ID children's book
August 10, 2009 8:00 PM Subscribe
Looking for the title of a 70's era YA novel about a psychic girl...
My gf is looking for the title of a book she read when she was a teenager in the 70's. It's a young adult title with a female main character who is a young teenager with precognitive abilities. The main character spends a lot of time in an attic where she feels safe. She foresees either a murder or a kidnapping -- no one believes her so she has to solve the mystery herself. She's also afraid of her psychic gift.
Anyone have an idea of the title?
My gf is looking for the title of a book she read when she was a teenager in the 70's. It's a young adult title with a female main character who is a young teenager with precognitive abilities. The main character spends a lot of time in an attic where she feels safe. She foresees either a murder or a kidnapping -- no one believes her so she has to solve the mystery herself. She's also afraid of her psychic gift.
Anyone have an idea of the title?
Does she foresee her brother's drowning in a boating accident as well? Is there a scene where she's given a test where she's supposed to guess what's on the opposite side of cards, and she deliberately answers incorrectly so as not to tip off people to her abilities?
I swear I read this.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 8:33 PM on August 10, 2009
I swear I read this.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 8:33 PM on August 10, 2009
Best answer: Is there a scene where she's given a test where she's supposed to guess what's on the opposite side of cards, and she deliberately answers incorrectly so as not to tip off people to her abilities?
This part, anyway, is from The Third Eye by Lois Duncan. Later in the book the psychic girl helps to find a kidnapped boy who is in the trunk of a car.
posted by Oriole Adams at 8:43 PM on August 10, 2009
This part, anyway, is from The Third Eye by Lois Duncan. Later in the book the psychic girl helps to find a kidnapped boy who is in the trunk of a car.
posted by Oriole Adams at 8:43 PM on August 10, 2009
Best answer: Sounds like And This is Laura by Ellen Conford. She foresees her sister's disappearance and is scared by her psychic powers.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:55 PM on August 10, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:55 PM on August 10, 2009 [1 favorite]
Is there something about how she's afraid to look into her own future, but at the end she does and it's represented as a play that has yet to be staged?
posted by infinitewindow at 8:56 PM on August 10, 2009
posted by infinitewindow at 8:56 PM on August 10, 2009
And This is Laura has got to be it! I can't believe it's out of print...
posted by infinitewindow at 8:58 PM on August 10, 2009
posted by infinitewindow at 8:58 PM on August 10, 2009
Yeah, it's surprisingly difficult to find info about it--the Amazon pages for .com and .ca are rather thin, but I did find this more detailed plot summary from goodreads.com:
It Isn't Easy Being Ordinary!
Laura is the only ordinary person in a family full of superstars. Her beautiful older sister is a talented actress, her brother writes and performs amazing music, and even her little brother has a talent--he can recite every commercial on T.V. from memory. Her parents are gifted, too--one's a famous author, the other a brilliant scientist.
Then Laura discovers her own special gift. In strange psychic flashes, she can see into the future. At first it's fun, figuring out who will star in the school play or knowing if her friends will all pass English. But then the visions turn ominous, threatening danger to the people she loves. Maybe being ordinary wasn't so bad after all...
Matches my memory of the book pretty well, though it's been a looooooong time since I read it (hell, I had a copy of it though I have no idea where it is now).
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 9:03 PM on August 10, 2009
It Isn't Easy Being Ordinary!
Laura is the only ordinary person in a family full of superstars. Her beautiful older sister is a talented actress, her brother writes and performs amazing music, and even her little brother has a talent--he can recite every commercial on T.V. from memory. Her parents are gifted, too--one's a famous author, the other a brilliant scientist.
Then Laura discovers her own special gift. In strange psychic flashes, she can see into the future. At first it's fun, figuring out who will star in the school play or knowing if her friends will all pass English. But then the visions turn ominous, threatening danger to the people she loves. Maybe being ordinary wasn't so bad after all...
Matches my memory of the book pretty well, though it's been a looooooong time since I read it (hell, I had a copy of it though I have no idea where it is now).
