Claire Hutchet Bishop TWENTY AND TEN. Published in 1952, the story of 20 French school children hiding 10 Jewish children from the Nazi's. I've had a first of this book in my inventory and it sold very quickly. Still in print.
Marie McSwigan SNOW TREASURE. Published in 1942, another story involving Nazis again. But this time Norse children helping to smuggle gold out of the country. I've never even seen a hard cover first of this title, as a child I read the Scholastic book club paperback, this is another title which is still in print.
Joan Phipson THE BOUNDARY RIDERS. Phipson is an Australian author. This book is the story of 3 children riding the fences in the outback and what happens when they get lost. Not high literature but I LOVED this book as a kid.
Scott O'Dell ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS. This Newbery Medal Winner is the story of a Native American girl stranded on an island off the coast of California. A classic and one of the few adventure books I can remember from my childhood with a female protagonist.
George, Jean Craighead MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. This Newbery Honor book and a very romantic story of a boy who runs away from the city to live in nature. I've only had one copy of the first edition, fine in a fine dustjacket, which sold VERY quickly-and I still miss it.
Paulsen, Gary THE HATCHET. Published in 1987 this is another nature survival story, much more gritty and realistic than George's "My Side of the Mountain".
Paulsen, Gary THE HATCHET. Published in 1987 this is another nature survival story, much more gritty and realistic than George's "My Side of the Mountain".
Starting with Trixie Belden (the only series title in my list) I went through an extended phase where I'd only read it if it were a mystery. I've probably read every mystery title by Phyllis Whitney, Betty Cavanna, Elizabeth Honness, Sobal's Encyclopedia Brown...the list is extensive and I loved them all. It is a bit of a surprise that the only plots I actually remember are the following two books:
Raskin, Ellen THE WESTING GAME. Published in 1978, this title was a Newbery Award winner. Confession time--any Ellen Raskin title whether it was illustrated or written by her would go in my dream collection.
Platt, Kin SINBAD AND ME. Written in 1966 and the winner of the Edgar Allan Poe award for best juvenile mystery; what's not to love about a mystery that combines a boy, a bulldog and architecture. I've seen an early paperback copy of the book in barely Very Good condition go for $80. I've never seen a hardback first that was not a library discard.
This would be the core of the my dream collection, the more I write the more I could add....
