[LMB] it was red

[Mark Allums]

Lois McMaster Bujold wrote:
> ***  OK, but I'm going to try the librarians later on.
> 
>  I think it must have belonged to one of my older brothers before it 
> fell to me, because it dated from the late 30's or 1940's and was from 
> about the same era when I was reading his copies of //Boy's Life//.
> 
> It was red -- seemed like a large format book to me, but my hands were 
> smaller then.   In the story, two children, a brother and sister from 
> New York City, travel out by train to the West to spend a summer on 
> their uncle's ranch.  Incidents include the train trip, being taken out 
> on a trail ride by a grizzled ranch hand, killing a rattlesnake (which 
> is later made into two belts) and some sort of climax at a rodeo.  It 
> had some gorgeous full-page color plate illos in a style like the elder 
> Wyeth's, and a number of delightful little marginal illustrations in 
> black and white.
> 
> I can picture everything about it, but title and author are absolutely 
> gone from my memory. 
> 
> Anything?
> 
> I have been put in mind of it from time to time, but just lately because 
> I'm going to fulfill a long-time ambition and take the train out from 
> Minneapolis to Portland for my daughter's graduation next month.  (It's 
> called the /Empire Builder/, and you can find out all about it and its 
> route on Amtrak's website.   I've toured James J. Hill's house, why not 
> ride his railway?)
> 
> Ta, L.  (Must run.)

Sounds vaguely like the Henry Huggins books.  Beverly Cleary (a librarian).



-- 
Mark Allums