Children's picture book: A village, cats, ice skating when work was done

[Bobbi]

I read this when I was a kid, so at least 25 years ago. Most of the pictures were black and white, with just a bit of color here and there. It was a little European village in the wintertime, and all the girls wore sort of layered dresses - Dutch, maybe? The main girl had to finish her chores and then she could go ice skating. Seems also that a cat figured in the story somewhere, but maybe not.

I've checked out A Day on Skates and that's not it.

[Danielle]

Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates
I haven't read it but it is set in Holland and as the name implies involves ice skating. There are also some other versions of the story such as Hans Brinker or Hans Brinker Silver Skates (I know this one has black and white illustrations.)

[Jaina]

Yes, I was going to suggest Hans Brinker, also. I've never read it but I saw the movie some time ago.

[Bobbi]

It's definitely not Hans Brinker, I should have mentioned that I already checked that one, too. Thanks, though! A girl is the main character and its a picture book - only a sentence in each page at most.

[Rebecca]

This probably isn't it since there are too many words but maybe?

http://www.amazon.com/Day-Skates-Hild...

[Bobbi]

Nope. That one popped up a lot when I was googling. Thanks, though.

[[deleted user]]

Maybe it's a foreign book? I couldn't find it on Amazon.

[Bobbi]

Possible. Honestly I don't remember the text much, I must have been very young. I remember the pictures very clearly.

[Bobbi]

Soot keeps popping into my head when I think about it. I know it was a little village covered in snow, but it seems like part of her chores had to do with soot or the chimney.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Bobbi, are you still looking for this book?

[Cheryl struggles to catch up]

Too bad, I'll give it one last chance bump, next mod move to Abandoned.

[Bobbi]

Never did find this book and didn't see the question about whether I was still looking for it, sorry.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

No problem. We'll move this out of Abandoned and into Unsolved and hopefully some fresh eyes will see it.

[Bobbi]

Thanks! Haven't been back to group in a while.

[Bobbi]

Bump

[Kris]

Bobbi, have you tried searching on Worldcat.org? It's great for old children's books. For example:

http://www.worldcat.org/advancedsearch > Keywords: illustrations skating village (... girl black white cat winter chores?) | 1960 - 1993 (?) | Juvenile | Fiction | Book | English

[Bobbi]

Yes, nothing in the combinations I’ve tried.

[Bobbi]

Bump

[Rainbowheart]

Children of the Northlights?

Or maybe something by Astrid Lindgren? She did write picture books about a village.

[Bobbi]

Children of the Northlights doesn’t look like it from the cover, but thanks. I’ve looked at most of Astrid Lindgren’s too, but maybe I’ll check again.

[Rainbowheart]

Did it seem like it was set in the 19th century? I'm assuming so because you mentioned layered dresses.

[Bobbi]

Could have even been earlier. Hard to tell with the setting.

[Rainbowheart]

Just random guesses....

A Winter Place
The Snowstorm
The Big Snowstorm
Lucy's Village: A Story for a Little Girl
Great Day in Holland: The Skating Race

[Bobbi]

Thanks for the effort! None of these looks like the one I remember.

[Bobbi]

Bump