others' spending, and help them have a happier, less materialistic outlook. Also, she wants to go to college and learn to make a living, but Mother thinks that's useless -- she wants her daughters to marry money and live a decorative life. What an entertaining book! HB with a laser copy of our DJ, which is slightly too small for this edition, but has a very pretty picture of Mom at her eternal embroidering. The book is a Depression-paper reprint and shows its age, but it's firm and has clean and uncreased pages. $4.00
Books by Lee Wyndham, author of Maltshop type books, Career-romances, and short
stories, as well as being editor of young adult magazines in the Maltshop era,
and complier of those very good collections of short stories that I've offered on
my list in the past. I doubt if she had it in her to write a story that wasn't
really wonderful! If there aren't any here, I'll do my best to find some soon.
Gone-Away Lake, Newbery prize-winning and very popular book by Elizabeth Enright,
illustrations by Beth and Jo Krush except for the cover, which is new. 1957.
Paperback in beautiful condition, 2 copies available. $2 EACH Return to Gone-Away (Enright) "What treasures lie hidden in the Villa Caprice?" You will be amazed at what the family finds in their new-old villa near Gone-Away Lake! PB $2.00
Set of 2 Gone-away books -- Matching paperbacks in very good condition. Maybe were
read once, maybe not at all. Covers don't have the original Beth and Joe Krush
illustrations, but all the interior pictures are as in the original hardcovers.
Good gift for a young reader -- the first book even includes a picture of the
Newbery honor medal. Set of Gone-Away Lake and Return to Gone-Away. $3.50
MORE ALICE'S PICKS AHEAD!!!
Books by Doris Gates, one of the 20th century's best YA authors, in my opinion. Lovely
stories, great characters, fine situations and solutions. Especially Blue Willow! One of my grade-school teachers read this book to our class, and I've never forgotten anything about it. Very special story about a girl in a family of migrant workers, who own one beautiful thing (yes, a Blue Willow plate.) She longs for a permanent home, and I'm sure you will wish the same thing for this nice family. Maybe this home will be even more important than their one treasure? This PB copy has a cover that isn't anything like the original, but for once, it's just as pretty. PB in good condition, $2.50 I'll try to have another copy of this rather scarce book available again pretty soon.
The DEAR AMERICA books are beautiful hardcovers, usually with a ribbon book mark to
make them look like real diaries. Every one that I've read was wonderfully written,
covering a very interesting period of history. On this list, I only include books that
I've read myself and love (I usually re-read them in a few years, I like them so much!)
They always include historical notes and pictures either of sites and artifacts, or
prings of original photos from the time. They are not sugar-coated, but appropriate
for pre-teens, so you won't cry too much while you're reading them. Also --
Recently, there have been several other series of historical fiction similar to the
Dear America but about girls in other countries or cultures or historical periods.
So I'll include a few really interesting examples of them for you!
West Along the Wagon Road (Laurie Lawlor) American Sisters (this book was
published in 1998 but the story takes place in 1852.) The cover picture
on this paperback book is adorable, worth the price of the book! In fact, the
design of the whole book is very special. it's a pleasure to look at and a
pleasure to read. $1.50
A Time to Keep Silent (Gloria Whelan) 1993. One of the few fairly recent books I'll
try to persuade you to read! Very fascinating story. Girl's mother has died. Her
father, a minister, retreats into himself and doesn't really pay attention to
anyone. Then the girl becomes mute. It's anyone's guess whether she does this on
purpose or if it's a psychological condition. Dad feels that God has told him to
leave their prosperous life in the city and go to start a mission in the wilderness.
So mute girl and obsessed father go off to a decrepit cabin in the woods. This
is where the story really takes off; the girl's problems multiply, but they are
also resolving. Deluxe pb, good cond. $2.00
HERE ARE SOME MORE OF ALICE'S PICKS ---
Books by Patricia Beatty, an author that I "discovered" a few years ago. She was the
one of the authors who helped me to realize how enticing and engrossing historical stories could be! I don't know why I started reading one of them, so firm was my prejudice, though of course I DID like the American Girl (doll) stories about Molly, Kit and the rest. And I loved all the Elisabeth Friermood books -- but they were different! And Elizabeth Coatsworth...loved her books since childhood. However,
with the first page of one of Patricia Beatty's books, I realized that I really do
have to judge each book and author on its own merits -- these were so good that I
couldn't rest until I found and read all of them. Yes, she writes historical
stories, but these girls are NOT fussy, prim Victorians; they are feisty, active,
girls who make things happen in a very practical -- and often humorous -- way.
I really, really like every one that I've read! Oh, and the author usually includes
a historical note, explaining which things in the book are absolutely true, how she
researched the history, and friendly notes to the readers.
Bonanza Girl (Beatty) After her father had died, girl's mother needed to make a living
for the 2 kids, and thinks a schoolteacher would be just what was needed in the
new Idaho territory. So they set out and end up in a mining camp, where a teacher is
pretty much the last thing anyone needed. So they open a restaurant, and you will
LOVE reading about how they cope, the life they live, and the things that go on in
a mining camp! Very nice PB with a pretty and interesting cover picture. One of my
favorite books by a favorite author!! $2.50
The Nickel-Plated Beauty (Patricia Beatty) 1964. Set in 1886 in Oregon. Seven kids
in a very poor pioneer family set out to buy a new stove for their mother, after
the old one becomes too rusted to use. This is the story of the many, many things
they do to get the stove C.O.D. before Christmas. Large and nice paperback book,
former library copy, in good condition, with a rather artistic-looking cover. This was the first Patricia Beatty book that I read, and it hooked me on reading more! $2.50 (2 copies available)
Charley Skedaddle (Patricia Beatty) 1987. Takes place during the Civil War, when
Charley, only 12 years old, enlists in the Union Army. When he can't take it any more,
he deserts, or skedaddles, then has to prove that he isn't a coward. Most of the story
is about what happens to him after he skedaddles. pB, good condition, $1.50
I Want my Sunday, Stranger! (Patricia Beatty)1977. Wow, this book includes a long list
of books written by Patricia Beatty herself, or with her late husband, John. This is
one of her own. Mostly she writes about girls, but this one is about a boy. He
loves his fast horse, Sunday, but he's a Mormon boy so his family is against horse
racing, which is something he wants to do. In 1863 his horse is stolen by Confederate
soldiers, and he leaves his California home to find it. He meets a photographer who
is taking pictures of soldiers and battles, and takes him on as an assistant. So this
book touches on many subjects -- early photography, religious prejudice, horse
racing, travel across the US in those long-ago days, and more. But don't expect it
to be ultra-serious! Have fun with the book, along with learning a lot. HB, XL,
DJ, all in very good condition. $4.00
EVEN MORE OF ALICE'S PICKS!
Big, Big Story Book (no author listed -- Whitman publishing Company) Several dates
listed from MCMXLIV (1944?) to MCMLV (1955?) Does this nostalgic book ring a bell
for you? The cover picture is a circus, with the crowds, tents, and rides in
the background, and an extremely tall thin man, plus a clown, in the foreground.
There are 29 little stories, by a variety of authors, most of whom I've never
heard of. Obviously something for everyone, as the yard sale ads always say --
stories about circuses, animals, airplanes, cowboys, a lighthouse. Several
poems. Very large book, with a very colorful cover, many two-color interior
illustrations, fair condition (given that designation because I had to mend the
bottom of the spine to prevent further tearing, and the pages are a little brown
with age. Otherwise pretty nice.) $2.50
Uncle Wiggily's Story Book (Howard R. Garis) originally C. 1921. This is a BIG book, one you probably read, or had read to you, when you were little. And it's still fun! This copy has been around for a long time, and isn't at all new-looking, but has lots of beautiful full-page color illustrations, plus B/W pictures, too. Many stories about the animals and Uncle, plus Nurse Jane and all the rest. Read one per night to someone young that you love! HB, worn and a little faded, but still fun! $3.00
The Littlest Rebel (Edward Peple) 1911. In the Shirley Temple Edition from 1939. Lots of
b/w photos of Shirley and the rest of the cast, in historical costume from the time
of the Civil war. Colorful cover picture of Shirley in pinafore and pantaloons.
HB, PC, very cute, good condition. $3.00
HERE ARE A FEW BOOKS WRITTEN AND/OR ILLUSTRATED BY TASHA TUDOR.
This artist's lovely drawings are exceptionally nostalgic and special. Nature, food,
children, and especially animals including her beloved Corgi dogs. Here are some
of my own favorites, mostly duplicates of my own books.
The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett) illustrated by Tasha Tudor. This would be
a beautiful gift to a little girl, so you can share a book that you loved when you
were a child yourself. It's a pb edition, but has the beautiful Tudor illustrations
all through it, and a color picture on the pretty cover. Good condition. $2.00
Hardcover copy of The Secret Garden, written by Frances Hodgson Burnett and illustrated
beautifully by Tasha Tudor. This book is in fairly good condition, with a good DJ.
Clean white pages. The front of the book (under the DJ) has white marks that are
probably from dampness but of course this doesn't show when the DJ is over it, and
as far as I can tell, there isn't any odor. $4.00 A Little Princess ((Frances Hodgson Burnett, illustrated by Tasha Tudor) a paperback
Harper Festival Charming Classic edition. And it is, indeed, very charmingly
presented in this lovely edition. PB, good condition, $1.50
End of books illustrated by Tasha Tudor The ABC's of Doll Collecting (John C. Schweitzer) 1981. OId, but entertaining. Large paperback, full of fabulous pictures, both color and b/w, and lots of information. Since this book doesn't talk about values, it doesn't matter that it's 25 years old; the dolls are wonderful! Very large PB, good condition, $2.50 MORE OF ALICE'S PICKS! Books by Eleanor Frances Lattimore. She wrote and illustrated a great many books for young readers, all of them very darling! I've read quite a few of them, and all are quite lovely little stories about children who act a lot like real children, not odd people in strange situations. If you see any of them, grab it! I hope to have more Lattimore books in the future. Books written and/or illustrated by Kate Seredy. I'm listing these in this section because I've just finished writing about Seredy's life (the article appeared in the May, 2007 issue of Whispered Watchword.) If you are intered in reading bookswritten and illustrated by her, or other people's books that she illustrated, here are a few of them. If there aren't many here, I'll try to find more very soon. The Good Master (Kate Seredy) Very highly recommended Newbery honor book. This is a former library hardcover, with printed picture cover, all in excellent cond. HB, XL, PC, $2.00 The Good Master -- in great condition despite being Xlibrary --with very nice dust jacket too. $2.00 LOIS LENSKI books -- we really like these books about children from all over the country, mostly living in poverty but usually joyful and adventurous. She wrote and also illustrated all of her books. It took me a very long time to collect the books in HB, so I'll try to find some for you, too. I'll try to have more Lenski books to offer in another list. Buddy Jim (Elizabeth Gordon) 1922. A beautiful and unusual book in wonderful condition - it also includes a box, which is not in very good cond but I think you'll enjoy it. The artwork is by John Rae, and although I don't know anything about him, I absolutely love the pictures, which are numerous and beautifully colored for that era or any era! Many are full page and if you could bring yourself to cut them out of the book, would be lovely framed decorations for a child's room. This is a nature book, an adventure book and a treasure. Buddy Jim is a young boy who does NOT want to go on a trip to the country. How Borrrr-ing! It doesn't take long for him (and his dog) to find out that the country is full of creatures who will show him just how wrong he is! This book is in a series called Volland Nature Children Books. When I read the list, I realized that one of my favorite nature books as a child was from this series, "Flower Children." Also beautiful. HB book in damaged but pretty box. $4.00 ++++++++++++++End of Lenski Books ++++++++++++++++++ MORE OF ALICE'S PICKS Books by Frieda Friedman. She wrote the most beautiful books for middle-grade girls! Since I was a girl myself, I've loved her books, and re-read them when I need something to counteract the complexities of adult life in the 21st century. Wonderful families in every-day situations, realistic stories, and believable happy endings. New York City settings. Although I didn't understand it at the time, these books also gave me some subtle lessons in tolerance and understanding. I'll be sure to list any Friedman books that come my way. The Janitor's Girl (Frieda Friedman) 1956. I've been trying to figure out which of her books is my favorite, and I can't do it. Either Dot for Short (the first of Friedman's books that I loved) or A Sundae with Judy, or this one.) The family moves into a new apartment, in the basement of the building where the father is the new building superintendant. Or "Janitor," if you want to insult the kids! On the back cover it says "Then, for the first time... Sue feels lonesome and left out." Incredibly appealing Mary Stevens illustrations make the story even better. Scholastic Pb in fairly good condition. $2 A Sundae with Judy (Frieda Friedman) 1949. I probably read this book when it was new, and never forgot how much I'd liked it. Read it more than once back then, and several times since! That's how much I do like it. Girl's family runs a candy store with a soda fountain and loves to help her father with customers. And she loves to help with the many problems of people in that city neighborhood. And she has some problems of her own -- she likes amost everyone, but some of her friends do not like each other. This is a sweet story but some heavy, serious issues are solved by a very nice girl. And look at the cover -- not all of her friends are girls! PB, fair cond. $1.75 Books by Jerrold and/or Lorraine Beim. Exceptional husband and wife authors. They wrote separately and together and I can honestly say that I have loved every book either of them wrote. Try these! Trouble After School (Jerrold Beim) 1957. The cover of this pb looks as if the story is about a juvenile delinquent, but that's not quite the case. The boy is very nice, but for a while he is influenced by a Bad Crowd and changes a lot. He likes to blame it on the fact that his mother has gone back to work and isn't there when he gets home from school, but is that really true? Is it that black leather jacket that he persuades her to buy for him? Whatever the cause, he has some very important decisions to make. Sounds grim, but it is actually beautifull written, and very interesting and enjoyable to read. PB, $1.50 END OF "ALICE'S PICKS" SECTION -- AND I HAD NO IDEA THERE WERE SO
MANY BOOKS IN THIS SECTION UNTIL I SCROLLED THROUGH THEM. I HOPE IT WASN'T TOO
LONG FOR ANYONE! NOW ON TO THE SERIES, MALTSHOP, MYSTERY, AND OTHER GOODIES.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STARTING THE SERIES BOOKS SECTION -- HARDCOVER UNLESS NOTED JUDY BOLTON ! Start your Judy library at reasonable prices, or get started on an extra set of the very best of series for your niece or daughter! Or your son -- lots of men love the Judy books, including my husband, Dave. We have made laser copies of the DJs for many of these books, to make them look much nicer than the "undressed" copies. Most of us have a very hard time telling the difference between an original DJ and the copy, the LDJs look so beautiful. The later numbered Judy Bolton books are unfortunately much harder to find than the early ones, and are therefore much more expensive. I looked at Ebay and ABEbooks for guidelines, and tried to be more reasonable than either one. I love to get these wonderful books out to people who really want them! It's shocking to realize that some of my customers/friends don't read Judy Bolton books! So I'm going to try to explain why so many people are in love with this series, which is really different from other series! What I came up with is this -- each book is, of course, a complete story that can be read and vastly enjoyed by itself, the entire series is also a very long, continuing story about a girl, her friends, her romance, and in a way, the history of a town. Judy grows in age and experience, and (in contrast to most of the other series of that era) never forgets what has happened to her in the past. You will get to know what happens to Judy, but also you can follow her friends and acquaintances, as well as her own family. The mysteries are really interesting, and the side stories are full of the kinds of things that most of us love to read about -- summer camp, parties, friendships, marriages, pets. Many people read all the Judy's in order every few years, as if we are reading one long, long continuing story. Here are some Judy Bolton stories -- these are old books, some in fairly good condition, some kind of worn out, and some wrapped up in nice laser copies of the original dust jackets. The pictures are vintage Pelagie Doane art, and in some ways, as collectible as the books themselves. Remember, if you take a laser copy of anything, it will have pictures of the same flaws that appear in the original item, so the LDJs have pictures of holes or tape or creases, wherever the original had any of those things. These were all taken from my own personal copies of the DJs, so my beloved books have these same holes, tapes, or creases! In many cases, what you are paying for is actually just above the cost of making the copies of the dust jackets -- the book comes along for the same price! Dates from the early 30s through the mid-60s. The classic series book era! I'll certainly try to have more Judy Boltons in the near future! JUDY BOLTON BOOKS YOU MAY BUY INDIVIDUALLY #3 Invisible Chimes (Judy Bolton #3) Has a copy of our beautiful dust jacket, with the rather creepy cover picture by Pelagie Doane. Book in pretty good condition -- it's one of those with the Wartime Conditions notification on one of the first pages, and those books always have somewhat dark-toned pages. HB with LDJ -- $4.50 #4 Seven Strange Clues (Judy bolton #4) This is one of the thick green original Judy books, in decent condition and tightly bound. I've covered it with a laser copy of our DJ, which is NOT the one original to this format. However, it makes the book look very nice, and gives you a very good feeling for the creepy mystery Judy encounters in her basement. HB, LDJ, good cond. $5.00 #5 Ghost Parade -- Judy and her friends go to camp in the Thousand Islands, and have a great time, which is marred by the appearance of -- GHOSTS! And of course that's not all; there is an airplane ride, a terrifying gunman, and as always, help from that superior cat, Blackberry! HB, red tweed cover, pretty good condition, $3.00 #5 Ghost Parade -- see above for description of the story, and this copy has a dust jacket that will show you just how scary the apparitions are when they scare Judy and her friends. Book is in reading condition, but the DJ makes it look very good -- so in some ways, it's the LDJ that you're paying for. $3.00 #4 Seven Strange Clues -- an art contest, strange noises in the cellar, a devastating fire. A nice-looking book, with a copy of our dust jacket, making the book look nearly new. $4.50 #5 The Ghost Parade (1933) Judy and all her friends are off to the Thousand Islands for a camp vacation after the school burned down. Trust Judy to find spooky and dangerous things going on anywhere she goes. And there is that little feud between Arthur and Peter, and don't rule out Blackberry's role in the solution of the mysteries. The book is in very good condition, the Dust jacket is good but has a few small chips and rips. The important part of the DJ (the front cover) is nearly perfect. $7.00 #5 Ghost Parade -- moderately good condition -- cover has well-worn corners and some small sticker-marks at the top of the front cover. Tightly bound. $3.50 #6 The Yellow Phantom (1933) Judy's first trip to NY city, where she encounters an apparitionm that gives her clues to Irene's mysterious past. Thick green edition with a glossy frontispiece, and a laser copy of our original DJ, very attractive.$5.00 #11 -- Unfinished House. Very nice copy of the book. Also laser printed copy of the original dust jacket, showing Peter and Judy in the snow outside the unfinished house, Blackberry and several of the mysterious red circles in the snow. Book and DJ in very good cond, a beautiful copy. $7.50 #11 The Unfinished House. This is a reading copy, by which I mean that you can read it perfectly well, but it doesn't look very nice, especially the cover. However,
we've covered the cover -- with a nice laser copy DJ, so you don't have to look
at the part that doesn't look good. Judy and Peter are involved in building a
"tiny house" (like the interesting TV show) in the new development in Roulsville.
Very strange things are happening -- does someone want to keep the Pipers out
of their new house? And what's the matter with Blackberry? Book and LDJ, $3.50
#11 Unfinished House -- another copy also in fair condition, thick green edition,
with dark brown stain at a bottom corner of about 2/3 of the pages, but it doesn't
reach the words on most of the pages. In other words, it's perfectly readable!
Has a nice laser copy of the DJ. $2.50
#13 The Name on the Bracelet -- Judy and Peter are engaged! Judy goes to NY to
help Irene and Dale right after their baby is born, and wouldn't you know it,
a huge mystery appears! Well actually at least 2 mysteries. A very special
book. HB, worn edges and other condition issues, but it's perfectly readable,
and I recommend reading it! $3.00 END OF JUDY BOLTON BOOKS.
LOTS MORE SERIES BOOKS! An entire series in one large book -- The Linger-Nots by Agnes Miller, 1934. This interesting anomoly is titled "Mystery Stories for Girls" and is a very large book, indeed! Contains 4 of the 5 books in the Linger-Not series, The Mystery House, the Valley Feud, Their Golden Quest, and The Whispering Charm. The girls in this club live in New York city, ut travel all over the place, including wild (at that time anyway) Alaska, solving mysteries. The book is in fair condition but everything is there, and it's holding together nicely. No book's binding could be strong enough to hold all that reading pleasure for us! 4-in-one Linger-Nots book. $4.00 Woodcraft Girls in the City (Lillian Elizabeth Roy) 1918. cover is a little worn,, but inside, it's in pretty amazingly good cond. The Woodcraft girls are campers, outdoors explorers, sort of like the early Girl Scouts or the Campfire girls. Worth reading for a sense of what girls were enjoying in those early days. $2.50 Moving Picture Girls at Sea (Laura lee Hope) pen name of author of Bobbsey Twins, but this is written for much older girls. Nice condition inside and out, especially for a book from 1915. A couple of beautiful color pictures before the text (I guess they're both frontispieces, but there is another picture, too!) This and quite a few other series books have been reprinted in slick, boring paperback reprints, but these are the real things! This long series is especially interesting to anyone who loves film history. $3.50 The Girl Scouts at Miss Allens School (Edith Lavell) 1922. Glossy frontispiece of girls playing basketball in bloomers and middy blouses. Cover in good cond, picture of a girl with signal flags. The binding is loose, but still holding on well. A few pages are stained, but the rest of the interior is quite nice. Great for anyone who used to be a Girl Scout and feels nostalgic as I often do! $4.00 The Girl Scouts' Triumph, subtitled Rosanna's Sacrifice. 1921.(by Katherine Keene Galt) Girl Scout series, #3. Stunning cover picture, all in black on dark green (remeniscent of my old Girl Scout dress that was the very same shade of green.) Shows what you have to imagine is the pinnicle of a hill or even mountain. One girl is standing in a Statue-of-Liberty pose with one hand raised, another girl approaching with her walking stick and one of those hard-hat lids that Girl Scouts apparently wore in 1921. Book in fairly good cond. Binding is worn and pages are brown-toned, but the pages are clean and the cover is square and bright. $3.00
MORE SERIES BOOKS! The Motor Maids By Rose, Shamrock and Thistle (Katherine Stokes) 1912. Starts out with the Motor Maids on shipboard, but mostly pretty seasick, but things started to get better when they landed in London -- or did they? The Motor Maids attract adventure, but you would never believe it to look at the cover of this book. shows 5 ladies or girls (in those hats, it's hard to tell!) in an open car, gloves, hats, furs, veils, elaborate hair styles. Just what we always wear when "motoring" don't we! Excellent picture, I love it! And the book is both very good reading and in rather good condition, too. Laser copy of the original dust jacket that had a few pieces missing so this copy is white in those spots, mainly at the bottom of the spine. HB, LDJ, $4.50
2 books by Frances Salomon Murphy -- these 2 paperbacks are among my favorite books.
I think I've read each of them 3 times. The PB books are Runaway Alice and Ready-made
Family. Each is about foster children moving to new homes but coping with old troubles.
What I like most about them is the loving, warm feeling that they give the reader!
That might sound trite, but it seems to be the reason for my love of quite a few
books and I think most of the people who look at this list love the same ones I do.
In Runaway Alice, a girl who hated living in her former foster home, can't stop
running back there when things get complicated in her life. A wonderful social
worker finds a clever way to help her and does something extremely special for her.
In Ready-made family, a middle-aged couple with no children at home, take on three
siblings. The oldest, a girl, feels as if they all have to be perfect in order to
stay there. The other children have their own ways of dealing with the new home.
The "Alice" from the previous story puts in a cameo appearance in the 2nd story.
You just wish you could be there to put your arms around them all! The first book
is in good condition, the 2nd in fairish condition. Tell me how you felt about
these books after you've read them! 2 PB books by Frances Salomon Murphy, $4.00
Ready-made family by itself, fair condition, $1.50
HERE ARE A FEW BOYS' SERIES. GIVE THEM A TRY -- YOU MIGHT SURPRISE YOURSELF BY LIKING SOME OF THEM! FABULOUS DUST JACKETS! Blackie Thorne at Camp Lenape (Carl Saxon) 1940 -- also lists 1931 so this one must be a reprint. It has very good quality paper, the cover and pages are pretty much pristine, there is a tight binding, and there's a good dust jacket with a beautiful rural scene. There are 3 books in the Camp Lenape series. $5.00 The Flying Jet (Canfield Cook) A Lucky Terrell Flying Story 1945. Good book with a very good DJ, There are 6 other books listed on the back of this one. Lots of jet planes on the DJ picture. HB, DJ, in very good condition, except for the uniformly brown age-shading of the pages. Wartime paper is usually fragile, but these pages are quite clean and firm. $5.00 Boy Scouts Down in Dixie (Herbert Carter) 1914. There is quite a long series of books about these Boy Scouts, and this is one of the later volumes. It's in good cond, the book itself has a picture of 2 scouts in a rowboat which is filled with camping gear. One of the boys is disobeying the first law of rowboats -- don't stand up -- especially with a rifle in hand. But he is obviously about to shoot dinner, so he has forgotten safety rules. There is a different picture on the dust jacket cover, so maybe someone reminded the artist that it's safer to do your shooting on land. Book and DJ in good condition, with the exception of the very bottom of the DJ spine, which is a little rough. Nice list of other Carter Boy Scouts books on the back cover, priced at 50 cents postpaid. Don't you wish! Adjusting for 103 years of inflation, this one is $5.00 The Ghost of Mystery Airport (Van Powell) 1932. The stunning thing about this book is its dust jacket picture. It would scare a robot -- a figure that looks like a scarecrow but has a skull for a head, is about to throw a small bomb at a poor kid armed with just a stick of kindling. Airplane overhead, about to land. Large book, good cond for a book made with fairly cheap paper. DJ is also in good cond. $6.00 A Viking of the Sky (Hugh McAlister) 1930. Another flying adventure. Young flyer wants learns as much as he can about flying, designs planes, and eventually wants to make the first non-stop flight across the Pacific -- "What would be his fate?" the DJ flap asks and so does the reader! Another exciting dust jacket picture, this one showing a small plane fling over a stark landscape enhanced by a group of people looking skyward and saving to him. From The Mystery and Adventure Series for Boys. Good condition book, DJ in fairly good codition -- the edges are rough but the pictures and back cover lists, all look good. $6.00 REX LEE SERIES BY THOMSON BURTIS Here are the first 5 books in this series about flying, dated 1928 and 1929. The books are in fair to fairly good condition. No major damage to the bindings or text, but 2 of them have stained covers. There are no DJs, but a nice picture of a biplane on the front cover of each one. The books are: Gypsy Flyer On the Border Patrol Ranger of the Sky Sky Trailer Ace of the Air Mail Set of 5 Rex Lee books -- $8.00 TOM CORBETT, Space Cadet Book #1, Stand My For Mars -- 1952. Has a picture cover, and I must say, Tom Corbett is a very good-looking guy, even inside a glass space helmet. Some pages are a little smudged, there's wear to the corners and edges of the cover, but cover picture is clean and the binding is firm. $4.00 3-volume starter set of Tom Corbett, Space Cadet books! These don't have DJs, but they are in good condition and very readable. If you love sci-fi, or know a kid who does, these are fun to read for a number of reasons. Well, for one thing, they were published in 1952 and 53, so you can check out how many of the predictions actually came true in the past 60+ years. The pictures are another thing you'll get a kick out of! And they do include women -- yea for them! Here's a passage from a completely random page that I just turned to -- "Are you sure of this, Joan?" he asked. "I'm positive, Commander" replied the beautiful young doctor of astrophysics... This is an interesting old series! 3 books, blue tweedy covers, better than OK condition. The titles are -- Stand By for Mars, Danger in Deep Space, and The Space Pioneers. 3 HB series books, $6.00 BRONC BURNETT-- Flying Tackle -- picture cover. Very small area at top right corner has the color torn off due to a price tag someone apparently pulled off. Exterior corners are somewhat rubbed, but interior is very clean and tight. $4.00 2 book- lot of Mel Martin Baseball Stories (1947) I don't know anything about this series, but apparently there are at least 3 books in the series, all baseball mysteries. Mel himself is 16 years old. The 2 books I have here, are in very good condition, but lacking DJs. Titles are The Mystery at the Ball Park, and The Southpaw's Secret. 2 HBs, in very good cond, $4.00 2 Very Good Sport books about Boys! Both by Joe Archibald, who wrote quite a list of books about football. These books are hardcovers, in excellent condition, with very good dust jackets showing -- yep, football players at the big game, with sketches of crowds of people in the background. Exciting! Books probably written with teen readers in mind, interesting stories as well as the sport details. HB, DJ, both in extremely nice condition. $6 for two books -- Fullback Fury 1955 Go Navy Go 1956 OTHER SERIES BOOKS INCLUDING GIRLS' AND LITTLE CHILDREN'S SERIES!! First -- books by our wonderful Mildred Wirt! They don't stay on the list for long enough to let very many people see them, but I'll keep trying! By the way, you do know that Mildred W was "Carolyn Keene," and a lot of other writers, as well as writing her best books under her own name. Penny Parker Mystery Series by Mildred Wirt -- A girl whose father is a newsman, and she wants to follow in his footsteps. Mystery follows in HER footsteps wherever she goes, as she revels in danger and adventure! I'd love to have more Penny Parkers for you in the future! The Vanishing Houseboat (Mildred wirt) 1939. Penny can hardly walk out her door without running into a mystery! Through storms, ghostly appearances, and unpleasant characters, she and her trusty Leaping Lena (translation -- car!) are up and down the river road from dawn to midnight, and of course they uncover the true story of how a houseboat can vanish! I read this one to Dave while we were driving, and we were so entertained that we missed a turn in our own road. HB with glossy frontispiece. Goodish condition with solid binding and bright red cover. Believe it or not, someone has come out with a "new" pb edition of all the Penny Parker books, and they are pretty nice. But nothing is better than the feel and look of the original books. $4.00 Penny Nichols series by "Joan Clark" are actually by Mildred Wirt, and many people consider these to be pretty much clones of the later Penny Parker series. Penny N. is also a lively girl with a slightly less lively sidekick girlfriend, and a widowed father who is in this case, a detective. She zoooooms around town in her little car, and helps her father with his cases. To me, judy as good as the Penny Parker series! I'll try to have more Penny Nichols books very soon! Mildred Wirt is still a very popular author, and her books sell out quickly. Some time I'm sure I'll have more Scouting books by Mildred Wirt! She wrote a number of books about Girl and Boy Scouts, Brownies and Cubs. They're mostly mysteries, something she did wonderfully! Each series is very well suited for the age group that would be in that particular branch of scouting, and I think that even scouts of today would love reading them! Several of the books have been reissued, I just found out, but these are "on demand printing" in paperback editions, and quite highly expensive. Anyway, I would far, far prefer the wonderful old original hardcovers with their good, heavy paper and tight bindings. Plus they come with super-beautiful dust jackets, by Marguerite Gayer, who was one of my favorite illustrators, up there with Mary Stevens, Paul Frame, and the Krushes. By the way, these books are truly series books, featuring the same members of a particular Boy or Girl scout troop in all the books about the same branch of Scouts. Most of these books have laser copies of the original DJs, made from my nice originals. These pictures are worth the price of the books! I'll certainly add more Girl and Brownie Scout books whenever I can. In the meantime: The Boy Scout Explorers at Treasure mountain ("Don Palmer" who is Mildred Wirt) 1955. Very good book in very good dust jacket, exce[t for small amount of loss of color on the uppser right front cover, due to sticker. $8.00 The Brownie Scouts at Snow Valley, 1949. A Brownie Scout book by Mildred Wirt! Very seasonal, with the wonderful DJ picture by Marguerite Guyer, snowing the Brownies out of uniform, in snowsuits, building a snowman. I especially like the background of the picture, snow-covered pine trees and the roofs of cozy-looking houses. The book is in fairly good condition. The pages are clean and the binding is firm, but there is some staining along the edges of the first few pages, and there is a slant to the shape of the book. With the laser copy of the beautiful DJ, the book looks very good. $5.00 The Brownie Scouts in the Cherry Festival (Mildred A. Wirt) 1950. Very nice copy of this series book, clean white pages and a firm binding with an orange cover. It says "illustrated" on the title page, but this apparently only refers to the pretty frontispiece. HB, very nice cond, $3.00 The Brownie Scouts in the Circus (Wirt) 1949. If you enjoy circuses, this cute book will please you very much. The Brownie Troop goes to the circus, and puts on one of their own, go camping, solve a mystery (after all, this IS a Mildred Wirt book!) The have a run-in with a pickpocket, but they manage to have all kinds of Scout fun. HB with a laser copy of our dust jacket with the adorable picture -- a real clown helping 2 Brownies and their dog to dress up like clowns, too! Marguerite Gayer illustrations on cover and frontispiece. $5.00 The Brownie Scouts at Windmill Farm (Mildred A. Wirt) 1953. "Girls, began Miss Mohr.. How would the Brownies like to help this spring with Rosedale's annual tulip Show?..." Well, of course that's the opening of a story including mystery, a bit of information about windmills, Holland and tulips, and a little Brownie lore. These Brownie books are substantial hardcovers with more than 200 pages in each one, and a very, very pretty dust jacket picture for each book, as well as a frontispiece. Nice quality books! $5.00 More Books by Mildred Wirt! More series books ahead of that.
The Boy Scout Explorers at Treasure Mountain (by Don Palmer, which is one of the pen
names of Mildred Wirt!) 1955. As if writing most of the original Nancy Drews and
a slew of other series books, inventing the wonderful character of Penny Parker,
and coming up with a great many of the best single-title mysteries for girls ever
written -- Wirt is able to write books that boys could to love, too! There are only
a few of these Boy Scout Explorers books, but they are exciting(of course) and
picturesque. This one takes the boys to the dangerous mountains of Peru where they
encounter people and situations of grave danger -- not that this bothers these
intrepid young men at all! HB in beautiful condition, with a pretty good DJ! $6.00
Dan Carter and the Great Carved Face (A Cub Scout book by Mildred Wirt) 1952. Hardcover
book in very good condition, with a laser copy dust jacket showing a Scout leader,
a Cub, and a Boy Scout, all in a cave with flashlights aimed at the carved face on
the spine. A bit of the original DJ was missing, so of course the copy looks as if
some of it is missing. HB, LDJ, $5.00
Dan Carter and the Money Box (A Cub Scout book by Mildred Wirt, illustrated by
Marguerite Gayer) 1950. Hardcover book in good condition. Gift inscription and
a little message and a sketch inside the front cover -- cute! The book is
covered with a laser copy of my original DJ, showing 3 Cubs and a Boy Scout
holding a money box and looking very happy. Spine shows a picture of an iconic
New England white church with a spire. $5.00
Dan Carter and the Cub honor (Mildred Wirt) 1953. Plenty of mystery, and fine
examples of honorable behavior to inspire us! The HB book is in fairly good cond,
except that someone carefully cut around the writing on pages 5 and 6, and then
stuck the cut-out part elsewhere in the book. I've taped it back in place, nothing
lost, but you won't be able to miss seeing it. Not honorable behavior, surely it
wasn't a Cub Scout who did such a thing. HB, with laser copy of our book's dust
jacket, showing a Cub and Boy Scout in uniforms, shying away from some unseen
shocking danger. $4.00 Dan Carter and the Haunted Castle (Wirt) 1951. Cub Scout story with nice frontispiece picture. Hardcover with a few stains and wear, but not too bad! Duncan liked it (he must have been the first owner) because he provided a few extra illustrations near the end of the book. Well done, Duncan! $2.50
End of Books by Mildred Wirt. I hope I'll have more soon
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MORE SERIES BOOKS! Little Maid of Quebed (Alice Turner Curtis) originally 1936, this beautiful edition is from 1955. This book is part of a very long series of "Little Maid" books, including stories of girls living all over the then-US, from Vermont to New Orleans. Beautiful dust jacket, nice condition book (from a personal collection, not a public library.) HB with good DJ, and very nice illustrations. $5.00 Start collecting a new series! Dotty Dimple, by Sophie May, is a little girl from a fairly well-to-do family of 3 children, sometime around the turn of the century -- the 19th to 20th century,I mean! Dotty (whose name is really Alice, which predisposes me to like her) is unfortunately the designated Bad Kid in the family, and loves to live up to that reputation. You'll love her and wish her good luck, but she can't seem to remember to behave! The 3 books in this lot, are small, about 5" X 6" but rather thick for their measurements. Each one has a picture of Dotty on the front, and she doesn't look too happy. She must have just played one of her tricks, and been repremanded. There is also a row of baby-faces along the top of each volume, rather cute. The title on the front is in silver letters, and the rest of the title on the spine is in gold lettering. Simple, but decorative with the dark green covers. Two of the books have lists of other books by Sophie May, at the back of the book. And a picture of Sophie herself, looking like the Grim Reaper. If I saw her coming toward me, I'd run. Fast. But you'll have to read what the editors have to say about the healthful influence this lady (?) has on her readers. Nice little books, anyway, and in quite good condition. The titles are: Dotty Dimple at Her Grandmother's, Dotty Dimple out West, and Dottie Dimple at Home. 3 Dotty Dimple books, $10.00 Little Prudy's Captain Horace (Sophie May) I did a bit of research on this series, and learned that they were first published in the 1860s, but later re-issued in the early 1900s. And that the author was from Norridgewock Maine, so can be considered a Maine author -- of a great many books for young people. A bit preachy but readable. "Captain" Horace is her playmate, who wants to be a soldier when he grows up. The book is not dated, so I'm not sure if it's way over 100 years old or just barely so. It's a small book with a cover picture of a sweet little girl wearing a huge ribbon in her hair, and playing with a dog. Cute, fragile book. $2.50
The Merriweather Girls books by (Lizette Edholm) 1
There are only 4 Merriweather Girls books, but they're a lot of fun and worth
collecting and reading. "Absorbing mysteries and their solutions, school life,
horseback, riding, tennis, and adventures during their school vacations." That's
what the DJ flap promises. So get out your raquet and saddle, and have some
absorbing fun with them. ('ll try to have more Merriweather Girls books soon.
