Welcome to my mini-challenge!
Fun fact: I work at a library. Technically, I work in the Children’s Room at a fairly large library. We frequently have patrons come in and ask about “that book, you know, where the main character did stuff and the cover was red, I think? Or maybe blue?” Now don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love helping people finding what they’re looking for, and decoding an extremely vague description like that -and finding the right book!- is an amazing feeling. And today you get to feel like that too!
This challenge will have two parts. For Part One, please leave a comment describing the book you’re currently reading (or your favorite book, or the book next to you, etc.) as vaguely as possible, starting with the phrase “You know, that book with the character who did the thing”. Describe the cover if you like, or some plot points, or maybe just tell me what you think it’s called (even if you’re totally wrong). Try and be as vague as possible. Bonus bragging points for anyone who describes a popular book that stumps people. Here are a few examples to show you what I mean:
Example 1: You know, that book with the character who did the thing. There’s a school, and friends, and a necklace. I think the cover has a girl on it?
Example 2: You know, that book with the character who did the thing. I think there was a mountain or like a volcano or something? And they talked about food a lot. Sometimes there was dancing, or maybe just singing.
Example 3: You know, that book with the character who did the thing. Something about a play, and there were those people that were in love maybe? The cover was definitely red. I think.
Click on the spoiler for the answer to the examples!
View Spoiler »For Part Two, please comment on someone else’s description with what you think the book is. See how many you can get right and remember to have fun!
Comment between 8am EST on April 28 and 8am EST on April 29 for a chance to win a prize pack of 4 YA books, including ARCs and an annotated copy of The Poet X!
ETA: I’ll be gone most of the day tomorrow, so I’ll pick the winner at random on Monday and let them know they won! Good luck everyone!
WINNER: Congratulations to Rachel at Hibernator’s Library! Please send me an email at scintillatingreads@gmail.com with your mailing address and I’ll send you your prize pack asap!
The cover might have been black and red. Or not. It was a big book that’s for sure. There were these people who died. Maybe a lot of people. And I think there was a bus.
Book Bunny recently posted…Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon Updates
???
Children of Blood and Bone?
Nope 😀
Book Bunny recently posted…Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon Updates
The Darkest Minds?
Nope 😉
Book Bunny recently posted…Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon Updates
A book with cats in it and a title that sounds like another book or something. I think the cover is black, maybe some red. Some weird stuff going on with dreams & cats too.
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Kafka on the shore
I think it’s Kafka on the Shore!
Yep!
After dark, Murakami?
You know that book with the character who did the thing. There was a family and a doctor, and the cover was blue with some black on it?
You know, that book where the guy is crazy? It’s a really long one. Has a red cover. With a helmet or hat or something.
The Shining ? lmao
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest?
The Cat in the Hat 🤪
Don Quixote?
Don Quixote!
You know, that book with the character who did the thing. There is a character that’s really sick, but maybe not… The cover is whitish, and I think has a lot of colors on it. I’ve been told it’s a really good book… can you help me find it?
The Fault in Our Stars
Everything, Everything?
I’m going to guess Everything, Everything for this one!
Kait recently posted…Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon | April 28, 2018
I’m a librarian and started in children’s. My best story was the little girl who wanted to know if we had the book with the witch with the green fingernails. And I knew EXACTLY what book that was! Piggie Pie by Palatini.
Here’s my clue: You know that book with the character who did the thing. The cover had some article of clothing on it? And it was romantic (except maybe not)? My best friend’s cousin’s aunt says it’s the next B.A. Paris.
The Other
That’s great! And definitely a tough question! 🙂
[…] Challenges Completed: Vague Recollections (the librarian in me loved this […]
You know that book with the people and there’s a wall. There might have been a star. I think maybe the cover is blue or something.
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Stardust
Yup!!!
Melissa recently posted…Dewey 24 Hour Readathon!
You know that book were the kids go the tree and see some stuff. Written by that women who wrote other books about other kids going to other places and seeing other stuff…
Magic Treehouse?
Bridge to Terebithia
Something by Madeline L’Engle?
Kait recently posted…Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon | April 28, 2018
You know, that one book, there’s like a boat, and they sail to that place, and the one guy’s evil. There might be a parrot too
Treasure Island!
Treasure Island
Yep! You guys got it!
