Stories of Americana, available for purchase in early 70's

[Debra]

A friend of mine has been looking for this book for years; but, has been unable to find it. She purchased this book in the early - mid 70's. She knows she purchased it before 1977 because she used the poem mentioned below in her elementary school class that year.

It was a mixture of items from Americana - short stories, poems, legends, etc. She knows she loved the book; but growing up parts of the book fell apart and were thrown away when her room was cleaned. All she has left is as a few pages of one of the short stories and a poem from the book.

The short story she has a few pages of is called "Brownie and the Cook" It relates to a chef trying to cook something, but a Brownie (as in the fantasy genre) keeps causing mischief and getting in the way. The story starts with the line - "There was once a little Brownie who lived - where do you think he lived? In a coal cellar." This must have been one of the first stories in the book because it starts on page 3.

She also has one poem from the book called, "Frogs at School" by George Cooper. She sent me a picture of it. I'm posting the first and last stanza's only due to copyright - "Twenty froggies went to school Down beside a rushy pool; Twenty little coats of green, Twenty vests all white and clean." "Polished in a high degree, As each froggy out to be, Now they sit on other logs, Teaching other little frogs."

As an adult, she has searched for years trying to find the book; but, not knowing the title, editor, publication date, etc. has made it difficult for her to find. Does the bits she has still stir anyone's memory.

Thank you to all who try. I will send all suggestions to her.

[Rainbowheart]

A Book of Children's Literature contains both "Frogs at School" and "Brownie and the Cook."

https://archive.org/details/bookofchi...

[Debra]

Thank you so much! I'll send this to her and see if it's her book. Crossing fingers

[Debra]

Rainbowheart wrote: "A Book of Children's Literature contains both "Frogs at School" and "Brownie and the Cook."

https://archive.org/details/bookofchi..."

She says that while this isn't the book she is looking for, it has many of the stories that were in that book which she had forgotten. She is very grateful to you for telling me about this book.

I thank you as well because she is one of those people whom do for others all the time, but not many do for her. I'm glad that thanks to you she is able to recapture some happy reading memories from her childhood.