Merriweather Girls in Quest of Treasure -- "real" dust jacket on this copy. Both book
and DJ are in really good condition. $5.00 Merriweather girls in Quest of treasure -- fair cond book with laser copy DJ. Looks good! HB, LDJ -- $3.00 Merriweather Girls and the Mystery of the Queen's Fan (Lizette Edholm) 1912. Pretty good cond book, laser reproduction DJ, $4.00
NANCY DREW AND SOME RELATED SERIES BOOKS:
NANCY DREW STARTER SET! This is a set of the first 5 Nancy Drew books in a slipcase.
They are the glossy (reproduction)format, sometimes called the Flashlight edition
as there is a picture of a flashlight near the top of the covers. They have the
same texts and cover pictures as the matte PC yellow-backs. The books and the
slipcase are all like new, gift quality. Doesn't look as if anyone ever opened
any of the books. In case you need a reminder of the titles -- they are the iconic
Secret of the Old Clock, plus The Hidden Staircase, The Bungalow Mystery, Mystery at
Lilac Inn, and The Secret of Shadow Ranch. This set has the price of $32.99, printed
right on the slipcase. on it. My price is $10.00. Here's a DVD with several parts to it, including the words "Dick Tracy and Nancy Drew" rather prominently on the cover. "Also includes Felix the Cat..." Wow, this is quite a special item!! The "Nancy" part is Nancy Drew, reporter, with Frankie Thomas and Bonita Granville. Another DVD of "Nancy Drew, Reporter," starring Bonita Granville and Frankie Thomas. Brand New in the package, so I'm sure it's in excellent condition. $4.00 Back to books now -- Nancy Drew "Twin Thriller" includes "The Mysterious Mannequin" and "The Crooked Banister." Book in fair-to-good condition except for a few ink embellishments (tastefully done) and a light stain on the top of some interior pages. $2.00
Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #16, Dangerous Plays. Former library paperback, in
quite good condition. $1.25
Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #17, En Garde. 2006. All New All New --written along
the back cover. How dangerous could it be to take up fencing? Are you kidding?
After all, this is Nancy; mystery and danger are everywhere she goes. PB, $1.50
Nancy Drew Girl Detective, Eco Mystery -- Seeing Green. Former library pb in fairly
good condition! $1.25
Nancy Drew #150, Mystery at Moorsea Manor (a trip to England) former library copy
in good condition. $1.00
Not a Girl Detective (Susan Kandel) A Grace Caruso Mystery -- this is not a teen book,
but a murder mystery written for adults. HOwever, the back cover quotes "I spent my
entire youth idolizing Nancy Drew. I'm pushing forty now, but some fantasies die
hard." Grace loves vintage clothes and is still obsessed with Nancy and Carolyn
Keene -- sound like anyone we might know?? The first book in this series (this is
the 2nd) is called I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason. The intro gives credit to the
Nancy Drew Sleuths and Jenn Fisher, and other people and things we love, too. And
you have to love this book, too. PB, fairly good condition, $1.50
Not a Girl Detective (Susan Kandel) 2005. Hardcover copy with a dust jacket. This
story includes a Nancy Drew convention, but wow, it's not a bit like the many
PF reunions that we've been to! Beer around the pool? 4-letter words? Murder?
Thank goodness our reunions were much milder, but you'll get a real kick out of
this story, anyway. HB, DJ, as good as new. $3.00
I Dreamed I married Perry Mason (Susan Kandel) 2004. A Cece Caruso Mystery. This book
is the first in this series, followed quickly by Not a Girl Detective. Plenty of
vintage details, especially about classic fictional detectives. In fact, Cece says
"Perry Mason has stolen my life!" Buy both of these Kandel books and prepare for
a memorable reading experience. The Perry Mason book -- PB, good condition, $2.00
River Heights Big Lot! This lot consists of the first 9 books from the River Heights
series, a sort of spin-off of Nancy Drew. On the front of each, they say "From
Nancy Drew's Hometown, an exciting new world of fun, friendship, secrets and
romance." Nikki and Brittany are the continuing character in this soap opera of
love, hate, school, and even a bit of detecting! Nancy appears in a few of the
books. Try them out cheaply ! These paperbacks are in perfect condition. Titles:
Love Times Three
Guilty Secrets
Going too far
Stolen Kisses
Between the lines
Lessons in love
Cheating hearts
The trouble with Love
Lies and Whispers
9 River Heights pbs in fine condition -- $9.00
Nancy Drew Case Files, #15 -- Trial by Fire. Small paperback, $1.00
MORE SERIES BOOKS AHEAD!
Betty Lee Series -- there are 4 books in this series, taking Betty through her
high school years. The dust jacket pictures are all alike, cute Betty with
her monogrammed blouse, surrounded by smaller pictures of girls engaged in
various activities like playing a violin, skiing, studying. I hope to have
more books in this series, very soon.
Bobbsey Twins 75th Anniversary Commemorative Edition in a slip case! These are NOT
reproduction editions, but the cover of the slipcase has the original, adorable
Bobbsey Twins cover picture. This shows a little boy and a little girl, in sweet
vintage clothes, sitting in the middle of a field of daisies. The boy is holding
a flower under the girl's chin, so it's probably a buttercup. There are 3
hardcover books inside the case, the first 3 original Bobbsey Twins stories -
Bobbsey Twins, In the country, and At the Seashore. The books are in near-new
condition, with just a former owner's name written inside the front cover. The
slipcase has some nicks and rubbed places, but it's pretty darn good! It looks
very nice standing up in the book case. A lovely nostalgic set. $5.00
A wonderful set of five Bobbsey Twins books in a beautiful format. These are
hardcover books, with dust jackets -- and I certainly couldn't tell them from
brand new. Printed by the Book-of the-month Club, in 2003-4, the texts are copies
of the original 1904 through 1915 editions. The covers vary from reproductions of
the originals, to very lovely and appropriate pictures (or they may be copies from
some format that I've never happened to see.) Each book has a copy of the original
frontispiece. The books include -- Bobbsey Twins, In the Country, At the Seashore,
At School and On a Houseboat. 5 Bobbsey Twins HBs with DJs. All 5 for $12.00
American Girl books, and this time they're not the ones related to the old magazines,
but the ones written originally to go with the AG dolls -- stories about girls
from various historical periods. These books are in very good condition with the
previous owners' names inside but otherwise looking new.
Molly Takes Flight (American Girls Short Stories book by Valerie Tripp.) Molly's
stories take place during WWII. In this one, she is fascinated by her aunt, who
is learning to fly. Small hardcover $1.25 Molly's Puppy Tale (American Girl Short Stories book by Valerie Tripp. Small HB with cute picture cover. New condition. $1.50
NOW FOR MORE SERIES BOOKS --
Some of the (sadly defunct) Whispered Watchword articles rated the Marjorie Dean
highly! Loyal friends, high morals (except for the girls who have low morals!) parties,
schooldays, clothes, and a tad of romance. Life of upper-middle class girls in the 2nd
to 3rd decade of the 20th century. I'll try to include more Marjorie Dean books in
a future list! Marjorie Dean, College Freshman (Lester) 1922. Off to college for the first in a 4-book mini-series within the MD list. You'll know she did eventually graduate when you see the pretty cover picture of MD in a serious-looking cap and gown! But there are many hurdles to jump before that happy day, of course. HB in V good condition though a little worn at top and bottom of the spine. $3.50 Marjorie Dean's Romance 1925. This one is #4 in the Post-Graduate series. The book is in fair condition to be generous -- but it's all there, and if you've been reading the MD series all along, you'l know that romance wasn't her priority! What do you think has happened to this practical girl? OK, some stains, some warping, and a bit of wear. On the positive side, all pages present, binding holding up nicely, glossy frontispiece and a bargain price -- $2.00
DANA GIRLS MYSTERIES!!! By "Carolyn Keene," so if you love Nancy, you'll love Louise
and Jean. The entire series has been re-written, edited, and dressed in a new
look, several times over the decades. But always, the 2 sisters are students at
Starhurst boarding school (when they aren't on vacation, or taking a trip, or
otherwise off campus!) Orphans, their home is with their Uncle Ned, a sea captain,
and his sister, Aunt Harriet, that is, if they're ever home very long. They love
mysteries but have to ward off the bumbling and jealousy of another student, the
ever-hated Lettie Briggs. These are the basic facts, but what a lot of interesting,
entertaining, and fascinating plots come out of those facts! If you haven't tried
this popular series, here's your chance! By the Light of the Study Lamp (Dana Girls #1 in the original editions.) Here's a very nice copy of the original, "iconic" Dana Girls book. The date inside this one is 1934 but it's a picture cover edition, so a later printing. Very clean cover and pages. Good story! HB PC $4.00 By the Light of the Study Lamp (Dana Girls #1 in the original edition) First Dana Girls book. This copy has nice, clean pages and a firm binding, but the front cover has white spots where the color is missing -- and a few worn corners. Good for reading and making sure you wil love the whole series -- I certainly did! HB, PC, $1.50
Mystery of the Stone Tiger (Dana Girls #1 in the 1972 edition) Picture Cover shows
the girls in antique costume, watching a caped figure sneak past a tiger statue
in front of a brick mansion. Good cond, except for some rubbing of the cover color,
and bumped corners. $4.00 Secret at the Hermitage, in fair condition. Cover is good, frontispiece
and internal illustrations are good, binding is fairly tight, but some of the pages
are stained. Doesn't impede reading pleasure! $2.00
Secret at the Hermitage (Dana Girls #4 in the original thick purple cover.) I'll have
to call this a reading copy. Sturdy enough, but worn, and some of the pages are
stained. A rousing adventure -- as the Dana sisters always have! The original texts
are most people's favorites, including mine. Wish I had a DJ for this edition --
does anyone have a DJ on their copy and might like to trade a laser copy for one
that I do have? HB, fair condition, $4.00
The Secret at the Hermitage, #5 in the later edition. Picture cover (which has been
sealed in transparent protective covering -- it looks very pretty!) Fair condition
due to loose binding inside. Good reading copy. $2.00 The Mysterious Fireplace #10 1941 Edition. Printed picture cover with a very unsettling picture -- the 2 Danas, right behind a scary-looking and scowling man who is holding a chest full of glittering jewels -- does that sound like a comfortable position? This is a reading-copy-only! Loose, some wear on all the corners. Interior is good -- this will be fine for reading until you find a more decorative copy! $2.00
Ghost in the Gallery (Dana Girls #17 in the numbering.) The girls' school is putting
on a play -- but the theater seems to be haunted. Well, Jean and Louise will do
something about THAT! Tweed cover, somewhat worn but tight and firm. $2.50
END OF DANA GIRLS BOOKS, NOW BACK TO SOME OTHER GOOD SERIES BOOKS!
Swallows and Amazons (Ransome) The first book in this once-again popular adventure
series. Hardcover with dust jacket. There are attractive small illustrations at
the beginning of each chapter. HB, Xlibrary, fair condition, with a fair but
pretty complete dust jacket. Love it! $2.50
We Didn't Mean to go to Sea (Arthur Ransome) first published in 1937, this is a
very nice fairly recent paperback reprint. From the Swallows and Amazons
Forever Series. In this one, the children are having fun in a boat, when
it is blown by a gale across the channel to Holland. They have many close
calls and dangerous encounters along the way, great adventure story!
Very good and large PB -- and you can get all the books in this series in
the same attractive format. $2.50
We didn't Mean to go to Sea (Arthur Ransome) original hardcover, first printing of
the American edition, from 1938. Interesting from a historical view, also a nice
copy although it's formerly a library book. There are dozens of beautiful maps,
charts, pictures, many of them very clever and nautical. HB with library printed
picture cover. Some staining to the pages, overall condition is good. $3.00
Polly French is a 3-book series, here are 2 of them. This series revolves mostly
around the high school group that does a lot of things together. In the first
of this duo, "Polly French Takes Charge," Polly becomes vice president of the
class, and "takes charge" of lots of activities. Nice cover picture shows her
at what should be a very informal meeting, since it is held in her home in front
of a fireplace, but look at those boys in their suit jackets and ties!! And the
2 women who look a lot like chaperones! The endpapers show kids walking in the
HS corredors, also rather well dressed (even in 1954, when this book was written,
we did NOT wear high heels to class!) The second of this duo is "Polly French and
and the Surprising Stranger." (1956) An exchange student from Peru is arriving
in a few days, and the family who was supposed to give her a home, backed out.
Polly's family welcomes the girl to their home. As you might imagine, things
don't always go smoothly. I remember when one of the exchange students who
came to our HS, just didn't work out with their host family, and a more
congenial family had to be found. Well, the Frenches are very congenial, but
2 teen girls in the same class -- bound to be a few tiffs! Cover shows Polly
welcoming the new girl right off the plane another thing that makes you know
this is a vintage story!) Nice endpaper pictures of a party where one of the
girls keeps everyone's attention with her guitar playing and singing. Nice!
2 hardcover books, these started life as cheap, cheap editions, and they are
somewhat worn just by their age. Most of the problems are that the covers are
separating from the page block, but everything is still intact, just treat
them carefully. I'll wrap them very carefully. 2 Polly French, $5.00 Polly French 3-book set. This lot includes Of Whitford High, Surprising Stranger, and Takes Charge. The books are in slightly better condition than the Polly F books usually are, which isn't saying a whole lot, but these look darn good! All the covers are intact and really attractive, and as far as I can tell, all the pages are firmly bound into the book. Complete Polly French, 3 vols, $8.50
Here are some books by Dorothy Whitehill, who wrote lots and lots of good books --
or at least someone did, whether she was a real person or a pseudenym. Anyway,
they're always fun to read and exciting to follow through the years. If there
aren't any left here, I hope to have more very soon.
The Twins and Tommy Jr (Dorothy Whitehill)1922. There are 13 books in this series,
this is the 6th. The twins were separated at birth, and know nothing of each
other until they're 13. Once they're reunited, the fun begins! Tommy Jr is their
older brother, and responsible for several of their adventures. This is an
imaginative and quite interesting seris. This copy of Twins and Tommy Jr is in
fair cond, perfectly readable and firm, but not pretty! $3.00 The Twins' Summer Vacation (Whitehill) 1921, I'll leave it up to you to decide whether you would like to have the same vacation that the twins have. Well, except for the usual near-drownings, over-eating, and accidents -- not too bad! Exciting. HB in sturdy cond, but has some staining on the front cover and brown toning of the vintage pages. Binding is tight. $3.50
The Twins' Wedding (Whitehill) 1926. One of the rather unusual series in which the
girl (in this case girlS) marry. Of course there are numerous problems to iron
out and adventures to enjoy before the Big Day. Nice solid book (with a pretty
book plate inside front cover, black Scottie dog design.) Small outline of the
twins looking very 1920s on the front cover. HB, $3.00
The Twins Adventuring (Whitehill) 1927 You wouldn't believe the adventures and
dangers these people get into! Already married, the twins still have just as
many adventures as their slightly younger collegue, Judy Bolton, and are separated
from their husbands just about as often. A kidnapping is the central theme of this
one. A few nice Western-looking illustrations in this book, which is in fair
condition -- could be called good except for a loose binding at the back. $2.50 The Twins at Camp (Whitehill) 1928. Come on, admit it -- everyone loves a camp story! Even our daughters, who cried until we had to bring them home from camp, love to read about going to camp! A nice story here, some exciting b/w pictures, danger and suspense, a performance of The Mikado, and all the other little events that weave together to make camp so memorable. OK, it's a little MORE memorable than any camp I went to, and very interesting. In fact, the frontispiece shows 3 girls climbing into a sea-plane out in the middle of a lake. Beat that adventure! HB in fair/good cond, $4.00
Joy and Pam (Dorothy Whitehill) 1927. If you've read Joy and Gypsy Joe, this is the
next in the 6-book series. All the books describe both the life of a regular
"All-American girl" and her family, along with the story of a Gypsy boy.
The dust jacket picture on this book is especially stunning -- 2 girls (dressed
not as in 1920s but in probably late-'30s to mid-40s dresses and saddle shoes)
sitting in a woodsy glade with rays of the sun behind them. Stunning artwork!
Book in very good condition, with laser copy of the original DJ. $5.00
Another copy of Joy and Pam, same description as above, but book in fair cond with
laser copy DJ. $4.00
Joy and Her Chums (Whitehill) 1928. 3rd book in the series. Joy and friends to away
to school, but there is time to spend with the boys whose pictures, along with
the girls', decorate the very colorful and interesting DJ for this book. Also,
more about Joy's very good friend, Gypsy Joe. All the fun of boarding school,
organizing a "sale of articles" with dainty refreshments, summer plans, all kinds
of interesting things! Book in fair condition, with separation of the page block
from the front and back covers. There's a laser copy of our beautiful DJ. But
it holds together, and with the LDJ, it looks nice. If you buy both Joy and Pam,
and Joy and her Chums, you'll have an attractive duo! $3.50. END OF BOOKS BY DOROTHY WHITEHILL -- NOW MORE SERIES BOOKS! Tabitha's Vacation (Ruth Alberta Brown) 1913. There are 3 books about Tabitha Catt (it could be worse, her brother's name is Tom!)The series is actually called Ivy Hall, but the title Tabitha's Vacation is in bigger letters on the cover. And her "vacation" turns out to be a bit more work than she and her friend had anticipated when they agree to babysitfor 2 weeks, for SIX children while their parents are away from home! it works out pretty much as you might imagine! Book in worn condition, but it is fairly hard to find in the original format like this. $3.00
The Girls of Central High on Track & Field (subtitle, Champions of the School league.)
1914. In this year of its centennial, this book is still fun to read! 5th in the
series, it obviously features sports, but here are some of the chapter titles --
The Gypsy Camp and The Gypsy Queen, Five in a Tower, Margit's Mystery -- and others
that don't have much to do with sports, either. But at the time this book was new,
girls' sports were in their infancy, and very exciting for girls who had always
wished they could get out there and DO things. Have fun with them, yourselves!
HB, printed picture cover showing girls in long dresses, equipped for various
sports. Amazing! Good condition for an oldie, has a glossy frontispiece and the
occasional internal illustration, too. $4.00
The Girls of Central High at Basket-ball (subtitled The Great Gymnasium Mystery)1914.
This must have been a very tasty book for some dog, who took nips out of 2 back
corners and the bottom of the spine. The book is perfecly readable, anyway, and
still has its pretty full-color frontispiece. And a clever, mysterious story.
HB, poor condition due to dog-bites, but otherwise rather cute. $1.00
The Motor Girls on the Coast, sub-titled The Waif from the Sea (Margaret Penrose) 1913.
#6 in series. DJ flap has to assure the reader that even though these girls drive around the country in a car, they are still "wholesome, everyday girls... shop for
the newest in hats.. give mavelous parties... what girl doesn't enjoy these things?"
In this one, while on one of their trips, they help a working girl who may have
been framed. HB, pretty good condition for its age, nice attractive laser copy of
the original DJ. $4.00 Motor Girls on the Coast (see above) no DJ on this copy, and some wear at the top of the spine. But you can certainly enjoy reading its nice, mostly pristine pages, and get a good idea of how much fun this series is! HB, tight binding and firm binding. $2.00
NAN SHERWOOD SERIES!
Nan Sherwood is a nice old series (there are 7 in all) about a girl who starts out
facing poverty but like most of these old series, eventually can go to boarding
school and chase around the world. I'd like to have more Nan Sherwood books for
you in the future! (Written by Annie Roe Carr.)
Nan Sherwood at Rose Ranch, or The Old Mexican's Treasure. 1919. Nice book -- quite
amazingly firm and clean for its age. Snobbishness is dealt with quickly at Lakewood
Hall School. The girls are invited to the former snob's ranch home and there, they
encounter a mystery! Good HB with a pretty good DJ, too. $5.00
Nan Sherwood at Lakeview Hall, or The Mystery of the Haunted Boathouse. The pretty DJ
picture is the same for all of the Nan books, but some of them, including this one,
have different frontispiece pictures. This one has a picture of girls during a
boarding school initiation, including someone in a ghost costume. HB, nice laser
copy of the original Dj, book in very good condition. $4.00
MORE SERIES BOOKS --
Grace Harlowe series -- one of the longest of the old, old series. Takes Grace through high
school, college, helping out during the Great War, and into the world. It's unusual to
find any of these books in good condition, as they were not made to last through the ages.
However, they hold together, and are complete and readable. Beginning in the year of
1910 and continuing through 1924, with several coming out in some years. I hope to
have more Grace Harlowe books soon.
Grace Harlowe's Junior Year in High School (Flower) 1911. Some lucky girl got this
book as a prize for perfect attendance -- it doesn't say where, but it was in
1915, so this book is a survivor! Hardcover with printed picture cover showing 2
girls playing tennis, long dresses, big hats, pointed shoes and all. This is what
girls of that day wanted to read about -- they were beginning to understand that
they could enjoy sports and adventure, not just being decorative and subservient.
And they discover that they have to solve social problems and mysteries along with
the boys, too! These books were full of excitement and interesting projects.
HB, with PC, fairly good condition for a book that is 98 years old! $3.00
END of GRACE HARLOWE BOOKS. MORE Series books ahead!
Gypsies of the Air (Bess Moyer))1932. This is listed as being part of The Girl Flyers
Series, and lists another book in the series -- On Adventure Island. It's a small
hardcover book with most of a dust jacket. The DJ picture shows 2 girls --I think
they're girls, though their clothes wouldn't give you a clue! -- they're wearing
full aviation suits including boots and helmets. They are tending a cooking
fire in the woods, after their plane was forced down by some of the crooks that
are trying to thwart their plans for an air rescue. Great story! Lots and lots
of adventure and danger -- these girls are as brave as any boys! Small HB with DJ.
Top 2/3 of the front of the DJ is really nice, and that's where most of
the picture is. The bottom 1/4th or so is messy with a chunk missing. This book
matches Wings of the North, which is about boy aviators. $2.50 Linda Carlton, Air pilot 1931. First in the series. You can be be sure there will be danger and adventure with Linda along on the flight! The book is in fairly good cond, it was a rather cheap printing (look at the date, they were making inexpensive books and everything else at that time.) It's held up quite well, except for a very ancient hole made by a hungry Depression era bug through the edge of some back pages. $2.50 Wings of the North (Harris Patton) 1932. From Young Eagles Series (there are 2 other
books listed in the series.) Adventure flying in many jobs, air mail, rescue of a
lost friend, etc. A small hb with a pretty good DJ except for a small piece of paper
stuck on the front cover, about one square inch. This book matches Gypsies of the
Air, which is about girl aviators. $2.50 The Mother -Daughter Book Club series: Much Ado About Anne (Heather Vogel Frederick)2008. This interesting modern series is about a group of girls and their mothers, who take one beloved book each season, to discuss and incidently draw the mothers and girls together. The first was Little Women, this one is Anne of Green Gables. The mothers are all very different, and not all of them perfect people. The girls are even more so! There are rivalries and problems (big and small) which interestingly enough can almost always be compared with things that happened to Anne herself. And can often be solved by thinking of what Anne might have done! HB, personal copy in beautiful condition, with
a beautiful dust jacket. $3.00 MORE SERIES BOOKS RIGHT BELOW!
Polly Brewster Series -- 1920's and '30s. Polly lived at Pebbly Pit in the Southwest,
where her family owned a mine. Soon though, she branched out, and lived the life that
seemed to be so dear to the hearts of rich series book girls in those days --
traveling, dabbling in business, giving and attending grand parties, going
everywhere with a group of loyal friends. She still loved The Southwest (Colorado in
this case) and returned there from time to time. I'll try to have more "Polly" books
very soon. Author is Lillian Elizabeth Roy.
Polly of Pebbley Pit with a very romantic picture of Polly on the dust jacket.
Good Condition book, fairly good cond DJ. $4.00
Another series by Lillian Elizabeth Roy -- The Girl Scouts.
Girl Scouts at Dandelion Camp (Roy) 1927. Dates from somewhere near the origin of the
Girl Scout movement in America. The troop goes to a mountain camp, and enjoy all the
things that Girl Scouts STILL do at camp! I love reading about camping, don't you?
And these girls are lucky (?) enough to find a mystery out there in the wilderness!
HB, with a copy of our dust jacket. You have to know that the DJ we took a copy of,
has a torn spine, but of course the laser copy is on a undamaged piece of paper, so
it looks GOOD! The book itself is on fair condition. Nice front cover picture --
pretty girl wearing something that doesn't look like any GS uniform that I've seen,
but does include a scarf. $4.50
THERE ARE MORE SERIES BOOKS AHEAD! ENJOY THEM A LOT!
Five Little Peppers Series by Margaret Sidney. This is a very early series book, that
seems to have been in print ever since the first one came out at the end of the
19th century! About 5 kids in one family who have tons of small adventures. Despite
their age, these books are easy enough to read, and one of the good things about them
is that there are a lot of these books, so you can follow them through the years.
Of course there are attitudes that seem dated to us, but you find things like that
in the early Nancy Drews and Bobbsey Twins books. These books are long enough that
you certainly get your money's worth, up to 300 pages in each one. I'll be
keeping an eye out for more Peppers in the future! Five Little Peppers Grown Up (Margaret Sidney) 1892 and later dates for revised editions. Includes a long list of 12 books in order of publication. This is only the 3rd, causing me to think that Sidney planned to write a 3-book series, but her public clamored for more and more. This copy doesn't have a DJ, and there aren't any internal illustrations, but it does have a line drawing of five children on the cover, and nice endpapers which are signed by Pelagie Doane, who also illustrated the DJs for a nice edition of this whole series and so many other books including most of the Judy Boltons. HB, good cond. $2.00
The "Melody Lane" series by Lilian Garis is quite unusual. I guess it's one of those
series that you either love or hate. I happen to like it VERY much! It's atmospheric
and creepy in some ways, but very down-to-earth and realistic on others. Like Judy
Bolton, the girls of Melody Lane lived during the Depression. Carol, the main character
has to work at least part time, but has many chances to solve mysteries and expose the
same type of evil-doers that Judy does -- scam artists, fortune-tellers, fake ghosts,
and people who prey on innocent children. I highly recommend the books, but be
aware that some people find them less snappy and concise than the Nancy Drews.
1933 and 1934. I'll try to have more Melody Lane books in the near future! In the
meantime, good luck finding some yourself -- I think you will really enjoy them!
While you're looking, try some of Garis' other books, which are similar but present
other characters.
Lilian Garis wrote a lot of very short series, though I wouldn't be surprised if she
would be more highly thought of today, if she'd put them together into one single
long series (she did write the Melody Lane books, but the rest of her series are
only 2 or 3 books long.) I'm sure I'll find some for you pretty soon! A Girl called Ted (Lilian Garis) 1929. She's a "up-to-date clear thinking girl" according to the front flap. Not a scaredy-cat like her cousin. But they both have to help solve a scary mystery. Nice book in pretty good condition, with a laser copy of my very pretty DJ. showing 2 girls in a rowoat, with water liles and pine trees abounding. Interesting fashions, and coiffures, too. HB with LDJ, $5.50 Missing at the Marshlands (Cleo Garis) 1934. Another of the Garis family, Cleo wrote the three Arden Blake books, which now are apparently worth their weight in gold (check out ABE or completed Ebay books if you don't believe me!) At least with a DJ they are, but sadly this one doesn't have a DJ. If you have one, maybe you could make a laser DJ for me and I'll trade you any of mine for it! If you want to read from this series, here is a rather nice copy of Missing at the Marshlands, with lovely endpapers, and a good glossy frontispiece. Volume three (final) in Arden Blake series. $5/00
MORE SERIES BOOKS!
Betsy-Tacy Books by Maud Hart Lovelace, just about the best of all series books in the
whole world! Shame on you if you haven't discovered them, but I can't say much, since
I didn't read them until I was an adult. My daughters loved these books when they were
young, and Carrie even read them to our oldest grandson when he was little (I like to
think that it's one reason he's grown up to be such a nice young man!) About 20
years ago, Dave and I were going to our first PF reunion, in Mankato MN where these
books are actually set (its called Deep Valley.) I started to read them out loud to him,
After this, I'll always take my daughter's recommendations about books! There's one
thing you need to know before you start -- the first book is just right for early readers,
and each book gets just a little bit more advanced, until the last book (Betsy's Wedding) which is about Betsy's first year of marriage. All the books are indescribably good, but it's best to read them in order if you can, as I fortunately did. They have all been reissued in the past few years, so you can do just that. And remember, they are incredibly
good! (If I don't have any Betsy-Tacy books for sale, watch for some in the future!)
Betsy-Tacy (Lovelace) 1940 PB in OK condition. $1.25
Betsy-Tacy and Tib (Lovelace) PB $1.25 Betsy and Tacy go Over the Big Hill (Lovelace) Good condition pb but with the cartoony cover illustrations that I'm not fond of. $2.00 Betsy and Tacy go over the Big Hill (Lovelace) Good cond pb with the pretty but newer cover illustration and original Lenski interiors. $2.00 Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown. Diane Goode cover picture, Lenski interiors. PB in fairly good cond $1.50 Here is a 3-book sampler of Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace. These are all paperbacks. As I said somewhere else on this list, this is one of the best series ever, ever, ever! Well, I didn't say it that emphatically, but it's how I feel, and so do thousands of other fans including my own two daughters, who had a hard time persuading me to start reading them, but after I did, I vowed I'd always believe whatever recommendations they made. Except, perhaps, for Sci-Fi, and even then, I could possibly be persuaded! 3 Betsy-Tacy book sampler -- $5.00 for all 3. 3-book sampler of Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace, PBs in very good cond. Including: Betsy-Tacy And Tib with the cartoonish illustrations on the cover, Lois Lenski interior illus Betsy and Tacy Go voer the Big Hill with foreward by Judy Blume, pretty cover illus, Lenski interior Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown, with cartoonish cover illus and Lenski interior illus
Emily of Deep Valley (Maud Hart Lovelace) 1950. Vera Neville illustrations. This copy is a paperback with the keyhole portrait style cover, very pretty. And this is my favorite Deep Valley story -- it does include mentions of all the people from the Betsy-Tacy series, but it's a stand-alone story about a girl who graduates from high school with very little prospect of an interesting life ahead. But things happen! If by any chance you've missed this one, you will be very happy that you have found it! PB very good cond, $3.25
End of Betsy-Tacy books and other books by Maud Hart Lovelace
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Beany Malone and Belford family series by Lenora Mattingly Weber. OK, I'll say it again, this is one of my all-time favorite series, beginning when I was a high school girl myself. Correction -- there are NOT two "series of books," they're the stories of real people (aren't they?) who will never leave your mind once you've read all the books in the series. They are available in beautiful PB editions from Image Cascade, but most of us want to have the original HBs in our collections. There's just something about touching and owning "the real thing!" There are 2 series by Lenore Mattingly Weber, the Beany Malone (or Malone family) books, and the slightly later, slightly more edgy, Belford family (Katie Rose and Stacey) books. I hope you can take my word that these are just about the 2 best series in the world! I certainly hope to add more Beany books and Belford family books in the near future! Oh, did I mention that our current cat is named Beany? We must have known something, as she is the perfect cat to represent a girl who was loving and helpful, or undecided and moody, intelligent and very friendly, all at once. If there are no Weber books available, I certainly hope to have more at another time. Meet the Malones (Lenora Mattingly Weber) 1943. Illustrations by Gertrude Howe. First book in the Malone (or later "Beany Malone") series. Takes place during WWII when things were not easy for anyone, and the Malones have their own difficulties. But the tone is mainly very optimistic, especially wnen Beany takes over. Cover picture shows the family at that time -- Beany in pigtails, looking very young, Elizabeth ("Beautiful Elizabeth") with her adorable baby, Mary Fred looking as if she is thinking about Mr. Chips, the horse, and Johnny -- who can describe Johnny?? Ms Howe certainly did a good job on all of them. This book has great power to draw you in, and make you cry -- partly because it rings so true despite being over 70 years old. If you get a chance, read "Nonie," the biography of Lenora Mattinly Weber. You'll know these wonderful characters even better when you do! And remember not to get me started on the Malone series unless you have some free time! Meet the Malones -- HB former library rebound copy with printed picture cover, covered by a laser copy of the original dust jacket which was in wonderful condition. $9.00 Beany Has a Secret Life (Lenora Mattingly Weber) 1955. Might be one of my very favorite Webers. Certainly an important year in Beany's life, when she finally (?) said goodbye to unpredictable, demanding Norbett, and, as the dj blurb mentions, "got off on the wrong foot with her brand new stepmother." Introducing Andy Kern whom all of us Beany fans wish she had eventually married. And joins a secret organization, which was one of the dangerous things that maltshop authors of the day liked to rant against. Great Book!!!! HB Xlibrary, adorable DJ illustration of pensive Beany surrounded by some symbols of her life. $7.00 Happy Birthday, Dear Beany (Weber) 1957. Beany hadn't seen her birthday-twin, Miggs, for years, but she was sure they would still be best friends when Miggs moved back to town. Big surprise! But if you knew Beany, like I knew Beany, to mis-quote the old song, you'd know she would find a way to straighten things out. Berkley Highland pb edition, fair/good cond -- soiled but not terribly worn. $3.50 Don't Call me Katie Rose (Weber) 1964. Berkley Highland PB. Fairish to good condition, would be just plain good but former owner enhanced nearly everything on the cover with ink, I suppose she thought it was elegant! It's a very "elegant" story, one of my favorites. Katie Rose thinks her family and especially her name, are embarassing but starts to learn a valuable lesson about values. She meets "Miguel" who plays a huge part in this series. PB $2.50 How Long is Always? (Lenora Mattingly Weber) 1970 First printing. 6th of the 8 Belford Family books by Weber. Stacy finds a summer job driving a car for a ranch owner, and living on the ranch with him and his very unfriendly wife. Being Stacy, the unfriendliness really bothers her naturally friendly soul. But, also being Stacy, she has plenty of male attention, and gets very involved in the town's Centennial celebration. Another wonderful Belford family story, and actually some people think they are even betterthan the Malone series (I love them both too much to choose!) HB in fairly good condition, former library copy, with laser copy of the original -- very 1970s style DJ. Did people really have longer necks during that decade? $9.00. MORE SERIES BOOKS AHEAD! The Maida books are So Beautiful! By the way, the Maida series is just about my favorite series, along with Judy, Trixie, and Beany. Maida is different from any of the other series, and entirely loveable to me! The author is Inez Haynes Irwin. I would like to explain that some people just don't care for this series. Quite different from any other big series, it's about a group of children, probably aged about 12 to 14, who live together in a lovely environment and learn by doing things themselves (with expert adult supervision.) They are enthusiastic and cooperative, and it isn't until well into the series that they start to solve mysteries! After reading all the Maida books, I collected my observations about them, and realized that the overall idea behind the "school" system was that children learn through experiencing and experimenting. Don't worry, there isn't a single line of boring philosophy in the books. Outwardly they're stories of a group of really nice children, having fun and exploring their world. The latter books in the series are nearly impossible to find, or at least at prices that most of us can afford. Since I love the series myself, I do recommend that you try them. I'll TRY to list more Maida books in the future, but in the meantime, maybe you'll spot some and give them a try. Maida's Little Shop (Inez Haynes Irwin) The first book in the Maida series, this one is really a child's dream come true -- and a wonderful introduction to the rest of the series. Maida has been sickly with an un-named illness that really incapacitates her. Her father, a very rich man, says he'll do anything to help cure her, and whether he regrets this promise or not, he says "Sure I will!" when Maida asks him to buy her the little store and let her run it. There is a little apartment upstairs, where she and her nurse/servant live, and a school down the road where the children flock to her shop to spend their pennies on snacks and toys. There is another crippled child among them, and he and Maida help each other to miraculous recoveries. An entirely satisfying story and the basis for a long and fascinating series of books. Hardcover in the attractive "Polka Dot" edition, with matching dust jacket and end papers. There are 2 copies available, one former library copy in very good condition with laser copy of the original DJ, this one is $5.00 The other copy of Maida's Little Shop is a personally-owned copy with a "real" dust jacket, all in near-new condition. This one is $6.00
Here's a somewhat recent edition of Maida's Little Camp. Exactly the same text, a
different format and dust jacket picture. In this one, the children are sitting
indoors, around a blazing fireplace, with an interior decor that reminds me of
Adirondack camps that I love to look at and wish I could own! There are fine
details, one is reading a map, one a book, one is sketching, and someone has just
put down some knitting. There is a window looking out at a rustic scene. Thinner
book in fairly good cond, map endpapers, laser copy DJ. $7.00
MORE SERIES BOOKS AHEAD!!! Me and My Little Brain (John D. Fitzgerald) 1971. The Great Brain books are clever, funny, and very popular -- set in the 1880s and featuring a boy who can put something over on nearly everyone -- especially his younger brother. And this volume features the brother, who isn't as crafty as Tom, but has his own talents! HB, with a good DJ, $3.00 Ethel Morton at Rose House (Mabell S. C. Smith) 1915 Ethel Morton and her cousin Ethel Morton (honestly!) live together and look nearly identical. The interesting thing about this series is that each book teaches you some useful things like cooking, child care, carpentry, home decor and stencilling. Yep, including diagrams and recipes or whatever you're learning. A group of friends, like the Bob-Whites, help various deserving causes. In this one, they refurbish Rose House, while taking a fling at fund-raising to help bring under-privileged city kids to the country. Smallish hb with very pretty DJ cover. Book and DJ in fairly good condition. $3.50 Ethel Morton's Holidays (Mabell S. C. Smith) 1914. This one has everything! A Belgian baby being sent for the group to rescue from the bad political situation (yep, a baby on request for a bunch of young girls to care for! -- OK, with the help of a nanny.) And lots of holidays from Halloween to 4th of July. Hints and instructions for celebrating, as well as a good overall story. HB World publication, with good laser DJ. $5.00 Ethel Morton at Sweetbrier Lodge (by Mabell S. C. Smith) 1915.Also sometimes is spelled Sweet Brier Lodge. In this volume the club members re-decorate a house, as Girls' Series Companion says "From rugs to garden furniture." If you are interested in interior decorating in authentic early 20th century style, you'll learn a lot while enjoying this book! Quite a few diagrams and illustrations, as well as a good story. And some menu suggestions, even. Small HB (World Syndicate Publishing Company) in the usual moderate cond of these little volumes. DJ with wear at the top and bottom of the spine, otherwise good. $5.00
Lots of books by Catherine Woolley, who was one of my very favorite authors!
