Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Original poster

What's the name of the website where you can input vague memories of a book you once read, and it tells you what it was called?

132 replies

MrsMuddle · 16/11/2007 21:06

Does anyone know?

OP posts:
jezzemx · 18/11/2007 20:20

The one with the boy and the cat and another character called Sebastian was from a series called Tim and the Hidden People by Sheila McCullagh. There were loads of titles such as Magic in the Yard and On the Night of the Full Moon.
I read these as a child and my DD's school still has them, she is reading them at the mo.

choosyfloosy · 18/11/2007 20:19

Charliegal, the story about the garden cut out from the back of a cereal packet, it's definitely Joan Aiken, I know the one, I loved it too. But I don't know which book it's in! A Necklace of Raindrops, a Harp of Fishbones? one of those maybe. Was it in the same book as the girl who lived in London and could enter a garden by listening to a record? -

jezzemx · 18/11/2007 20:10

STRIPEYMAMA AAAHHH that's it!!!!
Blue Peter Badge for you.
Now I'll have to buy it. You've made an old fart very very happy

santaoftheopera · 18/11/2007 14:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

santaoftheopera · 18/11/2007 14:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LoveAndSqualor · 18/11/2007 13:08

colditz, i think perhaps the resort/couples one you're thinking of is Louise Dean's Becoming Strangers - maybe not the one in question? Don't think the couples in it had met before ..

I have one from my childhood that's been plaguing me for years - there's a girl who's sick and can't play in the snow in winter, but then her aunt(?) invites her to stay in the spring, and she goes out into the orchard, and there's so much blossom everywhere that it's like it's snowing ... Really beautiful illustrations, can't for the life of me remember any more about it ...

colditz · 18/11/2007 12:46

Ohhh and they were about a boy (or a cat>?) called Tobias? Was is something like Magic and Moonlight?

Housemum · 18/11/2007 11:48

Don't know if any of you had the same reading scheme at school but I clearly remember in 2nd year infants some hardback books, silver spine, black and white cover I think, or black with white or silver line drawings - something like Fairies and Moonlight? The thought of them is at the back of my mind, I can picture where they were on the shelves, but wish I knew what they were called...

VictorianSqualor · 18/11/2007 11:44

The Great Automatic Grammatizator by Roald Dahl.

eemie · 18/11/2007 11:39

I've got one.

It's a short story from the 70s or early 80s. Someone is demonstrating has a machine he's invented for writing stories. It's a bit like an organ, with a keyboard and pedals that you can use to select plot devices and add effects such as mystery, romance, or suspense.

The inventor explains it enthusiastically. He seems a bit of an anorak. As the story progresses, you realise that it has been written by the machine.

For example it says something like:- 'you can keep the reader interested by putting in an unusual word at the end of a paragraph' he said, epexegetically.

Any ideas?

Fingers crossed

Columbia · 18/11/2007 11:17

There was Lupin, Marchpane, Vanessa and I can't remember but wasn't there a policeman doll? still looking btw...

bookofthedeadmum · 18/11/2007 11:14

Yes - I'm sure that's it. I don't quite remember Marchpane though . Mind I did read this over 20 years ago .

Columbia · 18/11/2007 11:12

We have it!!!!! let me go and look...pink and green cover...might be in mum's attic. hang on

Celia2 · 18/11/2007 11:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bookofthedeadmum · 18/11/2007 11:06

It's a childrens book btw .

bookofthedeadmum · 18/11/2007 11:05

I've got a book now.

It's set in a dolls house, none of the dolls who live in there 'match', one is made out of celloid (a type of plastic), one is called Vanessa and she was the bossy doll who put herself in charge of the house but she also happened to wear red flannel petticoats which made the other dolls laugh at her and there were 2 or 3 other dolls in there as well. I think the plastic doll was called Mabel or May and she ended up melting after a row one day and she was left too near the fire. It's quite an old book, or is set 'in the olden days' . I really can't remember much more but I remember what a bitch Vanessa was to the other dolls. Any ideas??????????

stripeymama · 18/11/2007 09:38

Did they dig a sort of moat round it?

mumof2teenboys · 18/11/2007 09:05

When I was about 8(?) I read a book from the library, it was about some children who 'found' a house in the middle of the forest. It was semi-derilict (sp) and they did it up and used it as a den to escape from real life.
It has haunted me for years, would love to get hold of a copy, any ideas?

popsycal · 17/11/2007 23:08

char;liegal - i think its is a joan aitken one.....
I have necklace of raindrops and kingdom under the sea here and can check tomorrow...

stripeymama · 17/11/2007 23:06

Thought you were being very generous, sunny and babylon and all that!

colditz · 17/11/2007 23:02

No, I mean the website where you input vague memories and it tells you the book. It's mumsnet!

colditz · 17/11/2007 23:01

there was a book about a fairy at the bottom of the garden ... quite an adult book actually, heavy reading for a child, and I LOVED it. It was by Lyn ried banks, but can't remember the name and can't find it.

Myjobismum, I am sure I have the book you are describing - did one of the wives shag on of the staff at the resort? was one of the characters senile?

stripeymama · 17/11/2007 22:57

Is it always sunny on Mumsnet?

Are you sure?

stripeymama · 17/11/2007 22:57

Aha - Can I Get There By Candlelight

colditz · 17/11/2007 22:55

It's called Mumsnet, isn't it?