What's the Name of That Book??? discussion
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Children's chapter book from 80s/90s (read around 99/00). Can't remember the plot but I'm thinking the cover was an illustration of animals in a forest at night and was being lit up by some kind of light/lamp on a tree. Possibly a mystery or fantasy theme?
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Chris
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Aug 24, 2023 11:39PM
This is probably going to be a long shot, but I've had good luck finding books from my childhood lately so I'm giving this one a go. I remember being in elementary school around the year 1999/2000 and seeing a book in our school library that I've never been able to track down. It is most likely something from the 80s or 90s. All I can remember is the cover, which was something along the lines of the main characters (I think they were some kind of animals or insects or creatures, definitely not human) being in a forest or wooded-like setting. It was nighttime and I feel like there was a light of some kind illuminating part of the scene. I think the title was multiple words, so potentially a series that follows the same character? I was drawn towards "fantastical" books at this age and honestly don't remember if I ever read it, but I think I would know the cover if I ever saw it again. I wish I remembered anything about the plot but I always thought it was something in the mystery realm or fantasy because of the non-humans being the main characters. Hopefully this jogs the memory of someone who may know what I'm talking about!
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And it's definitely not The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe? My old childhood copy had a cover like that.
Definitely not Narnia. And yes, it was a chapter book! I don't think it's a "popular" series or I probably would have seen it since then.
Bumping this up! Trying my best to think of more details but coming up short.
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Could it be one of the Duncton Wood or Redwall book covers? None that I can see quite match your description but they may be worth a look.The Duncton Chronicles - https://www.goodreads.com/series/5562...
and sequels - https://www.goodreads.com/series/5562...
Redwall - https://www.goodreads.com/series/4034... (you might have to hunt around a bit to find some of the older covers).
none of those unfortunately :(the more I think about it, the more I think the theme was a mystery that involved some sort of animal or creature, so no fantasy.
Do you think there were any human characters, or just animal ones?
@Rainbowheart: I'm pretty sure it was all animals, no humans.@bookel: It was in library binding so probably in the 100 page range. this was in elementary school and it was near the part of the library meant for the older kids (so 3rd/4th grade). Country, I'm not sure, but this was in a US school if that helps. And it could be a light from something else, like a lamppost or a building. The scene on the cover was in the evening/night so the light could have been coming from a building or window.
Do the animals "talk" since no humans?
Yep! they were the main characters so they definitely talked.
Not expecting it to be this either, but it led to these questions:
- Did the animals wear clothes?
- Were the animals on the ground or in a tree?
I don't think the illustration was cartoony. Definitely more detailed than that, but I wouldn't call it lifelike either. I checked the books but those authors and didn't see anything that caught my eye. The animals did wear clothes and the ones on the cover were on the ground. It's possible that there was just one animal on the cover, perhaps more, but honestly I don't remember. The one was in the foreground of the picture though, if that helps. Maybe the light was coming from something behind them, not necessarily a lamp post? It could have been a building too.
I was thinking of the books I was reading around this time, and I remembered that I was REALLY into Wishbone, especially the mysteries. I would have picked out this book in the library because of the title, so I'm thinking that maybe the title has something in it that alludes to it being a mystery or detective story. Like "the case of" or "the mystery of." I think it was part of a series of a specific character though, so it'd be like "Character Name and the Case/Mystery of XYZ." I can't see for certain...but this is a big portion of what I read back then.
Here are some books based on the Wishbone TV series. You can view all covers by clicking show all at the top left.Series The Adventures of Wishbone https://www.librarything.com/nseries/...
Or click on titles for more details.
Series Wishbone Mysteries https://www.librarything.com/nseries/...
definitely was not Wishbone. I'm thinking it was some sort of insect?and it is none of those other suggestions :(
Okay, not a picture book like above. No fireflies? They are a source of light. Not the Enchanted Wood series by Enid Blyton (random but there are some forest covers).
Any idea as to type of insect?
Check this list.Miniature, little, tiny characters -- children's/young adult fiction
https://www.librarything.com/list/976...
Found these recently for the list.
https://www.librarything.com/work/905...
https://www.librarything.com/work/127...
There are insect books on the list.
Dwarfs Of NosegayBiegel, Paul
Characters with clothes, kind of like insects.
I came across this book today and thought of your thread. It's probably unlikely but I thought I'd link to it just in case! Animal Bedtime Stories
Hi Chris, are you still looking for this book? I just came across this book and thought of your thread! I think it was first published in the 1990s.Chaucer the Cat and the Animal Pilgrims
I am still looking, but unfortunately it is not that book :(
What's the Name of That Book???
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