She died only a few years ago, after living to be 100 years old! One whole issue
of Whispered Watchword was dedicated to her, with many very loving reviews of her
books (some written by me because I love her books so much!) Now you can read some
Woolleys to honor her along with people on Cape Cod, who all celebrated her
birthday at the time!!!)
All the Ginnie and all the Cathy, Ginnie and Libby series go on my best-loved lists!
And here's a book from THE CATHY LEONARD series!
A Room for Cathy (Woolley) 1956. A hugely favorite book! Cathy and her family move
to a new home where she gets her own bedroom for the first time. Then -- well,
you can discover what happens with her wonderful new privacy! In the end, things
turn out very much better than she had feared! PB in very good condition. $2.00
You should look for books from the LIBBY WARREN series by Woolley (I hope I'll
have some of them for sale again sometime soon!) There are four books in the Libby
series, each one including a mystery for her to solve, as well as lots of fun,
friends and great settings, including Cape Cod. I think maybe the Libby
series are my favorite Woolley books. She's a bit sophisticated (originally
lives in New York city) and the mysteries are a tiny bit more edgy and
slightly more dangerous than the mysteries in the Cathy or Ginnie books.
Wonderful fun!
Here are some GINNIE FELLOWS books by Catherine Woolley. This is Woolley's
longest series (10 books) and probably her most popular. Sweet, family stories,
simple problems, loveable characters. Good reading for kids and their parents
and grandparents (I read these books during each of these periods of my life,
and loved them every time.)
Ginnie's Baby-sitting business, which is the paperback edition of Ginnie and her Juniors.
(Catherine Woolley) When Ginnie starts a day nursery, what could possibly go wrong? Soon enough, you and she find out! fairish condition. $1.25
YES, EVEN MORE SERIES BOOKS AHEAD!!!
CHERRY AMES -- the most popular nurse series ever printed, a nurse with 1,000 specialties,
all of them interesting and romantic -- and connected with fascinating myseries! I'll
try to have more books in this series very soon!
Did you know that you could buy 4-book boxed sets of new hardcover reprints of Cherry
Ames books? They are very close to the originals (but not close enough to fool us!)
The printed picture covers have the same picture as the vintage copies, maybe a
bit more glossy. The texts of the books, as far as I could tell, are precisely the
same as the originals. The set that I have for sale includes the first 4 books in
the series -- Student, Senior, Army, and Chief Nurse. The books are in wonderful
condition (a few pages are creased, but other than that, they look like new.) The
slipcase is red, with a gold picture of Cherry in her cap, on both sides. The back
of the box, the side that shows when it's in a bookcase, has the same picture, but
smaller, with the title and Volumes 1-4 printed on it. Slipcase with 4 hardcover
reproduction Cherry Ames books -- $12.00
Cherry Ames #2, Senior Nurse. The beautiful cover picture of Cherry in her cap and
cape, the story of her 2nd year in training. Good condition, a few slight flaws,
but a good, solid, attractive copy! $3.00
Cherry Ames #3, Army Nurse. Cherry and her whole graduating class join the Army Nurse
Corps, during WWII. They go through basic training, and have to face a lot of
things they never dreamed of in the protected world of nursing school. And of
course they run up against a mystery, even in wartime. Red cover, fairly good
condition, perfectly good for reading! $2.00 Cherry Ames, Veterans' Nurse -- back home, war is over, but there are still many patients to help. And even for an Army nurse, sometimes it's hard to make the adjustment to being home and safe. Interesting book. In fairly good condition, but worn along the edges and corners of the cover. $3.00
Cherry Ames #7, Private Duty Nurse . Cherry's first job after her years in the Army.
Cherry's patient is a pianist who has heart problems -- and some worse problems --
which are the basis of the mystery in this story. Good one, especially for a
musician! HB, pretty good condition, nice copy of my good dust jacket. $5.00 Cherry Ames, Visiting Nurse. #8 in the series, 1947. This is one of my favorites in the series! The gang from nursing school get back together in NY City and work in the slums (not that they're called that, but it's implied.) So, how come mysterious things keep happening? That's our Cherry Ames! HB, fair/good cond (very firm binding and well-bound pages, but there are some worn spots around the edges of the cover.) $2.50
Cherry Ames #10, At Spencer. After the war, Cherry goes back to work at the hospital
where she trained. It's always been a good place, especially for mysteries. The cover
picture is of a darling little girl in a wheelchair, with of course a very handsome
doctor aiding Cherry in taking care of her. Picture Cover edition, in excellent
condition, $5.00
Cherry Ames #11, Night Supervisor. Dr Joe assures Cherry that by the end of this
assignment, she'll be able to qualify as an obstetrical nurse, as most babies
are born during the night. This hospital is in a poor, rural community, but it
has a very modern hospital, so Cherry feels she's fortunate to get the job. But
before she has a chance to deliver one baby, she is immersed in another mystery --
what a surprise! HB in fairly good condition, with a laser copy of our nice dust
jacket, showing Cherry trying to help an obviously reluctant patient. Makes you
wonder if he's the first man ever to resist Cherry's charming personality and
appearance? HB, Laser copy DJ, nice-looking $6.00
Cherry Ames #12, Mountaineer Nurse. Cherry's next job takes her to Appalachia, where
she is appalled at some of the sad conditions she runs into -- as well as being
impressed with some of the wonderful people she meets. Cover picture shows Cherry
waving at a little waif in the dirt yard around a saggy cabin, chickens running
all over, but a beautiful background of hills and trees. I'm pretty sure you
will love this story, really different and touching. The book is in very good
condition except for a very small piece missing from the top of the spine. This
doesn't affect the picture cover or the words on the spine at all. Quite a good
copy overall. $4.00
Cherry Ames #15, Rest Home Nurse. Several interesting intertwined plots, very
fascinating story, and -- who is that good-looking older man that Cherry is waving
so happily at, on the cover picture? How does she do it, finding a man to date
in every one of her stories? This aspect of the stories might well have led a few
teen girls to take up nurse training. Book in generally good condition, wear at
the corners and a crease down the spine, but tight and clean otherwise. $4.00
Cherry Ames #17, Boarding School nurse. For me, this is an especially appealing story.
I guess we series-book people always love a boarding school story -- add a nurse and
a mystery to the mix, and we couldn't be happier. Nice picture cover showing Cherry
and a tennis-playing student, smiling up at a young man in bow tie and happy
face, who is running towards them under the fall leaves. By the way, how do you
feel about perfume? HB with PC, good cond except for some wear around the edges of
the cover. $5.00
Cherry Ames #19, Camp Nurse. I'm re-reading this book right now, and remembering how
much I have always liked it. All the camp fun (hikes, crafts, swimming, and of
course dances with the boys' camp across the lake) and a serious mystery. Plus the
first-aid and nursing that Cherry does so well. This tweed-covered copy is in
pretty good condition, except for a mended spine. $4.00
Cherry Ames #19, Boarding School Nurse with a printed picture cover. Cherry and one
of her campers, with - you guessed it -- a good-looking buy running toward them
with his hat raised on high! Wearing a bow-tie, no less! Fairly good condition,
a bit of roughness along the spine and at the corners. $6.00
Paperback Cherry Ames book, The Case of the Dangerous Remedy . This pb format gives
the books new titles and numbers. The original title of this one is Cherry Ames,
Rural Nurse. The amended title has more pep, and really describes the plot more
accurately -- fascinating story! The original is #22 in the series. PB Cherry, $3.00
Another format for Cherry Ames books -- a small hardcover with a romantic picture cover,
I think it's a library rebound copy of a small paperback. Originally this book was
called Cherry Ames, Island Nurse, and was #21, Island Nurse. A good way to get to
read this fairly scarce number in the Cherry Series. $3.00
END OF CHERRY AMES BOOKS. OTHER SERIES BOOKS BELOW!
BOOKS BY HARRIET PYNE GROVE -- unlikely name, and I've heard that it wasn't even
a pen name! She did write very good stories. I especially like them because they
are the attractive, thick Saalfield editions with colorful dust jackets. Some
of the different books have the very same DJ pictures, some have their own. I
guess in the 1930s, publishers like everyone else did what they could to keep
prices low and attract the few dollars that were around. I can't really promise
that there will be more of these good books on my list very soon, but I will
promise that I'll do my best. She also wrote the Betty Lee series of books. The S. P. Mystery (Harrieet Pyne Grove) 1930. Once in a while, I warn readers not to read the front DJ flap because it tells far too much about the plot -- this is certainly one of those! But I will tellyou that it's about a group of girls who are given the use of a lake-side cottage for the summmer because they did so well at school the previous year. If that isn't enough to attract you to this book, I don't know what else would! Lots of vicarious fun for all of us! Add a mystery, add a chance to help someone less fortunate (that kind of thing always made books more appealing to adults of the day) and just enjoy this story. The book is old, but sturdy and clean with a printed picture cover and a nice frontispiece picture. And I've added a copy of our original DJ, which unfortunately was bigger than this edition, but still looks very good. You can cut it down or leave it as is. HB, good cond, LDJ, $5.00
The Amy And Laura series by Marilyn Sachs is aimed at a younger reader than the
Maltshop books, but they appeal to the same audience of adults. 2 sisters move to a new
apartment in NY, and deal with a number of problems, including a mother who has to spend
a long period in a hospital, being the new kid on the block, and a bad bully. But there
are wonderful, nostalgic scenes of jumprope rhymes, school adventures, pets, lots of
family scenes. Laura's Luck is a camp story -- always popular! If you like the same
books that I do, I can almost guarantee that you will like these books very much. I'll
try to have more Amy and Laura books soon!
Amy and Laura (Sachs) 1966. Their mother had a terrible accident, but now she's home,
in a wheelchair, and everyone's waiting on her and being quiet and good. The girls'
aunt takes care of them, and she just isn't Mother. The girls are at sword's point,
but they can't fight it out. PB, good condition, $2.00
The Meadow-Brook girls series is an early outdoors-adventure series, based in New
Hampshire (I think it's the only relatively major series that is mainly set in New
England.) Enjoyable in the mould of the first few Ruth Fieldings or the Outdoors
Girls. I hope to have more from this series, quite soon.
Meadow-Brook (or sometimes spelled Meadow Brook) Girls Afloat by Janet Aldridge. 1913.
Sub-titled The Stormy Cruise of the Red Rover. This copy has a revised dust jacket
picture since the girl looks more like the 1930s than 25 years previous to that time.
But the exciting story is the same as the original! Book is in fairly good condition
for its age and the cheap Depression-era edition. The Dust jacket has some wear
at the extremities, but it's all there except for the corners and the top and bottom
of the spine. Fairly nice package! Ads for other series on back and flaps of the DJ.
I always like to see those, as they give me just a few more things that I "need" to
find! HB, DJ, #3.50 Another copy of Meadow-Brook Girls Afloat, in laser repro dust jacket, everything in very nice condition. $3.00 Meadow-brook Girls on the Tennis Courts subtitled Winning Out in the Big Tournament. (Aldridge)1914. Well, you know that it won't be just a simple tennis game with these girls involved! Intrigue, mystery, fun and games. This copy of the book is in better condition than many of these old series books. Tight binding, just a tiny hole through the edges of a few pages. This is #6, the last book in the series. $3.50
LOTS MORE SERIES BOOKS!
Kim Aldrich series -- There are 4 books in this series, written for somewhat older
readers than a lot of our books, but certainly within the teen years. The Girls'
Series Companion compares them somewhat to Nancy Drew Files, but I like them better.
Kim Aldrich Mystery -- Miscalculated Risk (Jinny McDonell) 1972. First paragraph --
"Some people are accident -prone, Kim, but so help me, you're adventure-prone"
said by her father. They were going to have a nice, quiet day, but you know how
seldom that happens to girl sleuths! Cover shows Kim in her wet suit. HB, picture
cover, good condition, $3.00 (2 copies available)
Ruth Fielding series. Ruth starts out as a motherless girl, just like Patti
Fairfield and a lot of other old series heroines! But she goes in a different
direction, after the first few books full of rollicking adventures in boarding
school, in the north woods, and at the shore. In later books of this very
long series, she becomes a career girl, role model for feminists, and pre-
courser of Nancy Drew and other series females. Yet, she keeps her
femininity, and eventually even marries (take notice, Nancy!) I've enjoyed
all the Ruths that I've read, from beginning to end. I'll add books about Ruth when
I find them for you!
Ruth Fielding at Briarwood Hall, or Solving the Campus Mystery. #2 in the series.
Ruth gets a chance to go to boarding school, don't they all? And how do all the
series book girls get so lucky that their boarding schools provide them with
exciting mysteries? I never went to boarding school, but did live in college dorms
for 4 years, and the only mystery I ever ran into was how to pass a few of the
hardest exams. This is far from the only mystery that Ruth will ever solve, as
she finds them everywhere -- and solves them handily! HB in the usual vintage-book
condition, with a copy of our pretty-good DJ, showing a lovely Ruth in nautical
attire, sitting prettily under a tree by a stream, with a book in her lap. She
won't pass those exams if she doesn't pay more attention to that book!
HB, LDJ, $5.00
Ruth Fielding at Snow Camp, subtitled Lost in the Backwoods, 1913. Ruth #3. Don't you
love to sit in your cozy. warm house and read about people lost in the snowy forests?
Or cringing in cabins while the blizzard roars around them? The book is in moderate
condition (worn corners and edges, pages slightly loose, but everything holding
together OK. Brown but clean pages.) Covered by a laser copy of the original DJ,
which was in fair condition itself, but the LDJs always look better than the
originals because they don't have any tears or holes! Front cover picture intact,
5/6ths of the original spine is showing. $5.00
Ruth Fielding #7. Subtitled What Became of the Rabe Orphans. This is quite a yarn! I was actually glued to the story. Orphans can do that to you! Whole group spends the summer at the farm of one of the chums, and never too far from the boys who like them! Fair cond, not too bad. $3.00
Ruth Fielding #8 And the Gypsies, subtitled The Missing Pearl Necklace. More adventures
than most of us meet in a lifetime, all in one book! A pivotal story because it
tells of the circumstances that allow Ruth to start in the movie business. HB
in good cond, with a laser copy of our beautiful multi-pictoral dust jacket. $5.50 Ruth Fielding in the Red Cross --#13. Subtitled "Doing her Best for Uncle Sam." Fair condition. Would be "good" but the back cover has some stains on it. Firm binding and clean pages. Nice frontispiece picture of Ruth and friend in nurse uniforms. $3.50
Ruth Fielding #18, On the St. Lawrence Subtitled, The Queer Old man of the Thousand
Islands (shades of Judy Bolton!) 1922. Book in good condition, with a very good
("real") DJ, multi-pic style. $8.50
Ruth Fielding Treasure Hunting -- #19 in the series 1923. Good condition book, nice
looking repro dust jacket. Ruth and own her newly organized motion picture company,
head for the Bahamas, where of course they are plagued with problems including a
hurricane. Like true troupers, they turn the bad luck into good! HB, LDJ, $7.00 Ruth Fielding at Golden Pass, Or The perils of an Artificial Avalanche. It's not hard to believe that sub-title -- imagine even thinking of building an artificial avalanche for your movie! This book is OLD, but firmly bound and square-cornered. There is a dust jacket, in fair condition but it has a good front cover and is protected with a mylar DJ cover. Golden Pass is #21 in the series. HB with DJ, $5.00
Ruth And Her Great Scenario -- #23 in the series, 1927. This one is getting right up
there near the end of the series! This one is especially appealing to me since it
takes place on the Maine coast! Book in fair condition, with loose hinges, but it's
all there and holding together. Laser copy of the original(older style) DJ. $7.00
End of Ruth Fielding books.
OTHER SERIES BOOKS HERE --
Betty Gordon series -- Betty was a penniless orphan, staying with horrid guardians
who also had young Bob working for them, and they treated him terribly. Betty and
Bob eventually find a much happier home with her uncle, who owns oil wells and
takes them all around the country where they help him out by solving mysteries.
This series is similar to the Ruth Fielding books in appearance as well as age,
and a little like it in plot. I'd love to have more Betty G books soon!
Betty Gordon in Washington ((Alice Emerson) 1920. 2nd book in the series. Betty
and Bob both run away from the cruel farmer who is mistreating them and also his
livestock. They find a safe place to stay, but still want to find their own
relatives. One adventure after another. HB in very nice condition. $4.00
Betty Gordon at Mountain Camp (Alice B. Emerson) 1922. 5th book in series. All
kinds of coincidences and adventures, a beautiful spot for camping, a missing
gold locket, and best of all, a pennyless young woman who needs the help of
the wealthy, generous Betty and her friends. HB in surprisingly good condition,
with a laser copy of our beautiful dust jacket -- one of the most romantic
scenes I remember on any series book. $5.00
Jean Craig series by Kay Lyttleton. This 5-book series is actually about the
whole Craig family, and a lot of their friends. Jean features prominently,
but all the rest of the family is part of each book. Fairly recent dates,
but the books are re-runs of an earlier series, Greenacres. Only the names
have been changed to protect the plagerist or at least borrower. Very
entertaining, whatever the story may be! Look for Jean Craig books on a
future list! Jean Craig in New York (Kay Littleton) This copy is in pretty good condition, with a dust jacket in moderately good condition. In other words, it's used but still is all there and perfectly readable. Pretty picture of Jean on the cover! HB with DJ, $2.00
Here is the whole series of Jean Craig books! There are 5 books, published by the
World company, and called Falcon books (Just to identify this format, since
they do come in at least 2 different formats.) Each book has a different color
of striped background, and a square picture on the front. The books are in
good condition, with some wear along the spines. Nice set! $17.00 for all 5.
The books in this set are:
Jean Craig Grows up
Jean Craig in New York
Jean Craig Finds Romance
jean Craig, Nurse
Jean Craig, Graduate Nurse
MORE SERIES BOOKS! Billie Bradley Series by Janet D. Wheeler. Between 1920 and 1932. There are 9 books in this series, which take place in suburban NY state, probably not terribly far from Trixie and the Bob-Whites, and they also follow the adventures and mystery-solving of a group of young people. These books are green, with a printed picture of Bilie (and you understand that this is a GIRL named Billie?) in darker green. PATTY FAIRFIELD series. Patty starts out as a motherless girl who stays with various relatives, and is a simple, sweet young thing. She soon becomes acquanited with life in the lap of luxury, and you can visit her there in the many books in this series. Descriptions of parties, costumes, mansions, travels, decorations -- I've never read of more opulant settings! Of course there are adventures and mysteries, friendships, and romances. Patty ends up married in the end of the series. Due to their original good quality, they are sometimes found in fairly good condition, considering their extreme age! Interesting series. I'll add more Patti books as soon as I can, in the meantime, try to find them yourself, I'm sure you'll enjoy reading these extravagant stories! Author -- Carolyn Wells. I will list more books in the Patty Fairfield series as soon as possible. Also by Carolyn Wells (a very prolific author, if that's her real name) is the Marjorie Maynard series. This is aimed at younger readers than some of our favorite series, but much more fun to read than some of the younger-kid series! This one is about a family with 4 kids who love to do things together. No twins -- this isn't about the Bobbseys, though the time is just about right for the beginning of that series. They're a lively bunch "The fundamental principle of Mr. and Mrs. Maynard's training was common-sense, and this, added to deep parental love, made their discipline both wise and kind." But they get into all kinds of scrapes, anyway, while having a great old time together. I believe these books are written for kids between the Bobbsey Twins' age, and the teens. They are 240 to 280 pages long. Frontispiece, but no internal illustrations. I will be listing more Marjorie books from these and other of her series, as soon as I possibly can. Marjorie's New Friend (Carolyn Wells) 1909. 3rd book in the series. New friend starts out on the wrong foot, but eventually everything evens out. The interesting thing about this book is the way that you learn how serious the precautions, quarantines and laws are, when someone in a household has diptheria. Fairly good condition, $3.50 Marjorie in Command (Wells) 1910. 4th book in series. Marjorie is 12 when her parents leave her (sort-of) in charge of the other 3 children while the parents take a long trip. The older lady who is actually in charge, finds this a very peculiar arrangement, and indeed, there are amazing adventures. HB, moderately good condition, with a laser copy of the original DJ showing Marjorie next to the gatepost, with a lovely house in the background. $3.50 Marjorie's Maytime (Wells) 1911. 5th in the series. All kinds of early-summer, late spring activities for the family! In case you think the books in this series are short because they're about some fairly young children, think again! This one has 241 pages, and is full of nice descriptions of pleasant places, exciting little adventures, family happenings. HB, old but holding its own! $2.00 (2 copies available?) Marjorie's Maytime with a beautiful DJ! The picture shows 3 girls dressed in the lovely long white dresses that girls wore in those days, having a picnic in a flowery glade amid trees and vistas. The colors are sepia or mauve, so I'm not sure if this is how they originally were, but it makes a lovely atmosphere. Book in very good condition, with laser copy of original DJ. $5.00 Another series by Carolyn Wells was (is) Two Little Women There are 3 books in this series, from 1915, '16 and '17. New neighbor moves in, the 2 girls dislike each other then become BBFs (is that the right term? You know, they are inseparable!) About 15 years old at beginning of series. Never a dull moment! Two Little Women (Carolyn Wells) 1915. They meet, have a few difficult moments, a few broken bones, and then some great vacations! First book in the series. HB, pretty good cond for its old age, mostly nice clean pages and firm binding. $2.50 MORE FASCINATING SERIES BOOKS! Peggy Stewart is a series that takes place in the Anapolis area, where Peggy is a naval officer's daughter, and later, at a private school. The description describes
the setting as "an old southern estate." There are 3 books in the series, all have
the same picture on the cover, Peggy looking serious and dressy, sitting down -- in
a carriage? with a cane or whip in hand. You'll read about rich girls and fancy
parties and homes, while you'll have to have a tolerance for southern attitudes of
a century ago, and occasional dialect. Certainly they are period-pieces and enjoyable
as such These books appeal to me especially, since my mother's first and middle name
were Peggy (or Margaret) Stewart. I'll try to have more Peggy Stewart books soon.
Peggy Stewart at Home IGabrielle E. Jackson) 1920. Fairly good condition book (pages
are age-browned, or I'd drop the "fairly" and call it "good.") Has a laser copy of
our good dust jacket as described above. $4.00 Trixie Belden and the Mysterious code (Kenny) #7 in series. 1962. The school board has banned secret clubs in the schools, and they're calling for the end of the Bob-Whites! Trixie can't let this happen, not while there are mysteries to be solved and people to help. Small HB Whitman edition, good cond. $3.00
Ginny Gordon Mysteries (by Julie Campbell, hooray, a Trixie author!)
Ginny is another Schoolgirl Sleuth, part of a group like Trixie's Bob-whites,
called The Hustlers. They are always looking for ways to make money, and run into
plenty of mysteries while doing so. Some of their ventures include a "swap shop"
which you might term a sort of antiques or highclass thrift shop, a snack shop,
and a used book booth. I'll add more Ginny Gordons as soon as I find them!
Very nice copy of Ginny Gordon and the Disappearing Candlesticks, with a laser copy of our dust jacket (which wraps around the back, too) showing Ginny and her friend, waling bikes, approaching a very creepy old shack. Nice vintage clothes and hair! And did I mention that the series was written by Julie Campbell, who wrote a lot of the Trixie Belden books? Book with LDJ, $4.50 HERE ARE MORE SERIES BOOKS -- some excellent reading!!!
"The Mexican Mysteries" series is about 3 American girls (main character is Jo Anne)
who spend their summers in Mexico, helping people and having rather wild adventures.
A really great series, I only discovered it a few years ago, but loved it immediately.
These are beautiful books, in the thick Saalfield formats, with rather brittle pages,
but good sturdy bindings. I'll try to have more Mexican Mysteries (by Randolph) soon.
Peggy Lane Theater Series By Virginia Hughes. These books are to a theater
career what the Vicki Barrs are to stewardess career, or the Connie Blairs are
to an advertising career. The books even look the same as those series, with similar
attractive picture covers. The books all look good, they are almost always in very good
condition, standing up well over the years. They're the story of a young girl who
starts out in her career, and enjoys a variety of theatrical experiences as she
advances in the theater world. As in almost all series books, there are mild
mysteries in all the books. Series book collectors need to have these interesting
and attractive books on their shelves! Of course, they're especially fun to read
if you're interested in the theater. But they're entertaining even if you aren't
a theater fanatic! I'll add Peggy Lane books when I have more of them. Peggy On the Road (Peggy Lane #4) 1963. There's even a mystery in this theater story! HB with printed picture cover, is in good condition. One of the things I like about these stories is the fashions. Not what I think of as clothes even semi-stars of the stage might wear now. Subdued and "simple but expensive" (what a cliche!!)Nice! $5.50
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE ARE STILL MORE SERIES BOOKS TO GO!
The BEVERLY GRAY series is fabulous! It's a long series that was
popular from the 30s through the 50s, and is still very much read,
especially by subscribers to Susabella Passengers and Friends magazine. Beverly Gray, freshman (Clair Blank) 1934. Nice condition book with a dust jacket that has been through some traumas, but is still dramatic -- the dorm is on fire and Bev is rescuing her dorm-mates! My mother was in college at that time, and much as she loved her college years, she never had a tenth the adventures that Beverly and her friends experienced -- and lived to tell the tale! HB, DJ, $6.50 Beverly Gray, Freshman (Clair Blank) 1934. This copy is somewhat worn, but mostly right along the edges of the cover. Otherwise, nice looking, and very firm. No dust jacket but a cameo picture of Beverly on the front cover. $2.50 Beverly Gray Sophomore (Blank) 1934. Blue tweedy jacket, somewhat worn around the edges, but not bad at all! The pages are clean and bright except for 2 pages at the very end of the book, which has some stains (fell into a puddle?)that don't cover the words of the text at all. The only other oddity is that apparently someone didn't want anyone to know the name of the previous owner, so a piece of the first inside front page, is very neatly cut out. Nowhere near any of the words or pictures, but I thought you might want to know.$2.50 Beverly Gray's Scoop #7 in the new numbering, Clover picture-cover edition. Very good condition. #4.00
Beverly Gray's Challenge -- #15 in the G&D system of counting these books. Don't
worry about the numbers! Just look for titles that you don't have, and enjoy
the books in or out of order. Nice Montana ranch setting. Green cover. $3.00 Beverly Gray's Assignment (Clair Blank) #17 in the series. This is a Clover edition, with printed picture covre showing Bev and another girl in a rowboat, trying to decipher what is no doubt a treasure map! Very nice copy with the only flaw that I can see is the uniform-color age-related uniform yellowing (or browning?) of all the pages. This happens to a huge percent of all old books, and has no bad effect at all on the enjoyment of the story. Former owner's name and address is inside front cover. A very nice copy! #3.50 Beverly Gray's mystery -- #18. Very nice blue tweed copy, clean, tightly bound, cover is almost perfect, inside there is a bookplate (cute) from the former owner, otherwise very clean inside. $3.50
Beverly Gray's Surprise (#26, final book in the series.) Yet another exciting
and dangerous adventure for Bev. Very interesting picture on the cover of this
Clover Edition. Bev on a horse somewhere up the side of a mountain, looking
down on a valley where a Land Rover and a cute teardrop trailer are parked.
HB, PC, $4.00
We will try to list more Beverly Gray books soon -- they've been very popular!
MORE SERIES BOOKS RIGHT HERE!
Dorothy Dixon Series is about a very adventurous 16-year-old who gets her pilot's
license and flies around solving mysteries and rescuing people, little things like
that! There are 4 books in the series (and a phantom title) all from 1933. They were
cheap books to start with, and pretty much always have brown, slightly brittle,
pages. I will try to have more Dorothy Dixon books very soon!
Dorothy Dixon Wins her Wings (Wayne) 1933. That's just what happens -- she learns to
fly after she meets "the famous Bill Bolton" (who happens to have his own series
of books.) And of course she doesn't escape danger and adventure even in this
first book in the series. Book in good condition, with a copy of our very nice
laser dust jacket showing a scene that shows how very dangerous and thrilling
her adventures might end up being! $4.00
Shabby but readable copy of Dorothy D wins her wings, $1.00
Dorothy Dixon Solves the Conway Case (Dorothy Wayne) 1933. Fairly good book in a
good DJ, altogether a nice presentation. $4.00 (2 copies)
Dorothy Dixon and the Mystery Plane (Wayne) 1933. The book is somewhat worn, but it
DOES have at least 95% of a dust jacket, and looks pretty nice. $4.00 Dorothy Dixon and the Mystery Plane -- pretty good copy with a pretty good DJ! $5.00
Dorothy Dixon and the Double Cousin (Dorothy Wayne) 1933, last of the 4 books in the
series. book in the usual condition -- brown-toned and brittle pages, binding a bit
loose, perfectly readable and attractive with the laser copy Dust jacket. $4.50
A series of 3 books about a pony, written by Henry Larom -- all attractive small
Scholastic editions with interesting cover pictures, moderately good condition.
Mountain Pony
Mountain Pony and the Pinto Colt
Mountain Pony and the Rodeo Mystery
3 Mountain Pony books for $5.00
Nurses Three is a short (7 books) but very good hardcover nurse series. There are 3
sisters, all nurses, all daughters of a famous doctor that they seem to want to live
up to. The 3 girls have different personalities and interests, and each one has a
couple of books all to herself. A unique idea for a series, and quite wonderful!
The books have attractive picture covers, in a different color for each of the girls.
Written by Jean Kirby. Each has several nice internal illustrations.
If there aren't any Nurses Three books here, I hope to have more to offer soon!
A Career for Kelly -- Nurses Three, a Kelly Scott Story (Jean Kirby) 1963. First book
in the series, first sister to go out on her own. Mild mystery, career. Very nice
picture cover, front and back. Good condition. I get a kick out of the various
original 1961 price tags on the covers. Your 2013 price -- $6.00
First Assignment -- Nurses Three, a Penny Scott Story. Nursing, solving mysteries,
a very interesting setting in the Ozark wilderness, and of course, always trying
to prove to Dad that she has what it takes to be a devoted nurse. HB with happy
nurse in uniform on the picture cover -- all in excellent condition. $6.00
Tracy's Little People, a Tracy Scott Story. 1965. A new job at Children's Hospital,
and some very difficult new challenges, one of which starts in the very first
chapter. She loves the children, and wants to be the best nurse she can be, but
it's sometimes hard! Wonderful story, beautiful book with a nice picture cover
showing Tracy caring for a young patient on a hospital bed. HB, PC, very good
condition, $6.00 Another copy of Tracy's Little People, a new job at Children's Hospital and some very difficult new challenges, one of which starts in the very first chapter. she loves the children and wants to be the best nurse she can be, but it's sometimes hard! Wonderful story, book is in good condition, inside binding has been re-enforced. $4.00 Nurses Three: Olympic Duty, A Penny Scott Story. Beautiful copy with a girl skiing on the cover, multiple pictures on the back cover. last book in the series. $7.00
STILL MORE SERIES BOOKS!
Polly series by Lillian E. Roy. Mostly with light blue covers.
The Polly series tells about a girl who started out on a ranch in the southwest,
and really loves her life there. The first 2 books are set on the ranch.
Many adventures, and a bit of romance. After that, Polly goes out into the
big world, and is very successful in every way, but of course it never
changes her sweet nature! In a later book that I don't have for sale, she
goes back to the ranch for a while, and then sets off for fantastic trips and
adventures. Romance intrudes, but as in all of these very old series, it's
very mild and treated a bit humorously. Eventually, she marries. This is a
fairly long series, and worth collecting and reading. I'll try to list more Polly
books very soon!
Kathy Martin nurse series. Kathy Martin books are like slightly more modern Sue
Barton or Cherry Ames. A long and very interesting nurse-mystery series.)
They were written by Josephine James, starting in 1959. Kathy has a very interesting
family, who live on an apple farm in California, she has a nice boyfriend (but just
can't make up her mind to marry him!) and she is just as good as Cherry Ames at
nursing and finding mysteries to solve. All the books have attractive picture covers,
and are Golden Press HB editions to match several other popular series that you
probably already have in your collection. I certainly hope to have more Kathy
Martin books in the future. A really good series, you should try it! One of the good
things about it is that there are 13 books in the series, so you won't run out of them
in a hurry! I hope to have more Kathy Martin books very soon! Assignment in Alaska -- Kathy Martin #5. Excellent condition -- exotic setting in 1961! $5.00
A big lot of Anastasia Krupnik books by Lois Lowry. What good books! Anastasia's a
smart, sassy, inventive girl with an interesting family and a ton of clever ideas!
This lot includes books about Anastasia and some about her much younger brother,
Sam, who is as interesting as she is. And I won't even start in on her family!
If you're like me, you'll read through this set of 5 books and set out to find
the rest of the Anastsia books in a hurry! Three of these are former library books,
2 are personal copies that are pretty close to new. All of the books have dust jackets.
The books in this lot are:
Anastasia Again
Anastasia At Your Service
Anastasia's Chosen Career
Anastasia At this address
Zooman Sam
5 books about Anastasia and her family -- $8.00
MORE SERIES BOOKS AHEAD!
Sue Barton Nurse stories! In my opinion, this is the best of all the nurse series. Yes, they
are outdated as far as the nursing techniques and information, but the human interest is
exceptional, and the writing is beautiful. If you read them in order, there's no other
series that keeps your interest as compellingly as this one, unless it's Beany Malone.
One of the things I like best about this series, is that lots of the books take place in
New Hampshire. I'd like to promise that I'll have more Sue Barton books soon, but that's
a hard promise to keep. I'll certainly try! Here's a Set -- Sue Barton Student Nurse and Sue Barton Senior Nurse. These are what I think are the original dust jacket pictures, done by Major Felten and showing Sue as a rather mature-looking and sort of stiffly proper red-haired young lady in front of a brick building. Don't worry, she wasn't all that stiff or proper, she was quite a peppy student and full of adventure. These 2 hardcovers have both been much-loved by prospective hursing students, but everything is there, including a pretty good dust jacket on each book. Set of two Sue Barton books in DJs -- $8.50 Sue Barton, Rural Nurse (Helen Dore Boylston) 1939 and many re-printings. This is a Scholastic Book service edition. The wedding is imminent when the groom's father dies, and Bill has to go back home to help his mother. Wedding is postponed, Sue moves to New hampshire(are any other vintage series set in NH??) to start her career. Of course all kinds of things -- good and disasterous -- happen and all of them need a nurse to cope. Interesting and different nurse story, I've read it many times and I'm not tired of it! PB pretty good cond. $3.00 Sue Barton, Visiting Nurse 1938. Fair (?) condition but all there for you to read until a better copy comes along. Sue and her classmates work as visiting nurses in NY City -- and encounter a ghost. Sort of. $1.50
Timber Trail Riders. Timber Trail is a horse farm, and there are both boys and girls
in the riding club. I only started collecting this series recently, but I do
enjoy them and want to share them with my friends. They were cheaply made and
cheaply bound, so they're never in excellent condition, but they have very
attractive picture covers, and well-illustrated interiors. Whitman "cellophane"
style. I'll try to include some more Timber Trail Riders books as soon as I can.
Complete set of 5 Timber Trail Riders books! These are in fairly good condition,
better than you usually find them. Each one has a beautiful picture on the
cover, and a firm binding. One of the books has been mended, and isn't in quite
as good condition as the rest, but overall they look good and are a nice set.
The titles are:
Luck of the Black Diamond -- Sunny Saunders story
The Long Trail North -- Mike Casey Story
The Mysterious Dude -- Dave Talbot Story
Texas Tenderfoot -- Dave Talbot story
Mystery of the Hollywood Horse -- Peggy Lewis Story
5 Hardcover Timber trail Riders books from 1963 and 1964. $10.00
A FEW MORE SERIES BOOKS FOR YOU TO LOOK AT!
BOOKS BY L.M. MONTGOMERY --
The author of "Anne" was a very prolific writer! Here are a few!
Rainbow Valley (L. M. Montgomery) 1919. 7th book in the Anne series. At this point,
Anne and Gilbert have children who get into scrapes, just as their mother did
at their ages. Attractive hardcover edition with dust jacket showing a bunch of
children (only 6 of them are the Blythe kids, the picture includes their friends!)
