Finding children's book about the Happy Family?
July 16, 2011 2:45 PM Subscribe
My dad has been talking about a book from his childhood for months now; it's a children's book about a family called the Happy Family, published in the US. My Google-fu isn't strong enough. Does this sound familiar to anyone?
From his descriptions, the Happy Family is a nuclear family with a son and a daughter. I think their last name is Happy, but I could be wrong. It's not poetryish, more of that 50'sish genre of Dick and Jane. Published I'm guessing between 1940-60. It's not The Happy Family Book by Geoff Sims, which I even went to the length of ordering online to be sure.
Obviously the search terms the Happy Family are not terribly helpful, returning a mess of bad poetry and self-help books. I'm at a loss, but finding this book for my dad would be great. Any ideas?
From his descriptions, the Happy Family is a nuclear family with a son and a daughter. I think their last name is Happy, but I could be wrong. It's not poetryish, more of that 50'sish genre of Dick and Jane. Published I'm guessing between 1940-60. It's not The Happy Family Book by Geoff Sims, which I even went to the length of ordering online to be sure.
Obviously the search terms the Happy Family are not terribly helpful, returning a mess of bad poetry and self-help books. I'm at a loss, but finding this book for my dad would be great. Any ideas?
This isn't it, unless your dad is 20, but it's HILARIOUS, and is probably a parody of whatever book your dad is thinking of. If that helps at all. The Happy Hocky Family.
posted by phunniemee at 3:00 PM on July 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by phunniemee at 3:00 PM on July 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
How old was he when he read it? Is it a picture book, or a chapter book?
It could be one of the dreadful yet wholesome Happy Hollisters books, although they may be too fecund a family to match your description.
posted by Sallyfur at 3:04 PM on July 16, 2011
It could be one of the dreadful yet wholesome Happy Hollisters books, although they may be too fecund a family to match your description.
posted by Sallyfur at 3:04 PM on July 16, 2011
Bonky Moon's link is the same one I came up with from searching "children's book" and "happy family"--if it is the right book, it looks like you could even get a copy for your dad.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:04 PM on July 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:04 PM on July 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Oh, you guys have made my day! Good karma points all around! Bonky Moon, I think you found it! (and phunniemee, that looks like the perfect companion book to go with it ;)
posted by becca.rice at 3:13 PM on July 16, 2011
posted by becca.rice at 3:13 PM on July 16, 2011
Yay! Happy Family book = Happy Dad
:-)
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:16 PM on July 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
:-)
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:16 PM on July 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
When I saw that first picture, the left edge made me think, "That's a Little Golden Book". I'm probably about the same age as your dad, and they used to sell those in grocery stores when I was a kid.
They cost something like 59 cents, and there were a huge number of titles. A bunch of new ones came out every month, and we had a big shelf of them. They were intended to be easy readers for little kids, and in fact I pretty much learned to read from them.
But they were pretty generic, and very, very mainstream i.e. white middle class. Real Ozzie-and-Harriet territory. Working fathers, home-maker mothers, happy kids -- always two, always an older boy and a younger girl, and almost always a family dog.
It's interesting that your father has such vivid memories of that particular one, because I couldn't describe any of them to save my life. I remember that they existed but I can't remember any specific ones.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 7:15 PM on July 16, 2011
They cost something like 59 cents, and there were a huge number of titles. A bunch of new ones came out every month, and we had a big shelf of them. They were intended to be easy readers for little kids, and in fact I pretty much learned to read from them.
But they were pretty generic, and very, very mainstream i.e. white middle class. Real Ozzie-and-Harriet territory. Working fathers, home-maker mothers, happy kids -- always two, always an older boy and a younger girl, and almost always a family dog.
It's interesting that your father has such vivid memories of that particular one, because I couldn't describe any of them to save my life. I remember that they existed but I can't remember any specific ones.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 7:15 PM on July 16, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Bonky Moon at 2:53 PM on July 16, 2011 [1 favorite]