Solved - Old childrens fairy story from 30s or 40s

[oojackapivvy]

I've been trying to find any evidence or reference to a book that I had thought was called Twice in a Blue Moon, but can't find anything about it, so I can only think I must have got the name wrong. I can't remember the author's name at all, but I think it was a woman.

The main character was a goblin called Nab, and I think Granny Grouch was another character in it. I'm starting to think I imagined it all! If anyone can offer me any help with finding it, I'd be really grateful

 

[Phedre]

Is tumbled across this question and being google-addicted, I tried:

Twice in a Blue Moon
by Patricia Moyers
Description: Inspector Henry Tibbett investigates a mushroom poisoning at an old country inn.
Date of First Publication: 1993

The author is female and the title matches, but that's it....

 

[Erica]

I've been trying to find any evidence or reference to a book that I had thought was called Twice in a Blue Moon, but can't find anything about it, so I can only think I must have got the name wrong. I can't remember the author's name at all, but I think it was a woman.

The main character was a goblin called Nab, and I think Granny Grouch was another character in it. I'm starting to think I imagined it all! If anyone can offer me any help with finding it, I'd be really grateful

Long shot, but there are 2 childrens books called

'Once in a Blue Moon' by Nicola Morgan


Hardcover (March 1, 1992)
Publisher: Oxford Univ Pr Childrens Books
Language: English
ISBN: 0195408314

Or

'Once in a Blue Moon' (Hardcover)
by Snowdon Barnett, Mellen Poetry Press

Hardcover: 76 pages
Publisher: Mellen Poetry Press (April 1, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN: 0773434801

 

[oojackapivvy]

Thanks so much for your replies I've been searching from time to time ever since my initial post, and today finally struck lucky. I found a book called Once in a Blue Moon, by Margaret Gibbs, and then something to say that her full name was Margaret Edith Gibbs. At this point, I suddenly thought I remembered the name of the author - Edith Mary Bell, and found a book called The Fairy Months by this author, but still no reference to Blue Moons.

I did a search Abe Books for the author, and the very first book returned was Twice in a Blue Moon, which I have now bought When I eventually receive it, I'll post up more details in case they are useful to anyone else in a future search.

 

[Neely1]

This is interesting.
The book I am looking for - and so are others on another site, now - for years there was nothing - is called 'Once In A Blue Moon' which I read in the 50s, and it is about a group of gargoyles that escape from their posts and go on an adventure. There are also cormorants in the book - that's what I remember the most, as I learned about the birds and their habits from this book. I have never had any luck tracking it down, but it may be the one by Margaret Gibbs, though that doesn't ring a bell. I thought that, one day, I just might remember the author, but I don't think I ever will - didn't pay too much attention to authors' names as a child. I find it so fascinating that hearing Margaret Gibbs middle name tickled your memory to the other author! That's wonderful. It's so much fun to track down these books remembered from one's childhood.

Another one that took me years was, I thought, called "Joe" about a dog, in the vein of Black Beauty. From googling I eventually did track it down - it was "Beautiful Joe" and immensely popular Canadian novel. I purchased the books for my children last Christmas but, sadly, they weren't interested, and even for me the book wasn't as well written or gripping as I remembered. But, hey, I am 65 and my "children" are 20 and 26! I am saving the books for a younger child - maybe 10 or so, and I think they will like the novel. Apart from all sorts of information about puppies, what I learned from this book was about the Pasteurization of milk and what it was like before it was available.

My other favorite books were by Enid Blyton - the nature series, non-fiction, and the Adventure series, oldest audience fiction. Loved them. One cannot judge children's literature with adult eyes.

Anyway, I saw this board and although it isn't about the "blue moon" book I am looking for, I found it interesting and thought I would post. Thanks.