They're doing all kinds of things, fishing, reading, eating -- and 2 of them are
either squaring up for a fight or playing stones, scissors, and paper. Book and
dust jacket are in excellent condition. $4.50
Any of these PB books by the author of Anne of Green Gables -- $1 each
Emily Climbs (Montgomery) PB $1 (2 available)
Anne Of Green Gables $1
Anne of Avonlea $1
Anne of the Island $1
Anne of Windy Poplars $1 (2 available)
Anne's House of Dreams $1 (2 available)
Anne of Ingleside $1
Rilla of Ingleside $1 (2 available)
Chronicles of Avonlea $1
Emily of New Moon (Montgomery) PB. $1.00 (2 available)
Rilla of Ingleside (Montgomery) very nice PB. $1.00
The Story Girl $1
A Tangled Web $1
The Golden Road (about the Story Girl) PB $1.00 (2 available)
Anne Of Windy Poplars (Montgomery) PB $1.00
Pat of Silver Bush $1 (2 available)
Mistress Pat $1
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MORE, MORE, MORE -- SERIES BOOKS
OUTDOOR GIRLS is a very long series, 23 books in all, about an adventurous group
of girls -- if you like the older series about girls who seemed to be paving the
way for today's active women, you ought to start collecting these books! Oh yes --
they're really interesting and fun to read, too, historical impact notwithstanding.
They can be read out of order with no problem, though later books add characters as
the original girls marry and leave the group. By the way, both this series and
Moving picture Girls are for much older girls than "Laura Lee Hope's" Bobbsey twins.
I'll add more Outdoor girls as soon as I can find them!
Outdoor girls in the saddle -- 1922 -- YYou won't even have to open the book before
you know that this will be an exciting story! Four girls on horseback, with what
must be a killer avalance bearing down on them. You don't have to worry, since you
know there are lots more books in the series, so they couldn't have been killed,
but it's a wonderful action picture in sepia tones. Subtitled, The Gold Miner of
Gold Run, and is 12th in the series. Book in good cond except for cracking at
the hinges (covers are still strongly hitched.) Laser copy of our very good-looking
dust jacket. $4.00
Outdoor girls on a canoe trip, subtitled The Secret of the Brown Mill, #20 in the
series, from 1930. You can tell from the cover picture that times have changed.
Instead of the sailor dresses worn by the girls in former pictures, this cover
shows the girls in tank tops and shorts, appropriate for wearing on a canoe trip,
though still modest and seemly! Beautiful canoe, by the way. The adventures these
girls can find on a wilderness river trip! The book is in good cond except for
the age-toned pages -- and in my opinion that gives the book a nice vintage look.
Laser copy of our beautiful dust jacket. $4.50
THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS books by Laura Lee Hope. The author's name is fictional, here
and in the Bobbsey Twins series. This series is for older girls, and is very
interesting. The Moving Picture girls were way before their time, and very modern
in their day. I'll add Moving Picture Girls books when I come across any. Good luck
finding them yourself, in the meantime!
BLYTHE GIRLS are supposed to be written by Laura Lee Hope, but if you're thinking
"Bobbsey Twins," forget it! This long series appealed to teens of yesterday and
appeals very much to myself and others today! The girls are in their late teens,
there are no slapstick situations like those the Bobbseys were always involved in.
Mystery, yes, but much more "mature" sleuthing. The girls have been orphaned, and
actually have to work hard for a living! Each has a totally different type of job,
so there are lots of opportunities for interesting mysteries, and a fascinating
look at careers open to girls at that time -- hat saleswoman, personal secretary,
artist. You might almost call these books career-romances, but the romance aspect
is subdued. Boyfriends and their careers are very much a part of the stories, but as
far as I can remember, no Great Romance, mainly parties, fun and adventures. These
Depression-era books were not made to last through the decades, so most of them
look pretty "well read." But they are still readable, and all worth reading! I'll
add more Blythe Girls books as soon as I can!
Blythe Girls -- Helen's Strange Boarder -- this is in bad condition, Spine is missing
for instance. But all the pages are there, so you can read it. FREE with any
other series book purchase.
Somewhat better copy of Helen's Strange Boarder. This book wasn't well made in the
first place, but this copy does have all its spine, and would be fine until you
find an even better copy! It's a very clever and catchy story. $2.00
Blythe Girls: Rose's Odd Discovery, subtitled The SEarch for Irene Conroy-- #7
in the series. This copy is in fair cond; but it'll stand up to several more
readings! Starts with a car accident and goes on from there, at a rapid pace.
HB, fair condition, actually the binding is pretty firm and the covers look
good. $2.50
SOME MORE GOOD SERIES BOOKS AHEAD
About the "POLLYANNA," OR "GLAD BOOKS" series -- Before you snicker because of what you think this excellent series is about, let me tell you the truth about "being a Pollyanna!" Yes, she does do what she calls playing the Glad Game. This is about trying to make the best of any dicey situation, and at the same time trying to make things better
for everyone around her. I'm as guilty as anyone of calling someone "a pollyanna" when that person is too, too sweetly optimistic, but when I do, I know I'm doing a dis-service to a lovely character. Pollyanna grows throughout the series from being an orphan girl in the first book, to a grown-up, to wife and mother later in the series. She goes through good and bad times, and helps people in almost every book. When her beloved husband has to be away, she supports her family, sometimes as a social worker -- what a perfect occupation for her! I think if she'd been named something lke Judy or Nancy, no one would be making fun of her today, They'd only be enjoying her books. Which, by the way, are written by several people. Most of the books that you find are in the Grossett and Dunlap editions. I'd love to list some Pollyanna books soon -- check for them before very long!
MORE SERIES BOOKS --
Donna Parker series. All are Whitmans editions with picture covers. You'll probably
never see any books from this series in perfect condition. They've deteriorated
with age, and weren't too sturdy to start with. But they're colorful looking
and very good stories! The books are dated between 1957 and 1964
Or Fill in your Donna Parker collection with these singles!
Donna Parker at Cherrydale (1957) First in the series! Donna gets a job as a
junior counselor at camp. Creepy man is watching the camp from the woods, so
Donna and her friend Ricky solve their first mystery! Very nice cover on this
cello edition, square dancing picture goes around to the back cover, shows the
campers in their wonderful "hillbilly" '50s outfits, in a barn, with a couple of
cute old guys playing the music. Pretty good condition! $3.50 (2 copies available) Mystery at Arawak -- Her 2nd year as a camp counselor but at a different -- very different -- camp! If it's not one thing, it's another, including her difficult co-counselor in charge of one of the cabins. HB, pretty good cond, $2.50
Donna Parker, A Spring to Remember -- was reviewed in 's Whispered Watchword
and given high grades as a well-written book, a good link between Maltshops and
series books, and all-around enjoyable. Cover shows Donna and a good-looking boy,
in front of a fence. In this book, Donna is called on to help both this boy, and
her girlfriend Ricky, with weighty problems, while growing up considerably
herself. Fairly good condition HB, $3.00 Donna Parker on her Own -- mother and father take a trip to India, leaving the kids with a babysitter -- who turns out to need someone to "sit" on her. Donna grows up fast! HB, PC, pretty nice cond. $2.50
End of Donna Parker series! A BIG LOT -- 6 BOOKS FROM THE HONEY BUNCH & Norman SERIES! You probably have a nostalgic feeling for this series, which went through a number of revisions over the years, so no matter what your age, you probably read them when you started reading what they now call "chapter books," or had them read to you at bedtime for a few years. This particular edition gives equal space to the young man who accompanied Honey Bunch (HB) in many of her books, as a secondary character. So these are officially "HB and Norman" books, so I guess they're doubly interesting! And the titles show that HB and N have some extremely big adventures that little kids actually nearly never experience. Some of these books were former in a library, but are in very, very good condition. Printed picture covers, lots of interior illustrations in the style of the Dick and Jane and Baby Sally readers. Adorable! Books include: Honey Bunch and Norman (first book in the series) HB and N play detective at Niagara Falls HB and N on Lighthouse Island HB and N and the Paper lantern mystery HB and N ride with the Sky Mailman HB and N visit Beavery Lodge. 6 Honey Bunch and Norman HBs dated 1949 through 1961. Very good cond. $20.00 for all Here is a different set of Honey Bunch books. These are truly vintage, and at one time they were very beautiful! The covers are incredibly detailed and imaginative -- these are pasted-down picture covers -- too bad they are worn and just give you an idea of how beautiful they were when they were new in the 1920s. If you love very old series books, these are worth having -- even so that you can decide whether or not you want to upgrade them to better conditions (they are available on ebay for somewhat higher prices.)These HB books are in fair condition (many have internal illustrations and/or frontispieces, with better idea of the good artwork on the covers. The assortment takes Honey Bunch and her kitty, Lady Clare on their First Trip or First Days in the following books -- Just a Little Girl, First Days on the farm, First Auto Tour, First Days in Camp, and First Ocean Trip. 5 Honey Bunch books -- fair condition, picture covers, $7.50
SOME MORE SERIES BOOKS HERE!
If you like to read about the outdoors, camping, jolly fun and dangerous adventures,
then the Campfire Girls stories will please you as they please me! There are
several Campfire series, from various years and by various authors, and this can
be confusing, but just dig in and enjoy them when you find them, don't worry about
reading them in order or anything. Usually, they're episodic and unrelated to one
another, and also, there are always plenty of explanations and descriptions of
personalities, so you can catch right up on the previous books if necessary. I'll
try to add more Campfire Girls books very soon. The Campfire Girls on Caliban Island (Jullianne DeVries)1933. Small IWorld Publishing CO) edition, Pretty good cond for that series, and has a fair DJ with nice-looking and quite artistic front and back covers. The DJ wear is along the edges and at the top and bottom of the spine. $4.00 The Banner Campfire Girls as Detectives (Julianne De Vries)1933. This is one of the most recent of the Campfire Girls series, and also is one of the most strongly constructed. The book itself looks very good, there is a laser copy of the dust jacket, which was a bit torn but comes through nicely once it's printed out. The thing that I want to mention in case you were looking for a cover picture of girls in appropriate garb for Campfire activities, is that the 2 girls are dressed in lace, silk gowns, off-the-shoulder dresses, and very stilted hair-dos plus thick make-up. Plus lethally-long fingernails! OK, who checks these things out down at the book publishers??? It's not like any other series book covers I've ever seen, but interesting! HB in v good cond, LDJ. $4.00 The Campfire Girls at Forest Lodge (Margaret Penrose who also wrote The Motor Girls series.) Subtitled The Strange Hut in the Swamp. If you happen to have a copy of Girls' Series Companion, you can read the entire history of this series, a bizarre story for sure. All I have space to tell you is that some of the books in this series are really reprints of Penrose's earlier books called Radio Girls. The date of this one is 1922. Have fun figuring it out! Cover and pages in good condition, nice bright red cover. Loose binding, but holding together well. $3.00
The Camp Fire Girls in the Outside World (Margaret Vandercook)1914. Set in New
Hampshire. You'd think from the title, that this would be the last book in the
series, but actually it's the 3rd in a 14-book series. Pretty good condition,
though these books are very, very seldom found in better than "OK condition."
Cover shows 3 girls dressed in the Camp Fire girls' Indian costumes, in a
canoe. Camp Fire Girls Careers (Margaret Vandercook) 1915, very good sturdy, clean copy, with frontixpiece and 3 internal illustrations. The standard cover picture of girls all dressed up in Indian costumes, in a red canoe that looks as if it has a swastica on the side, but I'm pretty sure that's not what you might think it is. HB, v good, $4.00
A Campfire Girl's First Council Fire (Jane L. Stewart) First in this CFG series.
This is more than a story of rituals around the campfire! There is a little
abused girl lost in the woods, and found by the CF girls who are camping out.
Nice story. One thing is really strange about it -- the cover says "A Campfire
Girl's First Council Fire" both on the front and on the spine, as well as inside,
the front cover, where there is a list of other boks in the series. However,
at the top of every page in the book, the title is "Camp Fire Girls In The
Woods." This seems like a more appropriate title, and from what I can find out,
it makes this volume a first edition -- if anyone cares. These CFG books are full
of publishing surprises! This book is in good condition, another surprise. $3.50 Campfire girl's First Council Fire (2nd copy) This copy is in good condition, and has a laser copy of our very, very nice DJ. This shows 2 girls cooking over a campfire, wearing what would seem to us like entirely inappropriate clothes. Skirts that could get in the way of the fire, white blouses, etc. But these are CG uniforms, and thus probably just what they did wear to cook over fires! Good book and LDJ. $4.50
A Campfire Girl's Chum (Jane L. Stewart) 1914. #2 in the Stewart Campfire Girls
series. This book is in good condition except that the pages are brown and the
binding is just a little weak. It's holding together nicely! Hardcover. $3.00
A Campfire Girl's Chum (Stewart) in good condition with a laser copy of our very nice
dust jacket. Showing girls around the campfire, making dinner. $4.00 A Campfire Girl's Adventure (Stewart) in very good condition with a laser copy of the good dust jacket. Note -- The DJ has a small notation at the bottom of the spine, saying that it's #3 in the series. The title page, however, says that it's Volume IV(4). They both have the same title. The original title for this book is "Campfire Girls in the Mountains." Anyway, the DJ picture is beautiful, at least they got that right! Oh, and the story is entertaining and interesting, too. HB with LDJ, $4.50
Campfire Girls in the Maine Woods (Hildegard G. Frey) 1916. First in this particular
Campfire series. When I bought this copy, someone cheated me out of the first few
pages. Luckily, I had another copy that was all there, so we made copies of the
missing pages for you. It's complete now, and you can read the fascinating story
of the girls in Maine nearly 100 years ago (I don't suppose the woods have changed
all that much, anyway.) Nice copy for one of these originally cheap vintage series
books -- picture cover with a nice printed picture cover, girls in amazing camp
outfits, tents, a cook fire, etc. $3.00
Campfire Girls do their Bit (Hildegard G. Frey) 1919. Picture cover (most of them are
generic, showing girls swimming, wearing enough clothes to go to a party, with tents
and canoes in the background.) They do their bit for the soldiers, while also
having parties and meetings, and solving a mystery or 2. Not beautiful, but it's
all there and holding together. $3.00
Campfire Girls on Ellen's Isle (Frey) 1917. Father of one of the girls buys a small
island in Lake Huron and the whole group can spend this record-breakingly hot
summer camping there. Fun! Campfire cooking! Danger, of course ("We're in a fine
pickle!") In the usual condition of a book this old, not too attractive, but
holding together well, with surprisingly clean white pages. $3.00
Campfire Girls at Camp Keewaydin (Frey)1920. 10th and last in this wonderful series!
Slightly different printed picture cover -- 2 girls doing dishes in the creek,
wearing middy blouses and short skirts. I've just read a book about the history of
children's clothes, and the date of this book corresponds with the age of the
middy and the shorter skirt. Interesting! Book is well bound. Not beautiful, but
clean and neat inside. $3.00
MORE SERIES BOOKS!
Jane Allen, Center (Edith Bancroft) 1920. Jane is an active, sports-loving young
woman who is forced to leave her ranch home and go to an Eastern college. She is
sure the girls will be terrible snobs and she'll hate it there. She has ups and
downs, friends and enemies -- this is the 3rd in the 5-book series, and by this
time, things have calmed down somewhat. "Center" of course referes to her place
on the basketball team. Mystery, helping more unfortunate girls, a bit of sports --
what a lot to love! HB in fairish condition, with a laser copy of our very colorful
Dust jacket. $4.00 Jane Allen of the Sub Team (Edith Bancroft) 1917. Jane starts college and has quite a hard time due to her resentment at being sent away to school. She's good at sports, and that helps her start to get along with her classmates and enjoy college. This copy has a very attractive dust jacket, obviously not from 1917 judging by the flapper-style outfit Jane is wearing. Nice misty campus background -- book and jacket are both in very good condition except for little rips along the uppser edge of the DJ. It's one of the large, very appealing Saalfield editions that I like so much. Book and DJ, $5.00
Mary Jane Merrill (Clara Ingram Judson) 1918- 1930. Mary Jane is a little girl, who is
just turning 5 in the first of the 19 books in this series. . By the time she and
her family have had a great many adventures and traveled all over the world, she's
about 9 years old at the end of the series. She has the kind of adventures that the
Bobbsey Twins and Honey Bunch have, innocent but a bit scarey, involving animals,
being lost, misunderstandings, usually cute and innocent. But you also learn a lot
about the countries where they travel, at least what they were like pre-WWII. Nice
series for kids or nostalgic adults. I'll try to have Mary Jane books in future lists.
Mary Jane, Her Visit (Judson) 1918. Second book in the series. Mary J visits her
grandparents on the farm -- back when it seems that all grandparents lived on
farms! Very nostalgic story, simple farm pleasures with grandparents who really are
crazy about their grandchild. Quilt-making, raising baby animals, learning to cook, a
strawberry social! A bit of trouble to spice things up. Glossy frontispiece. HB,
clean pages and firm binding, but a bit of damage to the spine. $2.00
Mary Jane at School (Judson) 1923. Finally the family stays home long enough for Mary
Jane to go to school (3rd grade this time.) There's a wedding (flower girl) and
Christmas at the grandparents. So you see, there is some compensation for staying
home once in a while! Nice HB with a beautiful cover picture -- girl in that SO
popular style of the day, the sailor suit and beret, playing with a dog in a
pretty garden. HB in OK condition, with a laser copy of the original DJ. $3.50
MORE SERIES BOOKS FOR YOU!
Kay Tracey mysteries ("Frances K. Judd") If you haven't read the Kay Tracey
mysteries yet, you're about to get a treat. They are among the long
series from what I think of as the Golden Age of "classic" girls series
books, the 30s through 50's. Actually, I love all of the series from that
era, but Kay is one of the really good ones -- possibly that's because
there are quite a few of them, so when you get interested in them, you are happy to
find out that there are lots more! You are probably like me, and never want to get
to the end of a series, so I'll certainly try to include Kay Tracey books in future
lists. There were several editions of the Kay books, from dust-jacketed hardcovers,
through attractive picture-covers, to a couple of paperback editions. The books were
updated off and on and the numbers were changed from one edition to another.
The Sacred Feather (in the original numbering, this was #14. This is the Books, Inc
edition, and is #1 in their listing.) This is a large paperback, in fair cond,
mainly because it was cheaply printed and is showing the effects of age. A few
of the pages are loose, but as far as I can see, they are all there. The cover
is the same as on the hardback version, a very, very dramatic scene of a man in
cape and mask, hodling a feather in front of Kay -- who is tied up dangerously
near what is probably a sacred flame. You really need to read this one to find
out how she escapes such a situation! PB, fair cond, $2.00 I'll try to have more Kay Tracey books in the future!!
SOME MORE SERIES BOOKS FOR YOU!
Linda Craig -- get acquainted with this good series!!! It's gone through
several incarnations, including a beautiful hardcover edition (which is pretty
hard to find,) a beautiful PB printing of the original edition, and a new, slightly
smaller PB set, with mostly new titles and quite a few changes. I've read all of them,
and I will admit that I liked the older ones better, but even for a non-horsey gal
like me, the new ones were good reading, too.
If there aren't any Linda Craigs listed here, look for them when you have a
chance, and I'll try to list some of them next time!
Linda Craig BIG LOT! These are the smaller paperback editions, from the 1980s. If you've
read the old editions, you might want to read these. I'll tell you about some of the
differences (I think of these are "Linda Craig Lite" or Linda the Younger.") In the
originals, she's 16, in the newer ones, she's 12. The originals have around 200 pages,
the newer ones have more like 120 pages. Those are unimportant changes, you can just
figure the new ones are about Linda when she was 4 years younger. However, in the newer
ones, her horse is named Amber, instead of the wonderful name of her horse in the
originals -- Chica D'Oro. Despite all these differences, the new ones are worth reading,
and a great suppliment to the older ones. Here's the big lot - 10 paperback books in
the Linda Craig series, all in good condition except for #2, which is a little beat-up.
The titles include:
1. The Golden Secret
2. A star for Linda
3. The silver Stallion
4. The Crystal Trail
5. The Glimmering Ghost
6. The Ride to Gold canyon
7. A Horse for Jackie
8. A Star in the Saddle
10. Anything for Kelly
12. Kathy in Charge
Big lot of 10 Linda Craigs, $21.00
Linda Craig #1 in the attractive Wanderer tall PB edition (revised 1962.) The
Palamino Mystery. Nice condition. $2.00
Linda Craig #4 in the attractive Wanderer tall PB edition 1963. Fairly good cond. $1.25
Linda Craig, Clue on the Desert Trail, taller pb, 1962 edition. PB, former library
book, but in good condition. $2.00
Linda Craig, newer pb #10 Anything for Kelly. Try this horse series, see how much
you like it! Good condition, $1.50
Linda Craig #6 in the 1982 Wanderer PB edition. Very nice copy with a Ghost Town hotel
on the cover, as well as Linda and Chica D'Oro (her horse.) $2.00
CONTINUING THE LIST OF SERIES BOOKS!
The Callahan Cousins series (Elizabeth Doyle Carey) This is a "new" series, which
isn't what I usually offer for sale, but what the heck -- it's a New England
series, and the books are very attractive, and you'll like them! There are 4
young cousins who don't know each other very well, until their grandmother
invites them all to stay with her for the summer at her seaside estate. The
cover pictures give you a good idea of what kind of story you'll find inside --
girls sailing alongside the dock, with the town spread out above. The 2nd
book shows a nice white picket fence, a flowering hedge, and a very typical
Cape Cod house in the background.
Penny of Paintrock series by Jane and Paul Annixter. Unfortunatly there are only 2
books in this series! They're very attractive, with strong bindings and beautiful
picture covers (they are in the Golden Griffin edition, like a few Trixies and
all the Kathy Martin series for instance.) With a Wyoming setting, these are
mysteries, horse stories, tales of ranch life. They have something of the
"Maltshop" about them, and they're good family stories. I am pretty sure
there were supposed to be more in the series, but for some reason they just
didn't get off the ground. Too much like Trixie's maybe? I'll try to have more
Penny of Paintrock books in the near future.
MORE, MORE, MORE SERIES BOOKS AHEAD!
The Adventure Girls (Clair Blank) A short series by the author of the superb
Beverly Gray books. You'll only have to find 3 books to complete the series! The
name says it all -- they have adventures. HS and early college age girls.
If there aren't any Adventure Girls books listed here, I'll try to add some to the
next sale list. In the meantime, you can be looking for these interesting books
yourself -- good luck! By the way, one of the best things about this series is
that the girls live in Maine! But they travel far and wide. I hope to have more
Adventure Girls books in the near future.
The Adventure Girls in the Air (Clair Blank) 1936. Never a dull moment! The first
chapter is "The Crash" which makes you wonder why the girls ever want to be "in
the air." But remember, they are Adventure Girls, so up they go. The cover shows
parachutists floating through the clouds. And there is romance in this story, too!
Who could ask for more? HB, binding is weak, but the book is firm enough. Laser
copy of the DJ, which is in very good condition. $4.50 The Blue Grass Seminary Girls Christmas Holidays, subtitled A Four Weeks' Tour with the Glee Club(Carolyn Judson Burnett) 1916. An interesting title! And from a rather obscure series of 4 books. The girls rarely are at the Blue Grass Seminary, as they'are always jaunting off on holidays or vacations -- or having terrible accidents such as the one depicted on the frontispiece, where a huge locomotive is halted about a foot from a maiden in distress who is trying to halt it by swinging a langern. Warning -- rampant and disturbing racism. HB with printed picture cover (note the fashions) in fair cond. $2.00
Vicki Barr series. This is a major series from the same era as the Cherry Ames and
Connie Blair books. If you don't have this series, GET STARTED ON IT!!! Vicki is
a flight stewardess. This might be one of my very, very favorite series -- I re-read
the books every few years, because they are so beautifully written and such
great mysteries. If I don't have any Vicki books for sale, I'll certainly be looking
for them during our book-searching travels. In the meantime, now that you know about
this series, maybe you'll find some yourself! Good luck!
Silver Wings for Vicki (#1 in the Vicki Barr series) 1947 Vicki becomes an airline
stewardess. And solves the first in a long line of mysteries! And meets various
people who will be important in her life throughout the series. Pretty nice copy
of this book, no DJ, but a neat small picture of Vicki on the front cover. $3.00 (2 copies) Vicki Finds the Answer (Vicki barr #2) Hardcover with dust jacket. DJ is in fairly good cond, with some tears on the edges. and a bit of wear to the folds. The book is in very good cond. HB, DJ, $5.00 The Hidden Valley Mystery, Vicki Barr #3, 1948. Vicki finally gets to fly to Mexico, where of course she gets involved in a mystery and helps people solve their own problems. Extra nice cover picture of Vicki and the inevitable good-looking guy, looking down from a hill on a hidden village. Things get much more tense, but this picture shows how romantic a Stewardess's life can be! HB, a little worn but pretty good, with laser copy of our very nice DJ. $7.00 Secret of Magnolia Manor (Vicki #4) Nice copy with slkghtly faded cover. There is a laser copy of our original dust jacket making this look very attractive. Pages clean, binding firm. $6.00
-----------------------------------------
Connie Blair series was written by Betty Cavanna under the pen name
of Betsy Allen. There are 12 books, from the 40s and 50s, and they're
all well written (of course,) neatly bound, and very attractive if you can find them in DJ. The titles all have colors in them. Connie's an artist who gets involved in various mysteries through working for an ad agency. I hope to have more books from this series to offer you very soon, but they're very popular and not always available. Good luck -- they are really good reading!!! Connie Blair #1, Clue in Blue -- Connie gets a summer job in Philadelphia at the store where her aunt works. It's the start of a long career at an advertising agency, art school, travel, and plenty of mystery for Connie! HB in fairly good condition, with a laser copy DJ. $5.00 END OF CONNIE BLAIR BOOKS -- I'll try to have more Connie books soon! COMING UP -- MORE SERIES BOOKS! Here's Barbie: Stories about the fabulous Barbie and her boyfriend Ken. Yes, that's the whole title, all on the front of this full-length hardcover book by Cynthia Lawrence and Bette Lou Maybee, dated 1962. In fact, it's the first book in a 12-book series! Barbie is a real person, not a doll, though of course the character is based on the super-doll. She has various jobs, takes trips, had dates with Ken, and has a whole family, and of course solves mysteries! HB with picture cover. Slightly musty. $4.00 (prices on ABE start much higher than that, since this book and others in the series, are rather hard to find.) Meg Duncan series (Holly Beth Walker) This is a wonderful series about a "schoolgirl Sleuth," set in Virginia. Other than the setting, these books remind me of Trixie's or Robin Kane's or a few of the other series from that wonderful era of sweet, mild, friendly girl detectives! The books started out in hardcover editions, with very pretty picture covers. Then they came out in nice paperbacks with different, but also attractive, pictures on the covers. If you like YA mysteries and Siamese cats, you can't help loving the Meg books. I hope to have more Meg books soon. Meg Duncan #2, The Secret of the Witch's Stairway (Walker) 1967. I can't describe this better than the description on the 2nd page -- "Lost family silver, a family of little old Civil War Dolls, riddles written more than 100 years ago... a hidden staircase.. a mystery!" If you like classic cars, you will really love the picture cover of Uncle Hal, driving Meg and her friend past farmlands in his vintage Duesenberg! HB, good cond except that the "hinges" have been carefully taped. Picture cover, front and back. $3.00 Meg Duncan #2, Witch's Stairway. Paperback in very good condition. $2.50 Mystery of Black-Magic Cave -- #5 in Meg series. I admit that we have some rather odd characters here in Maine, but it's sort of embarassing to think that we might be harboring a coven of witches in a cave near our home! Meg and Kerry rout them out and discover their secret. PB in fair cond. $2.00 Meg Duncan #6, Mystery in Williamsburg 1972, Meg and Kerry can find mystery anywhere! In this book, they are junior hostesses at a toy show -- antique toys and dolls! PB, good cond, $2.50 MORE OF THE NEVER-ENDING LIST OF SERIES BOOKS! Robin Kane Series (Eileen Hill) mid-1960s. These books are very much like the
Trixie Beldens, as they are about a group of kids who have fun and solve mysteries,
ride horses, and generally have a wonderful time. Like Trixie, Robin's best friend
is rich, while Robin's family live a middle-class life (though they feel poor, maybe
in contrast with her friends.) There are superficial differences from the Trixies, such
as the California setting rather than Hudson River area. I think that if there were 39
Robin Kanes, as there are 39 Trixies, this series would be every bit as popular as Trixie.
Trixie. Alas, there are only 6 in the Robin Kane series. The real author is Nicolete
Meredith Stack, who also wrote some Trixies and some very good Maltshop type books.
Try these Robin Kane books:
#2 Mystery of the Phantom, 1966 This book got good reviews in The Whispered Watchword
back a few years ago! Really nice California setting, and some interesting
characters throughout. Fairly good condition -- $2
#3 -- Mystery of Glengary Castle. The creepy cover picture is a good indication of
the very good story inside! It looks exactly like a site on the Southern CA
shore where we used to walk when my parents lived there and were agile enough to
climb a bit. Except for the castle -- unfortunately there wasn't a castle where
we hiked! Robin and Mindy have to figure out what's causing an apparent
haunting in the castle, so Mindy's father can use it as a movie set. HB, PC,
pretty good condition, $3.00
The Ranch Girls series. The ranch is in Wyoming, but as usual in these very old series,
the girls soon branch out and travel, first in the SW, then later in Europe. I'll try
to add some Ranch girls books very soon!
END OF SERIES BOOKS FOR SALE.
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REFERENCE BOOKS TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE SOCIAL LIFE OR AUTHORS FROM THE ERA WHEN MANY OF OUR FAVORITE BOOKS WERE WRITTEN! AND A FEW OTHER REFERENCES FROM MORE MODERN TIMES. YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT THE NONFICTION SECTION OF THIS LIST, WHERE THERE ARE BIOGRAPHIES AND BOOKS ABOUT AUTHORS WHO WROTE FOR YOUNG READERS. George Carver, Boy Scientist (Augusta Stevenson) This is a COFA (Childhood of Famous Americans) or Little orange Biographies book as we used to call them when I was a kid and got them from the library. Still worth reading for sure. This is one with the original format, including sillouhette (did I spell it right that time?) pictures, and a DJ in fair condition but the front cover is pretty good. Book itself in nice (orange) condition. HB with DJ. $3.00 Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom, collected and edited by Leonard S. Marcus--1998. This is one of the most interesting and important books about children's books written during the 20th century. I've read it or checked with it, numerous times as I realize that yet another book I'm reading is explored in the letters that Nordstrom wrote to her authors. She was the director of Harper's publishing company Department of Books for Boys and Girls -- holding that post from 1940 to 1973. Interestingly, this period covers all of Dave's and my childhood and much of our daughters' childhoods, all of us reading many of the books by the authors whose letters from Nordstrom are compiled in this huge volume. To name a few who are listed at the beginning of the book -- you'll surely recognize many of them -- Jean Craighead George, Mary Stolz, Jane Langton, artists Margaret Rey (Curious George) and Maurice Sendak, E. B. White, Margaret Wise Brown, Shel Silverstein, artist Garth Williams -- and she was editor and friend to hundreds of others. Great reading, a book that takes you behind the scenes and gives you another reason to be very glad we lived in, or can read books from, the mid-20th century. Large, heavy book -- $4.00 Reference and/or non-fiction books! The Force Carries On (The Sequel to "The Scarlet Force" by T. Morris Longstreth. Originally from 1954. The first book told about the Mounted Police in its first quarter-century, while this one "carries on" from that year. Many stories about how the force deals with all kinds of situations -- included also is the process of training a "mountie" (who don't really always ride horses, but isn't that a wonderful tradition?) Illustrated by Clare Bice. On back cover there is a list of many other books in this series of Great Stories of Canada. HB book in great condition, with a very nice DJ -- and the Mounties on the cover really do ride horses. HB, XL, DJ, $3.00 This is NOT a book but it does have a nice leatherette cover and lots of paper. I thought maybe one of you might collect this sort of memorabilia from the WWII era. It's called "Writing Portfolio" and inside that decorative leather-look cover, there are pockets for part of a pad of "Hollywood Writing Portfolio" and 8 of the original 24 envelopes. It's more for show and collecing than for writing letters because of the incomplete contents. But well-preserved and pretty nostalgic for a person of my age! Portfolio in very good condition -- $3.50 Scouting for Girls: Official Handbook of the Girl Scouts == this is the 1920 edition, says it was abridgee in 1927, but believe me, you'd never guess it was abridged! It's long and full of information that we could all probably benefit from -- how best to use your icebox, how to stuff, truss and roast a chicken or make squaw corn, firat aid for either sunstroke or freezing, and of course how to dig a trench for your latrine while camping. And a million other practical things! Hardcover book in good condition, lots of b/w pictures and diagrams -- and of course all the requirements for badges. I feel sure that my mother, an early Girl Scout, used this very edition of the GS Handbook back in the mid 1920s. $3.50 Girl Scout Handbook (revised edition january 1930)This copy doesn't look too great -- it was obviously used in the way it was intended, to be a guide to outdoors activities and a study aid for anything a girl could need to find out about. First Aid, fighting germs, exercising, identifying the stars and constellations, the history of scouting -- enjoy! HB, fair cond. $2.00
The Lonely Doll: The Secret Life of The Lonely Doll, The search for Dare Wright
2004(Jean Nathan) If you've loved the "The Lonely Doll" books, you will be very
interested in this biography! You might have guessed that the author is an
unusual person, as even in writing and illustrating books about dolls and bears,
she accumulated controversy. Her life did so, also! Chaotic and sometimes very
sad, including a strange relationship with her mother and most everyone else in
her life. Well, I won't say any more but this is one fascinating book! Large PB
in excellent condition. $3.00 MORE REFERENCE AND NON-FICTION books -- ABOUT YOUNG ADULT BOOKS. Newbery and Caldecott Medal Books 1966-1975. The cover quotes "with Acceptance papers by the Award Winners, Biographical notes and evaluating essays" by various critics and authors. This is a very entertaining book, since the acceptance papers are, of course, written by the winners who are authors of books that you have heard of. It's always interesting to read biographies of authors who wrote YA books and there are a lot of those in this heavy book. Illustrations of books that won Caldecott awards, too! Most of the material is from The Horn Book magazine, for children's librarians. Have a good time with the book, I did! HB, with DJ,
Joan Lowery Nixon: Masterful Mystery Writer (Mary Dodson Wade) 2004. This biography was written for teens, but Dave and I both enjoyed reading it (and we've been out of our teens for a very long time!) Nixon wrote at least 140 books, mostly mysteries and mostly for children. All the while, she was sustaining a long marriage and bringing up 4 children! This bio portrays her as a lovely person, very concerned with social issues -- especially about children -- and very generous. There is a very long interview with the author, timelines, lists of her books, awards, etc. HB. XL, very good condition, $2.50 MORE REFERENCE BOOKS! Letters to Jane (Gladys Denny Shultz) 1947. "A mother talks to her daughter about sex." Described as a very modern and frank discussionfor the author's daughter and her college friends, this book would probably sound old-fashioned to today's high school girls. As a reference book, it would help anyone who wants to understand a lot of the angst that Maltshop Books girls go through. As a thoughtful and never-boring conversation with several girls, the author has written quite a masterpiece. HB in very good condition, with an attractive DJ in good condition. $4.00 Writing for Children and teenagers (Lee Wyndham) 3rd edition. Wyndham has written dozens and dozens of books, many of them career-romances and maltshop books. And not just written, but had them published! So she must know what it takes to be a successful juvenile author. This new-looking large paperback should certainly help you do the same. Incredibly full of information, advice, examples for writing and marketing your stories. $2.50. MORE REFERENCE BOOKS OF MANY KINDS. Book Finds: How to Find, Buy, and Sell Used and Rare Books (Ian C. Ellis.) This is not a brand new book, about 20 years old, but you can learn a lot about the book business from a pleasurable perusal of this volume! Included is a list of 1,000 Most Collectible Books and Authors. This list might have changed somewhat,
but it does give you a sort of guide for the types of things you might look for
at a book sale. By the way, you won't be in competition with me at that sale,
because I obviously start my search at the kids' book tables, while this author
is mainly interested in books for adults. Have fun! Large pb in v good cond, $2.00
Put your Best Look Forward: A Guide to Good Looks, Good Health, Good Grooming.
by Glynne Hiller, 1956. The author wrote a column for American Girl magazine,
and some of the chapters in this book are from her articles in that same
wonderful magazine. Teens must have lapped up chapters like "You're Going to
Wow that Man right into your Lair!" and "Cheers for the Feminine Touch!"
This copy of the book looks brand new, despite its age. Has a nice DJ,
and lots of fanciful/fun illustrations. HB DJ $3.00
MORE REFERENCE BOOKS
The Explorers' Handbook: How to be the Best Around the World. 2009. Brand new HB
book gives you some very practical information -- How to say Hello Around the
World, How to Beat Jet Lag. And some information that I hope I never have to
use, but which makes interesting armchair reading -- like How to Row across the
Atlantic, and How to Survive the Big One in San Francisco. Or fun -- How to
Take part in Carnival in Rio and How to take Part in the Highland Games. I
really don't think this was written with tongue in cheek, but there is a rather
serious disclaimer of liability at the beginning of the book. This attractive
and highly illustrated book would make a great gift for an adventurous teen!