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 9:03 PM on August 10, 2009
Best answer: a scene where she's given a test where she's supposed to guess what's on the opposite side of cards, and she deliberately answers incorrectly so as not to tip off people to her abilities
This is not from Lois Duncan's The Third Eye, but rather from her (similar) book A Gift of Magic. Young teenager with precognition, check; nervous about her psychic abilities, check; not sure about the part about solving a murder or kidnapping.
posted by ms.codex at 9:11 PM on August 10, 2009 [1 favorite]
This is not from Lois Duncan's The Third Eye, but rather from her (similar) book A Gift of Magic. Young teenager with precognition, check; nervous about her psychic abilities, check; not sure about the part about solving a murder or kidnapping.
posted by ms.codex at 9:11 PM on August 10, 2009 [1 favorite]
That sounds familiar ms.codex, thanks.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 9:16 PM on August 10, 2009
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 9:16 PM on August 10, 2009
Oops, I wrote "sister's disappearance" but it's actually her little brother.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:11 PM on August 10, 2009
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:11 PM on August 10, 2009
I'm guessing even if it's not The Third Eye, it's something by Lois Duncan.
posted by roger ackroyd at 10:22 PM on August 10, 2009
posted by roger ackroyd at 10:22 PM on August 10, 2009
Best answer: It's The Girl Who Knew Tomorrow by Zoa Sherburne. Terrific book!
posted by muhonnin at 10:53 PM on August 10, 2009
posted by muhonnin at 10:53 PM on August 10, 2009
This description of The Girl Who Knew Tomorrow doesn't seem to match what elmay remembers.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 3:15 AM on August 11, 2009
posted by Pater Aletheias at 3:15 AM on August 11, 2009
Does she foresee her brother's drowning in a boating accident as well? Is there a scene where she's given a test where she's supposed to guess what's on the opposite side of cards, and she deliberately answers incorrectly so as not to tip off people to her abilities?
I swear I read this.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints
Is there a scene where she's given a test where she's supposed to guess what's on the opposite side of cards, and she deliberately answers incorrectly so as not to tip off people to her abilities?
This part, anyway, is from The Third Eye by Lois Duncan. Later in the book the psychic girl helps to find a kidnapped boy who is in the trunk of a car.
posted by Oriole Adams
Actually, I think spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints is thinking of A Gift of Magic by Lois Duncan. And the book the OP is looking for isn't The Girl with the Silver Eyes either (based on the description given).
Apparently I loved psychic YA when I was a kid, because I remember those 2 books perfectly and probably still have them on my bookshelves somewhere.
posted by dogmom at 6:17 AM on August 11, 2009
I swear I read this.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints
Is there a scene where she's given a test where she's supposed to guess what's on the opposite side of cards, and she deliberately answers incorrectly so as not to tip off people to her abilities?
This part, anyway, is from The Third Eye by Lois Duncan. Later in the book the psychic girl helps to find a kidnapped boy who is in the trunk of a car.
posted by Oriole Adams
Actually, I think spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints is thinking of A Gift of Magic by Lois Duncan. And the book the OP is looking for isn't The Girl with the Silver Eyes either (based on the description given).
Apparently I loved psychic YA when I was a kid, because I remember those 2 books perfectly and probably still have them on my bookshelves somewhere.
posted by dogmom at 6:17 AM on August 11, 2009
OP, please come back and comment on the answers here!
posted by iconomy at 8:40 AM on August 11, 2009
posted by iconomy at 8:40 AM on August 11, 2009
oinopaponton: "Not The Girl with the Silver Eyes, was it?"
The Girl with the Silver Eyes is about telekinesis, not precognition. I only know because my wife corrected me about it just yesterday. Probably not that one unless she could also move stuff around with her mind.
posted by Toekneesan at 10:24 AM on August 11, 2009
The Girl with the Silver Eyes is about telekinesis, not precognition. I only know because my wife corrected me about it just yesterday. Probably not that one unless she could also move stuff around with her mind.
posted by Toekneesan at 10:24 AM on August 11, 2009
Response by poster: My gf thinks it is a Lois Duncan book -- The Third Eye looks like the most likely, but its copyright is 1981 -- a little late.
She doesn't think its The Girl With Silver Eyes, but it does look interesting :).
Sounds like a library run is in order -- it might take her a while to work through the possibilities :).
Thanks to all!
posted by elmay at 8:52 PM on August 12, 2009
She doesn't think its The Girl With Silver Eyes, but it does look interesting :).
Sounds like a library run is in order -- it might take her a while to work through the possibilities :).
Thanks to all!
posted by elmay at 8:52 PM on August 12, 2009
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posted by oinopaponton at 8:05 PM on August 10, 2009