Re: [LM_NET] Stumper: Pre-1970 kid's book

[Amy McCracken <mommyattorney@YAHOO.COM>]

Hello Dawn,
   
  According to loganberrybooks.com, the name of the book is Black and Blue Magic, 
by Zilpha Keatley Snyder.  The website is the first place to go to find books for 
which you have only a vague description.  Information from their site is below.
   
  Amy P. McCracken
  Roswell, GA
   
   
  Black and Blue Magic 
I keep thinking about a book I read when I was little. It may have been one of 
those paperbacks - Scholastic Books for Children?  I think this book that I am 
remembering is one of them - or else it was a book I got out of the library.  The 
time period would have been about 1966-1972.  Anyway, the story is about this boy 
who found a bottle with some potion in it, I forget where he found it. There were 
words written on the bottle.  I forget how he figured it out, but when he rubbed a 
drop of potion on his shoulders and said the words on the bottle he grew wings, and 
could fly. And then, when he said some other words, the wings went away. And the 
story was about his different adventures flying around the city. In the end, he 
finished up all the potion and that was the end of the wings. I don't remember the 
title or the author. I don't think the description of the story is going to get me 
far, because I don't think it is a classic. 
  Hello, the answer to F10 (flying potion) is Black and Blue Magic by Zilpha 
Keatley Snyder, and it's still in print.  I too loved this book as a child, and 
still have my original copy of it! 
The book about the young boy rubbing lotion on his shoulders and sprouting wings at 
night is called Black and Blue Magic and was written by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. One 
of my favorites from childhood--in fact, I recently read it again as an adult. 
Great read! 
Looks like you already found it once before : Black and Blue Magic. Thanks so much 
for your site! 
I've been trying to find a (probably out-of-print) illustrated children's book that 
I remember from my elementary school, but I don't remember the title or author - 
all I remember is some of the plotline. It was about a boy who at night could apply 
some lotion or ointment to his shoulder blades and grow wings and fly, but it only 
worked three times. I read it in elementary school (1976-1980 for me), so it must 
have been published prior to 1978. 
--- 
This is a book I read as a kid (probably in 1974/75?) about a boy who rubs a 
special magic lotion on his shoulders at night and sprouts huge wonderful wings 
that allow him to fly around his city.  The boy lives together with his mother, and 
the two of them run a boarding house.  The magic lotion comes from a man -- a 
traveling salesman -- who is boarding with them.  The story takes place over the 
course of a summer, and it reads as a sort of coming-of-age story.  I think that I 
read it in a Scholastic Books edition, but I'm not sure.  Any ideas on a title???   
Snyder, Zilpha Keatly, Black and Blue Magic 
B141: Black and Blue Magic by Zilpha Keatley Snyder in 1965 or so. She wrote this 
when her son said he was tired of her sad stories about girls and would she write a 
funny one about boys instead. What was unique, I thought, was how despite many 
mishaps and being seen with wings unintentionally several times, Harry still 
manages to hold on to his secret in a convincing manner. Many colorful details 
about San Francisco! 
B141--Black and Blue Magic--Zilpha Keatley Snyder 
This isn't very exact, because I don't remember many details.  But I do remember a 
story, possibly a play, called "Pinfeathers," in which a boy grows wings.  No 
author, no book name, no details... sorry. 
Black and Blue Magic, by Zilpha Keatley Snyder, illustrated by Gene Holtan, 
published Atheneum 1966, 186 pages. "Money was always needed for emergencies in the 
boardinghouse run by 12-year-old Harry Houdini Marco and his mother, and this 
summer was no exception. Their vacation trip had to be canceled, and with all his 
friends away, Harry anticipated a dull summer. But his kindness to a strange little 
man, who gave him a bottle of ointment to apply to his shoulders, changed 
everything. Then Harry, "probably the clumsiest kid in ten states," had, whenever 
he wanted them, a tremendous, powerful pair of wings to cope with. Exploring San 
Francisco on wings by night, through fog and starlight, gave Harry some remarkable 
experiences, and brought about a wonderful change in the Marcos' fortunes." (HB 
Jun/66 p.308) 
--- 
The book I'm seeking was one I read in junior high about 1970. It was about two 