You know that book where that character did that thing. There’s a love triangle and a magic and monsters.
Harry Potter???
nope
A Mid Summer Night’s Dream?
No
You know, that book with the character who did the thing. With a towel and a car. And there’s lots of space aliens. And I think there’s maths and bad poetry. I’m pretty sure the cover is blue.
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy!
Got it in one, Abby!
I LOVE this challenge, as I actually AM looking for a book I read–because I found out it’s a trilogy, but I can’t remember who wrote it or what it was called. But when I see it and thumb through it, I can confirm it.
It’s the first book in a trilogy (or a duo-logy, or a quad-logy, point being, there’s more to the story). It had some dreamscape in it. It was a heritage book–or not… There were real monsters–of sorts. The main character was in some type of relationship that had to do with these monsters.
Can you help me?
Daughter of Smoke and Bone?
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor maybe? 🙂
Kait recently posted…Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon | April 28, 2018
You know that book, it’s really long. There’s a guy, travels around the country. I think some people were sick.
I had two on my mind:
You know that book with those kids in it? They like to steal stuff. There’s magic too, I think.
You know that book where there are two people? They do magic and stuff. It’s black I think. Or white maybe.
Is the first one Harry Potter?
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Nope, sorry
For the 1st one – The Magic Misfits?
No, sorry
You know the book where the family goes on a cruise and something happens?
Swiss Family Robinson?
I also think Swiss Family Robinson.
Where’d You Go Bernadette?
Is this Do Not Become Alarmed
You know, that book with the character who did the thing. There’s a lady or something in an attic and a governess of some sort.
Jane Eyre!
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Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre. LOL
Anne Frank?
Could be Turn of the Screw by Henry James?
Girls are trained to fight killer unicorns.
Rampant by Diana Peterfreund?
Bad Unicorn?
You know that book where that character did a thing. The cover was really colorful…and it maybe had something to do with art? They’re in a city. Maybe there’s monsters or some sort of creature?
Daughter of Smoke and Bone?
Book Bunny recently posted…Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon Updates
Shadowshaper??
this just really reminds me of Daughter of Smoke and Bone…
It’s that book with, like, a pink cover, I think? And it’s about this girl who creates this new persona but it backfires or something. She talks a lot about movies with women in them. It kind of had some similar elements to Jane Austen’s Emma?
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The book is rainbow … kind of …. it might have a mask …. or wings? There’s a character who caused trouble … only not really. People like her … but maybe more don’t? There is magic …. and a thing that is a place that does stuff….uhmm there might be dragons..
You know that book where the character did that thing? There is… like… a family-island, and I think there was a fire.
Oooh I know this one! We Were Liars by E. Lockhart? 🙂
Kait recently posted…Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon | April 28, 2018
Yep, that’s right!
There’s this book you know with a group of teen girls, might become involved with an exorcism… the cover is pink and features an interesting symbol.
The Merciless by Danielle Vega? I had to look through my kindle for this one. I could picture the cover and the author but not the title! Great choice! 🙂
Kait recently posted…Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon | April 28, 2018
Yes!! haha
You know the book with that girl who did the thing? I think there was a battle and something about a sword. the cover was orange I think… or maybe blue…
Graceling?
Nope!
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley?
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Valiant by Lesley Livingston!
You know, that book with the character who did the thing? The cover is black and white? One of the words in the title looks funny? And the book seemed like it was about nothing but it was really about everything?
Hi Sylwia! I have to approve the comments before they show up on the page, that’s why you weren’t seeing yours at first. Then when you sent the same thing again it was marked as spam! You should be all set now, I had it post just one of your comments. 🙂
You know, that book with the character who did the thing.. Where she like time traveled and she was so very confused? I think it has a crazy aunt or something? The cover has a girl with a pretty red dress?
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hmm… my only guess for this one is Timebound by Rysa Walker but I don’t think the cover has a red dress on it…
Ruby red by Kerstin Gier? There’s a red dress on the cover
You know that book about the woman, it was like Jane Eyre…I think she was a librarian. The cover has domestic images all over it. Miss Pettigrew…or Miss someone or other?
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day?
You know, that book with the character who did the thing? With the two people who hate each other at the start but then they get married and all of her sister’s get married? I think there’s about 50 different covers.
