What's the Name of That Book??? discussion
► UNSOLVED: One specific book
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Vague Memory Of Book read 1985-1986 - Middle School Age - Few Or No Adults Around - NOT Girl Who Owned A City
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I don't know your book, Railyn, but I believe the library editions you're talking about are called turtlebacks.
The books could have been rebound library editions (paperback as hardcovers or the original hc DJ picture but no dust jacket and less colors.
http://www.librarything.com/topic/91404Possibly some suggestions here aside from the one you stated. Depends whether same storyline.
Outside"Sealed into a huge domed city, Kristie and her brother Lew are among the few survivors of a polluted earth."
All of the adults are dead. Kristie researches in the library to find maps and try to find a way out of the city. Finally a man called "the rhyming man" leads her and others to freedom.
Some of these bits sound so familiar (candlelight, map, animals in the store), but like you I'm not sure if all of those elements were in the same book.Do you remember if the book was more fantasy or realistic? What time period was it set in? Do you think it may have been required reading for one of the other classes?
Do you remember why the librarian suggested the book? Was it b/c the concept was similar to Girl Who Owned the City, or by the same author, or same genre, etc?
A lot of questions, but it may trigger some memories.
And, I don't think there are other kids in this book, but I'll throw out Z for Zachariah
There may also be something in the descrip that triggers a memory about your book.
IIRC, it was more realistic than fantasy. I don't recall robots or aliens or anything like that. I don't think it would bug me so much if I didn't think of it every time that song comes on, lol.I don't remember why the librarian recommended the book. I may have been returning "The Girl..." and she may have asked what I thought. We had to get our books for gifted class from the librarian - they were in a back room - not with the general library books. The book wasn't set aside in the back room - it was with the rest of the book. There would be no way for me to ask her. I don't think she's the librarian anymore, and back then, we signed books out by initialing those little cards that were in pockets in the front of the book. Plus I doubt she'd remember from that long ago.
I believe it was set in "the current time". I don't recall any old pop culture references (ie: they watched Ed Sullivan on the TV or listening to The Bee Gees on the radio). That's why I thought it was 10 years old or less.
I take it you went to the page for and clicked on the "Readers Also Enjoyed" link to see if any of the books listed rang a bell?You probably already did that, but I thought I would suggest...
I did, Heavy Reader, but thanks for the suggestion anyway. One or two sounded promising, but then part of the description was something that just wasn't right.I will have to check out Gone, Raevyn. Ditto for Z Is For Zachariah, Tab. Both sound interesting. I would have loved those at that age.
There wasn't a dome, but Outside sounds interesting too. I'll have to add these to my list when I want something not so heavy to read.
The map with push pins and an illustration could be Wendy and the Bullies, just in case you are mixing it up. It is nothing like the plot you described, but does have a map of the neighborhood, with different coloured push pin marking different levels of bullies. She had it in a closet and she and her best friend used it to map out how to get to school. It think there's an illustration of the map in the book. I remember it fondly.
I also have a thought for what the book you're trying to come up with. The House at World's End It's not a post apocalyptic story, but it does have a family of children living alone in a house in the country (close to a town), without any adults taking care of them. They collect up a menagerie of animals that they take care of. The parents have gone off on a voyage and not returned, and the children have been left in the care of an uncle who doesn't want to deal with them. Somehow they get sent to the house without any adult supervision.
It's in a series of 3 books.
The House At World's End wasn't it, but it sounds interesting, and another I'll add to the list.I think you were right, though. The map may have been Wendy and The Bullies. I had that book. I borrowed it from Openlibrary and quickly thumbed through it. I remembered the Tuna Sandwich part and her screaming in the closet, and how much I loved that book when I was younger. So the map part may not have been part of it.
I don't remember the book I'm looking for being as "gritty" as The Girl Who Owned A City.
Here is a list of authors who write like the author who wrote Girl who owned a city. Maybe it can help some.https://www.goodreads.com/author/simi...
And a goodreads list of similar books, just in case
https://www.goodreads.com/book/simila...
Maybe possibly House of Stairs or Children of the Dust or This Time of DarknessEdit: more suggestions
Emergence
Children Of The Dust sounded promising, but I don't recall the book being in 3 parts set at differing times. Will add that to the list, though - sounds interesting.Not House of Stairs because I'd remember the stairs. This Time Of Darkness sounds cool, but I don't recall them living under ground.