HB, like new, $2.50
MORE REFERENCE BOOKS --
Play a Part (Bernice Wells Carlson) 1970. There are quite a few plays, puppet plays, and
"playlets" in this book, but it's more than that. Instructions, suggestions, and
fun! Also a glossary and a bibliography. Cute illustrations. HB, XL, PC, $2.50
That Girl in your Mirror (Vonda Kay Van Dyke) She was Miss America in 1965, and
she'd like to tell you what teens of that era needed to know! On the cover it says that
she talks sense to every girl about popularity, poise, faith, dating, goals and
individuality. From the picture, I wouldn't take advice from her about hair styles, but
that was 1965! HB, DJ, $2.00
Special Plays for Holidays -- a Collection of One-Act Plays for Young People. (Helen
Louise Miller) 1986. 15 short plays for young people of varying levels of acting ability
(according to the introduction.) Plays for quite a few holidays, and even one for
Book Week! Suggestions for props, costumes, and sets. Hefty PB, XL, but in
good condition, $2.50
MORE REFERENCE BOOKS!
Dear Gay Head: Questions from the Mail Box, answered by Gay Head. This cute little
book answers questions mailed to various teen and slightly pre-teen magazines in
the 1950s -- the era of our favorite Maltshop books. Dates, school, clothes,
family, all the things that concern kids the most. PB, a little old but I'm not
kidding when I say it's cute! $1.50
You're Asking Me? Questions from the Mail Box (Gay Head) 1958. Small PB Teen Aged
Book Club (TAB) with chapters about families, dating, proms, the future, etc. Also
a section of quizzes (for example, "Do you use deodorant after you bathe? ... Do you
often have original ideas? ... Can you say NO to a goodnight kiss, and still leave
your date feeling happy?" PB $2.00
_________________________________________________________________
"MALTSHOP BOOKS" --TEEN NOVELS FROM THE NOSTALGIA YEARS, AND OTHER GIRLS' ROMANCES AND NOVELS OF THE LAST 65 YEARS!!! Please note that I have mixed hardcover and paperback books, and short story collections in this portion of the list. There will be an indication of whether any book is an HB or a PB. SOME GOOD MALTSHOP BOOKS TO START WITH! Saturday Night (Marjorie Holmes) 1959. I've just re-read this and was very impressed (again) Girl is overwhelmed when one of the most popular boys in town starts dating her. She is sure the warnings she gets from other girls in the group, are jealousy or exaggeration. So when he moves on, inevitably, to a new girl, she is devastated. This isn't an entirely romantic or lightweight story, there are shocks as well as thrills. Another Maltshop loving friend and I both read it and rated it, and found it compelling and a little disturbing but I would highly recommend it for Maltshop readers. HB in poor cond, but very nicely covered by a laser copy of my dust jacket which is in lovely cond. HB, XL, DJ, a Best Loved Girls' Books edition. $2.50 Saturday Night (Holmes) 1959. This copy has a very good book, in a somewhat shabby DJ -- it's all there, but worn along the edges. $3.50 Gaunt's Daughter (Eleanor Shaler) 1957. Not a common title, but did get published in this Scholartic edition. Girl's father is a famous actor, but she doesn't think she can ever forgive him for deserting her mother and herself. But she does want to be an actress herself, even when her first big break means she will have to appear with her detested father. Unusual plot, interesting book all around. PB, in good condition, $3.00 More Maltshop books ahead! Make-Believe Daughter (laura W Douglas) 1972. 3 Girls, all named Matilda (but with different nick-names) confound a mysterious grey man who was following them around. Why on earth would he do that? Well, this book is subtitled "A Mystery featuring The Three Matildas" so that is one answer, but the other question and mystery is why there are never any further 3 Matilda books to be found. Too bad, because this one is clever and entertaining! I recommend it if you like light- hearted mystery and clever banter. HB Whitman edition with a nice cover showing all the major characters and a dog. $3.00 The Look of Love (Denise Cass Brookman) 1960. Yhe DJ picture certainly does show a couple with the look of love on their faces, though it looks more like a girl and her father, but I won't argue with the artist! It's a wonderful story, you can be sure of that because it's a Best Loved Girls' Book edition, and most of those exceptional books are Maltshop romances. You can count on it! SO --- why does the girl find it hard to converse with her wonderful boyfriend, and why does she feel almost stifled in that relationship? Why does she feel attracted to someone else who is really different from her family, who certainly wouldn't approve of him? HB in very good condition, with very good DJ. $5.00 MORE VERY READABLE AND ROMANTIC MALTSHOP NOVELS! Big Doc's Girl (Mary Medearis) 1950. Plenty of romance! Her father is a doctor in a rural Arkansas area, and she gets a medical education just watching her Dad. But she loved music more than medicine, and wondered if she loved it more than any of her suitors! PB, good condition, $2.00 Nancy Paschal wrote a lot of Maltshoppy type books, all of them really, REALLY good!!! They usually involve a career, a bit of mystery, and a romantic situation. I'd love to have more Paschal books for you in the future. Stardust for Jennifer -- (Jane S. McIlvaine) 1956. Girl has just finished her 1st year at college, and figures that this will be another summer of interesting work, dating and fun. Then a Hollywood film company decides to make a movie in town, her boyfriend takes a job elsewhere, and her job turns out to be much more amaing than she had ever imagined. Very clever plot that you won't expect -- and a very interesting picture on the back cover of the DJ. Have fun with Jennifer! HB, Best Loved Girls' books edition, with a laser copy of our DJ (showing lots of movie details in an unusual design, plus a girl who looks just a little star-struck.) $4.50 AND NOW -- SOME MALTSHOP BOOKS THAT WERE PRINTED BY THE WHITMAN PBLISHING COMPANY AND LABLED "TEEN NOVELS" The Charmed Circle (Dorothea J. Snow)1962. You know how it is, it's so hard to become one of the "popular crowd." Especially when your best friend has moved so far away, and you are about to enter high school. The little girl with the big eyes on the front cover picture, is sure she will hate it very much. A very good high-school story with family scenes, just the right amount of romance. There's a picture of the school itself, wrapping around the whole cover. Very good condition Whitman Novel For Girls. $3.50 Practically Twins (Viola Rowe) 1963. A Whitman Novel for Girls edition. "She had always wanted a sister...now at least she was to have one..." A new stepsister that her grandmother promises should be as good as a twin. After all, they are the same age!Of course problems start almost immediately. Tiny things at first. Then -- more irritating. And eventually, very painful. Can these girls ever be anything at all like twins? Nice picture cover of 2 very different teen girls in a mirror. HB, Good condition, $4.00 THE FOLLOWING MALTSHOP TYPE BOOKS ARE BY BETTY CAVANNA But first, here is a book that goes hand-in-hand with one of Cavanna's most popular books (no, sorry, I do NOT have a coyp of it for sale!!!) That book is Paintbox Summer, and the cheapest one of the few that I saw on ABE was $60.00. But for a lot lower price, you can buy Peter Hunt's "Cape Cod Cookbook" which is profusely illustrated by Hunt's characteristic artwork. The girl in Paintbox Summer spent a summer vacation painting things made in Hunt's workshop on The Cape, and having an amazing time loosening herself from her mother's apron strings. The cookbook, from 1954, doesn't have much to do with the Cavanna story, but you'll learn a lot about Cape Cod and Mr. Hunt, while enjoying the folk-style illustrations and of course trying out new recipes, including lots of seafood. The book is pretty much in new condition, with a very nice DJ, too. $7.00 BETTY CAVANNA, who died several years ago, was one of the most popular teen authors from the 1940's through the 1960's. She is still extremely popular with all of us who love the "MALTSHOP" type of book. Her earlier books are absolutely wonderful, perfect reading for nostalgia and simple romance. Later, she wrote a lot of mysteries, including the Connie Blair series under a pen name. Every collector of old girl's novels ought to have every Cavanna title! And you can afford them at these prices! Banner Year (Betty Cavanna) 1987, "Starting her sophomore year on Martha's Vineyard, Cindy thinks the only thing she really cares about is a beautiful black horse she works with at a nearby farm, until she meets the new boy, Tad." That's the summary on the title page of this book, and I couldn't have said it better! Former library copy looks nearly new, with an interesting cover picture of a horse with a girl and boy superimposed on its side. And a heart-shaped blaze on its head! Book in good cond, DJ in fine cond. $3.00 Passport to Romance (Cavanna) 1955. Girl's mother is dead, so she has always been close to her father. Now he's decided she needs to learn independence and is sending her to a boarding school in Switzerland. For a while she is terribly unhappy and homesick, but then discovers skiing, a handsome ski instructor, trips around Europe, and romance. Cavanna based this book on letters from an American girl who experienced just what the girl in the book has done! HB, personal copy, very good cond, with a nice dust jacket (except that it has a "before" picture of the girl, looking pensive and a little sad.) $4.00
Girls Can Dream, Too (Original Title, A Girl can Dream) Betty Cavanna, 1948. Girl
enters a contest at her high school -- and wins the prize of flying lessons. She
gets a lot of teasing and even anger at this unladylike activity, but she is
determined. Scholastic PB, fairly good cond, $1.75
A Girl Can Dream (Cavanna) 1948,Book is in fair condition, former library copy. It
has a copy of our beautiful dust jacket, showing a girl and a boy on bikes, with
an airport in the background. Very nice 1940s outfits, attractive hair styles, and
bikes that would now get you big bucks as nostalgia! Airplane's kind of antique,
too! $3.50
MORE BOOKS BY BETTY CAVANNA
Love, Laurie (Cavanna) 1953. Girl's mother has died, she and her father decide to build
a new house where there aren't all those memories. Then the father has to go away on
a business trip, and the girl has to oversee the construction project. So interesting
to learn, with her, about planning and working on a new house. And some of the young
men who work on the house are... well, also interesting! Really nice story. Berkley
Highland paperback edition, good cond, $2.00
Love, Laurie (Cavanna) hardcover book in excellent condition, with an excellent DJ!
Best Loved Girls' Books edition. $4.00
A Time for Tenderness (Cavanna) 1962. Takes place in Rio, Brazil, where a family from
North Carolina is spending a year while the father does some work there. The young
boy quickly adjusts to the mixing of several races, and the girl eventually falls
in love with a Brazilian, but the mother has a hard time with all this. Then the
girl starts to volunteer at a clinic for the poor -- and how do you think her
mother feels about her tending filthy, neglected babies among other tasks? A very
unusual book, but full of the human interest that pervades all Cavanna's works,
romantic twists, family interaction. HB, with very nice picture cover, all in very
good condition. $4.00
Time for Tenderness (Cavanna) Berkley Highland paperback copy of this Cavanna book,
see above description. I did ask several people whether they thought the girl on
the cover looked like a 16-year-old, and they all agreed that she looked more like
35. If you can get past that, here's a book you'll like a lot. $2.50
MORE BETTY CAVANNA BOOKS COMING ALONG' Mystery on Safari (Cavanna) 1970. Kim's grandmother is a cool character, who persuades the headmistress of the girls' boarding school that Kim can go on an African safari during the school year. It's the trip of a lifetime, but it's marred by the realization that someone is poaching and killing precious animals. When I think about this book, I have a vision of the girl and a boy that she meets on the trip, sitting on the 2nd story deck at night, watching the animals drink at the oasis beneath the deck. Very romantic -- very scary! The mystery is dangerous and serious, not a kiddie story -- but just right for teens, and something of a Maltshop for us. This copy has a very good DJ -- not for the squeamish, but realistic picture of a wild animal (Range Rover in the background) XL, HB, very good cond, $5.00 Mystery of the Emerald Buddha (Betty Cavanna) 1976. Beautiful book, with exciting plot, combining travel, adventure, mystery, and -- you know! -- romance! HB, PC $4.00 Spurs for Suzanna (Cavanna) 1947. This is one of her early, really great, books! Suzanna is a city girl, living the good life, maybe a bit spoiled. Does she need a "spur" to get her going? Well, things are a little unsettled in her family, so she is sent to spend the summer in the country with a big and busy family. There, she has to take responsibility, learn to put up with teasing. But there are compensations -- mainly beautiful horses to ride and train -- and maybe a small romantic interest in one of the country cousins??? HB, XL, fairly worn copy. Has a laser copy of my original DJ, which has a very colorful and exciting picture of 3 riders jumping a fence. $4.00 Spurs for Suzanna (Cavanna) paperback copy, fairly good condition, nice vintage cover on this small Scholastic edition. $2.00 Angel on Skis (Cavanna) 1957. The 3 divisions of this book take Angela from age 14 to 16, and tells about her mother's purchase of a ski lodge in Vermont, the work and fun of running it, and Angel's determination to learn to ski. She didn't have any spare money, so this took a lot of time. On the way, you will enjoy the family, and their new venture. And did I mention a light, typically Cavanna,romance? PB copy of Angel on Skis in good condition. $2.00 (2 available) Angel on Skis -- hardcover copy with really pretty DJ picture of a girl in a red cap, panorama of snow and (of course) a male figure skiing down the hill -- ski lodge in the background. Girl and her family move to Vermont to run a guest house in ski area, and she is frustrated that she can't afford to learn to ski herself. Work, work, work, that's all she ever seems to do! But could happiness sneak up on her somehow if she just lets it? And a chance to ski, too? HB, good condition, nice repro DJ. $4.50 Even more Betty Cavanna Books --- Every Maltshop collector should have a copy of Going on Sixteen, it's just about the definition of the late 40's teen novel! School life, family, dogs, clothes, dates, a little sweet romance. It's a wonderful early (1946) Maltshop type book. Going on Sixteen -- personal copy, good condition, with a nice laser copy of the original DJ. $4.50 Going on sixteen, HB, former library copy, with original dust jacket in very good condition. One of the prettiest DJ pictures in all of Maltshopdom! $4.00 PB copy of Going on Sixteen in good condition, with girl, dogs, and a tree, on the cover. $2.00 (2) END OF THE BOOKS BY BETTY CAVANNA. NOW FOR THE CAREER-ROMANCES AND MORE MALTSHOP BOOKS! ---------------------------------------------------- CAREER-ROMANCES ... and other career books!! ...And I want to apologize in advance if there are very few books left in this category by the time you get to it. They sell out FAST FAST FAST! Sometimes even before I have time to delete the titles. My prices for these books may look high compared with most of our prices. I've used both completed ebay auctions and prices other places on line (like ABE) and always price at or way below the lowest asking prices in those places. I almost never sell a book from this category if I don't have another copy of it in my own collection! They are a wonderful adjunct to your Maltshop books, as they have the same appeal, while also being accurate descriptions of what it's like to work in a specific occupation (at least at the time they were written.) Check out some of the Maltshop authors for more career-romance, though not officially designated as that category. Jan Nickerson is a good one to look at, and if there are ever any books by Marjory Hall. Cavanna does well with that sort of subject, and so does Marjorie Holmes, and --- and --- Just take a look! OK, here are the Career-Romances! School Nurse (Dorothy Deming R. N.) 1955. A Tempo paperback book, with a fine cover picture -- the requesite tall, dark, handsome doctor glowering in the background, nurse looking a little stunned in the foreground. I've decided to sell my copy of this pb copy so someone else who loves Deming's books, can have it, pretty much her most popular and certainly one of her more scarce books. PB good condition, strong binding. Try finding a copy of this in hardcover! PB $9.00 Shoestring Theater (Nancy Hartwell) 1947. Illustrated by Maine's own Barbara Cooney. First, I'll tell you that this book was well loved by library patrons in its day. And noting that this is a first printing, its day may have been right back there in 1947. it's a good recommendation but means that the book has wear. It also has a nice printed picture cover. Family has money problems and they decide to open a summer theater in their barn. If you've ever had dreams of doing just that, here is a sort of handbook about how to go about it -- but much more interesting than a how-to! Family, romance, actors, lots of work, lots of fun. HB, PC, XL $4.00 The Bird Boys On the wing, Or Aeroplane chums in the Tropics (John Luther Langworthy) 1912. I thought I'd try to see if people were interested in boy-oriented career books so I'm including this one in the Career section of my sale list. If it's at all popular, I have a lot more that I can offer. This one has a rather exciting cover picture, showing a boy on a bi-plane (I think that's what it is) way up high over snow-covered mountains, and an eagle interfering (I think, again) with the flight. Not a career that I'd care to follow, but the aeroplane chum operating the machine, doesn't look too concerned. HB, Good cover, somewhat worn binding, frontispiece picture. $2.00
In Her Father's Footsteps (Bianca Bradbury) 1976. Bradbury is one of my special
favorite authors. This one isn't billed as a career-romance, but so much of it is
about the girl's work in her father's veterinary practice, that I wanted you to
find it here! There's plenty more, too -- romance, family relationships, tragedy,
school, everything that it takes for the Maltshop side of this story. HB with a
pasted-down picture cover, Xlibrary copy in good cond. $4.00 More Career=Romances ahead -- Jane, Stewardess of the Airlines (Ruthe S. Wheeler) 1934. Not one of the standard CRs, but readable and sprightly! Just-graduated nurses find interesting jobs for an airline. No end to the adventures they have!HB, fairish to goodish condition. $2.50
Candy Stripers (Lee Wyndham) 1958. Girl volunteers at a hospital as a Candy Striper,
and learns a great deal -- including some hints about what she may decide to
study after she graduates from HS. Romance, yes, Career, definitely.
PB copy of Candy Stripers -- good condition, very attrative cover (both front and
back.) $2.50 MORE CAREER BOOKS! Pat Whitney, R. N. (Lucy Agnes Hancock) 1942. Triangle Book company edition. "Pat disliked Dr. Hale from the moment she first saw him..." And you know where that leads! This is a nice old hardcover nurse-romance with a very pretty nurse pictured on the front of the DJ. $2.50
Here's a big lot -- 10 Nurse/Doctor career/romances! These are pbs, in good to fair
condition, Great fun to read around the fireplace during the winter, when you
don't want anything heavy to burden your mind! Or for the summer, when you are
lounging around the beach (don't we wish!)Most of these are from the 1960s.
$10.00 for the whole bunch.
They are:
Jill Nolan, R. N. by Adeline McElfresh
District Nurse by Faith Baldwin
Chole Wilde, Student Nurse by Joan Turner
Seacliff Nurse, by Peggy O'More
The Nurse Made Headlines by Adelaide Humphries
Cheaspeake Doctor by Adelaide Humphries
The Young Doctors by Sheila Douglas
Once a Nurse by Willo Davis Roberts
Resident Nurse by Frances Dean Hancock
Hill-top Nurse by Peggy Gaddis BOOKS IN THIS NEXT SECTION ARE AVALON of ACADIA (CAREER? MYSTERY?) ROMANCES WITH VERY NICE DJs WALL OF LOVE (Florence Stuart) 1962. A teacher's fiance has died, she retreats to her grandmother's walled house. A 3-yr-old boy crosses that wall and gets through the 2 ladies' emotional walls. HB, with DJ. $3.00 The Sound of Always (Lee Priestley) 1975, Anthropologist reluctantly visiting in the American West, but is able to do some interesting research of various kinds, (including, of course, a fascinating guy.) HB with DJ. $3.00 The Mexican Mantilla (Cleo M. Stephens) Young journalist takes a job in Mexico -- and experiences the usual complex relationships of these very entertaining romances. $3.00 Nurse of Crystalline Valley (Mary collins Dunne) Nursing job, skiing, fascinating men. $3.00 Wait for me (Verna Wolters Slightler)Ranch living, career decisions. $3.00 END OF AVALON CAREER-ROMANCES, NOW SOME MORE CAREER NOVELS!
Mary Ellis, Student Nurse, sequel to A Cap for Mary Ellis. 1958. Her 2nd year in
nurse training, and there are plenty of things to learn, some of them to learn the
hard way. There's enough lighthearted student fun and romance, to make this short
series quite exceptional. HB, XL, good printed picture cover, very good cond. $4.50
A Cure for Nurse Evans (Darla Neidrick) 1964. Why on earth she was attracted to this
surly, verbally-abusive doctor, I'll never know, but it's pretty exciting to read
about it and finally discover what (flimsy) reason he has for disliking her -- at
first. Anyway, very nice scenes in the pediactric dept for contrast. HB in nice
condition, with a very good DJ. $2.00
Dr Kildare Takes Charge (Max Brand) Remember Dt Kildare? I used to watch that show
a lot, though I liked Ben Casey even better. This one says "Kildare's choice, his
career and a beautiful nurse, or the salvation of two young lovers." I bet he'll
figure out a way to have all 3. Original from 1940, this Dell PB, from 1962. $2.00
Some Career-Romances are more "romance" than "Career," but they are similar to
the ones that describe careers in detail. Many of these are about nurses, as this was
a wildly popular genre for about 30 years from the 40s through 60s. I always enjoy
reading these light novels, as they are fairly similar to Maltshops, though aimed at
adult women. These "Nurse-Romances" and other adult career-romances, were very
common at one time, but are getting harder to find due to their being discarded from
many libraries in the past 10 or 15 years. I've read most of these, and I admit to
getting drawn into the stories, many of them written by really good authors who use
pen names for writing these pop-culture books. Here are some of the most interesting:
Conflict for Nurse Elsa (Jeanne Bowman) "Something was vitally wrong in Port Haven
Hospital, but Nurse Elsa wasn't sure she wanted to learn what it was." Southwest
setting. PB $1.50 There were tons of books written mid-20th Century, romances mostly, but often with a career sort of sub-plot and frequently including a mystery. These were mainly published by Avalon and Arcadia, and were nice-looking hardcovers with dust jackets. These books were written to be interesting for adults, but perfectly appropriate for teens. The books may have been churned out according to a vague formula, but they are far too fascinating to put down until you finish them! Here are a few of those interesting oldies -- $2.50 each!! The Birdcage Murders (constance Loveall Westbie)1964. About the ecretary to a hospital's chief-of-staff plus a PT/OT. Lots of medical careers! Beautiful cond. $2.50 The Deadly Crescent -- No career, plenty of mystery and a bit of romance. Girl's aunt begs her to visit her oldest friend and figure out why she is acting so strangely. If you can guess the ending, you're doing better than I did! Nice bookcase picture on cover! $2.50 The Gloved Saskia (William Colt MacDonald)1964/ A man writing an Avalon book? Antiques, auctions a possible unknown Rembrandt painting, romance ad of course danger. Very good cond. $2.50 Never Leave Shadow Wood (Sally Tyree Smith) 1976. "Jeanne finds danger and excitement on her return to Shadow Wood... and Love!" so promises the DJ flap. Very nice condition book & DJ $2.50 Dark mansion (W.E.D. Ross) 1973. Hey, I didn't realize that there were computer dating services back in '73! But the heroine of this book (A TV actress) did, and she signed up. If she was looking for excitement, she certainly found it! Plus danger and romance. Don't read this if you're thinking of computer dating.... Book and DJ in fine cond. $2.50
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
END OF CAREER-ROMANCE BOOKS --
BACK TO A VARIETY OF MALTSHOP BOOKS BY VARIOUS AUTHORS!! Never Jam Today (Carole Bolton) 1971. This isn't a true Maltshop, since it starts in 1917. But the author wrote several really nice Malts, including Christy, which is really popular and very close to the definition of a Maltshop romance. So I'm including this story of a teen who decides it's worthwhile to get into the fight for women's right to vote, despite the opposition of her father and her boyfriend. If it sounds like heavy reading, fear not! You'll sail through it and feel as if you probably would have been right there in the midst of things with Maddy and her friends. HB, XL, with DJ, all in excellent condition. $3.00 Classmates by Request (Hila Colman) 1964. 2 girls, one white, one black, become good friends when the high school is integrated but their friendship is tested by events. Hila Colman writes beautifully and humorously, books that many of us love a lot -- Julie Builds her Castle, for instance. Any time you see a book written by her, grab it and start reading. This copy is a hardcover formerly in a library, in fair condition but with a very good laser copy DJ. $3.50 Julie Builds her Castle (Hila Colman) 1959. Girl has to move along with her father after Dad (an intinerate artist) moves almost all the way across the country to Cape Cod. I've said it before, but it bears repeating -- some people don't know when they're well off, knowing how most people love "The Cape." Julie is very unhappy but she learns the eternal truth about Cape Cod -- it gets to you with its combination of beauty, hard work for the natives, and vacation fun for the tourists. Very romantic, too! Great story, HB with DJ, all in very good cond. $5.00 AHEAD -- MORE MALTSHOP BOOKS FOR YOU! Best Friend (Shirley Simon) 1964. It's one thing after another for this nearly-teen girl. Her best friend moves to a different apartment house and makes friends with another girl -- and both of them snub our girl. Then her grandmother moves in with them, and is that woman ever embarassing! This is a book for slightly younger readers then the average maltshop book, but I found it a lot of fun to read, and I've had good reviews of it from other maltshop fans. PB copy of Best Friend -- Good condition -- $2.00 (2 copies available) The Unchosen (Nan Gilbert) 1963. Gilbert wrote excellent Maltshops -- I wish there were more for you right now. In this one, 3 "unpopular" and probably fairly unlikeable girls team up and try to help each other learn to get somewhere in the social life of their High School. When this scheme actually starts to help, there is some inevitable jealousy. If your favorite Maltshop books are about trying to break into the social scene, and about teen social concerns, you'll like this book as much as I did! If I've made it sound like a bitter story, don't worry! Scholastic PB, $1.50 The Unchosen (Nan Gilbert) see description above -- this is a hardcover copy with a printed library picture cover showing 3 girls -- you won't wonder why they are "unchosen" when you see how morose and annoyed they look. Thank goodness at least one of them learns how to present herself in a much better way. And you'll have fun learning how she did just that! HB, XL, PC, $2.00 Adele De Leeuw wrote lots of books, and so far, I've liked every one that I've read! She wrote good career books, Girl Scout stories, just plain Maltshop
novels, and more. I certainly hope to have more books by her, very soon!
MORE MALTSHOP BOOKS, ESPECIALLY SOME BY the wonderful MABEL ESTHER ALLAN.
Mabel Esther Allan wrote over 100 good books for young adults! Some are romances,
some are more travel stories than anything else, some are mysteries. Most take
place somewhere in the British Isles, but there are some taking place in Europe
and a few from the US. I'll try to have more Allan books really soon, because
I really love them, and I think my book friends will love them, too. An Island in a Green Sea (Mabel Esther Allan) 1972. I cant describe this complex, emotional, beautiful story as well as the author does in the Author's Notes. "This is the story of a Hebridean childhood in the late 1920s... the Outer isles were remote indeed.. more than 40 years have passed but some of the problems remain the same...many of the islands that were once populated are now deserted. Life grew too difficult...The Outer isles are among the most beautiful places on earth, and it is sad that life has always been so hard there. Many of these people are now in Canada or the US and their children have never seen those "islands in a green sea." This book is the story of one of those children, and the decisions she had to make. Wonderful story! HB with picture cover (the girl looks very ugly on the cover, but I think that's because of the printed library cover.) Sturdy x-library book in good cond. $4.50 The Flash Children (Mabel Esther Allan) 1975. The family has to move to a new home,
with is right next to a railroad. Also, there is a beautiful "flash" or salt
marsh full of waterbirds, very close by. The back flap of the DJ notes that Ms
Allan had visual handicaps all her life, and wrote about a partially sighted
young man in this book -- along with a mystery and a fascinating project of
restorning a historical home. HB, XL in super condition, with DJ. $3.50
Romansgrove (Mabel Esther Allan) 1975. Father is advised to live in the country, after
an illness, so the family moves to a wonderful estate where he's found a job. The
children discover a strange secret from the past. Mysterious, lovely, set in the
Cotswolds. HB, XL in very good condition, very good dust jacket. $4.50 (2 copies available)
Time to go Back (Mabel Esther Allan) 1972. Rebellious girl joins some kind of protest
group and ends up in jail for a night. She becomes very sick after being out in
the rain and sitting in a cold jail, and gets way behind in her studies. Of course
her parents are very worried about her attitude. So she and her mother go to spend
time with the Grandmother far from the city and its problems. Girl becomes
obsessed with mother's dead sister, who was a poet, and gradually changes her
life and outlook. Mysterious, romantic and intriguing story. HB, PC, XL, good
condition -- $3.00 End of Mabel Esther Allan, back to other maltshop books --
MORE MALTSHOP BOOKS AND COLLECTIONS OF STORIES!
Teen-age Companion: An anthology for Boys and Girls -- edited by Frank Owen, 1946. There
are 20 stories in this book, and it would be fair for me to let you know that more
of them are aimed at boys than at girls. But they are entertaining ("What Happened to
Gene?") adventurous ("The Top of the Mountain,") funny ("Riot in Room No. 2")
and even somewhat romantic ("Sophomore Picnic" or "Saturday Night at 8.") Set at
school, home, out in the wilds, just about anywhere. And a few animal stories!
Large HB book is firm and tight, with a few small pictures on the cover. $2.50
Holiday Storybook (complied by the Child Study Association of America) 1952. Illustrated
by Phoebe Erickson (beautiful illustrations, by the way!) Huge book with stories for
just about every holiday you can think of, patriotic, religious, international,
fun, serious. Many well-known authors, and some that will be new to you. This is a huge
book, former library copy. It's been mended and taped; I will admit it isn't beautiful,
but we have covered it with a laser copy of our original dust jacket with its
adorable cover showing a boy and a birl on a bench -- reading! Surrounded by a darling
flower wreath. If you can ignore the mended cover, the pages are clean and fresh
and the stories are excellent. Good for a teacher or parent as well as those of us
who love to read sweet stories at each holiday. $3.00
MORE MALTSHOP TYPE BOOKS AHEAD
The Golden Dream (Jean Nielsen) 1959. An excellent Maltshop author, using some
unusual plots. In this one, the girl is her father's right-hand "man" in their
family's orange grove, so she misses quite a bit of school, while her petty, pert sister has plenty of male attention and nice clothes and never works in the grove. Unlike Starli, Sister doesn't miss the fun of things like Class Day (for Starli, hers falls on the same day as the semi-monthly irrigation, so she has to stay home and help Dad.) BUT -- orange growing has become unprofitable in their area, and the other farmers are all selling out. Since Starli's Dad won't admit that, the family budget is extremely tight. And the mother is so vague that she really isn't aware of any problems around her. Many strains of conflict in this fascinating story, but despite all these problems -- what fun this book is!! PB, good cond, $3.00
DON'T WORRY -- WE'RE STILL IN THE MALTSHOP SECTION!! BOOKS BY CAROL NORTON -- who wrote mysteries for girls, in the same era when Nancy Drew was getting her start. These books are large, attractive, and fascinating! If possible, I'll have more for you on the next sale list. Books by Jane D. Abbott. She wrote before the era that we think of as the "Maltshop" years, but if you like those stories, you will really enjoy the cute books by Abbott. She wrote about girls in a variety of situations and settings, but I've liked every one that I've read. They are written for the teens of the early decades of the 20th century, co they are fairly long (you get your money's worth!) but fast reading since you are eager to find out what happens next. I hope to have more books by Abbott for you very soon. Red Robin (Jane D. Abbott) 1922, Here's one Abbott book, at least! I wish I could find more for you. This one is especially interesting as it combines fantasy-come-true with social reform (honestly!) and up-to-date details even when the story takes Robin to a large manor house complete with old family retainers. Lots of detail. Briefly -- poor girl finds out that she's the heir to a vast fortune being made by scoundrals who exploit factory workers. But that's only the beginning! HB book in good condition, with a pretty dust jacket. First loose interior page has been "decorated," probably by a little sibling, but that's all the damage, as far as I noticed. Pretty Christmassy frontispiece wnr 4 other interior illus. $6.00 MORE MALTSHOP BOOKS! Laura Cooper Rendina is the author of the popular Debbie Jones series. She wrote quite a few books about teen girls and their adventures, problems, romances, and mysteries! All with an interesting twist! I'll try to add more books by Rendina, as soon as I can. I think I've mentioned this story before -- but it is amusing to me, so I'll add it to my description of these books. When I was in 6th grade, the first book in the series (Roommates) was extremely popular. One day, a group of the most popular (bossy) 6th-grade girls surrounded me, and demanded that I return "Roommates" to the library, because THEY wanted to read it! I couldn't convince them that I did not have that book out of the library. I guess they thought I was the girl who read the most books, so who else would have borrowed it? That was in the early '50s. Wish me luck trying to find some more books by Rendina, so I can offer them to you! Love is a Blanket Word (Honor Arundel) original title, The Blanket Word. 1973 Scholastic paperback. I think of the Arundel books as British Maltshops. Sad things and happy things are happening to the girl in this book, causing her to wonder just what "Love" means. Romantic cover picture! PB, $2.00 MORE MALTSHOP TYPE BOOKS -- Seventeenth Summer (Maureen Daly) 1942. One of the first true Maltshops, this is an award-winning story of a girl's first romance, from June (when it all starts) through July (when things were so wonderful) to the end of August (when she wonders if anything ever again will be so wonderful as her 17th Summer.) PB, like new, $2.00 When Sara Smiled (Kathleen Robinson) 1962. When she smiled, she was transformed from a very quiet, shy girl, totally unable to speak with any boy, to pretty much a different person. But it took a beautiful horse, an exceptional boy, and a lot of time for her to feel like smiling! Golden Griffon paperback, $2.00 Hardcover copy of When Sara Smiled, by Kathleen Robinson. Pretty cover picture of a girl and a horse, which certainly tells you what the book is about. And much more! HB Whitman Teen Novel in very good condition, HB with a printed picture cover. $3.50 BEVERLY CLEARY'S MALTSHOPS are even better than her Ramona books, which are
something wonderful themselves. I wish she'd written many more books for older girls,
but unfortunately, she only wrote 4. Try them -- you'll discover books that are
as good as Cavanna's early novels, or Emery's best. Fifteen is a true Maltshop classic!
I think everyone who loves Cavanna or duJardin or Emery, should read this Cleary book,
you'll be very glad you did -- and the others are very fine, too.
A Girl From Yamhill (Beverly Cleary) 1988. Cleary had a strange childhood, really
good in some ways, almost unbearable in others. You will understand her writing
much better after you read this book. It covers her early childhood and on
through high school, all in Oregon. This book will help you understand how
Cleary could write with such poignant realism about the feelings of a little
girl, Ramona. HB, XL, with nice DJ, in very good condition. $2.75 My Own Two Feet, a Memoir -- "More of the life of A Girl from Yamyhill" by Beverly Cleary 1995. If you love the book "The Luckiest Girl" you will be very pleased to read about Beverly Cleary's real-life experiences that led to the writing of that excellent story about a girl who escapes the smothering of her parents, and spends some time in Southern California. It was a life-changing time for both the fictional girl and the actual writer. There are some substantial differences, the novel wasn't an exact rendition of Cleary's life, but you'll get the references. And if you haven't read the novel, this is a super-good autobiography, anyway! Large PB in very good cond. $2.50
Jean and Johnny (Beverly Cleary) 1959. One of Cleary's wonderful Maltshop books!
Girl is shy and scrawny, and she can't see a thing without her glasses. And the
skirt she was wearing that day was one she'd made herself without remembering to
match the plaids at the seam! She and her friend were only watching the glamour
girls dance while they waited for a ride home -- so why does a very handsome boy
ask her to dance? And why didn't she ever take dancing lessons? The explanations
are full of Cleary's humor and understanding of young people, and the story is
truly entertaining, one of the best Maltshops!Paperback copy in good cond. $2.00
The Luckiest Girl (Beverly Cleary) 1958. This is by far my favorite of the Cleary
Maltshop books! Maybe because the girl gets to spend the school year in Southern
CA where I have spent some wonderful time myself. She and her mother have had
some "communication problems" -- the pink raincoat she's wearing in the DJ picture
is the cause of the most recent one. So when her mom's old friend suggests that
the girl might like to visit them from her home in Oregon, it seems like a good
solution. Actually, she's a very, very nice girl! And has a very, very nice winter!
It's hard to put my finger on what makes it so special -- maybe because it's quite
reminiscent of Cleary's memoirs you'll realize that she is able to remember just
what it feels like to be a teenager. HB in good cond, though cover is a little
discolored. Anyway, you won't see the cover as the book has a laser copy of our very
nice DJ. Best-Loved Girls' Books edition. $5.00 Luckiest Girl (Cleary 1958) hardcover with DJ, library copy in very good cond, but I like the original DJ picture much better. This one has a picture of a girl who looks at least 30 -- there isn't anything wrong with 30, goodness knows I wish I looked 30! But she is supposed to be only a teen, and a rather young and immature teen at that. Anyway, the really good story will be just the same, and this is a lovely copy. $3.50
Sister of the Bride (Cleary) illustrated by Beth and Joe Krush. 1963. Her sister is
going to get married! a lot of this book deals with wedding preparation and all the
fun that goes with it. But there are a lot of High School and family scenes --
her younger brother and his friends have formed a folk-singing trio (though this
does date this book, it feels very nostalgic for me!)And you can predict the uproar
in the family when her sister anounces that she is going to be married -- she's too
young, and still in college. (This also is all too familiar to me, but somehow Dave
and I have managed to stay married for 55 years -- so far! I hope the girl in
this story has just as happy a life after the novel ends!) Fair cond PB $1.00 also v good cond pb, $2.00
Fifteen (Beverly Cleary) 1956. She starts to date, has to fight parents' about her
rights to have a life of her own, and learns that there are ups and downs in adult
life. PB, good condition! $2.50
End of Maltshop books by Beverly Cleary
********************************************************
Maltshoppy books by Phyllis A. Whitney. This author certainly could write well in
a number of genres! Mysteries for teen readers, romances for young adults,
and of course good novels for adults. In all of her books, there are central
problems of family relationships, reactions to changes, and a strong sense
of location -- often an unusual setting. All of these things play well in her
Maltshop type books -- and I think Whitney's maltshop books are her VERY best.
