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

The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring
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SOLVED: Children's/YA > SOLVED. YA Fantasy. Character feels paralyzed like a heavy blanket over them and coins over their eyes. Girl? snooping in woman's house? Title might include Witch? Read in mid/early 1980s. [s]

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Natalie Panaia | 6 comments For years I believed it was From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler, but I think I must have just read them around the same time and was at a similar reading level.

Can't remember much of anything else about the book. The character described I think was a girl and she might have snuck into a woman's house, and she thought the woman might be a witch? Might have had witch in the title?

Likely earned the book from my library from the Reading Is Fundamental program in the US. Not sure if that tidbit is relevant since I don't know how similar the RIF programs were nationwide!


message 2: by bookel (last edited Nov 22, 2023 06:16PM) (new)

bookel | 4018 comments Why did this happen, do you recall? What is the context?
"character feels paralyzed like a heavy blanket over them and coins over their eyes."


Natalie Panaia | 6 comments If I'm remembering correctly it was a result of them snooping around the "witch's" house/space? As if to stop them from continuing to snoop. But I cannot remember why they were snooping about. That imagery always stuck with me, but clearly overshadowed the rest of the story.

And I may be completely wrong, but I'm beginning to think the title had three parts, such as The _____, the ______, and the Witch.


message 5: by Kris (new)

Kris | 54914 comments Mod
Natalie, is this fantasy or realistic fiction?

Story's time period and location/ country?


Natalie Panaia | 6 comments I know it's in a similar vein of From the Mixed Up Files..., hence me misremembering it as being such. So perhaps a young girl is trying to solve what they believe to be a mystery? It wasn't in the future, and could have been set in "present time" probably US. I'm just at a total loss for more info. I was a rather voracious reader at that age and read scores of books, but that one little bit of this book clearly haunts me!


message 7: by Kris (new)

Kris | 54914 comments Mod
Thanks Natalie. I copied a few details to the topic header. Feel free to edit it.


message 8: by bookel (last edited Nov 22, 2023 07:16PM) (new)

bookel | 4018 comments No clear idea yet. Thought of Carol Beach York https://www.librarything.com/author/y...
John Bellairs https://www.librarything.com/author/b...
Only read one of Bellairs and gradually reading York's.


Natalie Panaia | 6 comments John Bellairs https://www.librarything.com/author/b...
Only read one of Bellairs and gradua..."

Oh my goodness! I think you might have it! The Letter, The Witch and The Ring - Bellairs! Now I need to find a copy and verify that "scene"!


message 11: by bookel (new)

bookel | 4018 comments Or plenty of print copies on abebooks.com, bookfinder.com or check the public library.


Natalie Panaia | 6 comments Thank you! I'm setting up my account to borrow it!


Natalie Panaia | 6 comments Amazing! As if by magic, I swiped to the exact page! Chapter 11 of The Letter, The Witch, and The Ring! Thank you!!!


message 14: by bookel (new)

bookel | 4018 comments That's great!
The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring by John Bellairs. Solved.


message 15: by Kris (new)

Kris | 54914 comments Mod
Glad you found your book, Natalie. The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring (book 3) of the Lewis Barnavelt series by John Bellairs.


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