To ask if you remember this VERY strange book from my childhood ...

[eatsleepread]

I'm mid-forties, and I've sometimes wondered about a book I read while at primary school. It really was weird. It's about a dark-haired young girl who lives in a tent with her family. Looking back, I think they were made out to be gypsies.
The girl discovered a tasty herb growing locally, or possibly some sort of salad leaf. She used to pick it and hide it under her duvet. When her father found out, he beat her.
I read it at lower primary, and it was a story/picture book, as opposed to a chapter book.
Reading my post, it makes me wonder how a book like this could ever have existed. But I'm not making it up!

Did anyone else have this? It was my absolute favourite as a child and I just found a second hand copy to read to my son - quite challenging to explain to a 3 year old the meaning of things like “I ain’t half gonna cop it from my teacher in the morning” (exclaimed by Walter Pobjoy when the goat eats his exercise book) . Also loved Animal Magic on TV.

@Flopjustwantscoffee @Spanglemum Yes, that’s The Changes trilogy by Peter Dickinson. Starts with The Weathermonger. Absolutely terrifying.

@MyOtherProfile

Because I always wanted to build the Japanese house that the back of the book held plans for, I spent a fortune on a secondhand book a few years back, only to find that it was the wrong edition and they'd taken the plans out.

Gutting! I'm sure I still have my original with the plans. I always planned to make the house too. Let's do it!

I hadn't read this but found it intriguing, it reminded me of a book I read as a child called "House in the Shadows" which had pages of computer code at the back to create a simple game based on the book. Every few years or so I search for that particular edition...

But I digress. If you're still looking for the book with the plans in, OpenLibrary have the 1961 edition (including the plans) available to borrow. You do need to register, but it is free!

'I ain’t half gonna cop it from my teacher in the morning” (exclaimed by Walter Pobjoy when the goat eats his exercise book)'

I don't remember reading a book with that in it; but I'm sure it appeared in one of the stories about a zoo that you could get on the phone during my childhood - 'Dial a Story' or similar. Walter was always teasing the animals and getting his come-uppance. There was also a rather silly zoo visitor called something like Mrs. Doolallytaps.

Does anyone remember a book about a girl who was sent to her aunt's house for the summer holidays except the aunt was away so the girl ended up living in the woods. She rubbed dock leaves on her legs and they got stained green and decided she liked her real name of Rowan?

Gobbolino the Witches' Cat was recently available on the Borrowbox library app as an audiobook - my children really enjoyed it, and I loved the trip back down memory lane!

Thesepretzels, I think that’s Charley by Joan G Robinson.

This is a lovely thread. I remember quite a few of the books mentioned.
One that I remember from my very early childhood was called The Old Kettle. I have no idea who it was by and it was old when I had it, probably published in the late 50s or early 60s. The story is basically about a kettle with a hole in it that has been thrown into a hedgerow. Its very sad and lonely as it is "rusty and crusty and fit for nothing". Gradually, assorted woodland creatues make their home in the kettle and it ends with them all being very happy. I loved the words and the illustrations and my parents must have read it to me thousands of times. I knew it off by heart and would correct them if they missed a word out. I'd love to find a copy but have had no success with previous searches. I might have another try - this thread has inspired me!

I bought “Burglar Bill” for my 3 year old, as my brother loved it when he was little.

It’s still a cute fun book, but the way the burglar speaks is very much how someone might imagine a cockney burglar might have spoken in the 1960’s or something!

@quarantimespringclean .. I remember reading Carbonel and Gobbolino the witches cat to my daughter who is now 23 .. I'm sure she still has them .. I'm going to root them out and read them.

I remember a fantastic compilation book we had as kids with lots of poems. I particularly remember one about some people called the Jumblies who went to sea in a sieve and their heads were green, I adored that poem and never tired of it ! Wish I had kept those books for my own kids.

@CleanAndPaidFor
Thank you, you lovely person, for posting the pictures. I had tried to find the inside of the book online, but couldn't.

My favourite childhood book was the Patchwork Cat. Does anyone remember it? About a cat who gets trapped in a bin after trying to rescue her favourite old quilt. Then she ends up being taken to the dump in a bin lorry! And then brought home again by a lovely, friendly milkman.
I used to read it to an autistic boy I recently worked with. He loved it. So much so that his family sourced him a copy. Unfortunately it did spark off an obsession with bin lorries, which I'm not sure they thanked me for

I still have all three Carbonel books and the Gobbolino one but they are paperbacks and the pages come out when you turn the pages. But they are about 45 years old. Keeping them though. My cousin called her lovely (female) cat Carbonel.

I bought Gobbolino for my neighbour's boys a few years ago when they got a black kitten with a white paw.

The Diddakoi was so loved by a school friend that she called her first dd Kezia. I loved it too, however, neither of my ds are called after book characters, so maybe not as much!

Love this thread, thank you OP. Nothing to add other than I frequently call my cat Gobbllino when she is being naughty. DP always asks why.

How lovely you’ve found out what the book is! Hopefully you will find a copy. I think we all have one book we can vaguely remember but never the title, mine is a book about an abandoned rag doll trying to make her way home, I remember the cover, walking down a path in the moonlight hand in hand with someone else but no idea what! I remember them sleeping in s tent in the story and the doll grazes her knee, I’ve hunted but just can’t remember the title!

I have another one that I would like solved if you can! I loved Kizzy and it was about the same time I read it. I keep getting confused as to whether the story I remember is part of kizzy.

Anyway in this book it’s wartime and I THINK the kids are evacuees but they might be with their mother. The main character, who I think is a boy, says to himself that if he walks all the way from x to x with his eyes closed his dad will come back from the war.

Does that ring any bells at all to anyone?!

Freetodowhatiwant.....do you think it could be Carrie's war? I seem to remember that bit....

halcyondays: Thesepretzels, I think that’s Charley by Joan G Robinson.

Yes, I think so - it was one of my favourites as a kid too! Though my absolute favourite by this author was 'When Marnie Was There'.

I read a book as a child, it was about a girl who went to stay with some relatives and made friends with some children. I think it was called Rainbows End or something similar. They were searching for something. I have tried googling it but nothing comes up. It was probably from the 60's or 70's.. I really liked it.

@Babyroobs

Was it this one, Treasury of Poetry?

They went to sea in a sieve (Jumbly poem)

I remember a book about time travel and a monkey puzzle tree... I know I’m vague but anyone remember it?