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Help a Reader Out: Mystery Moose

I’m so excited! I got to have an awesome superlibrarian moment today thanks to Brice, who sent us this inquiry:

I was looking over your sight for a Halloween book I had as a kid (early 1970’s) but I can’t remember the name and was wondering (with your knowledge of kids Halloween books) if you might know the book. This is an illustrated book of 2 animal friends who dress up in costumes to go trick or treating. I think one of them was a moose. My sister and I had this hardback book about 1974 or 1975 I believe and have both been searching for it but without the title it’s difficult. She swears the story was about 2 monsters who dress up as other monsters but I think they were animals. Regardless, if you have any ideas I would appreciate. Or if you have some search ideas that will help too

Waay back in some creaky corner of my brain a barely-remembered Morris the Moose poked his head out. Did Morris have a Halloween story? I couldn’t remember. But I could find out…

It turns out that Morris does have a Halloween story, Halloween with Morris and Boris, by Bernard Wiseman, published in hardcover in 1975. It’s out of print, but if you want it, it’s possible to find it used.

When I told Brice I’d found the book, it sounded like I’d made his day… Brice, you made my day, too.

Posted on August 22, 2011 by , Reply

Help a Reader Out: Don’t Feed The Aliens At The Zoo

Here’s our most recent request for help: a reader seeking a short story collection for children themed around aliens.

Allison writes:

Hello, this may seem like a strange request. I am trying to locate this book
that I absolutely loved as a kid (possible publication date, between
1994-1997ish).

It was a children’s/young adult book in the line of “More Scary Stories To
Tell In The Dark”. I believe I actually got it at an elementary school book
fair many many MANY years ago, or possibly from the Scholastic book catalog
that was sent to us in elementary school. It was a collection of short
stories about aliens, some funny and some scary. It was a paperback and on
the cover was a picture of a green alien with one eye reaching through a
cage. It corresponded to an inside story about these kids from the
not-so-distant-Earth who go to an “alien zoo” to see the alien specimins.
The antagonist kid chucks an ice cream cone at the alien, who eventually
escapes and enacts his revenge. Another story was about two kids who
discover cave art and upon further inspection realize it is depicting the
true “aliens” on Earth are the human race, who invaded and killed the
original inhabitants. There were more and I just remember snippets. It was
very “Twilight Zone”…but for kids…I can’t find it anywhere! It was not
either of the Bruce Coville collections, and I’m not sure if it was an
anthology of authors or just one author.

I figured a website devoted to children’s horror books might be able to
assist me.

Can anyone identify Allison’s unidentified favorite?

Posted on July 29, 2011 by , Reply

Help a Reader Out: Three Card Monty and a Killer Whale

Okay, I admit it. These requests haven’t all come in at once. Michael here has been waiting for an answer very patiently. He writes:

You helped me find a book before, so I’m wondering if you can help again? This book I started reading in 1997 was some fantasy adventure book. All I can remember about it was the beginning: There’s a boy who cheats people in three card monty in some alley in New York City. I think he gets chased by the police. Then a talking Killer Whale appears and teleports the kid to a fantasy world in turmoil that needs his help. I think there are three heroes. The kid from New York, a princess, and a third warrior.

Unfortunately, that’s all I remember. Any information you might have would be helpful.

I have to say, the beginning of this story sounds extremely familiar to me. I’m sure I read it. But like Michael, I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the book. The only killer whale I can come up with is the unfortunate one from The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and I know that’s not right- that definitely isn’t children’s or teen fiction. But there can’t be too many sentient killer whales out there.So please, help us out!

Posted on July 14, 2011 by , Reply
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