What was the children's sci-fi book about long-legged TV creatures?

August 12, 2005 6:58 AM

I read a children's / adults book several times as a kid, but remember almost nothing. Here are the only clues. It was science-fiction. A young boy had some involvement with television-like creatures on spindly legs, perhaps they were three-legged. I think the boy found them within a tree where they were either constructing a base or hiding. The book was illustrated in black and white line drawings. Any ideas?
posted by kingfisher, his musclebound cat to writing & language (10 comments total)

Could it be one of the books in the Matthew Looney series? It's been a long time since I read them, but they involve a young boy and are illustrated with black-and-white line drawings.
posted by jdroth at 7:32 AM on August 12, 2005

I never actually read these, but the first thing that comes to mind from your description is John Christopher's "Tripods" series.
posted by anthom at 7:41 AM on August 12, 2005

My first guess is that it would be the books I loved as a child, John Christopher's "When The Tripods Came", "The White Mountains", "The City of Gold and Lead", and "The Pool of Fire". I have very distinct memories of those three-legged spindly-legged creepy machines.

Check it out here, albeit with new, updated, not-quite-as-cool cover art.
posted by NewGear at 7:44 AM on August 12, 2005

I thought of John Christopher, but it doesn't sound quite right. I don't recall the Tripods having TV heads, whatever that means, although I may be wrong. Also, they were quite large... how would they hide in a tree?
posted by selfnoise at 7:47 AM on August 12, 2005

No, Christopher's tripods aren't hidden anywhere, they're dictators. Gotta be something else.
posted by squidlarkin at 7:52 AM on August 12, 2005

I loved those books when I was younger! This post makes me want to re-read them. Perhaps I'll find some political symbolism this time around?
posted by elquien at 8:37 AM on August 12, 2005

The Tripods series is certainly a good guess, but that's not it. This has been driving me nuts from time-to-time for about three years now.
posted by kingfisher, his musclebound cat at 8:53 AM on August 12, 2005

Could it be The Day of the Ness by Andre Norton?
posted by hilker at 1:19 PM on August 12, 2005

wow! It has to be 'Day of the ness'. I loved that book and read it dozens of times as a kid. I'm gonna go buy that book again now. thanks! even if its not what Kingfisher was looking for.

I recommend!
posted by darkpony at 1:38 PM on August 12, 2005

Yes! Day of the Ness it is! Thank you greatly, hilker!
posted by kingfisher, his musclebound cat at 1:58 PM on August 12, 2005