What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

The Practical Storybook
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SOLVED: Children's/YA > SOLVED. 80s Children’s Picture book animal protagonists moral lessons including the danger of electricity and getting lost. [s]

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message 1: by Andrea (last edited Apr 17, 2021 06:02PM) (new)

Andrea K | 8 comments I read a children’s picture book in the mid to late 80s in the US that was about moral lessons/behaving. It was kind of a scared straight book and was disturbing. There’s probably like 10 stories including:
1. A young hippo traveling with other animals that do not want to hang around him because he’s not potty trained. An older animal tells him if he stops having accidents and using the toilet, the other animals will want to spend time with him.
2. A mother tells her young child (sorry, forget what type of animal it is) that electricity is dangerous and warns against putting things in the electrical outlets. A monkey encourages the child to stick a knife or fork in the socket and the child says no and the monkey does it himself, and it shows the monkey getting electrocuted.
3. A panda or bear goes walking and ends up getting lost even though his mom warned him against it. The police end up getting involved.
4. There’s also a story about behaving for the babysitter when your parents go out.


message 3: by Rainbowheart (new)

Rainbowheart | 28714 comments Or possibly Monkeys Never Say Please by the same author?


message 4: by Andrea (new)

Andrea K | 8 comments These aren’t the ones, but thank you so much! They look very similar idea-wise, so I’m looking into the publisher.


message 6: by Rainbowheart (new)

Rainbowheart | 28714 comments Link to Karen's thread....

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Yup, gotta be the same book.


message 8: by Tab (new)

Tab (tabbrown) | 5084 comments Was this a series, or were all of the stories in one book?
Were the illustrations realistic, colorful, full page, etc?
Anything about the cover(s)?


message 9: by Andrea (new)

Andrea K | 8 comments Rainbowheart, It’s Up To Me looks promising! The publication date seems right and now I’m doing a deep dive on google to try to find some images. Thank you so much for your help!!


message 10: by Rainbowheart (new)

Rainbowheart | 28714 comments Fingers crossed!


message 11: by Andrea (new)

Andrea K | 8 comments It’s not It’s Up to Me, but the search continues! I unfortunately don’t remember the cover at all. These stories were all in one book and the illustrations weren’t super realistic, more like cartoon animals. I think the illustrations were full page.


message 13: by Rainbowheart (new)

Rainbowheart | 28714 comments Also sounds like the same book Copperhead is looking for here....

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...


message 14: by Andrea (new)

Andrea K | 8 comments It does look like the same Copperhead’s looking for! It’s very disturbing. I got in touch with my aunt who gave me the book and she believes the word “practical” is in the title. I’m gonna keep digging and update if/when I find anything. 😊


message 16: by Andrea (new)

Andrea K | 8 comments Rainbowheart, yes, sorry, it’s not the book. Thank you so much for looking! And I’m so glad you found Copperhead’s post—it’s heartening to know that others are looking for this messed up book 😄


message 17: by Rainbowheart (new)

Rainbowheart | 28714 comments I hope we can find this one! It must have been pretty memorable and popular for 3 different people to be looking for it.

Jennifer was also looking for a similar type of book with the electrical outlet scenario....

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Only she recalls an elf, not a monkey. I wonder if this could be your book, too. If so, that's 4 people who remember it!


message 18: by Monica (new)

Monica (marticles) | 164 comments Similar, but not your book (I'm just adding them in case they help in any way)
Struwwelpeter: Fearful Stories and Vile Pictures to Instruct Good Little Folks
Cautionary Tales for Children

They both seem a bit on the morbid/shocking side


message 19: by Tab (new)

Tab (tabbrown) | 5084 comments "The Practical Storybook" by Michael Kellett & Barbara Klein
I found info on the book at the below link
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedi...

Description: 1983 Scarce book teaches life lessons to youngsters with chapters such as: The Big, Bad Wolf Runs Into the Street (Auto Safety) Baby Hippo Goes for a Train Ride (Toilet Training) Wanda, the Wandering Panda (Getting Lost) The Babysitter (Adapting to Brief Separation) The Electric Monster (Avoiding Electricity) Billy Makes His Own Playtime (Playing Independently) Mama Cat Goes to Work (Adjusting to Mother Working)


message 20: by Andrea (new)

Andrea K | 8 comments That’s it! Thank you so much!!!


message 21: by Rainbowheart (new)

Rainbowheart | 28714 comments Yay, glad this is solved!

The Practical Storybook for the GR link.


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