Pride and Prejudice maybe? 🙂
Kait recently posted…Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon | April 28, 2018
I think you are right!
You know, that book with the character with a brain the size of a planet?
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Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy?
Yessss! 😀
You know, that book with the guy who did the thing?
He has a pet that he talks to all the time…and he’s quite the snarky one!
It has that cover, you know with the guy that looks like Jamie Frasier (Outlander)?
Oh, and I think he has a weapon….a gun maybe? or something…or maybe not?
I think he was looking for god, or someone?
You know, that book with the girl who was a slave but not really? The one where she went to train with stuff and that guy and magic stuff? And no one knew she was still alive but she was the heir? That one!
Red Queen?
Nope! But good guess! It does sound like Red Queen as I reread it! lol. It might be the third book in a series that completes this year?
The Last of the Firedrakes, maybe?
Nope! It might have a green cover?
Uhhhh Throne of Glass?
It might have a green cover?
You know, that book about that magic girl living in NEW YORK? I think. Her picture might be on the cover.
maybe Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older? 🙂
You know, that book with the guy who did the thing? There was a woman and big font on the cover, and there was maybe some supernatural stuff…but then maybe not. I think there were movies involved somehow.
You know the book where the person did a thing? Something about eyes and a necklace, the necklace might be on the cover
You know, that book with the character who did the thing. I think it had a single mom in it with I don’t remember how many kids. People hated her, or she thought they did or something.
We need to talk about Kevin?
You know, that book with the character who did the thing. I think this guy ruins his best friend’s life. There is stuff in French and ships or whatever.
The Count of Monte Cristo?
Paula Burnett recently posted…Franskbrod, Page 74, March 24, 2018
You’re right! It’s my favorite book.
One of my favorites, too
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue?
Kait recently posted…Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon | April 28, 2018
You know, that book with the girl who did the thing? She almost died in a fire and her family hated her for something, i think the cover had something red on it.
The Stars Are Fire?
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (or the Millenium Trilogy in general)?
You know the book, it’s by that lady, the funny one. I think it’s orange? She is on the cover though, but with someone else’s arms. You know she was on those shows, and in those movies. Oh, oh , yeah, she’s best friends with that other lady, the blond one.
Bossypants!
Yes!!!
Paula Burnett recently posted…Franskbrod, Page 74, March 24, 2018
You know, the one where there’s a girl… she’s really strong and likes to steal stuff… and she has to team up with an enemy she really hates to get her revenge? And there’s miiight be dragons?
Renegades?
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So the book is a cartoon, and it has some fantasy stuff in it. There’s a girl, I think. And the cover was dark blue. Or it might have been green. Or black. I can’t remember.
Superwoman?
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Nimona!
Nimona?
It was really short and maybe nonfiction? Something about hope or activism or something
we should all be feminists by chimamanda ngozi adichie?
Nope 🙂
Its really short and had lots of quotes, like with a full on bibliography at the end and everything. Some of it was about historic revolutions?
Oh, do you guys remember that one book where this dude went on a business trip about real estate and barely escaped with his life? And then all his friends got sick too, and everyone stayed up SUPER LATE and slept all day, and then at the end they went back to the real estate property but I don’t know why they bothered because I think they brought some of the dirt from the backyard with them in the first place.
Magic Kingdom for Sale?
I know I’m wrong, but I’m getting The Strain vibes from this description. Does it at least have vampires?
It definitely had vampires! But it wasn’t the Strain, which I’d never heard of and have already put on hold at the library so thank you for guessing it. 🙂
You know that book where the characters gotta do that thing where they gotta kill each other and they might be siblings and the winner gets a crown?
Three Dark Crowns!
Kait recently posted…Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon | April 28, 2018
I LOVE this challenge! Fun! So I’m reading the book with a big red Q on the front. Mentions of Gandhi and Eleanor Roosevelt are in the book and it talks about shy people. It’s hard to be vague.
The Power of Quiet?
It’s a book of photographs…it’s one of a whole bunch in a series…100 something…no, 1000 something….oh, golly!
You know, that book with the character who did the thing. There are three powerful women, and they have to fight. And there’s a mountain lion, I think?
The Wizard of Oz?
you know, that book with the character who did the thing. like you know those archie comics? but not him, the girl with the hair…and it’s scary and stuff. it’s just about her.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?
