Sophie, could it have been But No Elephants, by Jerry Smath?  It is about an old lady who lives with an assortment of animals but she always refuses to take in an elephant until finally she changes her mind and I think there might be a storm toward the end of the story.

Sue, you are a wonder.

I have a personal stumper for you (and anyone else who can identify this book, which I LOVED as a child, but cannot recall the title of to save my life).

Clues:

·         Picture book – most likely 1970s or early 1980s (though possibly older – helpful, I know!)

·         Color illustrations

·         Main character is an elegant little old lady who lives in a very fancy house (Queen Anne-style? I seem to recall a turret in which she has a telescope.)

·         Elegant little old lady is a Friend To The Animals and lives with a rather exotic menagerie, including a crocodile (possibly actually an alligator)

·         There’s a terrible, flooding rainstorm in which, I THINK, the elegant little old lady is nearly lost to the elements but a happy ending does ensue.

Can anyone help me? So many of my childhood favorites are still in print, but a few are long OOP. My Mom has some, but this one, which I remember so fondly (if dimly) doesn’t ring any bells for her. Hellllp!

Many thanks!

Sophie

The format and woodland animals suggest the British Medici Press books by Racey Helps, Molly Brett, Margaret Tempest and other author/illustrators.  They specialized in anthropomorphic animal tales with beautiful, detailed illustrations over fairly extensive text.   Most are quite old, but have been reprinted frequently.  Perhaps she read a recent reprint.  Badgers were common characters. 

I had a collection of these (of course), but recently passed them along to my grand-nieces.  I'll ask their mom if it rings a bell.

In a pinch, Johnny Gruelle sprinkled lovely fairies all over his non-Raggedy Ann stories.  Not that he is recent or UK, but reprints have been coming out over the last 10-20 years.  Thornton Burgess did picture-over-story animal tales, usually tri-color illustrations in red, black, and white, but I don't recall any fairies. 

Sue Grotyohann
Monroe Township Library

From: "Julie Binger" <...@mtlaurel.lib.nj.us">jbin...@mtlaurel.lib.nj.us>
Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2012 4:59 PM
To: "NJYAC" <njy...@njstatelib.org>
Subject: [njyac] Need help determining a children's book

Julie Binger

Manager of Special Projects

Mount Laurel Library

856.234.7319 ext. 340

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