I appreciate all of the suggestions. Not sure we'll ever figure it out, but something may trigger a memory.
Did you look at Emergence, too?
Maybe it was a post nuclear accident (or similar) kind of story? Some vague suggestions.Beyond the Dark River by Monica Hughes
Brother in the Land by Robert Swindells
After the Bomb by Gloria D. Miklowitz
After the bomb : week one by Gloria D. Miklowitz
Fireweed by Jill Paton Walsh
And just in case, you may want to browse this list: Frequently sought stories.
I did look at Emergence. I'll have to see if openlibrary has it and peruse it.And I'll check the others out, Bookel. My fear is that if I do find it, I may not recognize it, but when someone posted the Wendy And The Bullies link above, that all came flooding back, so I have hope.
Railyn wrote: "The stupid thing, and what keeps it coming back in my brain, is that right around the time I got done reading it, the song "Silent Running" by Mike & The Mechanics came out, and that song reminded me of the book in some ways..."I love that song and have always thought it would make a GREAT book!
You might try this list at Library Thing (books tagged post apocalypse and female protagonist).
Giving this a bump. I went for surgery shortly after posting this and forgot. I'm also adding a comment to other searches for books that sound similar so that I get a notification if it's found.
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I never did find it and I think I may be confusing some books into one story that may not exist.
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Railyn wrote: "right around the time I got done reading it, the song "Silent Running" by Mike & The Mechanics came out, and that song reminded me of the book in some ways."OT: when I got into the car after seeing the movie "Logan's Run," "Love is Alive" by Gary Wright started playing on the radio, and the two are irretrievably linked in my brain, even though they have nothing to do with each other.
What's the Name of That Book???
Books mentioned in this topic
The Day the World Went Away (other topics)Emergence (other topics)
House of Stairs (other topics)
Children of the Dust (other topics)
This Time of Darkness (other topics)
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I can preface this by saying it was NOT "The Girl Who Owned A City". I was forced to read that for Gifted Program and I really did not like it. I winged my way through it, and "phoned it in" on the projects. It also was NOT any of the "Wrinkle In Time" books. I was forced to read all of those for Gifted as well, and really didn't like them.
I recall reading this after "The Girl Who Owned A City". I remember telling the librarian that I didn't care for it - that the concept was good, but I didn't like the book itself - and she recommended this book. I remember enjoying it, and writing a paper on it for Gifted that it was a better book and should replace that book in the program.
My memories are scant. I was in 7th grade, so that would make it 1985-1986. I can't recall how "new" the book was, but I wouldn't estimate it as more than 10 years old. It was definitely fiction, and was in our Middle School library. It was hard back, but our library had a lot of those books with the odd covers (that almost looked like photocopies - hard to explain), so that may not be much help.
The book focused on a girl around my age at that time, IIRC. Something happened, but I'm not sure what. Either her father was gone, or both her parents were gone, as were either all or most of the adults. I don't remember if they died off, or if there was a war, or something. I'm pretty sure it did not involve aliens or anything like that, but I'm not 100% sure. My memory of specifics is extremely fuzzy. I think I remember there was no power, and they were doing things by candlelight, but I'm not sure. I am pretty sure I remember them scrounging for food, and chasing animals out of the supermarket, but I may be confusing that with something else, as that's popped up in a few books I've read.
I remember there being other kids - not so sure about other adults - and them hanging out. I THINK she may have drawn up a map and MAY have had push pins in it, but again, could be confusing with something else. I think there was an illustration of the map, but again, may be confusing it with something else.
The stupid thing, and what keeps it coming back in my brain, is that right around the time I got done reading it, the song "Silent Running" by Mike & The Mechanics came out, and that song reminded me of the book in some ways. So every time I hear that song, I have vague flashbacks of this book that I had largely forgotten. I'd probably re-read it if I could find it (and probably be disappointed) but then again, who knows if I'll ever find it.
I've tried googling with what I can recall. I've searched for "books similar to the girl who owned a city" and came up empty. I don't "get" the worldcat search and have never been able to make it work for me. Just thought maybe it would jog someone's memory. Thanks!