Is this the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina?
YES!
So there’s this book about 2 guys who hated each other and their kids fell in love but they were supposed to be enemies. The kids didn’t always exist at the same time, but they end up spending eternity together. It was really popular but kind of dark.
Twilight
Nope. Not Twilight. (never read it, not my taste)
The Night Circus?
The Night Circus!
Ding ding ding! Good job! It was so hard not to talk about paper and umbrellas and ice! 😂
The one about the little girl. She lives in a house and goes to school and stuff.
Hahahaha! That’s as vague as can be! Maybe… Little House in the Prairie (or some other Ingalls Wilder)?
Madeline is what came to my mind!
Matilda
I’d guess Anne of Green gables!
Matilda?
This is the fourth readathon challenge I’m trying out and they’re all so fun and creative!! This one is proving to be a real challenge for me (I have no guesses for other people’s descriptions lol) but here’s my go at it: You know, that book with those kids who did the thing. They go somewhere with another kid??
You know that book with the girl who does stuff in it? I think she gets lost, but she’s not really lost. I’m pretty sure some fictional people are real or some real people are fictional. There is a girl on the cover, I think. For some reason it makes me think of extinct animals, there may be time travel involved. And books.
You know, that book with the character who did the thing. She lives in space, I think it’s a movie spinoff. There might be red on the cover, or maybe white. It’s by the same author who wrote a series about a phoenix that lets you travel through dimensions or something.
You know, that book with the character who did the thing. There was an island? But there wasn’t usually an island and people were real mad about it? And a fisherman. I think the cover had a palm tree?
About a girl and a guy and another girl. That book.
You know, that book with the character who did the thing. I read it in middle school? It was her diary and she always listed the saints days? She was going to get married even though she didn’t want to but then she didn’t have to because he was old and died. So she married his son.
You know, that book with the characters who did the thing…you know, those guys are lost in the woods and there’s weird Pagan symbols, some ancient houses/cemeteries and some kind of monstrous creature.
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[…] Vague Recollections asked to describe the current in the vaguest of terms […]
Valiant by Lesley Livingston!
You know that book with kids acting weird. There are monsters that want to eat them I think. There might be some type of teacher or nanny.
You know that book where the thing happens? It’s an orange red cover and there’s a school and like the military and stuff. I cried so much.
It’s that book that was also movie. Romance with a guy in a wheelchair? And it had a preposition in the title.
Me Before You?
Got it in be, congrats!
Yay, I haven’t even read the book lol just saw the cover and the posters for the movie
You know, that book with the character that did the thing. The pining, want-her-can’t-have-her thing. And there was confusion about a sibling. And lots of bad men. And hay.
You know that book with a girl who’s moving. The cover is white with blue and brown. It’s about love too. I think. It’s a long one.
You know, that book with the character who did the thing. There was a drunk, a canine of some sort and some kind of a flower.
I opened this in a tab during the thon intending to participate and forgot to come back to it. I was very intrigued by the concept because I’m always trying to remember a title or author I read years or decades ago. My memory is very visual and I often can picture in my mind the book in vivid detail and even the particular shelf in the particular library where it lived. This one was from my childhood city library which from the looks of your pic could have been your grandmother’s childhood: mid to late 1960s. maybe very early 70s.
The cover was orange and white with black line drawings of a house surrounded with trees and a fence or gate in front of it. It was very spooky. There was also a pedestal possibly of brick with a big glass or crystal ball atop it. maybe it was a gatepost. The story involved siblings one or more of which visited other worlds in their sleep. one of them was trapped in that glass ball or another one or a bubble of some kind. based on my memory of the shelf it was several feet beyond the Wrinkle in Time books and several feet before Dr Doolittle. by feet i mean horizontal but the sections were five or six 5′ shelves tall. And Dr Doolittle was near the half-way point to the Zs. I thot the shelf info might give a range of alphabet to narrow down but I just checked on Dr Doolittle author and found two names both claiming to be the classic. One starts with an L which would make the L section itself nearly a quarter of the children’s collection so it must be Earl Newton. Which might give the author’s last name a range between the Lo*** to Mc***
Too bad that vivid image doesn’t include the image of the title or author name. But it very seldom does. Only if there was something very unique about the font. hope you can help me identify it. but I realize it is a significant challenge