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A massive long shot but does anyone remember this kids book from the 80s?

191 replies

DearSnail · 15/11/2024 21:21

It was a book about a little boy and his teddy bear and what they got up to during the day.

The main thing I remember was that instead of drawings the pictures were all photographs and the bear was a small knitted brown one, whose name I think began with a B.

This was during the late 80s and I think I used to get it out during every other visit to the library (take it back one week and get it out the next). I can vividly remember my mum pleading with me once to get any other book out as she was fed up of reading it and we both knew it backwards anyway but I was resolute.

So annoying because I was utterly obsessed with it but now can't remember the name and Google isn't being any help.

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17
AmusedGoose · 17/11/2024 21:30

Teddy Edward?

Lemooon · 17/11/2024 21:30

Bobo is Sam's friend in the book Where is Bobo? by Susan Hulme and Jan Siegieda. The book is about finding Bobo in each of the pictures.

Lemooon · 17/11/2024 21:26

Where is Bobo? !!! I love it! The boy is called Sam

misslooloo · 17/11/2024 21:11

A title from the ‘Small Bear’ series by Mary McGregor and Moira Kemp? ChatGPT tells me the books featured a boy and a small teddy bear, with photographic illustrations of their everyday adventures.

DearSnail · 17/11/2024 20:23

AmateurNoun · 17/11/2024 20:15

Oops never mind I think that one was already suggested!

It was, but thanks anyway 😊

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DearSnail · 17/11/2024 20:23

@cliffdiver @Judecb Thanks for the suggestions both, I'm going to give them a go and see what they say.

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AmateurNoun · 17/11/2024 20:15

Oops never mind I think that one was already suggested!

AmateurNoun · 17/11/2024 20:11

Haven't read the full thread but just thought I'd suggest this one from 1978 in case it's the one

A massive long shot but does anyone remember this kids book from the 80s?
Thursdaygirl · 17/11/2024 19:20

Judecb · 17/11/2024 19:19

Would your local library have a list of publications from this time in their children's section?

Good idea!

Judecb · 17/11/2024 19:19

Would your local library have a list of publications from this time in their children's section?

Laura95167 · 17/11/2024 18:49

Could it be one of the ladybird books?

VK456 · 17/11/2024 18:42

My son used to love a book called ‘The Kitten Who Couldn’t Get Down’ by Helen Piers. This was illustrated with photographs and I wondered whether it might be from the same series? It was a slim paperback which disintegrated too! There is a photo of the cover online so you could see whether the format is the same. I’m hopeless at editing, otherwise I would have included it! I do hope someone remembers it.

frankiesilver · 16/11/2024 23:19

Teddy and I go to the park by Sarah L Jordan?

birdglasspen2 · 16/11/2024 20:49

Mr bean had a knitted teddy!😂

cliffdiver · 16/11/2024 20:40

Bit of a long shot.. but.. I wonder if Libraries transferred historic paper records onto their electronic system, and if so would they able to check your loan history?

I’m assuming they didn’t have electronic records in the 80s.

Attelina · 16/11/2024 14:00

Someone else is looking for a similar book but they believe it to be from the 70s or earlier

https://www.reddit.com/r/HelpMeFind/comments/1gij73c/1970sorrearlierphotographhpicturebookkabouta/

VegTrug · 16/11/2024 13:42

Bernstein bear?

PrimalOwl10 · 16/11/2024 12:42

The velveteen rabbit.

DearSnail · 16/11/2024 09:46

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 16/11/2024 09:09

I can only think of the one where the toy was made out of a pullover! it was called Pullover! i remember that because my daughter wanted one but I didnt have time to knit it so i bought a sewing kit of a dog which had the letter M on its front! we called it M for Pullover! no wonder she got confused at school

That really made me laugh. But lovely the effort you went to.

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DearSnail · 16/11/2024 09:45

@AdventCaroline
The washing machine story is Tom and Pippo (who was a cuddly monkey).
He plays in the mud - ie is sitting propped up while Tom is playing in the mud, and has to go in the washing machine. That’s pretty much all that happens, but the illustrations are very charming and witty.

Ooh I remember that one too, gosh this really is stirring up the nostalgia 😊.

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DearSnail · 16/11/2024 09:42

Tomorrowisyesterday · 16/11/2024 08:13

Does your mum remember any of the actual lines from the book? (Since it might be etched on her memory!) as might be possible to find it on Google books with a quote or two

Not lines no, she just remembers that the cover was a photo of the little boy and his knitted bear at the top of a climbing frame or slide because her heart would sink every time I pulled it out.

I think the lines were mainly sentences on what they were up to during the day "X and Y are going to slide down the slide". type thing. So not exactly War and Peace 😂.

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AdventCaroline · 16/11/2024 09:28

The washing machine story is Tom and Pippo (who was a cuddly monkey).
He plays in the mud - ie is sitting propped up while Tom is playing in the mud, and has to go in the washing machine. That’s pretty much all that happens, but the illustrations are very charming and witty.

My Dd, whose teddy was a veteran of the washing machine himself, absolutely loved that story. I haven’t thought of it for years, but I think I could almost recite the whole thing even now.

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 16/11/2024 09:09

I can only think of the one where the toy was made out of a pullover! it was called Pullover! i remember that because my daughter wanted one but I didnt have time to knit it so i bought a sewing kit of a dog which had the letter M on its front! we called it M for Pullover! no wonder she got confused at school

Drivingmisspotty · 16/11/2024 09:08

TypingoftheDead · 16/11/2024 00:26

I adored Dogger as a child, though it made me a little sad, too, for one of the children. From what I remember, Dogger accidentally ended up on a raffle/tombola/jumble sale stall, where he was picked by a little girl, who fell in love with him but she was persuaded by his little boy original owner to swap for a big teddy bear. It’s quite possible he got put in the washing machine at one point, too, but the bit where he ended up with a new owner, albeit briefly, is what stuck with me.

Edited

It’s so dramatic! The boy spots Dogger on the toy stall but doesn’t have any money. By the time he gets back with the cash another girl has bought him. Meanwhile his sister Bella (soft toy enthusiast) has won a massive teddy bear with a beautiful silk bow. ‘And then Bella did a very kind thing’ 😭 and offers to swap her wonderful new teddy for Dogger.

Shirley Hughes is the best.

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