I'll try to add more Whitney maltshops as soon as I can!
Willow Hill (Phyllis A. Whitney) 1947. Early treatment of integration in schools.
Of course there are maltshop elements -- school, family, town. And romance! Very
interesting view of Ms. Whitney's serious side. PB in good cond. $2.00
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
MORE MALTSHOP BOOKS....
Helen Girvan wrote some of the very best "Maltshop Mysteries." Her settings are
always interesting, and her heroines are often trying to figure out what they
want to do with their lives. If I happen to have any of her books for sale, they
will be here or in the Young Adult Mystery section, since I've started putting the
Maltshoppy type mysteries in this area. Mystery of the Missing masterpiece (Girvan) Summerhill Summer (Joan Gilbert) 1967. Has all the maltshoppy elements, girl spends the summer at a "mystery-enshrouded country home" but also just what the girl thought she might be missing -- horses!Strange happenings, mysterious noises, sabotage. Wow! HB, XLibrary, very good DJ encased in clear plastic. Very good ocnd book. $2.50
Lavinia Davis is one of the best Maltshop authors! She could write about families,
horses, mysteries! She writes about teen girls and boys equally expertly. Plenty
of humor, but not laid on with a trowel! Her families are funny and interesting
-- you'll love the families that she writes about. Nice settings, too.
Janey's Fortune (Lavinia Davis) 1957.
Things weren't going quite as nicely as she could wish, at home in CT, so it was
probably a blessing when the letters were forwarded, inviting her to spend the
summer in New Mexico. Her grandfather had died just after he made the plans for her
trip, and charged her with trying to find his hidden treasure. "Fortune" had several
meanings, a town, a possible bonanza, and Janey's changed outlook for her future. She
found a new outlook on her future, met quite a cast of interesting people, and, if you
look at the beautiful dust jacket picture, she became a true Western gal. There she
is, dressed in a western shirt and kerchief, jeans and a 10-gallon hat. Behind her,
a ghost-town spread out, and on the other side of the picture, a smiling cowboy in his
lively horse. I think Janey has a horse in the picture, too, but it's hard to make it
out. Anyway, she's ready to ride! HB, with DJ, both in nearly-new condition. $6.00 The Secret of Donkey Island (Lavinia R. Davis)1952. Here's what the DJ flap says about it - "Another adventure story .... by the well-known author of Sandy's Spurs, Hobby Horse Hill and others, with a mystery to spice it and an appealing donkey pet to top it." Everything that I said about Lavinia Davis' books in the paragraph above, holds very true for this book! Fun, interesting, and best of all -- set on Cape Cod! HB w/DJ, nice personal copy in wonderful condition. $4.00
Sandy's Spurs (Lavinia Davis) 1951. Written for kids just under the Maltshop age, this
is a book that I liked even though I usually find horse stories a little repetitive.
A boy goes to stay with a family that pretty much lives for horses, while he has no
interest in them whatsoever. He does enjoy the family, and 4H, and the intriguing
mystery that comes their way. A Beautiful book, with very nice illustrations by
Grace Paull. I'm always fond of pictures of kids wearing clothes of the mid-20th
century, cars from the same era, and a few interior scenes. There's a mystery in
this comfortable book, too. Virginia setting. Laser copy of our DJ on this HB
book. $5.00
MORE MALTSHOP BOOKS FOR YOU!!
I love BIANCA BRADBURY's writing, and recently, one of my daughters discovered how
much she loved Bradbury, too. She read 4 of her books during a very short visit w
with us, and wants to read the others the next time she visits! There are usually
several of Bradbury's books in various sections of my sale list.
Mixed-up Summer (Bianca Bradbury) 1979. Girl's boyfriend wants to get married right
away, and is building a house for them. She can't decide whether to marry or to
go to nursing school as she had wanted for a long time. Lots of other issues in
this intense and fascinating story. Family, jobs, relationships, fun. Paperback
in fairly good cond, $2.00
Laughter in Our House (Bianca Bradbury)1964. You'll love this one! At least, if you
like stories about kids who take over the family duties, move to Vermont, renovate
an old country house, and do their very best to cure their sick mother. This much
is described on the DJ flap, but of course there is much more -- this is a maltshop
romance, after all! Book in good condition, with a good DJ. $4.50
Those Traver Kids (Bianca Bradbury)1972. Girl's father has deserted the large family,
and her mother is remarried to a man the kids really don't like, and frankly,
neither will you. The kids are neglected -- and possibly in danger. It's up to
the older children to rectify the situation, protect the younger ones, and
possibly create a better life for themselves, too. Bradbury's books are really,
really good, and catch you up in situations that you hope you'll never be in
yourself, but you certainly will or do know people in similar situations. And they
are realistic without being brutal. HB, with DJ, very good condition. $5.00
Love is Never Enough (Bianca Bradbury) 1971. One of my all-time FAVORITE books! It's
one of those books that are trying to scare teens out of getting married until they're
old enough to make a good living, finish education, etc -- but I believe these books
only make the whole situation look romantic and dramatic to teens, don't you think? In
this case, the guy is in college, the girl drops out of HS because she is pregnant.
They live with the baby in a little trailer on the college campus. Life is very
tough. The story is full of domestic details, arguments and reconciliations, and of
course a lot of learning about life. So interesting!!!!! This book was called A New
Penny in the hardcover edition, I have no idea why the title was changed, because it
was interesting and appropriate before. Paperback in very good condition, $3.00
(2 copies available)
In Her Father's Footsteps (Bianca Bradbury) 1976. Her father is a vet, and she wants to
join his practice as soon as she can. Then disaster hits, and they both have to
make amended plans. There is more than one sweet, low-key romance in here, and a lot
about running a veterinary practice. PB, fair cond, $1.50
MORE BOOKS BY BIANCA BRADBURY
Lots of Love, Lucinda (Bianca Bradbury) 1966. This Bradbury book is definitely a
Maltshop, and very much also a romance! It also has a strong message for a book
from the mid-1960's. Lucinda's a poor African American girl from the south,
who is chosen to spend her high school years living with a Northern family,
in a very affluent Connecticut suburb. It seems to us that the potential problems
should be obvious, but to the teen girl in the CT family and her parents, it feels
like "something we can DO to help." There are LOTS of lighthearted teen moments
in the book! And you might be able to look at the growing tension between the
girls as something that might happen to 2 sisters in any family, or to a couple
of girls when one of them is a foreign exchange student. Of course there are a few
complications that are unique to this situation, in the days when things hadn't
changed quite as much as they have today. Thank goodness they have. I imagine people
like the nice, average family in this story, helped make those changes happen.
HB book with very nice library printed picture cover, showing the 2 teenaged girls
reading a book together. $3.50
PB copy of Lots of Love, Lucinda -- very good condition, $2.00 (2 copies available)
Lots of Love, lucinda, pb in poor condition, but this is a very good maltshop type book!
Free with another book by Bianca Bradbury
STILL MORE MALTSHOP BOOKS!
Junior Miss (Sally Benson) early 40s stories.(Sally Benson)1939-1941 I think these stories
appeared in magazines before they were put together into a charming maltshoppy type
novel about a girl, her friends, her pets, and her family. Very funny, and very sweet.
If you haven't read it, it's time you Maltshop fans did read it! Here is a beautiful
hardcover copy with a DJ (moderately good cond.) The DJ picture is adorable! Pink,
with an overall white flower design, there is a cute freckled girl in a fluffy
white prom gown, surrounded by what we used to call "callow youths" mainly in tuxes,
all obviously trying to figure out how to get the attention of a girl! Meantime, Judy
looks unconcerned, her long hair in what I think was called a bob, and a pouf above
her brow -- it's a period-piece for sure. There's a nice list of books "for
modern boys and girls" on the back cover. I always love to read those, to figure
out what books I "need" next, for my collection. By the way, Sally Bensen wrote
Meet me in Saint Louis, one of the most amusing family stories I've ever read
(amusing in a sly sort of way, and the present book is similarly funny!)
HB, PC, good condition, nice cover graphics. $3.00
HB, $2.00
PB copy of Junior Miss , good condition, $2.00
MILDRED LAWRENCE is one of the unsung Maltshop greats. Some of the settings sound odd
but they aren't emphasized to the extent of overshadowing the lighthearted stories.
If there are no M Lawrence books at this time, I'll add more as soon as I can.
MORE MALTS AHEAD!
MALTSHOP BOOKS BY JAN NICKERSON
Nickerson was one of the finest Maltshop authors, on a par with Marjorie Hall and Betty
Cavanna. She often starts by exploring a career choice, but includes lots of the best
Malty aspects -- dating, family relations, "teen angst" and school situations. I hope
to have more of Nickerson's books again soon!
Date with a Career (Jan Nickerson) 1958. It's easy to guess what career this girl wants, the dust jacket shows her gazing at bolts of fabric with dress styles pinned on. Thread and scissors accent the picture! A Best Loved Girls' Book edition, guarantees it's a really good Maltshop novel! Here's the plot -- the girl has always traveled around, following her actess mother's jobs. This time, mom is going to be out of the country for a long time, so the girl is sent to live with her grandmother, a Grande Dame from a small Massachuestts town. Grand-mom wants the girl to become a pianist for some reason, and hires the best piano teacher in town for an intensive program of lessons. The girl wants to design clothes, and fits some projects into her schedule, including costumes for school plays. Add in a very unusual car and a wonderful school year complete with budding romance, and it's a wonderful story that I've read at least 3 times. HB in very good condition except for a fold on the first page. Very good DJ, too. $5.00 Another copy of Date with a Career (Nickerson) 1958. See Above! This is a hardcover copy with a small printed picture on the cover. Good condition cover, very clean inside. $3.00
Answer for April (Jan Nickerson) 1963. A story that makes you feel great sympathy for
the main character, a motherless girl who feels that she can't leave home for college
because her older sister has just married, and this girl is left at home to be in
charge of her 2 younger sisters. The 3 girls get together and make a decision that
will amuse and entrance you! But is it as simple as they hope it will be? Of course
not! A very nice family in a tough situation. HB XL, in pretty good condition, with
a laser copy of the unusual and attractive dust jacket showing a girl surrounded
by Halloween-costumed revelers. $4.50
Sycamore Year (Mildred Lee) 1974. A rather dark love story, but very entertaining!
Girl's friend has a gorgeous voice, but no confidence and a tough family life.
She falls for Mr Wrong. Both girls are impacted by this friend's subsequent pregnancy.
Nice family scenes, including little kids. A serious growing-up story. PB copy, $1.25
MORE MALTSHOP and OTHER TEEN NOVELS AHEAD! All for a Horse (Kay Avery) 1955. This is a beautiful hardcover book with DJ, first printing if that means anything or matters to you. To quote the front DJ flap, "The story of Vermont maple-sugaring, country school life, races, and surprises, (it) combines mystery and laughter, as a profound lesson in getting along with others." It's about a boy, so not really a maltshop, but if you love horses and a very well-written story of mid-20th-century country living, it's perfect. $4.50
The Paris Hat (Mary Cunningham) 1958. To enjoy this one to the fullest, you have to
understand that sometimes a teen girl will aspire to an unrealistic goal, because
she has a crush on a boy! I imagine it's happened to a lot of us -- all of us? In
this book, teen girl with a family full of characters and responsibilities, decides
to become a ballet dancer at an "advanced age" and has quite a few adventures along
the way. The Paris Hat refers to a hat in a beautiful box that's delivered to the
home in advance of the arrival of her travelling brother-in-law, who helps her to
see reality in a very upbeat way. Unusual but popular and lots of fun. HB in beautiful condition, with a lovely repo dust jacket. $5.00
_______________________________________________________
Books by Rosamond Du Jardin -- who is one of the 3 best authors from the MALTSHOP
era of books for teen girls. Her 3 series, about Marcy Rhodes, Pam and Penny Howard,
and Tobey and Midge Heydon, have been reprinted beautifully, but I still like to offer
these relatively inexpensive vintage original editions that many of us bought from
Scholastic or borrowed from the library when we were in school. Terrific family scenes,
social life, school, friends, romance. Just enough serious thinking to satisfy teachers
and librarians, but not so much that it even barely starts to get too heavy! I love
these books, and my daughter loves them as much as I do. You can go right back to the
whole world of the 1950s.
The Real Thing (du Jardin) 1956. Tobey Haydon story. She starts college with the
understanding that she and Brose will make other friends. Is that a good idea???
Beautiful story, beautiful picture on the DJ showing a very happy couple
greeting each other at the train station. That doesn't really spoil the ending
of this book, since it doesn't tell you who the boy is! HB XL in fairly good
condition, with a reproduction of the very good DJ. $7.00
Practically Seventeen (du Jardin) 1943/1949. First in the Tobey and Midge Heydon series.
Simple problems, simpler times, or at least it seems that way from our perspective.
Tobey meets all kinds of situations including first romance. The reason for the
uncertain publication date is that several of the chapters appeared as magazine
stories prior to the full book, which came out in 1949. I read on the back of one
of Du Jardin's books, that Practically Seventeen had been printed in Japan and
Sweden, and set in Braille!
Practically Seventeen (du Jardin) PB with ugly cover picture, but the same really
good story inside. $1.25
-----------------------------------------------
***The Following entries are Whitman authorized editions. Good, fanciful,
often mysterious stories, supposedly about famous actresses or comic strip
characters. Some are about TV characters or shows, others are about young
women who were active in the armed services or the home front during WWII.
Good authors! Some of these are MALTSHOPPY type stories. Lots of "atmosphere"
in most of them. If you've read one of them and liked it, you'll probably like them
all. I certainly do like them!!!! Many illustrations, some very artistic and
romantic, some done in cartoon style. No DJs unless noted, but the books are in
good condition. Some of the pages are a little fragile, due to the wartime paper
they used. These Whitman Authorized editions always have wonderful cover pictures
and internal illustrations. Glamour for girls in the 1940s! SOME WHITMAN AUTHORIZED BOOKS FEATURING OLD MOVIE STARS AND OTHER FAMOUS PEOPLE OF THE PAST or other celebrities: Lassie (yes, the collie dog!) stars in a series of Whitman Authorized TV-related
books. Beautiful cover pictures -- especially if you're a dog lover -- and the
pictures wrap around to the back. These 3 Lassie books are written by 3 different
authors, but all star Lassie plus a variety of boys who love her (and of course
who are rescued by her one way or another.) Very nostalgic books. They are:
Lassie, Treasure Hunter (in Quite good condition.)
Lassie and the Mystery at Blackberry Bog (also in very nice condition for
its age.)
Lassie, Trouble at Panter's Lake (this one has a loose spine due to very
cheap construction, but cover and pages are very nice.)
3 Lassie Series books -- $8.00 for the set. Leave it to Beaver (from the TV show of the same name) Whitman authorized editions, No subtitle, but the cover shows Beaver in the cab of a fire engine, with a big fire hat and a big fireman to do the driving. And a big smile on both faces. HB with picture cover and good condition! $2.50 MORE WHITMAN AUTHORIZED EDITIONS -- April Kane and the Dragon Lady, A Terry and the Pirates Adbenture. "Based on Milton Caniff's Famous Newspaper Strip." 1942. Whitman Authorized Edition. This one is so amazing! The cover (DJ) picture alone is worth the price of the book! Cameo pictures of April, whoever she was, in the center -- and she doesn't look very happy! Squares with pictures of the other characters around the cameo, and inside, full-page pictures every few pages of this exciting 248-page book. Slightly browned pages -- it's hard to avoid that in these old, books with their war-time paper. I think they only cost 59 cents at the time, and it was a very good bargain when you realize this one could be nearly 80 years old today. Nice, anyway! HB in very good cond, with very good DJ. $6.00 Betty Grable: The House with the iron Shutters. "An original story featuring Betty Grable famous motion picture star as the heroine." By Kathryn Heisenfelt, illustrated by Henry E. Vallely. Whitman authorized edition. Betty solves a mystery, but not before she got into a lot of hot water and making new friends. Book in fair cond, all there but shows its age. Lots of great period fashions in the many illustrations. HB. $2.00 Ann Sheridan and the Sign of the Sphinx ((Kathryn Heisenfelt) 1943. "Caught in the whirl of events, Ann finds herself and her friend Crunch risking their very lives in an attempt to save the life of a dear friend!" I'm afraid I had to look up Ann Sheridan to find out that she was a fairly-well-known actress and singer in the mid-20th century. She had roles in movies and soaps, and entertained the troops in WWII both at home and abroad. When you look at her picture on the front of this book, you'll believe that she was cast in roles that called for a beautiful lady! HB book with laser copy of the original, very artistic, cover pictur. The book shows its age, pages are darkened, but it's all there and well bound. Lots of exciting pictures. $4.50 Tillie the Toiler; Masquerading Duchess. "Based on the famous newspaper strip by Russ Westover" 1943. Amusingly illustrated with numerous cartoon-y pictures by the originator of the comic strip. Like most of these Whitman Authorized books, this one has suspense, a bit of romance, and lots of nostalgic reminders of life in mid-20th-century. Book in good cond except rough at the bottom of the spine, otherwise looks good. $2.75
ANNETTE BOOKS --
Annette books by Doris Schroeder, from 1960 through 1964. These are not really
about that popular girl, "Annette" Funicello, from the Mickey Mouse Club, so very
recently deceased, but about a girl based on her character, and her adventures in
the Southwest. Whitmen's Authorized Editions used Annette's popularity as a draw
to sell books, while giving us a really well-written series of 5 books about this
girl. They pretty much follow each other in order, but can certainly be read separately
if you want to. The covers are very lovely, showing that pretty girl that so many
young teen boys had crushes on, each one in a different situation. Two of them feature
horses, one has her in a little sailboat, and there's an Elvis-look-alike on the back
cover of the 4th. Each book has a picture cover that wraps all around from front to back.
Nice-looking series, though they suffer as all the typical Whitman PC "cello" type
books -- with weak bindings and mono-color interior pictures. I'll try to have more
Annette books soon!
Annette and the Mystery at Smugglers' Cove (Doris Schroeder) 1963. Cover shows the
beautiful, happy Annette in a small sailboat, but one actual sailing trip wasn't
quite as peaceful. The girls were stranded, the boat was damaged, and the girls
ended up involved in an exciting mystery. Good condition! Nice picture cover! $3.50
Annette: Mystery at Medicine Wheel (Doris Schroeder) 1964. Annette spends more than she
was supposed to spend on a prom dress, and her guardian decides she needs to learn
about earning and budgetting money. She gets a job at a "guest ranch" in Wyoming,
and learns more than her uncle/guardian had even hoped for. There are plenty of
problems, but this girl was as resourceful and smart and nice as the Mousketeer that
the character was modeled on. HB in good condition, with a picture cover showing
horses on a trail ride, and that beautiful Annette that all the boys fell in love
with. $4.00
Annette and the Mystery at Moonstone Bay (Shroeder) 1962. Cover shows Annette in riding
clothes, on what looks to me (but what do I know?) like a beautiful horse. Back cover
shows a pine tree, cones, mountains, and a cute chipmunk. Annette is at it again,
solving mysteries and having teenage fun at the same time! Annette driveds a "neat
little white sports car" and hangs out at The Choc Shop, so this can almost be
classified as a Maltshop mystery. These books are fun! HB, nice picture cover, $4.00 END OF ANNETTE BOOKS -- MORE WHITMAN AUTHORIZED EDITIONS AHEAD
Invisible Scarlet O'Neil, "Based on the Comic Strip by Russell Stamm." Wonderful
pictures, especially the DJ picture of a voluptuous young lady walking beside
a shadow of herself, background of a dark cityscape. Scarlet uses her gift of
invisibility to help people who need her. This beautiful book tells about one
of her best adventures. Book in fairly good condition, Laser DJ that looks really
nice -- and on the back of the DJ, a long list of other Whitman Mystery and
Adventure Stories, so you can check to see how many you still need. $4.50
Tillie the Toiler and the Masquerading Duchess ("based on the famous newspaper strip
by Russ Westover" Whitman authorized edition from 1943. This one is an entertaining
mystery, with a clever and very attractive DJ picture of the characeters from the
comic strip (which I don't remember, do you?) and a crown and scepter. HB in fairly
good cond for one of these wartime-paper books, with a laser repro dust jacket that
looks wonderful. $4.00
MORE WHITMAN AUTHORIZED EDITIONS, MOSTLY SOMEWHAT "MALTSHOPPY"
Janet Lennon at Camp Calamity -- subtitled, Singing Star from the Lawrence Welk Show,
but in this story she is just Janet, a camp counselor at a camp that's NOT really
named Calamity, but that's what it turns out to be when a rich camper is kidnapped,
and Janet has to help figure out where she can be. Most of us love stories with a
summer-camp background, and this is a very good one. Front cover shows Janet helping
a girl learn to float in the pool, and back cover shows a dream-come-true log lodge,
with many log cabins around, and in the background, trees, green hills, and high,
snow-topped mountains. Let's have a PF meeting there very soon! Good cond, which
isn't always the case for this series of Whitman Authorized TV Adventures. $3.50 (another copy that has slightly more wear, but quite readable and attractive for $2)
Janet Lennon and the Angels ("Singing Star from the Lawrence Welk TV show" as subtitle)
Fourth in a 4-book series about Janet and her sisters, who are presented as singers
who are not working at the time the books take place. They're on vacation, or visiting
friends. They are all mysteries, in the mold of the Schoolgirl Sleuths. In this one,
Janet goes to a ranch, where she spends most of her timw with a Mexican-American
family, the Angels. Such a beautiful cover picture -- Janet in a colorful and wide
skirt with frilly blouse, by a fireplace, and next to a very handsome young man!
HB, picture cover, Whitman Authorized TV Edition, good condition. $3.50
The Lennon Sisters: The Secret of Holiday Island. 1960. The sisters' father is thinking
of buying a ranch, so the family goes to the ranch (on an island) to see if they'd
like to buy it as a vacation home. Book is in good condition, with each of the girls'
photo on the cover, looking like snapshots in an album, with those wonderful old
photo corners holding the pictures in the album. Book in good condition, with a nice
printed picture cover -- back cover has Janet's handwritten map of Holiday Island.
HB, PC, $3.00
MORE MALTSHOPPY WHITMAN OR WHITMAN AUTHORIZED EDITIONS AHEAD! Blondie and Dagwood's Snapshot clue by Chic Young, author of Blondie and Dagwood. All the characters from this good ol'comic are in this longer mystery from 1943, with plenty of cartoon illustrations, too. $2.50
Ann Rutherford --This cover shows a very, very
creepy dark house against a navy blue sky, with lights showing through a few
windows and bright red shadows! Also, there's a framed picture of Ann Rutherford,
I don't know anything about her, except that the title page says she's "a famous
motion picure player." Written by the very talented Kathryn Heisenfelt and
illustrated by the equally talented Henry E. Vallely. Book in fairly good cond,
with a nice laser copy of the original dust jacket. $4.50
Patty Duke and Mystery Mansion (Whitman Authorized TV adventure) Good mystery,
Beautiful Patty Duke picture cover. HB, not bad condition.$2.00
Patty Duke and Mystery Mansion in very good condition. $3.00
.
The Beverly Hillbillies: The Saga of Wildcat Creek. 1963. By Doris Schroeder. Front
and back covers show the Hillbillies looking just as you remember them, with a
swimming pool (or is it?) in the back yard. Good condition. $2.00
I hope I'll soon have some more books in the following category:
Books in the Whitman Fighters for Freedom Series weren't anything like the grim
stories that you might imagine. They are wonderful stories about girls in various
aspects of the war effort in the early '40s, something on the line of the Cherry
Ames books from that era. There are books about Army Nurse, Canteen Girl, Sandra of
the Girl Orchestra, etc. I'll try to have more of this interesting series very soon.
***End of Whitman and/or Whitman authorized editions.***
***************************************
RETURNING TO THE MALTSHOP BOOK AFTER LISTING THE WHITMAN BOOKS!
Books by Grace and Olive Barnett) -- I've done some searching
to try to find out who these authors are, but there isn't much to be found. Are
they sisters? Mother and daughter? Or even a married team, since I did find one
man named "Olive" on the internet. Anyway, their books are excellent adventures,
with boys and girls equally involved.
Mystery of the Missing Wallet (Grace and Olive Barnett) 1946. Not very far into this
story, the missing wallet becomes important. The father of a boy and girl, has been
injured in a riding accident -- or was it an accident? The doctor, an old friend,
can't understand where the wallet had disappeared to. After all, it seemed very
important to him, and he was never seen without it. Was there something very
valuable in there? And did someone else want it enough to cause that accident?
The kids have to help run the ranch while their father is recovering, a very
lengthy process. And they need to figure out why their father might have been
hurt by someone whom he trusted. The dust jacket is one of the Barnetts' great
beauties, showing the 2 kids on horses with mountains, trees, the desert floor,
boulders, and in the distance, a tiny log cabin. If I had to choose my favorite
book jackets, the ones on the Barnett books would be serious contenders. HB,
personal copy in very good condition, with laser copy of our original DJ. $6.00
MARY STOLZ was my favorite teen-book author when I was a teen. Very emotional, even
a bit heavy sometimes! Always extremely well written, realistic and worthwhile.
Mary Stolz died, in her late 80s, in December of 2007.
The Noonday Friends (Stolz) 1965. I've noticed that this book is often suggested
reading on school lists -- though in my mind it's no better than a lot of Stolz's
wonderful books. Like all her books, this one has lots of domestic details, the girl
thinks seriously about herself and her family and friends, and there is a compelling
story line. This was written for a somewhat younger reader than her earlier Maltshop
books, so the problems are a tad less serious, and there is the possibility of a
very happy ending! HB, XL, with a pretty picture cover. $2.00
Leap before you Look (Mary Stolz) PB $2 (2?)
The Edge of Next Year (Mary Stolz)1974 Quite a hard story to read, as it's about
a boy whose mother has just died. This is so different from the easy acceptance
of parental loss that we see in series books ("her mother had died when she was
very young, and a motherly housekeeper took her place...") All of Stolz's books
are excellently written, as this one certainly is. XL with PC, also a
very good DJ. $3
End of books by Stolz
*******************************
MORE MALTSHOP-TYPE BOOKS and TEEN NOVELS... To the Green Mountains (Eleanor Cameron) 1975 set in rural America during WWI. Cameron writes beautifully and romantically (in the larger sense) about a girl who dreams of a home of their own for her and her mother, in the mountains and forests with her grandmother. Family scenes and secrets, tragedy and hope. Not an easy story, but it certainly catches you and won't let go. Good HB with very good DJ. $3.50 From the Lightyouse (Liz Chipman) 2004. Set during the Great Depression, girl's mother walks out on the family (who live in the lighthouse) and the 13-year-old girl is in charge of the household, including little brothers. This book covers the first year after the mother is gone, and it wasn't an easy year, for sure. HB with DJ, personal copy, all in very good condition. $3.00
"Minnow" Vail (Winifred E. Wise) 1962. She's such a natural swimmer, and she's so
tiny, that she's called Minnow ! More than anything, she wants to be included in
the water carnival as a mermaid, but she's still too young. She thinks she won't
participate at all if she has to continue to swim with the beginners, but things
start to happen! A beautiful houseguest brings interesting guys -- and problems --
into their life, her best friend comes down with a serious disease, so the girl
has to grow up and begin to understand how she can participate and help in a lot
more ways than being the star of the production. Good book! Amazing, interesting
cover picture!! HB, Whitman Teen Novel edition, $2.00 (a copy in slightly less pristine condition for $2.00)
Marty on the Campus (Elisa Bialk) 1956. There are 3 books in the Marty series. They
reverse the popular order of college, then career. In this, the 3rd one, Marty
finally has a chance to go to college after being a reporter and even spending
time in Hollywood and meeting a lot of real celebrities. Nice paperback with a
rather sweet cover, fine to read without having read the other 2 first. $2.25
BOOKS BY BARBARA CLAYTON, one of the best of Maltshop authors. She wrote about my
native New England (Maine, Mass, VT, for instance) And about changes that happen
to teenage girls and lead to wonderful new ways to look at life. Some of her books
are Skates for Marty, Halfway Hannah, Pepper Pot, Second Best. I'll try to add
more Barbara Clayton books soon. Second Best (Barbara Clayton) 1963 Nice Maine ocean-side setting. Girl has always felt inferior to her older sister and younger brothers, both of them multi-talented stars. Then her father takes a Maine cottage for the summer so he can write a book in peace and quiet (? with 3 kids along? But this is fiction!)She figures no one knows her there, so she can start fresh and be a social success. One thing after another until she does learn a few things about what makes for success, solves a mystery, and looks ahead to a better future. Best Loved Girls' Books edition, in near-perfect condition except for very small price-tag residue in the upper corner of the beautiful front of the dust jacket. $5.00
Halfway Hannah (Clayton) 1964. Hannah's father thinks she's halfway about everything,
opinions, decisions, whatever. When she and her father move from the south, to
chilly Vermont, she isn't halfway at all -- she hates it. And her opinionated
father embarasses her as usual. Until she learns to ski, and also teams up with
a boy to solve a mystery in her new town, and starts to think the move wasn't
all that bad. HB in fairly good condition, with a pretty good dust jacket (showing
shy Hannah in the foreground, a background of mountains, and a boy looking over
the fence!) $4.00
Tomboy (Barbara Clayton) 1961. There is a Maine connection with this book, shown
by a nice lighthouse picture on the title page. Mostly, this is the story of a
girl who really didn't want to be feminine if it meant she had to dress up, get
crushes on boys, giggle, and stop playing sports. She disliked the way her
friends have started to do all those silly things! The story is very well-rounded
and realistic, with a musical brother, family troubles and successes, career
exploration, and of course a new appreciation of the joys of being a woman. I may
have told you too much about the plot, but it's pretty easy to guess what's going
to happen -- the fun is reading about how this came about. And the Thanksgiving
trip to that Maine lighthouse! HB in Very good cond, with its original DJ,
which is also in very good cond. HB, DJ, $5.00.
MORE MALTSHOP AND SIMILAR BOOKS
Light a Single Candle (Beverly Butler) 1962. Teen girl gradually loses more
and more of her sight, and finally goes to a School for the Blind. She is NOT a
happy camper for a long time. You'll find this a very amazing book, partly due to
the fact that the author writes from personal experience. Getting a guide dog is
a very nice part of this story. A book that you really shouldn't miss. PB, $2.00
Along with Light a Single Candle, I'll list this non-fiction book by Beverly Butler,
about getting acquainted with a new seeing-eye dog. The book is "Maggie By My
Side, from 1987, a small hb with DJ. Ms Butler had just lost her beloved dog at
the beginning of the book, and knew she needed to get another one in order to
keep her independence. This book tells about going to the training school, meeting
her new companion, and the process that gets each of them accustomed to the other.
There are plenty of photos, and a bit of the legalities of taking a dog everywhere
with a disabled person. This book was written for youngish readers, but both
Dave and I read it with great interest as well as enjoyment. HB, DJ, XL,
good condition, $2.50
MORE MALTSHOPS or similar books! --
Foster Child (Marion Dane Bauer) 1977. "Renny couldn't talk about what happened to her
at the foster home..." from the front cover of this PB. I've read this book twice,
it's fascinating and powerful, though simple and and easy to read. Young girl always
lived with her grandmother, so when the grand has a stroke, she has to go into
foster care. It's not a cozy place, to say the least, and there are things going on
that shouldn't be happening. PB, fairly good cond, $1.25
Zoa Sherburne wrote quite a few very readable and entertaining books about somewhat
serious subjects. You will be very glad you discovered this author of books from
the Maltshop era. I hope to have more books by Sherburne in future lists.
Jennifer (Sherburne) 1959. Girl's mother has never recovered from a tragedy quite a
few years ago. The family moves to a new state, but the girl can't seem to make
friends, probably because she wouldn't want to invite them to her home. Sad but
sweet story of family, a girl, new school, new friends, new beginnings. PB, $2 (2 copies available)
Almost April (Zoa Sherburne) 1956. Girl hadn't wanted to live with her father in
Oregon, after all these years. It was just as she had feared, he thought he
knew what was good for her (for example, he didn't think she ought to go around
with a certain boy, but what does he know?) Then his new wife has a baby with
some problems, which makes a lot of tension in the home. Will her love for a
new baby brother give the girl the key to helping all these people become a
real, loving family? And what about that boyfriend? PB in good condition,
$2.00 (2 copies available)
Almost April hardcover, with laser copy of the DJ showing a girl and boy standing
along the shore, windblown, gazing out at the waves, and wooded hills in the
background. XL in fairly good condition (not beautiful but sturdy and perfectly
readable) with a very nice repro DJ. $4.00
Stranger in the House (Zoa Sherburne) 1963. Girl's mother has had a mental breakdown,
but now she's coming home for good. Girl feels she should be glad and welcoming,
but she has one doubt or problem after another. Unusual for a maltshop story, but
it does fit into the maltshop pattern. Plenty of romantic problems, friendships
going awry over -- of course -- boys, a school play, family interaction, and
so much more. XL HB with a laser copy of our original DJ. Nice condition! $4.50
Stranger in the house (Zoa Sherburne) PB, fair $2.00
AHEAD -- MORE MALTSHOP TYPE BOOKS!
Here is a BIG LOT! These 7 hardcover books are Avalon, Lenox Hill and Arcadia Romances,
which are something of a cross between Maltshop Romances and career-romances. On the
back cover of most of them, there is a list of other books billed as "Delightful
Romances for Teenagers and Adults." So they are perfectly appropriate for teens, but
with appeal to adults, too. These books are about young women who have various careers,
some problems, a mystery, and a nice romance. There is often a very interesting
house and a picturesque setting. A great many books of this sort were written in the
1940s through 1970s, and they are all quite well written. 2 of these 7 books are from
the 1960s and the other 5 are from the 1970s. It really doesn't make much difference!
They are quite addictive, to be truthful, and fill a spot that might be empty after
you've read all the Maltshops that you can find! These 7 books are hardcovers. All
have dust jackets, and all but one look almost new (the other one is good, too, just
not as nearly new.) The book titles are:
Ordeal of Love by Ruth McCarthy Sears
The Legend of Devil's Doom by the same
The Grangerfjord Monks by the same author
The Doctor's Daughters by Rosamund Hunt
The Amethyst Quest by Lois A. Sunagel
Love Waits at Penrhyn by Pat Phyllips
This Darkling Love by William Neubauer
7 Romances in great condition with very good DJs. $14.00
MALTSHOP books By JANET LAMBERT ************* During the winter, I read all the Parrish/Jordan series by Lambert, all in order. It was a wonderful experience! I'd first read them as I located them, so it was piecemeal and left me wondering about some of the things that were happening. Collect all these books if you can, but don't obsess about it! I loved every one of them, both when I first found them a few at a time, and this year, when I finally had all of them to put in order!
Even though most of the Lamberts are now available in pb reprints, some of us still
want to hold the old, hardcover, "originals" in our hands and feel the nostalgia that
they generate. I've made laser copies of a lot of the Lambert DJs. They make the
hardcover books look really nice! I hope I descried these books correctly. There are a lot of them, and you can get confused -- but enjoyably so.
Star-spangled Summer (1941.) Parrish/Jordan series, and Lambert's first book!
Star Spangled Summer (Lambert, 1941) Hardcover copy with a very nice laser copy of
our dust jacket showing a girl and boy on horses, riding past the Army Base
where the Parrish family lives. Lambert's first book, and you'd better read
this one so you'll always know "who's who" in the rest of them! HB in fairly good
cond, with good repro dust jacket. $6.00
Glory Be! (Janet Lambert) 1943. Penny is 18 and knows exactly what she wants to do
with her life -- be an actress. Life is fun and the future is clear. Then Pearl
Harbor is attacked, and her family (Army, all of them) have to go to war. This is
one of the few Maltshop type books that deal with what happens in the real world,
and how it affects teens and adults. It's a difficult but exciting time, and even
with all that's happening, the girls -- including Penny and Carroll and their
friends -- are teens with decisions to make and futures to try to plan. This
book is near the beginning of an extraordinarily long series of stories that all
link to each other, through the war and way beyond. PB in fair condition, with a nice vintage cover picture. $2.00
Candy Kane (Lambert) 1943. One of the best things about this book is the adorable
picture on the DJ. Candy, the main character, is a very cute young teen with braids
and bobby-sox, and the background is candy-striped! The spine features the famous
locket design with a #4 in the center. The HB, XL book itself is pretty worn, but
very sturdy and well-bound, the laser copy of the original DJ is really beautiful!