boys, brothers possibly, who found an ointment they rubbed on their shoulders and 
grew wings -- they did this at night, I think from an upstairs window in their 
house. They may also have had an adult buddy who helped them (like a Merlin?).  But 
I may also recollect there was something about a spaceship, but I'm not sure about 
this.   B194 not sure about this, but it reminds me of descriptions of BLACK AND 
BLUE MAGIC by Zilpha Keatley Snyder ~from a librarian 
#B194--Boys fly after putting ointment on shoulderblades: Black and Blue Magic, by 
Zilpha Keatley Snyder. 
B194 is definitely Black and Blue Magic by Zilpha Keatley Snyder.  Only one boy 
actually uses the ointment to fly, although there is another boy he hangs out with 
in the story. An older wizard gives the boy the ointment and acts as his mentor. 
B194  Snyder, Zilpha Keatley, Black and Blue Magic. Some of the details are off, 
but he rubs a potion into his shoulder 
to grow wings.  Check the Solved Mysteries. 
Perhaps Black and Blue Magic by Zilpha Keatley Snyder? 
Zilpha Keatley Snyder,Black and Blue Magic, 1966.  There was only one boy, but this 
is definitely the book. 
Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Black and Blue Magic.  ? This has only one boy, who is given 
a bottle of magical ointment that 
(with a rhyme, I believe) when dabbed on the shoulder blades allows him to grow 
wings.  He has to promise not to let 
anyone else see him use the magic, however, hence the flying at night out of his 
bedroom window. there are also subplots about a neighbor who mistakes him for an 
angel, and that when the ointment runs out at the end of the summer the muscles 
he's used for flying still help him play baseball. 
--- 
I'm seeking a book I read in junior high in the late '60s-early '70s. It was about 
two boys, perhaps brothers, who discovered an ointment that, applied to their 
shoulder blades, let them grow wings at night so they could fly. I believe they 
launched themselves from their bedroom window high up in the house, and that they 
had an adult friend who helped them (someone like Merlin?).  At the same time, it 
seems like there was a spaceship involved, but maybe that was another book.  Or 
maybe they flew with their wings to other planets.  Thanks for having Stumper -- 
it's a wonderful idea and I loved hearing your happy "customers" on NPR.   B195  
Black and Blue Magic again. As a side note, it sounds like the customer may be 
confusing this title with Eleanor 
Cameron's Mushroom Planet series--that's where the two boys, spaceship, and flight 
to other planets come in. 
--- 
Long ago a teacher read me a story about a boy who lives with his mother in a 
boarding house. The boys father is dead. I remember someone comes to visit. They 
boy gets or finds an old trunk that belonged to Harry Houdini I think and inside is 
a potion. The boy rubs it on his shoulders at night and he ends up growing wings 
and is able to fly. I think the cover was blue and it showed the boy with wings 
climbing out of the window of his house. I have no idea of the author or title but 
would love to find it so I can read it to my kids. Thanks for the help.   
#B229--Boy who grew wings:  This is Black and Blue Magic, by Zilpha Keatley Snyder, 
again, on the "Solved Mysteries" page. 
Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Black and Blue Magic,  1972.  Again!  Check the Solved 
Stumpers page... 
Synder, Zilpha Keatley, Black and Blue Magic. Check solved  mysteries. 
Ha!  I knew this one had already been solved, but I couldn't remember it.  I guess 
I need to sit down and read it! 
Black and Blue Magic.  Yet again--mother runs boarding house, mysterious boarder 
shows up, boy gets ointment which allows him to grow wings and fly around the city 
at night. 
--- 
A boy being raised by his single mother receives a mysterious lotion that he 
discovers will cause wings to grow when applied to his shoulders.  He learns to fly 
in secret.  His mother worked very hard to support them (doing cleaning or laundry 
I think) and there is a love interest for her.  There is also a competetor for the 
man's attention.  I remember that the story is told from the boy's perspective.  He 
described that the other womans eyelashes looked "sticky" (too much mascara) and 
that he preferred his mother's clean look.  At the end of the story there is only a 
small amount of the lotion left, and his final application produces only one white 
feather, which he keeps as a memento.   is this Black and Blue Magic, by Zilpha 
Snyder?  not sure of the exact details ... 
Snyder, Zilpha, Black and Blue Magic.Look on the solved stumpers page. 
Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Black and Blue Magic 
Sounds like BLACK & BLUE MAGICby Zilpha Keatley Snyder, 1966, 1994~from a librarian 
B324: Black and Blue Magic by Zilpha Keatley Snyder 
Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Black and Blue Magic.  Man, this one shows up a lot! 
Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Black and Blue Magic, 1966.  This is the book about the boy 
with wings, though I don't remember the love interest angle. It was a Scholastic 
paperback. 
--- 
vague memories here, but I'll try - a young boy finds or is given a vial of magic 
liquid that if he rubs a drop of the liquid on his shoulders, he'll grow wings.  I 
think it was set in San Francisco area   Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Black and Blue 
Magic, 1972.  Should be described at length in the solved section. Harry Houdini 
Marco and his mother run a boarding house in San  Francisco. Mr. Mazzeeck, a 
temporary boarder, gives him a magic gift, the vial that allows him to grow wings 
and fly. 
Black and Blue Magic again.  See Solved Mysteries 
M296 This sounds like BLACK & BLUE MAGIC by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (I think it may 
already be on your Solved Stumpers page)~from a librarian 
Snyder, Black and Blue Magic.  This one again! 
This is Black and Blue Magic by Zilpha Keatley Snyder.  More info on the Solved 
pages. 
The description was perfect. This is Black and Blue Magic, by Zilpha Keatley 
Snyder. 
Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Black and Blue Magic.  Again! 
Thank you to all and apologies to those whom I annoyed by missing the item in 
archived stumps.  This is the book - can't wait to read it again. 
--- 
I read this book in the late 70s (78 or 79), about a boy who somehow (don't 
remember how) gets hold of a magic potion, that when a single drop is rubbed into 
the back of each shoulder, causes him to grow wings.  He flies out his bedroom 
window at night and has adventures.  This is not the book "The Boy Who Could Fly" 
or the poem "The Long-Haired Boy" by Shel Silverstein.  If I remember correctly, 
the book was a paperback with a dark, night scene cover that showed a house with a 
covered porch & a second story (I may be wrong).  Please help me find it.   Zilpha 
Keatley Snyder, Black and Blue Magic.  I'm certain this is the book inquired about. 
 It's all there, the potion, the wings, even the dark blue and black cover 
illustration. 
Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Black and Blue Magic 
Snyder, Zilpha Keatley, Black and Blue Magic.  see solved mysteries. 
Thank you so much for your book stumpers.  Not only has the mystery been solved, I 
am now in possession of a copy of Black & Blue Magic & have re-read it.  It is 
definitely the same book, & I enjoyed it as much as an adult as I did as a kid.  
You can take B440 off your stumpers & add it to your solved mysteries.  Thank you 
again!   
---------------------------------
               Snyder, Zilpha Keatley.  Black and Blue Magic.  Macmillan, 1966.  
Aladdin paperback reprint, 1994.  As new.  Out-of-print.  <SOLD>   Snyder, Zilpha 
Keatley.  Black and Blue Magic.  Scholastic, 1966, 1967.  Small mass paperback.  
Cover worn and creased.  Out-of-print. G.  <SOLD>


Dawn Sardes <yayagoddess@SBCGLOBAL.NET> wrote:  I hope someone here can help this 
woman.

The request:

I was wondering if you could help me find an old book I read when I was about 10 
years old. It may have been British, because the girl who lent it to me had just 
returned from England or Scotland. 

It would have been written before 1970. It was about a young boy (maybe 11 or 12) 
who moves to a new town and does not make new friends very easily. In his new house 
in the attic he finds an old bottle that contains a while, purulent lotion, which, 
when he applies one drop on each shoulder, per the directions, he sprouts beautiful 
angel-like wings and goes soaring over the town at night and see all kinds of 
things and also ends up helping people in trouble, who then claim they have been 
helped by an angel. 

At the end of the book, he finds that there is only a small droplet left. When he 
applies it to his shoulder, a large white feather falls down, which he saves. 
Afterward, he finds that he has grown in confidence and strength, and finds that he 
is able to fit in and make friends when school starts in the fall.

Dawn Sardes
Teen Services Librarian
Euclid Public Library
Euclid, OH
yayagoddess@sbcglobal.net.omit.this
Check out my Harry Potter Fan Fiction at
http://www.fanfiction.net
Pen Name: YaYa Goddess

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