It was like "The Something, Something, Something & Something Else Book"
October 14, 2015 12:33 PM Subscribe
I've been trying off and on for years to remember (at least) the title of a miscellany intended for young children.
I recall repeatedly checking it out from my elementary school library in the midwestern U. S. in the late 70s or early 80s. It was in a library binding, and it may have been a library edition because I remember that the front cover image was printed directly onto the buckram.
The title of the book was of the general form shown in my question title - a list of unrelated things, maybe trending toward proper names, something like "The Schenectady Margarine Warehouse Dance and Pennsylvania Railroad Book".
- I strongly recall that the word "Book" was the last word of the title.
- I really want to say the word "Pennsylvania" or maybe "Philadelphia" was in there. I remember the title being printed in light-blue block letters with a drop-shadow effect.
I do not distinctly recall any of the contents, but I think it contained lists of random trivia, short poems, probably logic puzzles, optical illusions.
I recall repeatedly checking it out from my elementary school library in the midwestern U. S. in the late 70s or early 80s. It was in a library binding, and it may have been a library edition because I remember that the front cover image was printed directly onto the buckram.
The title of the book was of the general form shown in my question title - a list of unrelated things, maybe trending toward proper names, something like "The Schenectady Margarine Warehouse Dance and Pennsylvania Railroad Book".
- I strongly recall that the word "Book" was the last word of the title.
- I really want to say the word "Pennsylvania" or maybe "Philadelphia" was in there. I remember the title being printed in light-blue block letters with a drop-shadow effect.
I do not distinctly recall any of the contents, but I think it contained lists of random trivia, short poems, probably logic puzzles, optical illusions.
Response by poster: Holy.
Yes. It was that book. That was the book that it was.
posted by Rat Spatula at 12:39 PM on October 14, 2015 [22 favorites]
Yes. It was that book. That was the book that it was.
posted by Rat Spatula at 12:39 PM on October 14, 2015 [22 favorites]
Yay! I finally got one of these first! (It is also the best book ever and everyone should own it).
posted by Mchelly at 12:44 PM on October 14, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Mchelly at 12:44 PM on October 14, 2015 [3 favorites]
Also I am ashamed that I truncated the title. It is actually The Animated Thumbtack Railroad Dollhouse and All-Around Surprise Book, Evening Edition.
posted by Mchelly at 12:45 PM on October 14, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Mchelly at 12:45 PM on October 14, 2015 [3 favorites]
I remember seeing this one when I was a kid. I remember being really confused about what the phrase "Evening Edition" meant in the context of a book that I had just gotten out of the library. The Gilliamesque illustrations also kind of creeped me out, but I was kind of a fraidy cat as a child.
posted by Strange Interlude at 12:48 PM on October 14, 2015
posted by Strange Interlude at 12:48 PM on October 14, 2015
That looks amazing! May I also recommend The Whim-Wham Book?
posted by jrobin276 at 2:03 PM on October 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by jrobin276 at 2:03 PM on October 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I don't think I've ever heard of The Whim-Wham Book before, but I'm certain that I or a friend had a copy of its apparent brother The Hodgepodge Book, which I had forgotten existed.
Thanks you guys, just incredible.
posted by Rat Spatula at 2:44 PM on October 14, 2015
Thanks you guys, just incredible.
posted by Rat Spatula at 2:44 PM on October 14, 2015
Local libraries will often have copies of this book still available. I just checked one out this summer (not lying, it is one of my favorite kid books)
posted by jessamyn at 5:27 PM on October 14, 2015
posted by jessamyn at 5:27 PM on October 14, 2015
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posted by Mchelly at 12:36 PM on October 14, 2015 [22 favorites]