HB, XL, LDJ, $4.50
Another copy of Candy Kane, HB in somewhat better condition, also with a nice laser
copy DJ. $6.00 Candy Kane must have been a vey popular book in its day, because even now, I see more copies of it than any other Lambert book. Here's one with no DJ, try it for yourself -- and you'll soon be addicted to Janet Lambert's writing! Good cond 1940 HB $3.00 Just Jenifer (1945) The teens have adventures, great and small, around the Army base. Jenifer meets Cyril, her future husband. You'll learn to hate Gwen but more to come on that situation! HB in generally good cond, but no DJ. Small spot where color is missing on the cover, probably from removing a price sticker. $6.00 Friday's Child (Janet Lambert) 1947. #8. Continuing to follow all the Jordon children as they grow older. Especially "Friday's children" Alice and Jenifer who hold the family together when the adults are busy with the aftermath of WWII. Contrasting them with Gwen, who is always difficult and selfish. HB with DJ -- someone put down a cup on the DJ, so it looks as if there is a bubble around the girl on the cover. Otherwise, a lovely picture. $6.00 Miss Tippy (Lambert) 1948. Penny's daughter's turn now. #16 in Locket version. Trudy, the family's long-time cook/housekeeper, called some of the kids "miss" or Mr -- but not Tippy. She was a little selfish, and often in some kind of hot water. Could she grow up? As in a few of Lambert's books, tragedy plays a part -- after all, the serie covers many years of a "real family's" life (OK, I did get wrapped up in this series and often mixed it up for a few minutes with my own life! Don't try to convince me that you don't do that, too.) HB with laser copy of our very good DJ. Excellent cond book, with a laser copy of our very good DJ. $7.00
Miss America (Lambert 1952) Tippy is back in America after a year in Germany, and is
surprised at the way everything has changed -- including her family and friends. A
good way for you to catch up on all the Parrish and Jordan families. HB, locket
edition, good cond (with a few library marks) With a laser copy of our good DJ,
showing a cute Tippy in a sundress, and of course a hunk in uniform. HB, LDJ,$6.50
Don't Cry, Little Girl (Lambert, 1952) Of course YOU will cry, I do every time I think
about this book. Beautiful, of course -- how on earth did Lambert write so many
really great books??? HB locket edition in excellent condition, with a laser copy
of our very good DJ -- cover shows Tippy waving good-bye to Ken at the airport.
HB, LDJ, $18.00 Rainbow after Rain (Lambert 1953) You'll continue to cry after the previous book, but Tippy does her best to knit together her life after tragedy. And -- surprises can happen. HB with picture cover. Former library copy in very nice condition. $8.00
High Hurdles (Lambert) 1955. 2nd in the 3-book Dria Meredith sub-series. After the
summer on her grandmother's farm (where she learned to love riding) Dria is home
and happy to be back with her friend, Boy Next Door, Rob. Things soon got more
complicated! Riding in an important horse show, romantic troubles, and all those
wonderful details and emotions that Janet Lambert always includes in her stories.
This hardcover book has a laser copy of our DJ showing Dria on a brown horse
(and "brown" is about the most that I know about horses!)There are a couple of
sketches of racing horses in the background. I'm not always interested in horse
stories, but even a horsey book by Lambert is usually better than almost anything
by anyone else. HB, LDJ, Locket edition in good condition. $7.00 A Song in their Hearts (1956) Spend time with Tippy and Candy, married with children or at least expecting a baby, lving in Panama thanks to the US Army. -- Wishing to go back to the US but enjoying their stay in such a new environment. PB, Image Cascade edition in beautiful condition. $6.50 The Stars Hang High (Lambert) 1960. Bitsy stays home when the family travels, and gets a job in a bookstore. Jealous of that job? I am! PB pretty good cond, $3.00
Here are some of the beautiful Image Cascade reprints of Janet Lambert books. These
books are extremely faithful copies of the originals, from the covers to the content!
The books are in new condition, bright and clean. Speaking of covers, they are very
beautiful! Large pbs, new condition, $6 each
Dreams of Glory 1942
Glory Be 1943
Candy Kane 1943
Don't Cry, Little Girl 1952
Confusion, By Cupid 1953
Welcome Home, Mrs. Jordan 1953
END of books by Lambert MORE MALTSHOP BOOKS BY VARIOUS AUTHORS AHEAD --
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Betty Baxter (assumed to be the same writer as Betty Baxter Anderson) wrote quite a
few excellent career-romances, mysteries, and nurse novels in the '30s. They all
feature girls, many of them in what have been traditionally male positions. I seriously
doubt if you'd be disappointed in any of her books!
Daughter of the Coast Guard (Betty Baxter) 1938. One of the girls is the daughter of a
Coast Guardsman, the other girl's father is a newsman -- so they certainly do have
plenty of scope for adventure! Like all of Baxter's stories, this one shows girls
being brave, intelligent, and a bit reckless! Lots of fun. HB, fair condition, $2.50
(2 copies available)
Becky Bryan's Secret (Betty Baxter) 1937. I have to tell you about the DJ picture first.
You've never seen anything quite like it before. There's a girl, dressed in the extremely
popular sailor middy of the period, but in very, very short shorts, tiptoing along an
electric wire from the pole to a rooftop, to rescue a helpless little girl who is
crying piteously from the very edge of the roof. Below, several helpless adults are
looking on in horror. Beautiful trees, sky and water background. It's a winner!
Other than this little adventure, Becky is a normal schoolgirl, with the normal
activities like riding her horse, entering school events, helping with the school
newspaper, solving mysteries... The HB book is elderly but holding together; the DJ
is a laser repro of the original, and makes the book look great! $4.50
Becky Bryan's Secret in better condition, also in a stunning laser DJ. $5.50
High Trail (Vivian Breck) 1948. Breck wrote very good books about the outdoors, for girls
who may or may not ever climb a mountain or go white-water boating, but who sort of think
maybe they would like it if they ever tried it. Girl is hiking and camping with her
father in the wilderness of the Sierra Nevadas, when her father is injured. She has to
find her own way out of the forest and get help. And would you believe that she found
romance in these trying circumstances? Of course you would -- you are a Maltshop fan,
aren't you? HB, personal copy, very good cond, with a dramatic DJ also in good cond.
HB, DJ, $5.00
White Water (Vivian Breck) 1958. Girl had an accident and injured her leg, but still, her
dream is to shoot the rapids in her foldboat with the others in her outdoors club.
Good co-ed camping and boating trip through Colorado (there's a decorative map of
their route, too in which the girl starts to change her bitter outlook.
There's lots of teen fun, all the things you like in a Maltshop plus the boat
trip! HB, XL, good condition, with a nice DJ that has just a few worn spots. $4.00
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BOB AND/OR JAN YOUNG, a husband/wife team, wrote wonderful MALTSHOPS. Each
book is different from the other, various settings, various problems to be faced,
but these writers really know how to grip the reader. Try any or all and you'll be
glad (that's not advertising, I just like to introduce Maltshop readers to the best
books in the genre!) Janet Randall is the same as Jan Young.
Across the Tracks (Bob and Jan Young) 1958. This is the kind of story the Youngs
did the very best -- typical Maltshop high-school days mixed with a bit of some
more serious subjects. Mexican-American girl is very popular with both groups,
but realizes that there isn't as much mixing as there should be. Football games,
fiestas, Christmas celebrations, dances -- and a bit of serious thinking. Like
any high school kid! HB with laser copy of our good DJ. $3.50 One Small Voice (Bob and Jan Young) 1961. Girl's ambition is to become an Opera singer, but she is very discouraged about that career. Eventually she finds another enthusiasm, politics, or more specifically, routing out corrupt politicians on the local level. In case this sounds Borrringggg to you, remember that these are true Maltshop authors, and their books are appealing to teens -- including most of us, who are, after all, over-aged teens! What is more important to teens than romance??? HB, Xlibrary, in v good condition with a laser copy of our very good DJ. $5.00
The Undecided Heart (Bob and Jan Young)1963. As their Spanish Club project, a group
of kids take up the cause of migrant workers living in a very run-down camp. They're
having a lot of fun and satisfaction with this project, but some other kids in the
school don't like it very much and cause trouble. There's another really interesting
plot that I won't spoil for you. PB, good condition, $2.50
Run Sheep Run (Bob and Jan Young) 1959. Near pristine copy of this popular book. Title
is pretty much illustrated by the interesting cover picture -- a girl in playclothes,
running along a beach with her hair flying out-- followed by a group of other
teens running just behind her. Driftwood, gulls, waves. Girl's mother is sick, and
they move to a secluded beach house so she can recover in peace and quiet. The girl
develops a scientific and artistic interest in sea life, which causes her former
friends to think she's gone crazy. Why follow the crowd like a sheep? But she still
hopes her boyfriend can start to understand her. Then, there's the crisis when her
sister goes into labor and no one else is around to help. HB, DJ, all in very, very
good condition. $5.00 (another copy, nearly as nice, with laser DJ, for $4.50)
I'll try to include more books by the Youngs in my next list. they are very popular!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MORE MALTSHOP BOOKS COMING UP!
All of HOPE DAHLE JORDAN's books could go under "Maltshop Mysteries," but I'm trying
them here in the straight Maltshop list, so you can decide which place they fit.
Either way, they're suspenseful and wonderful reading.
Haunted Summer (Hope Dahle Jordan) 1967. Girl driver hits a child on a bike, then
runs away. This is the story of her summer, full of guilt and dread but hope, too.
PB, fair condition, $1.00
Take me to my Friend (Hope Dahle Jordan) A Novel of Suspense, 1962. This is from
the Best Loved Girls' Books collection, a group of books that are almost all
maltshoppy and perfect for older teens. This one is also VERY suspensful. Girl
and her grandmother set out to drive from Florida to Wisconsin in the winter.
They pick up a hitch-hiker, and that's where the story takes off... HB, DJ,
personal copy in good condition. $4.00
Merediths' Ann (Elizabeth Janet Gray) 1927. Cover says "They wished for mystery and
adventure -- and found both in the White Mountains." It's a wonderfully readable
book about kids who aren't prim or worried about the upper-class traditions
that rule in so many of the girls' books from the '20s. Takes place in small-town
New Hampshire, where Ann lives, and the others come for a winter vacation.
Full of mystery, fun, and warmth. HB copy of Merediths' Ann, good condition, $3.00
MORE MALTSHOP TYPE BOOKS COMING UP!
Megan (Iris Noble) 1965. I'm including this in the Maltshop section of the list,
because of the publication date, the fact that it's a Scholastic book, that
it's about an teenaged girl, and that it will appeal to the same people who love
maltshop books. However, it's set in 1902, and is about an orphan girl who travels
from her native Wales, to western Canada to work and live on a ranch, and finds
more love than she'd ever known before. Scholastic PB, very good condition, $2.00
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ANNE EMERY is one of the Big Three of MALTSHOP writing, and some of us think she was
the best! If you haven't read all the Burnaby family stories, for instance,
you have the greatest of treats ahead of you. She also wrote very good historical
novels for teens!
I have a DJ for Sorority Girl, and will give it away with the purchase of any book
of the same Maltshop size (it has to be wrapped around a book so it won't tear
any more than it already is.) This DJ has a hole and a few tears, but the front
cover picture is all there, and the spine. It would be better than nothing if
your copy of the book doesn't have a DJ.
Senior Year (Anne Emery)1949. Burnaby Family, featuring Sally this time. She thinks
her senior year is going to be terrible when her best friend moves away. And for
a while, she is nearly right about that. A wonderful, excellent, perfect Maltshop
book about school, family, friendship, love, and the things that make senior
year special for almost everyone. HB, personal copy, very good cond, with a laser
copy of our original DJ showing a couple dressed up for Senior Prom. $6.50
Going Steady (Emery) 1950. Hardcover copy of this wonderful book about a summer of
dreams for Sally and Scotty. Sally's job, a wedding (I won't say whose, but it
isn't Sally's!) and the lovely, terribly expensive Orrefors vase. When I read and
re-read this, there's such a catch in my throat, tears in my eyes, for the nostalgia
of it all -- though it's mainly a very happy book. Read it -- love it!
Paperback copy of Going steady, fair cond. Try it and find out how much you will love
other Anne Emery books! $1.00
Mountain Laurel (Emery) 1948. Not typical Emery, but wonderful! Girl lives in a very
remote mountain community, but has a chance to go to nursing school, giving her a
way to live a better life and help her family. Tragedy strikes, and she can't take
the scholarship -- has to stay home, keep house and care for her five younger
siblings. You can tell by the cover picture that she is VERY unhappy and bitter.
You'll find out how she copes. PB book in fairly good condition, $2.00 (2 copies
available)
Sweet Sixteen (Emery) 1956. "An Exciting, magical year in a young girl's life" is
what it says on the cover of this paperback.. but like most teenagers, Jane
doesn't really think her life is always exciting and magical. This is the 3rd
and last book in the Jane Ellison series, and both true to life, and wonderfully
nostalgic. Hardcover copy of the book, with a DJ picture that I've never seen
before. It's lovely, though the girls and their dates look at least 18 to me.
It's the same book inside the cover, anyway. XL book with quite a bit of
wear, with DJ in good condition. $3.50
A Spy in old West Point (Anne Emery) 1965. Boy is 14 in 1779, his father has him
mending guns for the Army. In the Hudson Valley, where they live, families are
even afraid of stating their loyalties to their own neighbors. But it's an
exciting time for a boy, who can help his new country. Plenty of homey
details, but plenty of action. You'll be reading about Benedict Arnold, among
other real people, as well as our fictional hero. Good quality paperback in
good condition, with some nice illustrations, $2.00
End of books by Anne Emery, more MALTSHOP books ahead
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Almost Year (Florence Engel Randall)1971. About an African-American girl who was
invited to spend almost a year of High School in the home of a very well-to-do
White family in a suburb. She isn't happy with the arrangement, and the teens
in the family are spoiled and resentful. Nobody knows just how to relate to any of
the others. Interesting, sad, and believe it or not, something of a Maltshop book.
PB, pretty good condition, $1.00
Books by Grace May North -- She wrote at least 2 series in the '20s. Here'e one. Well
constructed coherent plot, with interesting characters and attractive settings. I'll
try to add more of North's books very soon.
HERE ARE SOME MORE ***GOOOD*** MALTSHOP-ROMANCES AND SIMILAR STORIES!!!
The President's Daughter (Ellen Emerson White)1984. Very timely story -- the girl's
mother has been elected President and the family now lives in the White House. And
the girl really doesn't like their life any more -- especially the way this has
affected her dating life. Is a boy asking her out because he likes her, or because
she is the President's daughter? PB, good condition, $2.00
BOOKS BY MARJORY HALL, one of the very, very best Maltshop authors (or would you call her
a Career-Romance author?) Her books are all different, but similar in that they deal
with a girl who has a lot to learn before she can be thought of as mature, and who is
exploring options for her future, in both career and romance. Hall also wrote several
historical novels for young adults, and these are very good reading, too! She even
wrote several lovely books with slightly lighter subjects, under the name of Carol
Morse. I will certainly add more Marjory Hall or Carol Morse books as soon as I can, but they are becoming scarcer all the time.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MALTSHOP TYPE BOOKS BY AMELIA ELIZABETH WALDEN:
When I was a teen, I read all the Amelia Elizabeth Walden books that I could get my hands
on. She was still writing when I left my teen reading years, but I've renewed my
friendship with her books since then. She wrote beautifully, about girls in sports,
the theater, and school and home life -- as well as quite a few very engrossing
mysteries! Most of her books are appropriate for anyone from good readers in the
6th grade, to adults who appreciate beautifully-written suspense mysteries.
In particular, they're recommended Maltshop writing! There are 4 books in the
Lisa Clark series -- she works with Jake, but often has to strike out on her own.
The Case of the Diamond Eye (Amelia E. Walden) 1969. Lisa and Jake's first case as
private investigators (after Lisa's father dies and she becomes Jake's ward.) They
zoon around the world trying to solve a murder case. Romance adds interest!
HB, XL, with a Picture cover. Good condition. $3.50
Valerie Valentine is Missing (Amelia Walden) 1971. A Lisa Clark mystery, takes place
in Spain. HB, XL, with colorful picture cover. Very good condition. $3.50
To Catch A Spy (Amelia Elizabeth ) 1964 Girl looks just like another girl who
was killed during a spy case, so she is coached to take the other girl's place
and break into the spy ring. HB, XL, with a good library printed picture cover.
Good condition, $3.75
To catch a Spy (Walden) 1964 -- this is a HB copy in good condition, with a striking
DJ picture. HB, XL, LDJ, $4.00
The spy with Five Faces (Walden) 1966. "Why are you offering this to me?" "Miss Carlos,
you are aware that I am head of a branch of the CIA... I want to send you down to
The Golden Angel on a mission." So she goes to Mexico City and finds, as the
title pages says "three people: a girl who lost her brother, another girl who
lost her beauty, and a spy who lost his courage." Unusual, entertaining!
HB, XL, good cond, with good and artistic DJ. $4.00
Where was Everybody when Sabrina Screamed? (Isn't that a good title?) 1973. A Lisa
Clark mystery by Amelia Elizabeth Walden, takes place in Morocco. PB, pretty
good cond, $1.50
Where was Everybody when Sabrina Screamed? (Walden) 1973. Lisa's partner in
the spy business, Jake, is badly injured, and she's pretty much on her own.
Romance intrudes, which doesn't help too much, does it ever? She isn't sure
whom to trust. HB, XL, nice picture cover, fairly good condition. $3.00
A Spy Case Built for Two (Amelia ) 1969 Romance is difficult if you're
involved in spying, and these two are really too busy and hard-working, to say
nothing of having some very frightening adventures. Lisbon (?) setting.
HB, XL, with good library picture cover. Quite good condition. $3.75
The Spy who Talked too Much (Walden) 1968. "Newspaper readers.. would hardly have
connected the news item about the CIA, the fashion notice, and the classified ad.."
But the men working on a case for the CIA, pick Kim to work undercover for them.
Istanbul setting. HB, XLibrary, nice picture cover, good condition, $3.25
The Spy on Danger Island (Walden) 1965. From the author's description -- "This is
not the story of a Mata Hari. It is a novel about an impecunious and unsuccessful
young actress who was recruited by .. CIA for two reasons: she was notably
successful with an unusual hobby, and she was reputed to wear her heart upon
her sleeve." How could you resist that??? The special interest, by the way,
was scuba diving. West Indies setting. HB, former library book, sturdy,
with a slightly smudged library picture cover. $3.00
Some of Amelia Elizabeth Walden's books aren't spy stories.... but they are really
great! Romantic, though realistic -- the girls are anything but clinging vines! Her
teen novels are similar to maltshop romances (and from the right era) but slightly
more sophisticated. So enjoyable!
Escape on Skis (Amelia Walden) 1975. The title is certainly descriptive.
wrote about sports, and she wrote mysteries -- both very well. Put them
together and she's hard to beat. This story is about training for Olympic
Skiing and the mystery concerns some shadowy international Anti-American group
that is planning to subvert or sabotage the games. Don't expect the book to be
all danger and frightening scenes -- there's romance and fun -- and skiing!
HB, XL, very pretty picture cover, all in good condition. $4.00
A Name for Himself (Walden) 1967. It's about a young man, and one with plenty of
problems. You will be surprised, though, at how romantic it is. Unusual.
Compelling. HB, Xlibrary, with a printed picture cover. $3.00
Basketball Girl of the Year () 1970. Not just basketball: like all of 's
books, this one involves family, friends, school, complex personalities. Starts
out with police trouble at the gym, and there are plenty of other challenges,
but lots of fun, too! HB, former library book, picture cover. $3.00
Queen of the courts (Amelia Elizabeth Walden) 1959. Sports story (tennis in this
case) but like all of 's books, much more than sports! From the flaps of
the dust jacket "It's also a story of fine loyalties.. and good sportasmanship,
and naturally -- it is a delicate and satisfying love story." Girl on the cover
of the DJ really does look like the queen of tennis -- with 2 potential consorts
vying for her attention, all wearing tennis whites. HB, XL, with a copy of our
attractive dust jacket . Nice list of books on the back cover. $4.00
Stay to Win (Walden) 1971. Girl's Basketball. 1971. Girl's basketball, plus all
the other subjects that make 's sport stories interesting for those of us
who never played basketball or anything else. Teen girl has a boyfriend that
her parents -- and others -- don't approve of, for good reason. She sees the
potential good in him. Maybe she's right? HB, XL with a picture cover -- all
in very good condition. $3.50
Three Loves Has Sandy (Walden) 1955. I've just finished reading another book by
Walden, and renewed my amazement at her writing -- she knows how to write about
teen girls, animals, older people with lots of character (rather than the colorless
adults that most authors describe in teen books) and of course, the course of true
love, which never does run true! Sandy loves softball! Wyoming Bill loves horses. When
they get together, each one teaches the other a lot! Horses, sports, and BOYS.
a good paperback copy, $2 (2 copies available)
Three Loves has Sandy, nice hardcover copy with a good-looking laser copy of the
dust jacket. See description above -- this is a book that I've loved since my
own teen years, even though I'm not very much into sports! Personal copy,
not a library copy! HB, LDJ, $4.50
Go, Phillips, Go (Amelia Elizabeth Walden) 1974. Another of those wonderful sports
stories about a girl with a boy's name, Pete. She has 7 brothers, and knows
how to play basketball -- but something is going wrong this year. Sports, family,
romance (of course) and as always, a well-written story. Hardcover edition with
dust jacket, both book and DJ in fairly good cond. There's a nice list of more
stories on the back cover. HB, DJ, $4.50
Go, Phillips, Go (Walden) hardcover with nice picture cover -- good condition. $3.00
Go, Phillips, Go (Walden) paperback edition. Another of 's good stories about
sports (basketball in this case) and romance. Good PB, $2.00 When Love Speaks (Walden) 1961 "A dramatic summer at the American Shakespeare Festival" Berkley Highland paperback -- not great, but perfectly readable condition $1.00
++++++End of books by Amelia Elizabeth Walden++++++++++ More Maltshop books Ahead
Don't Hurt Laurie (Willo Davis Roberts) 1977. Abused child has to learn to trust
and to reach out for help. Very touching, wrenching story, but simply told for
middle-grade readers. HB, XL, with DJ. Fair condition. Someone did a bit of
scribbling in it, but nothing that keeps you from reading it. $2.00.
MORE MALTSHOP AND OTHER TEEN NOVELS AHEAD:
Jeannette Eyerly, who died a few years ago (if you got Whispered Watchword at that time, you may have read my short eulogy to her) was know for bridging the difference between the Maltshop era and the much more modern, graphic depiction of true tragedies that are typical of teen books from the period following the Maltshops. I have read her books, they are well written and keep your attention. They're just
not as comfy as earlier books for teen girls. When Eyerly died at 100, there were
many complimentary articles about her role as go-between in teen literature. Enough
Maltshop elements to make us happy, enough newer elements for those of you who
grew up in the '60s and '70s. I'll have more Eyerly books in the future!
Escape from Nowhere (Jeannette Eyerly) 1969. Oh dear, drugs... She has lots of problems -- rich family but not enough loving attention, parents with problems of their own. She uses these problems as excuses for her distressing reactions to her problems. This is a Berkley Highland book (you know, the ones with plaid decoration at the top of the spine) so you know it will be a good story. PB good cond, $2.50
The Girl Inside (Eyerly) 1968. Girl faces several tragic situations, and has to
figure out how to grow out of the frightened and sad girl inside, before she can
face her life without depression. PB, $1.25
LOTS MORE MALTSHOP TYPE BOOKS TO COME!
Have you discovered Elisabeth Friermood? She may have written one book that you
could honestly call a Maltshop, but all her books appeal to the same people that
love the MS books. Most of her books haveistorical settings, particularly
within a couple of decades of the early 1900s. Her books usually feature
plucky girls who either fight for the right to have careers, or just plain
work at them. I love several of them very much, especially One of Fred's Girls,
which I don't have for sale at this time. But all of them are engrossing, never
heavy, full of interesting details and fun. If they took place in mid-20th
century, they would be called Maltshops or Career-romances! A few of her books
take place in contemporary times, and they're excellent, too. I'll add more
Friermood books as soon as I possibly can!
Focus the Bright Land (Elisabeth Hamilton Friermood) 1967. Girl goes on a summer trip
with her father and brothers, who are traveling photographers. She wants to work
with them, but they don't think a female can take pictures! I guess she shows THEM
a thing or two! But politely and carefully, as befits a girl in the late 1800's.
Another wonderful story by one of the 2 historical-novel-authors that I can't
resist (the other is Patricia Beatty) HB, PC, XL, in good condition. $4.00 (2 copies)
TEENS' and CHILDREN'S MYSTERIES Many Excellent Young Adult Mysteries!!!!******** If you read Richard ZainEldeen's articles in The Whispered Watchword, a few years ago, you will know about a lot of about these old chidren's mysteries. I love this genre! A lot of them do happen to be similar to the "Maltshops" in that they deal with young people's personalities as well as the actual mysterious happenings. Most of them have a strong sense of setting, interesting locales or situations, and family dynamics. And some are very humorous! Just remember -- MANY BOOKS IN THE MYSTERY SECTION ARE "MALTSHOP MYSTERIES" THAT
WILL PROBABLY APPEAL TO THE SAME PEOPLE AS THE MALTSHOP BOOKS. SOME WERE WRITTEN
IN THE APPROXIMATE SAME ERA AS THE MS BOOKS, AND WITH MANY OF THE SAME ELEMENTS.
SINCE THEY WERE WRITTEN FOR TEEN GIRLS, AS THE MALTSHOP BOOKS WERE! I'VE READ
MOST OF THEM AND CAN RECOMMEND THEM HIGHLY. THE MALTSHOP MYSTERIES ARE NOT
SEPARATE, BUT MIXED WITH THE OTHER MYSTERIES, SINCE THE DIVIDING LINE IS NOT
ENTIRELY CLEAR-CUT! PLEASE ENJOY ALL THESE YOUNG ADULT MYSTERIES. Mystery of the Missing Masterpiece (Helen Girvan) 1965. The House on Parchment Street (Patricia A. McKillip) 19s American Girl spends her vacation in England with her previously unknown relatives, finds it cold and unpleasant for a while -- then she and her cousin uncover a mystery and team up for sleuthing -- and friendship. Beautiful almost-new hardcover book with a very good dust jacket (it's a former library book, but you'd never know if they didn't tell you!) You'll love this mysterious but not too mystic tale combining English history and current teen life. Mystery at Boulder Point (Eleanoe M. Jewett) Also named Mystery of the Mooncusser, in its PB form. Takes place in Maine? The Secret of the Crazy Quilt (Florence Hightower) 1972. Illustrated by Beth and Joe Krush, a huge favorite artist team. You'll love the story, even if you originally just knew you'd love the illustrations! History (going back to Prohibition days) and mystery involving a strange quilt with many secrets, and a big old house on the beautiful Massachusetts coast. Hardcover in very good condition, with a dust jacket in excellent condition. Mystery of the Five Bright Keys (Mary Urmston) 1946. I remember reading this when I was in grade school. It might have been the first mystery I ever read, and if it is, it was the start of a lifetime of mystery-reading (I always have one or 2 going, one to read when I'm having trouble getting to sleep, one for daytime ... )In this book, some of my favorite topics are involved with the story, especially the new house that the family finds, one which checks off all the wishes from their list! Problem is -- there are supposed to be 5 keys to the front door, but none of them is to be found. A nice HB book with a very attractive dust jacket picture. Not a frightening suspense story, but it will make you feel comfortable and happy! HB, DJ, $5.00 The Singing Cave (Eilis Dillon) 1959. After a bad storm, a boy discovers a cave filled with ancient treasures. He goes to get help and advice, but when he returns, the treasure is gone. Mystery takes place on an island, but don't imagine that the characters are "insular." Lots of good and bad characters, and resourceful teens. HB, personal copy, good cond, with an amazing dust jacket picture. $4.00 The Mystery of the Third Twin (Wilma I. Yeo) 1972. Family is moving to Nag's Head (In case you're like me, and this sounds familiar but you aren't sure where it is, it's in North Carolina!)Girl isn't eager to move, but overhears her parents talking about some mysterious "she" that they want to track down. Her mystery-solving instincts are aroused, and it suddenly sounds more interesting to move. Complicated plot with some false leads that make you think you've solved the mystery, but you probably are fooled. I loved the book, including an orphanage, a lost kitten, and all those elements that I can't resist! HB, XLibrary, printed picture cover, sturdy condition, $5.00 Mystery at Thunderbolt House (Howard Pease) 1944. I can almost guarantee that you'll like this one -- a lot of the plot centers around a personal library of valuable vintage books! Add in a fabulous house, the Great San Francisco Earthquake and a family fued: I was fascinated by this story! PB book in fairly good condition. $2.25 The Case of the Indian Curse (Robert Newman) 1986. Appeals to both girls and boys, as the detectives (who are a big help to Scotland Yard!) are one of each gender. This is just one of gazillions of books written by Robert Newman, about these mystery-solving duo. Well, I may be exaggerating, but if you like it, you'll be able to find many more of these entertaining, clever, humorous stories. HB XL, in great condition and with an excellent DJ. $3.50 MORE YOUNG ADULT MYSTERIES AND MALTSHOP MYSTERIES! The Secret of the Missing Boat (Paul Berna) 1966, Translated from the French. Mystery oroginally written for mid-teen readers, a boy, a missing yacht, and a whole lot of mystery. Set in Brittany. Paul Berna wrote a long list of very good YA mysteries, with both male and female characters. His books never are written "down" to their audience -- very exciting and at the same time, intelligent. And FUN! Personal copy of this HB book in excellent condition, with a very good DJ, too. $3.00 The Mystery of the Merry Magician (Ellery Queen, Jr.) 1961 OK, there wasn't really anyone named Ellery Queen, he was a the brainchild of 2 cousins, and hugely popular in much of the 20th century -- including a TV show. Queen, Jr, is another offshoot of those wonderful mysteries that I still love, and features Ellery himelf and his young nephew (this one is named Gully though sometimes the nephew is Djuna -- say it and you'll get the joke.) Any classic mystery fan needs to add the whole Junior series to the collection! HB with printed picture cover (you'll like it!) in good cond. $4.50 Chasing the Bear, a Young Spenser Novel by Robert B. Parker. 2009. There is a sticker on the front of the book saying "See How the legend Began!" A suspenseful mystery that explains how Parker's character, Spenser, developed into the man he became. Beautiful HB book with very good DJ. $2.50 The Chinese Puzzle of Shag Island (Judith St George) 1976. Girl is spending the summer in Maine, with her great-grampa -- alone together on an island. Sounds like fun, doesn't it? Well, just remember that this is a mystery, and, for a variety of scary reasons, a rather dangerous one! This is a very good book!! HB XL, in very good cond, with a v good DJ, too. $4.00 SPOTLIGHT CLUB JUVENILE MYSTERIES BY FLORENCE PARRY HWIDE AND OTHERS -- Here IS a long list of mysteries by Florence Parry Heide and Roxanne Heide and others, all featuring the kids in the Spotlight Club. Each one is a hardcover with a picture-cover. They're former library books, in good condition. There are interesting settings and characters. If you think you'd like all of them, make me a fair offer and I'll think about it! Mystery of the Melting Snowman (Heide and Heide) 1974. $3.00 Mystery of the MacAdoo Zoo (Heide and Heide) Great title, isn't it! And the cover will appeal to bird-lovers. 1973. #3.00 Mystery of the Vanishing Visitor (Florence Parry Heide and Roxanne Heide) 1975. On the very first page, a woman's life savings are supposedly stolen while the kids from the Spotlight Club are handy nearby to help her recover the "fortune." HB with PC. $3.00 Black Magic at Brillstone (Florence Parry Heide and Roxanne Heide) 1981. Frontispiece and cover by Joe Krush. Kids uncover a complex plot to separate an elderly heiress from her money. I usually have no trouble figuring out what's going to happen in a YA mystery, but this one fooled me -- and I loved it! HB, XL, good cond. $3.00 Mystery of the Whispering voice (Florence Parry Heide and Sylvia Worth Van Clief)1974. A Spotlight mystery. It's amazing how much your paper-delivery boy knows about his clients, and how he and his very clever friends (male and female, don't worry that it's just a boy-book) can help keep someone from cleaning out the valuables from a home. HB, Xlibrary, fairly good cond, very good story! $3.00 Mystery at the Keyhole Carnival (Heide and Heide) 1977. The Spotlight club kids work at a carnival that has (of course!) mysterious troubles. HB, PC, $3.00 Mystery of the Mummy's Mask (Heide and Heide)1979. Unscrupulous art dealers -- never out of style in mysteries! And Mummys? Masks? Quite up to the times. Rather startling cover picture. And a neighborhood newspaper -- many of us remember working on one of those when we were young. My brothers were co-editors, and kept me in touch with our home neighborhood when I was away at college and homesick. HB with PC, $3.00 Mystery of the Missing Suitcase (Heide et al) 1972. That ever-fascinating "wrong suitcase" plot at its very best. Hats, bank robberies, and all manner of excitement. HB with PC, $3.00 Mystery of the Silver Tag (Heide and Van Cliff) This one book in the Spotlight Club series, has been through the mill! Inside, it's all there so you can certainly still read it. But there are bits missing at the top and bottom of the spine, and the corners are worn out. It's free to anyone who buys one of the other Heide/Spotlight Club books. MORE YA MYSTERIES AND/OR MALTSHOP MYSTERIES AHEAD! Mystery in Blue (Gertrude E. Mallette) 1945. This very good story comes somewhere Between a teen career-romance and something to entertain any age of adult reader. It's wonderful for all ages! girl gets a job in the office of an engineering firm, and finds mysterious things happening immediately. And don't forget that thisis a romance as well as a mystery! Vintage book in vintage condition, but it's good for a few more readings. Prolific author, you'd probably like nearly anything she wrote. PB, $1.50 MORE YA MYSTERIES TO CONFOUND EVERYBODY! The Secret of Solitary cove (Harriet Evatt) 1964. Takes place in a "smsll New England seafaring village" which is my favorite setting of all, having lived in such a place for many years myself. Girl wishes on a star that her family's fortunes might reverse, after her father's illness and the loss of the boat that was their only source of income. And if that one comes true, her next wish is for a piano that would stay in tune for longer than their old wreck of an instrument. Clever small mysteries, lots of animals, a great ending. HB, XL, good condition, printed picture cover. $4.00 Secret Castle (Anne Colver) 1960. Written for youngish readers -- middle grades -- but a very clever and entertaining book for me and other adults! Back cover says "Best Bosom friends, Molly-O and Pip solve a mystery involving a deserted castle and a strange message from the past." Thousand Islands setting. This book is part of a series about Molly-O and Pip. The book is in beautiful condition with a good DJ. $3.00 The Kidnapping of Anna (Ruth Hooker and Carold Smith) 1979. The girl is the only person in her family who knew what the real Anna was like. Why won't her parents and brother believe that this "Anna" isn't really the housekeeper at the house where the family is staying in a vacation house-exchange? I liked this book very much, especially the role played by a cardinal -- yes, that shy red bird really helped! HB, XL, good cond. $3.00
Mystery of the Missing Stamps (Margaret Goff Clark) 1967. Clark wrote a lot of really
good YA mysteries -- this one is about a subject that was really popular about that
time. Amazing how many kids found extremely valuable stamps, and had to defend their
finds against a host of greedy thieves. This book itself is in shabby condition,
but the story is excellent -- involving a resort hotel that's losing money for no
apparent reason, and the children's friend -- accused unjustly? HB in fair cond,
with a good DJ. $2.50
MORE MYSTERIES AND MALTSHOP MYSTERIES!!! 4-book set of "My Name is Paris" books by Elizabeth Howard and featuring Paris McKenzie. From 1987. 4 Beautiful paperback books with Art Nouveau covers. The books are: Mystery of the Deadly Diamond, A Scent of Murder, Mystery of the Metro, and Mystery of the Magician. Well-known people appear in these stories of a girl who has (an irrepressible personalty and a passon for Sherlock Holmes." 4 good PB books, $8.00 The Treasure of the Padres (Betty Baker) (Betty Baker) 1964. Fictional mystery based on the mystery of the missing ghost bells of Mission of Tumacacori! And where, you ask, is that? Arizona! The kids and their architect father are staying on the ranch site, where they are making friends with the Indian children. Together, they solve an old mystery but not before they have some harrowing adventures! Weekly Reader Book Club selection, which means that it has plenty of literary value and is extremely interesting to read. HB with PC, all in very good condition. $2.50 MORE YA MYSTERIES! The Tracy Twins in Japan (E. P. Marshall) 1963. I don't know -- maybe this series was supposed to be a rival of the Hardy Boys. The full title is The Tracy Twins: Secret Agents, The Tracy Twins in Japan. On the cover it says "Don and Bill uncover a threat to the Free World. The only Tracy Twins book that I found on either ABE or Ebay, was one copy just like this one, that was priced at $35.00. So I would assume that the series is hard to find (if there IS a series and not just this book.) I'd like to get $2.00 for this paperback, with some creases and scuffing on the cover, but in pretty good condition, with a very scary-looking cover picture. #2.00 The Case of the Missing Cutthroats: An ecological mystery (Jean Craighead George) 1975. Best known for her Newbery award book "Julie of the Wolves." This book also
takes place in the great outdoors, and features a girl as the main character.
She really isn't interested in doing anything outdoors, but wants to please her
father, so she tries trout fishing. What she ends up catching is an ecological
mystery! According to the back of the book, Jean Craighead George wrote at least
3 other ecological mysteries, which I am going to look for! Very prolific , very
good writer, very clever book. HB, XL, DJ, good condition all around, $2.00
MORE MYSTERIES WRITTEN FOR YOUNG ADULTS, BUT SUCH A LOT OF FUN FOR US TO READ!
Mystery of the Island Fires (Elaine Macmann Willoughby)1991. Weekly Readers Book Club
small hardcover book with cover picture of some very frightened children. Sister and
brother find a mystery when they get to their summer cottage on the New Hampshire
coast. The mother opens an antique shop and the kids try to figure out who is
starting fires. $2.00
The Brownie Scout Mystery (Dorothy Sterling) 1955. Same author wrote Cub Scout Mystery.
Adorable pictures, including one that shows the Brownies in what has to be a malt
shop, but they're getting ice cream cones. Stolen poodle mystery to solve, along
with the usual Scout activities. As a former Brownie leader (for a short but happy
time) I loved this book. It's a goodly 189 pages long, and I would have loved to
see it go on even longer. Book in good condition, with a laser copy of the DJ,
which is a little smaller than the book, but you probably wouldn't notice it if I
hadn't told you! $4.00
Virginia Frances Voight wrote several Maltshop-Mysteries, or that's how I think of
them since they feature teenagers with their interests and problems, romances
and ambitions. As well as some very good mysteries. Look for them!
