AIBU to ask if anyone can name this book

[Sebw]

My DD is driving me mad about this book she can't remember the name of. It is an old book, maybe 1920s and 30s. It may not be a published book, it only had scary pictures/photos of dark hallways etc. The author was asked to write mini-stories about the pictures but the night before he was going to present his stories, he went missing and was never found. There about 15 pics. She was given pictures in class in Year 6 and had to write a story based off it.

Any ideas or did she dream it? :D

That sounds really creepy, never heard of anything like it though sorry

Never heard of the book, but it sounds like an activity made up by the teacher to inspire writing.

I am a member of many 'fortean' forums and I'm fairly sure this would have come up under the 'missing people in spooky circumstances' but it hasn't, so I'm guessing noeyedeer is right. it's a story that the teacher told them.

It would have been unlikely in the 20's or 30's for an author to be asked to write such a book.

We had something like this when I was in school - a book of unusual photos such as one of s football field full of abandoned pairs of shoes and some of alleyways or strange rooms. They were used for creative writing exercises where we had to come up with a story to fit the photos. Think it was a teaching resource rather than a book and sounds like your DDs would be something similar.

There’s a YA novel by Melissa Albert called The Hazel Wood which has a broadly similar plot about an author who disappears into her own spooky story, but it might be a bit old for your DD.

Did it have a picture on the cover?

It might be The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.

@OnHoliday19 just googled that, sounds like a similar story to what the OP said besides the era it came out

OnHoliday19 beat me to it - that was my suggestion too.

Or rather, the Chronicles of Harris Burdick - that's the same book but with stories written by a variety of different writers based off the stories:
www.amazon.co.uk/Chronicles-Harris-Burdick-Introduction-Hardcover/dp/B00M0CZR2C/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&keywords=harris+burdick+14&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1566301158&sr=1-2

I had this when I was in elementary school. I had forgotten all about it. I don't remember the back story, but the book was full of weird black and white pictures, and our assignment was to choose one of the pictures and write a story. I think each photo had a caption, but no story to go with it.

It WAS The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. It looks like it was originally published in 1984.

www.amazon.com/dp/B018Q103IS/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Not actually answering OP's question - but the Ransom Riggs books are based on old photos (far better than the film adaptation) and are well worth a look for young adult / teenage reader.

I am so rude as forgot to reply, but thank you so much for those ideas.

@steff13 You're spot on. Thank you :D