Sometimes, treasures fall into your lap.
My father-in-law brought this on Sunday. Ostensibly, it was for the Diva's birthday. Because he is a sensible man, he handed it to me first to see if it passed muster. She's welcome to read it, of course, but I've gotten far more delight out of paging through it. It's like a time machine.
The copyright is 1961 and the story is mired in its time. A little girl, Jane, adopts three dolls and a dog and moves into the family's shed, where she makes a home for them. Mother -- the actual Mother, not Jane -- comes to visit and share advice.
An example of the two-page spreads:
Shortly after this, Tom, the neighbor kid, comes over to help Jane paint her house because she finds the interior drab. "At last," goes the text, "the playhouse was a gay and happy place."
Sadly, there are no illustrations of Mother kicking back with a cocktail because she's finally gotten Jane to do something outside so that Mother can have 15 minutes of blessed quiet. Or maybe I'm projecting.
My FIL found this at a library sale at the school where he taught second grade. Stamped in big black letters on the front and back flyleaves is "DISCARD." Wonder why?
Other page scans if requested. It might be that I'm the only one intrigued by this sort of thing.
![](<img src="http://www.martinimade.com/52969729.jpg" />){kind=link}
![](<a href="http://www.redcross.org"><img src="http://www.martinimade.com/badge_BC_I_give_blood.jpg"/ </a>){kind=link}
Do I want more scans? Or will it make my head explode? :)
Posted by: Anna | June 30, 2008 at 12:41 PM
Remind me the next time I'm in Rochester to see if Robin still has that children's book about a nuclear caveman family. It's a scream on soooo many levels.
Posted by: nerak | July 01, 2008 at 12:15 AM
I always find older books interesting. I also like the way they smell.
Posted by: Shamelessly Sassy | July 01, 2008 at 01:26 AM
This reminds me a bit of a book at my folks' house. Something about "So You're Becoming a Young Lady." But, there's nothing really about puberty, as we'd understand it. More about grooming, and to never sit on a boy's lap as he may have involuntary responses.
Posted by: Heidi | July 01, 2008 at 07:47 AM
You're not the only one interested. You should check out James Lileks' Institute of Official Cheer for more, similar stuff. http://www.lileks.com/institute/index.html
Bill
Posted by: Bill McNutt | July 02, 2008 at 12:23 PM
This one has no discernable odor (other than broken dreams, of course) but I know the smell you're talking about.
Love Lileks.
There can be more scans -- but really they're more of the same. I'll see what I can do.
My grandmother advised me to always put a phone book on a boy's lap before sitting on it. I still don't know what to do with that tidbit of advice.
Posted by: Adrienne | July 02, 2008 at 02:54 PM