randy's dandy lions

i'm a sucker for a dandy lion...come to think of it, lions can even resemble dandelions, or maybe that's the other way around. this book is just adorable. even though no dandelions are mentioned. let me just warn you...this book rhymes. i know it's not for everyone, and normally i would find it irritating, but with this book it somehow works. the moral of the story is about confidence and overcoming fear...it's a nice lesson to teach kids (or even grown ups for that matter.) also, the illustrations are enjoyable.

randy's dandy lions
written and illustrated by bill peet
a children's choice book club edition, 1964, houghton mifflin, boston

bride of pendorric

bride of pendorric by victoria holt a.k.a. eleanor hibbert

book club edition, 1963, doubleday & co., new york

jacket painting by arthur shilstone

i'm becoming really enamored of these book club edition covers. they fit the gothic theme so well. of course it's set on the cliffs of cornwall as all good (revival) gothic romances are (cough, rebecca, cough). and her husband "roc" may be trying to kill her! dun, dun, dun...i might have to put this next on my 'to read' list.

lament for a lost lover and the queen bee.

yesterday my husband and i, along with our friend dawn, visited a local church charity drive book fair. we visited the second day they were open and everything looked pretty picked through. i find with books sales (at least in this area,) the book dealers get there first thing and snap up a lot of goodies. however, i still got a good lot. i was really drawn to these painterly-style covers. i admit they do remind me of my childhood. mostly i am drawn to nostalgic items. i'm not sure the quality of the stories, but i do like the covers.

lament for a lost lover by philippa carr a.k.a. eleanor hibbert
book club edition, 1977, g.p. putnam's sons, new york
jacket illustration is by charles geer

the queen bee by edna lee
book club edition, 1950, appleton-century-crofts, inc., new york
the illustrator isn't credited, although there seems to be a signature reading be(i,a)nyé? unfortunately, i wasn't able to find any information.

an interesting aside. apparently my grandfather's step-mother was a major b*tch. she was also a member of a popular (high-end) department store family. anyways, my grandparents referred to her as "the queen bee," after this book. i love it when good book finds have quirky stories attached to them. i find it interesting that both of these books are book club editions. i'm thinking that book clubs gravitated toward covers with a romantic vibe to better market them to women. not that that is what women were (or are) all about.