The Silver Spoon Mystery (Dorothy Sterling) 1958. One of the things that's most fun
about this book, is that a lot of the action takes place in an old, classic
library building. Silver spoons are stolen from the display case, and the Hill
Gang (much nicer than they sound -- they're neighborhood kids) are following the
clues. A vintage electric car is important in the story, being driven by lady of
about the same vintage as the car. Enjoy reading this nice book! PB, $2.00
LOTS AND LOTS MORE MYSTERIES AHEAD!!!
Mysteries by Elizabeth Honness are superb! They usually center around a fascinating
subject (care to read about a doll hospital, for instance?) and include both girls
and boys. Usually you'll learn something about history while you read these books.
No formula-writing, not terribly scary, but compellingly written for kids
of maybe 10 to 14. And happily read by me when I crave a really good juvenile
mystery. I don't come across them too often, but I'll try to have some more for
you very soon.
Mystery at the Doll Hospital (Elizabeth Honness) 1955. Especially good if you like
dolls, but a mystery is a mystery, whatever the subject, and Honness wrote some
of the best for youngish readers. I just read it myself for the first time, and
although I'm not "youngish" I absolutely loved it. Creepy cover, too, showing
dolls that look as if they certainly do need a hospital stay, with an evil
shadow hovering over them. HB, XL, Picture cover, good condition. $5.00
A RATHER MYSTERIOUS BOOK BY RUTH M. ARTHUR:
Requiem for a Princess (Arthur) 1967. Girl wants a serious career playing the piano,
but her overprotective parents don't encourage this. She finds out something that makes
her realize that her parents never told her anything about the family history -- does
this have anything to do with their reluctance? She gets quite sick, and that's when she
becomes obsessed with the old house where she and her mother go while she recovers her
health -- VERY enjoyable and entertaining British story. I could read it 3 times in a
row! HB with printed library picture cover. Good condition. $3.50
MORE MYSTERIES AND MALTSHOP MYSTERIES!
What Janie Found (Caroline B. Cooney) 2000. Fourth in a very exciting mystery
series, which starts with the famous "Face on the Milk Carton." One of the most
interesting things about this series is that when you finish each one, you think
you've solved the entire story of what happened to Janey and her families. Then
there is the "onion-peeling" phenomenon, and you find that there are more layers
beneath what you thought was solid ground. Just as Janie found out. Since there
hasn't been another book since this one came out 10 years ago, maybe everything is
finally straightened out. In any case, I was caught up in each of the books in
turn, and this one just as much as the others. HB, XL, with nice DJ, $3.00
HELEN FULLER ORTON --
When I was in grade school, it was really not too easy for us to find good mysteries in the
library (of course they didn't stock Nancy Drew or Judy Bolton in their children's room.)
Helen Fuller Orton books were their very best mysteries for young readers, and I read
them over and over again, no matter that I knew the endings by heart. Some happened in
the years when the books were written, some have historical settings, but they all
feature friendly kids from happy homes, who were able to help less fortunate people
(lonely kids, desperate old folks or neglected animals.) When I need something
truly satisfying and simple to read, I still re-read Orton's books. Many of them
were illustrated by Robert Doremus, who knew just how to draw the nice children in
the stories! I'll add more as soon as I can.
Here's a lovely selection of Helen Fuller Orton books -- try one for yourself, or if
you're too sophisticated for them (unlike unsophisticated me) give some of them to
a child who loves mysteries that are NOT dependent on the supernatural!
Mystery up the chimney (Orton) 1947. Elderly great-aunts invite city girls to spend
the hot summer at their country home, but they do NOT invite the brother. One
of the girls already has plans, so the boy is sent instead -- this certainly
doesn't please the fussy old dames. Suffice it to say that the boy proves that
they should have welcomed him with open arms! An ages-old mystery is solved by
that "unwelcome" boy. HB book with a picture cover. If you are like me, the cover
will make you a little nervous -- the boy standing on a sloping roof. I guess
you have to take chances in order to solve old mysteries! HB, XL, PC, $3.00
Mystery at the Little Red Schoolhouse (Orton) 1941. Takes place in the early 20th
century, which is pictured extremely charmingly by artist E. Emmett Owen. A new
girl comes to the tiny country school -- she's been home-schooled up to this time,
and doesn't know what class she'll be in. Soon she's at the head of the class,
which might cause some problems with the other children! Then things start going
badly wrong, missing valuables, a bad storm. HB, XL, with a prtty DJ and a picture
cover, too. The book is in good condition, but some of the pages are stained. $3.50
Mystery in the Apple Orchard (Helen Fuller Orton) 1954. A neighbor girl comes to visit,
boasting about the valuable ring that she isn't supposed to be wearing. Of course
it disappears (this is a mystery!) but the sad thing is that the girl accuses a
very nice lame boy of stealing it. This is far from being the only strange thing
going on that summer! HB, XL, fairly good condition, with both a colorful picture
cover and a pretty good DJ. $4.00
Mystery in the Old Red Barn (Helen Fuller Orton) 1952. Girl goes to the barn to fill
a basket with the apples they store in there, and hears -- a sneeze! No one wants
to believe her, but soon enough, other mysterious things happen. No more clues from
me, but another mystery is whether the kids will ever get a horse of their own.
HB, XL, PC, all in nice condition. $4.00
Mystery in the Pirate Oak (Helen Fuller Orton) 1949. Orton's mysteries are short, sweet
and nostalgic. This one stars 2 nice children who try to help an older neighbor find
a treasure, and also befriend a lonely boy. Aimed at young readers, but heartening
for the rest of us. I love the cover picture, 2 kids in cute clothes from the '50s,
up on a platform in the most wonderful old tree that you ever saw! Tree climbing was
an obsession with me for many years, and this one would have been a dream come
true for me. good condition PB, $2.00. Fair condition pb, $1
Treasure in the Little Trunk (Helen Fuller Orton) 1932. Takes place in 1823-25. One of
Orton's early books, this one is quite decorative. In fact, on the title page, it
says "embellishments" (not illustrations) by Robert Ball. There's a nice list of
books by this prolific author, opposite title page. This book is listed under the
list of Historical Stories, but Orton couldn't resist making it into a mystery! A
bit longer than her straight mysteries, but just as full of domestic details and
adventure. HB, printed library picture cover, fair but very firm condition. $2.50
End of books by Helen Fuller Orton
MORE MYSTERIES AHEAD!
*******************************************
Annette Turngren wrote some of the VERY BEST mysteries for girls. Each one has a
different and interesting setting, and includes the elements of a Maltshop as well as
a complex mystery story. I'm close to positive that you would really like any of them!
I'll include more books by Annette Turngren as soon as I can!
Mystery Walks the Campus (Turngren) 1956. This one certainly does combine the best
elements of a Maltshop and a mystery. Wendy lives at home while going to college:
she's rather shy. Then along comes her big brother with a blue parakeet and some
girl's suitcase, things he acquired under rather mysterious circumstances! They lead
to a clever mystery and from there, to a lot of good things happening to Wendy and
her family. It's a Good One!!! HB, fairly good cond, with a laser copy of our good
DJ showing a girl looking rather nervous on a dark and stormy night. A Best Loved
Girls' Book edition. HB, LDJ, $5.00
Augusta Huiell Seaman's books have been very favorably reviewed in various
issues of Whispered Watchword. Her vintage books are always interesting,
and were very popular in the 30s through 50s. To me, vintage mysteries are
always interesting!!! Often a nice Carolina shore setting. Sorry if there
aren't any Seaman books at this time. I'll list more just as soon as I can.
Worn copy of Mystery of the Old Violin (Seaman) 1932. Girl's family runs an Inn in a
secluded seaside location. When 2 young people stay with them, the 3 kids have to
solve several mysteries. Cut, fun -- this pb has one more "good read" in it! $1.00
Riddle of the Lonely House (hardcover title, Strange Pettingill Puzzle) 1935. Paperback
Scholastic edition. A Lonely, Deserted Old Mansion! That's all we need to know about
any story, to be to be sure we'll love it! Good condition, $2.50
MORE MYSTERY BOOKS from the PAST!
Snowshoe Mountain Lodge (Lisa Eisenberg) 1987. This is one of a nice series of 3
mysteries about Kate Clancy, who manages to get to some interesting locations like
this ski lodge and Cape Cod -- and always runs into mysteries. A veritable Nancy
Drew! These books appeal to Nancy's fans including me! PB, good condition, $2.00
The Mystery of the Great Swamp (Marjorie A. Zapf) 1967. Okefenokee swamp setting.
Boy explores the swamp in his boat, with his pup. This book might appeal more to boys
than girls, but if you enjoy wilderness adventure, wild and tame animals (including a
pet alligator!) and a totally unexpected and amazing mystery, this is your book.
HB, with a PC, in almost new condition -- $3.00
HB, PC, moderately good condition, $2.50
MORE MYSTERIES AHEAD -- INCLUDING MORE MALTSHOP MYSTERIES, AND BOOKS BY PHYLLIS A. WHITNEY AND MANY OTHERS!!! The Rare Stamp mystery (Mary Adrian)1960 There are several avid stamp colletor in the town, and some of them are not entirely honest! You'll learn a lot about stamps -- and a little about possums -- while reading this entertaining mystery. HB, XL, PC, good cond. $2.50 The Kite Mystery (Mary Adrian)1968. 4 children live in a wildlife refuge where 2 very rare swans disappear. After the official search is dropped, the kids go on looking, and learn a lot about nature (as you will, also, plus kite-flying) while they search. Adrian was well-known for her mysteries that involve nature, science, and suspense, and she also wrote a number of non-fiction nature books. All of them worth reading! HB, with cover picture of a swan and a kite. Good condition, $2.50 (2 copies available) Mystery of the Dinosaur Bones (Mary Adrian) 1965. Three children go to Utah to spend their vacation digging up dinosaurs and mysteries. Even if you know a lot about dinosaurs, and even though this book was written for intermediate readers, you'll still learn a lot. The author wrote very popular mysteries that include nature, science, and very good reading. HB, PC, fair condition, $2.00 (2 copies available) Skin Diving Mystery (Mary Adrian) 1964. There are 5 in the Skin Diving Club, only one of whom is a girl -- but she certainly holds her own! Oyster growing, strange groans, a lost valuable shell, this group has quite a few mysteries to work on. HB, XL, firm and tightly bound, library picture cover of a diver in fins and snorkle. $2.00 Mystery Mountain (Florence Laughlin) 1964. Arizona setting. Both girl and boy characters. 2 boys, strangers, look like twins. Lost gold mines, trail rides into the desert, research into the past. HB, exciting PC, nice condition from Young America Book Club. $3.00 ADDITIONAL MYSTERIES AHEAD!! Ghostly Trio (Nancy Woollcott Smith) 1954. Good Halloween reading! 3 kids form a club with the purpose of exploring deserted houses. Lots of fun, until they choose a house that seems to be haunted. You know that they'll discover there's a different, less scarey explanation, but it's a lot of fun trying to figure the whole thing out! PB, fairly good condition, $1.50 2-in-one book -- 2 Enid Blyton mysteries in one nice fat paperback. These British children's books are "The Rat-a-Tat Mystery" and "The Ragamuffin mystery." They were first published in 1951, and this edition is from the 1990s. Plenty of reading, nice cover picture of quite modern-looking kids sort-of-hiding behind rocks, watching some adults walking out of the opening from a cave. PB, $2.00 Five Go Down to the Sea (Enid Blyton) 1961. The Famous Five, to quote the DJ, "Whose curiosity leads to the expose of smuggling activities along the Cornish coast." They are like Nancy Drew, just can't have a relaxing vacation, some mystery always crops up! The book is in fine condition, with a beautiful DJ in v. good cond. $3.00 BIG LOT FROM THE YOUNG READERS BOOKSHELF. Here are 4 books from a very long series of short stories for boys and girls, all from the early 1950s. The stories are predominantly about boys, and the DJ pictures all show boys, but some of the stories are by women, and some of them feature girls. All of them are fun to read; I know because I read them! All 4 of these books are in very good condition, with DJs (one dj is slightly creased.) They would make a nice gift for a 4th or 5th grade reader, or for an animal- or sports- lover. My theory is that the books feature boys because girls are happy to read stories about boys, but boys are prejudiced against reading stories about girls! Just my theory .... Plenty of illustrations in each book. The books are: 1. Young Readers' Mystery Stories (Charles Coombs) 1951. Illustrated by Charles Geer -- you'll recognize his style! There are 6 short mysteries in this book. About 5-6 grade level reading. I don't know if the endpapers have anything to do with the book, I think they are the same for all the books in this series. These illustrations are very attractive, and feature a girl and a boy running through the woods. They're one of the things that lead me to think that these stories are for girls, too. DJ has some folds, but on the whole, it's a sturdy book. 2. Young Readers Dog Stories (edited by A. L. Furman) 9 short stories by well-known dog authors. The book is in nearly new condition, with just an inscription on the 3rd page. Excellent DJ has an adorable picture of a boy and a pup. 3. Young Readers Baseball Stories by Charles Coombs. 5 stories. More than just descriptions of games, there are back-stories about the players and their emotions. Book and DJ in very good condition, 4. Young Readers Football Stories by Charles coombs. 7 stories, similar to the ones I described in the Baseball volume. Again, a good DJ over a very good book. Four Young Readers Bookshelf books, these look wonderful! $9.00 for all 4. MORE MYSTERIES FOR TEENS! The Secret Raft (Hazel Krantz) illustrated by Maine's own Charles Geer. 1965. Complete with very nice map endpapers, this story starts with 3 kids sneaking away from home before dawn, to watch the sun rise and cook breakfast outside. Like everything else Howie does, this gets him into trouble (his dog, too!) But introduces the kids to some scientists who need their help -- and of course a mystery, too. Same author wrote "100 pounds of popcorn," so you can depend on some humor along with the mystery in here, too! And the start of Howie's interest in science. Nice story! Hardcover book in very nice cond with interesting cover picture. $2.50 (2 copies available) YA MYSTERIES BY PHYLLIS A. WHITNEY always involve a girl who goes to an interesting,
unusual setting, finds a mystery, and meets a boy. Together they solve the mystery!
These aren't romances, but stories of close friendship. These stories are very nice,
very friendly and readable. Try one of them, and I'd be very surprised if you didn't
want to read more of them right away. I'll try to have more of them very soon! Mystery of the haunted Pool (Whitney) 1960. G9rl is staying with her aunt who runs and also lives at her antique shop. Things get more interesting than ever when she meets an odd boy in the woods, sees the castle where he and his grandfather live, and .. well, there's a lot more to this interesting tale! PH in fair but stable cond, $1.50. Another PB that you may have free with any other Whitney mystery (it's all there, just shabby.) Mystery of the Haunted Poool (Whitney) 1960. Girl is staying with her aunt who runs an antique shop. Plenty of strange things going on there, as well as in the surrounding areas. I recommend this one! 2 PB copies available. One is pretty good, for $1.50. The other copy is free with another Phyllis A. Whitney mystery. (it's all there, but not in very good condition.)
Secret of the Spotted Shell (Phyllis A. Whitney) 1967. Takes place on the Virgin
Islands, where the girl is staying with relatives while her parents are away. No
sooner does she get there, than mysterious things start to happen -- disappearances,
unwelcoming hosts, a clue that no one can figure out, break-ins. Very good plot,
and you'll learn about an unusual setting without heavy-handed travel dialog.
HB, former library copy, rather well worn, but covered by a laser copy of our nice
dust jacket showing a girl and -- could that be a pirate? $3.50
Secret of the Samurai Sword (Phyllis A. Whitney) 1958. Girl and her brother travel to
Japan (from California) and find -- a mystery, a ghostly spirit, and some lovely
friends. You can depend on Whitney to explore people's lives along with their
mysteries. HB copy of Secret of the Samurai Sword XL with printed picture cover
showing a very frightening apparition, plus a real girl who looks pretty frightened!
Fairly good condition (some wear to the spine and corners) $3.00
Mystery of the Crimson Ghost (Whitney) 1969. Girl wants a horse more than anything else
in the world, but lives in town and can't have one -- until they go to spend the
summer in rural New Jersey. Horse country, she hopes! The horse, and the mystery,
appear before the first chapter is finished. A weird family, secrets, a ruined old
house -- it's all plenty interesting enough to keep you reading avidly. I have 2 copies in PB, somewhat worn for $1.00.
Mystery of the Green Cat (Whitney) 1957. This is a mystery, yes, but my favorite
thing about it is the story of blending 2 families. Widowed mother with 2 girls
marries a widowed father with twin boys. Everyone moves together into a large old
house in San Francisco, but nothing is Sweetness and Light. The older girl is
a little shy, one of the boys is very unwelcoming. It takes a mystery in a nearby
house, to start things going right. Whitney was the mistress of creating strong
and believable, well-differentiated characters. This is a perfect example. Don't
be fooled by the fact that she wrote dozens and dozens of books, or that they are
widely available. They are treasures anyway! PB, good cond, $2.00
Secret of the Emerald Star (Phyllis A. Whitney) 1964. The Star is an emerald, and
that's just the beginning of a very mysterious story! For starters, there's a
spooky old woman who seems to be holding a girl captive in her old mansion! Like
all the Whitney mysteries the girl in this one becomes involved in helping another
young person, as well as solving a mystery. HB, XL, fairly good condition, with
a very good and interesting DJ (DJ flaps are partly glued down.) $4.00
End of mysteries by Phyllis A. Whitney
**************************************
Wylly Folk St. John mysteries -- if you haven't tried them, I highly
recommend that you try them! Set in various locations in the South, most are aimed
at about 8-10th graders, but have a bit of Maltshop appeal in each one, though
their dates are just a bit late for Maltshop era. I think maybe the innocence and
simplicity of the true Maltshop, can be found in some later books written for
younger readers. St. John's mysteries are VERY well written!
I had often wondered whether Wylly was a female or male name -- just read a short bio
of the author and found out that she's a "she." I'll try to list more Wyllie Folk
St John books in a future sale. Boxed Set of Wyllie Folk St. John mysteries! The box says Six Mysteries, but it really contains 5 paperback St John mysteries. They pretty well fill the box and look very nice in there. The books and slipcase are in fair-to-good condition. Fun!!! The books include Secrets of Hidden Creek, Secret of the Seven Crows Uncle Robert's Secret The Christmas Tree Mystery The Secrets of the Pirate Inn -- 5 PBs in a slipcae -- $7.00 for all
The Mystery of the Gingerbread House (Wylly Folk St. John) 1969. I LOVE this book!
How could you resist a book about a baby that is found on a doorstep? And soon a
mysterious older sister shows up, too, both of them at least temporarily homeless.
The children in the house where the kids showed up, played detective and helped
to find a lost relative who will care for the baby and big sister. HB, XL, printed
picture cover, $3.50
( Another copy of Gingerbread House PB, in fair cond, reading copy, $1.00)
The Christmas Tree Mystery (St. John) 1969. As most of St. John's books, this one is
both a mystery and a human-interest story. Girl makes a mistaken identity and
accuses a boy of stealing Christmas tree ornaments and decorations. Her new
step-brother swears that the boy couldn't be guilty, so now the girl needs to
find out who really was. Danger follows, more than could be explained by a simple
ornament theft. And at the same time, a family needs Christmas to heal their rifts.
HB with DJ, both in very good condition. $4.00
The Mystery of the Other girl (Wylly Folk St. John) 1971. Girl breaks up with her
boyfriend when she thinks there's something strange about him. She seems to be
right, as even stranger things keep happening, like the strange phone call from
"the other girl." XL hardcover with a nice DJ on top of a picture cover! $4.00
Robin Gottlieb wrote quite a few mysteries for young teens, all of them with very
interesting subjects and very clever plots. I'd certainly recommend them to fans
of teen mysteries. Since that's one of my very favorite genres, you'll probably
like these if you like most of the same books that I do!
Mystery of the Silent Friends (Gottlieb) 1964. The Friends are very special dolls
in the girl's father's antique shop. The girls find mystery and clues -- and
all kinds of antiques to learn about. As a matter of fact, when I read one of
Gottlieb's books, I usually learn interesting things about antiques! NY City
setting. PB -- pretty good cond -- $2.00
MYSTERIES ABOUT JED, LIZA AND BILL, WRITTEN BY PEGGY PARISH.
Peggy Parish wrote the Amelia Bedelia books, but she's more than a humorous
writer about a maid who takes everything literally! This nice mystery series is
about 3 children and various mysteries they solve while spending the summers at
their grandparents' summer home on an island Some of the mysteries that they solve
had puzzled their own father and his siblings when they were kids in the same area.
Beautiful Paul Frame illustrations (he did the art for some of the Trixie books!)
Key to the Treasure (Parish) XL HB with a very nice DJ. $3.00
Clues in the Woods (Peggy Parish) 1968. Paul Frame illustrations. In August, the kids
are getting a little bored, after solving the original mystery. First they pick out
a puppy for their grandparents (or for themselves?) and then they find another
mystery to solve before they have to go home at the end of the summer. HB, XL, PC, $2.00
Haunted House (Peggy Parish) 1971. Very nice condition Collier Books paperback. Family
buys their dream house, big place in the country -- but it turns out to be haunted!
Or is it some sinister plot? The kids know how to follow clues and break codes, so
they love this challenge. This edition does not have the Paul Frame illustrations,
but I've hardly ever seen nicer paper in a pb book. $2.00
Mystery in Little Tokyo (Frank Bonham) 1966. Young boy growing up in Little
Tokyo in Los Angeles. Family runs a gift shop, but the most interesting thing
for the boy is a mystery in their Japanese garden. There's plenty of humor in
this story, especially in the slang expressions used by people you might have
expected to be very formal! And Danny Nomura is a brave boy who ends up helping
both of his family's countries! I especially liked the cover picture of him in
his Boy Scout uniform, climbing a high wall, while a fancy sword lies below him.
Have fun with this mystery! HB, PC, good condition, $2.00
END OF YOUNG ADULT MYSTERY SECTION
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TEENS' AND CHILDREN'S NONFICTION These are books about subjects that I think you would be interested in -- Any that I've read myself, were well written and informative. Non-fiction is pretty much the only genre that I read besides Maltshops, teen mysteries, series books, and adult mysteries. Learn something! Have fun! Douglas MacArthur, Young Protector (Laura M. Long) 1965. This is one of the excellent Childhood of Famous Americans series. I read as many as I could find when I was a child myself -- we used to call them "Orange Biographies." They are still one of the best ways for young readers to learn about important people in the past. HB with decorative orange cover, former library copy in good condition. $2.00 A book about a pioneer woman doctor! -- Connie Bell, M. D. (Helen Tann Aschmann) winner of the Dodd, Mead Librarian and Teacher Prize Competition in 1963. Fictionalized biography of a woman doctor from the days when only men were accepted as doctors. Fun to read, with more romantic interludes than a straight biography might allow for! HB, DJ, pretty good condition. $2.50 MORE NON-FICTION AHEAD Martha, Daughter of Virginia (Marguerite Vance)1947. A very nice book by an author who also wrote quite a few other bio's of women, all written for young adults. Hooray for her, in an era when women weren't thought to be nearly as important as their husbands! This is the story of Martha Washington, and it's beautifully and respectfully done. The illustrations are especially lovely; have you heard of Nedda Walker? I hadn't, but I do like these pictures a lot. Nice biography. HB, XL, good condition, with a DJ that has only a couple of very small missing pieces. I think they're where the former library stickers were, and someone cut them out. Otherwise, a very good dust jacket with a picture of a sprightly, energetic-looking young woman on horseback. $3.00
To Dance, To Dream (Maxine Drury) a nice Whitman book, 1965, with true stories of
great dancers from early times to the present. Nice line-illustrations. Pretty
picture on the cover, a ballerina and a dreaming girl. Fairly good cond HB, $1.50
END OF NON-FICTION SECTION, THOUGH YOU WILL FIND NON-FICTION IN OTHER PLACES ON THIS LIST!
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FICTION BOOKS OF MANY KINDS, INCLUDING: A FEW BIG LOTS HISTORICAL NOVELS, MUSIC AND POETRY BOOKS FOR LITTLE CHILDREN FOLK STORIES, ANIMAL STORIES AND LOTS OF OTHER TYPES OF FICTION BOOKS!! SOME OF THESE BOOKS WERE WRITTEN FOR ADULTS, BUT THEY'RE APPROPRIATE FOR OLDER CHILDREN Mrs. Coverlet's Magicians (Mary Nash) 1961. Another nostalgic favorite for anyone who grew up reading in the 60s and 70s. A nice HB copy of the book, with DJ. Both in good condition! $2.00 Sunnybank, Home of Lad (Albert Payson Terhune) 1934. Original title, The Book of Sunnybank. Non-fiction, but full of stories about the author's home, family and animals, mainly dogs and horses. Excellent for adults as well as teens. Terhune and "the Mistress" lived an interesting life! HB with nice picture cover -- 2 collies running on the lawn of a beautiful old house. $2.50 Story Parade, A Collection of Modern Stories for Boys and Girls (1942) Inside cover identifies it as a Rainbow Book. Nice introduction by Ruth Sawyer (a Maine author, you know!) Lots of familiar names among the authors and illustrators of the stories in this book. Elizabeth Coatsworth (including a full length short novel, Forgotten Island) and Robert McCloskey, Pelagie Doane, Wanda Gag, among others. Stories, poems, a lot of humor, adventure, fun. Large HB, 350 pages! Pretty much looks its age, but it is good and firm and complete. $2.00 The Year of the Sawdust Man (A. LaFaye) 1998. Book is written for middle-grade students, but the story is impressive for any age of reader. Takes place in Louisiana, in 1933. Girl's mother, a somewhat charismatic woman, abruptly leaves home with no warning. Her daughter is stunned and badly hurt, especially when she hears the many rumors that are circulating around town, saying that her mother left with a man and didn't care anything about her daughter and husband. The girl does her best to keep hoping her mother will return, but before long her father starts dating another woman. You can just imagine the conflicts this raises in the girl's life. One of those kept-me-up-until-2AM books. PB in good condition, $2.00 MORE ASSORTED FICTION AHEAD! Mary Poppins Comes Back (P. L. Travers) 1935. Did you know that our friend Mary is part of a 4-book series? This is the 2nd book in the series! A hardcover copy that doesn't quite close tightly, but otherwise looks good. DJ is very good. $2.00 Mary Poppins in the Park (Travers) Nice hardcover book with dust jacket. The front of the DJ is a little faded and there's one small rip at the top of the spine, otherwise the book is in very good cond. $3.00 Mary Poppins in the Park (Travers) 1952. I can remember, when I was a child, being thrilled to discover that Mary DID come back! I loved these books and still do. HB with DJ, former library copy. All in good cond, except that the plastic cover of the DJ is attached to the endpapers in several places. $2.50 Mary Poppins opens the Door (Travers) 1943. This is a copy from 1971. It's a stunning copy with everything including DJ in new condition. $3.00 I go by Land, I go by Sea (P. L. Travers) 1941. Author of the Mary Poppins stories has written a very different book here. This is the story of a brother and sister who had to travel to America to stay safe during WWII. She writes a very complete diary, and has a lot to discover about the US. Extremely entertaining! It's a first edition if that means much (I doubt it does but it's interesting.) Some very attractive full-page illustrations. Fairly good cond. $3.00 SOME MORE FICTION STORIES OF ALL SORTS! Courtyard Cat (C. S. Adler) 1995. Girl has a very rough time with the move from the country to a city apartment. She has more responsibilty than she should, and lots of guilt over the family's situation. A cat who lives in the courtyard, is a huge help in her hard life, in various ways. If you love cats, you'll be sure to understand! Former library book in very good condition, with a very good DJ, showing a girl and her baby brother noticing a Siamese cat in a rather pretty courtyard (except for those garbage bags over on the back cover!) $2.50 Best Cat Stories, 1992. This book includes a whole lot of short stories and essays, many by well-known authors like Lewis Carroll, and some by authors you'll want to read more of. Every one stars a cat! HB book in very good condition, with many illustrations of cats, including the dust jacket which shows cats of every color and breed. $2.50 Swiss Family Robinson -- Retold from Johann David Whss original. From Classic Starts series. The original of this classic story is rather too wordy and stiff for young readers -- this book does a very good job of presenting the story and the atmosphere of the original while making it comfortable and enjoyable for younger readers. Very good condition hardcover with picture cover, it looks brand new. $2.50 3 Katie John books by Mary Calhoun. 1960, 1961, 1963. Illustrated by Paul Frame, who illustrated many of the Trixie books, as well as others. What a good series! If you didn't read it when you were younger, here's a 2nd chance to read the first 3 books in a 4-book series. Katie John is impulsive, energetic, even, as one of the book jackets describes her, irrepressible! She gets into quite a few adventures! And there's plenty of humor, just look at the covers of these PB books and you'll know that -- especially the one that shows Katie John scowling, and writing "Boys are Repulsiv.." you have to imagine the last letter! The 3 books are Katie John, Depend on Katie John, and Honestly, Katie John! I've recently had a Katie John fest, reading all of the books in order and loving them again after all these years! 3 paperbacks in good condition, $4.50 Understood Betsy (Dorothy Canfield) 1916. Betsy has lived with her doting aunts. who Understand Her and take exceptional care of the little girl. Then one of the aunts gets sick, and Betsy has to go to live with her uncle on a Vermont farm where everyone is assumed to be competent and strong enough to carry their own weight. The kind of story that might just bring tears to your eyes, and bring great pleasure to your day. This edition of the classic story is quite beautiful, filled with pictures (many including cats and dogs) and a sweet DJ picture of Betsy in a pretty chair, cat in lap, and her uncle with his pipe, in his rocking chair. Suggestion of log walls and a hand-braided rug. You'll love this story, which is a bit like Anne of Green Gables or Pollyanna! HB with DJ, $2.50 MORE ASSORTED FICTION AHEAD -- All in the Timing (Melody Carlson) 2004 from the Tales from Grace Chapel Inn and Promises to Keep (Rebecca Kelly) 2004 from Tales of Grace Chapel Inn. I didn't think I'd like these stories, as fiction with a Christian slant is often poorly written and too full of coincidences. But these "Tales from Grace Chapel Inn" stories are full of interesting characters, clever plots, nice settings -- and they're quite humorous, too. I got a kick out of All in the Timing, for instance, where 2 really unpleasant teenagers happen to be staying at the inn with their families at the same time, and help each other calm down and become easier to live with! The food descriptions are tasty, too. 2 beautiful hardcover books, with calming, nostalgic cover pictures. 2 like-new hardcovers with picture covers, $4.00 MORE ASSORTED FICTION AHEAD-- Helen's Babies, subtitled "With some account of their ways: innocent, crafty, angelic, impish, witching and repulsive. Also a partial record of their actions during ten days of their existence." Whew! from 1876. A sister asks her brother to stay in the home while she and her husband take a little trip. No problem, there will be a nanny and other servants in the house, but it's SO much better to have a man about the house. Well, of course nothing works out quite the way it's supposed to, and the young uncle learns more about children than he'd dreamed he ever would. Lots of baby-talk that might slow you down, but it's amazingly adventurous. I can imagine our great-grandparents laughing at this book when our great-great grandparents read it to them. Cover shows 2 little boys trying to get a billy-goat to pull a little cart, and the expressions on their faces are priceless! I don't know when this book was printed, but it's in better condition than it would be if it was really over 140 years old! Large HB, picture cover. $3.50 MORE ASSORTED FICTION AHEAD -- Next, here's a big lot of fiction books! 5 books by EDWARD EAGER , who kept us amused and entertained with fantasy and magic when I was a kid! My favorite was Half Magic. The 5 PBs in this set are in wonderful condition, almost new, and they have new and funny cover pictures, plus lots of internal illustrations by N. M. Bodecker. Fun! The books include: Half Magic (1954) Knight's Castle (1956) Magic by the Lake (1957) Magic or Not? (1959) The Well-wishers (1960) 5 beautiful paperback books by Edward Eager -- $8 for the set of 5 books! If you don't want to spring for the entire 5 Edward Eager books, try just one, and it's my favorite of them, since it takes place in a summer cottage by a lake. Don't you love to read about rustic summer cottages? In fact, I'd like to live in one all year around! HB, XL, with a picture cover. The paperbacks are more beautiful, but this is a HB, so take your choice! Magic by the Lake by Edward Eager --$2.00 EVEN MORE ASSORTED FICTION - Books by Noel Streatfeild (some are fiction, a couple are actually
non-fiction, but this is MY list, so I'm putting them here!)
Theatre Shoes by Noel Streafeild, 1945. Dell Yearling Book says "A companion to
Ballet Shoes" pb in good condition, 2 copies available, $1.50 each
Dancing Shoes (Noel Streatfeild) Yes, another wonderful Streatfeild story of orphans
who learn to dance -- and some of them are even quite talented! Plenty of problems
but plenty of wonderful fun. PB, in good condition, $2.00
End of books by Streatfeild
MORE NOVELS COMING UP AFTER A LITTLE CHRISTMAS SECTION!
*********************************************************
Christmas is either over or coming up later on, but you're probably like me, and
love to read about it all year long! Here are some Christmas-themed books that
are good reading any time of the year. Look around the list -- there are other
books with Christmassy themes. These are some good ones!
A Treasury of Christmas Plays (edited by Sylvia E. Kamerman) Subtitled "Royalty-free
stage and radio dramas for young players."1958, 1972. There are 40 plays in this
very large book, all aimed at junior and senior high school students. Some are
original to this book, some are adaptations of well-known books like Dickins'
Christmas Carol, and The Birds' Christmas Carol and one of my favorites,
Christmas Every Day. 509 pages including production notes. HB, XL, good condition,
with DJ. $3.00
************** End of Christmas books, back to assorted Fiction books ******************
Magical Melons, More Stories about Caddie Woodlawn ( Carol Ryrie Brink) 1939. This one
has adorable illustrations by Marguerite Davis. "escapades of that lively family
of Woodlawn children who lived on the Wisconsin border in 1860." If you love The
Pink Motel and Baby Island, you'll appreciate the humor and wonder of this one,
too. HB, XL, with DJ -- all in pretty good condition. The DJ picture is so cute
that you might want to frame it! $3.00 for this book.
Baby Island (Carol Ryrie Brink) 1937. There is a shipwreck, and the 2 girls end up in
a lifeboat with the babies that they've been playing with on the ship. When they
drift onto a deserted (?) island, they make a new life there with their beloved
babies. It's a Robinson Crusoe tale with babies! I'm sure I wasn't the only
baby-loving little girl who read this book and longed to have something like that
happen to me! A very lovely story. PB, $1.25
Eight Nursery Tales (edited by Watty Piper) the only dates listed in this book are
1932 and 1938. I'm not trying to say this copy is that old, since it's very clean
and crisp looking. But who knows, it might be! The DJ shows the controversial
Little Black Sambo, looking happy and proud leading a parade of animals and
children from nursery tales like Chicken Little, Gingerbread Boy, and Little Red
Hen. There is a slight musty odor to this book. HB, DJ with some pieces missing from
the very bottom, $3.00
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ANIMAL BOOKS There are lots of animal stories other places, too, but here are a few especially nice ones: Ride Like an Indian (Henry Larom, illustrated by Wesley Dennis) 1958. Very nice story about a boy who is eager to stay at a dude ranch, but finds that he isn't really a born horseback rider. An Indian boy helps him learn to ride, and together they show the supposed better riders, a thing or two! Dennis's pictures are wonderful, the story is special. HB in good cond, with a good DJ, too. $3.00 How Mr. Dog Got Even (Albert Bigelow Paine) 1898. One of the oldest books I've had on my list, and it looks it! From the Hollow Tree Stories series of fables, this humorous little book is full of funny illustrations and clever short stories about animals (actually I think they are about the foibles of humans, but it's more fun to read about well-dressed animals!) Small book, fair condition, but the illustrations are as much fun as they were back at the end of the 19th century. $1.50 5 Black Stallion and other PB books (Walter Farley) Some of these are reading copies (they're fine for more reading but they aren't beautiful) and some are in very good condition. In other words, enjoy reading these classic and beloved books about horses (and a Donkey!) but don't look for collectible perfect condition. All 5 paperbacks for 7.00 They are: The Island Stallion Black Stallion's Ghost Black Stallion's sulky colt Black Stallion's Filly The Horse-Tamer The Island Stallion's Fury (Walter Farley) 1951 First Printing. Exciting illustrations by Harold Eldridge. HB, good condition. $2.50 Wyoming Summer (Mary O'Hara) 1963. O'Hara wrote a 3-book series, beginning with My Friend Flicka. But this is a "documentary novel" is about life on the real ranch where those stories were set. There are horses and a lot of other animals, and a group of kids who are attending a summer camp there! And more! HB, good condition, with pretty good DJ. Personal copy. $4.00 Flash of Phantom Canyon (Agnes V. Ranney) 1963. Much more than an animal story, but the dear little colt on the cover plays a big part. Native American boy -- or is he a white boy? He wants to discover his own past, who his parents were, where he belongs. Friendly, easy story, not grim or heavy but just nice! Historical setting in the Northwest when it was the frontier, Good PB. $1.50 Pepper (Barbara Leonard Renolds) illustrations by Barbara Cooney --1964. Very good story of a boy and his pet raccoon. HB, good condition, picture cover, $2.00 The Black Stallion Mystery (Farley) PB good condition! $1.50 END OF BOOK SALE LIST