The Luck of Pokey Bloom By Ellen ConfordArchway Paperbacks, Pocket Books, 1975
Ellen Conford's books were always a hit with me and this one is one of best. In the story, Pokey (aka Charlotte), is always trying to win sweepstakes and contests. She's a pro at filling in the entry blanks and entering everything available (cake mix contests, greeting card selling schemes) in hopes of winning all sorts of goodies (transister radios, dream houses). I went through a stage like that too. Not sure if it was inspired by this book or something I just thought was a good idea. I remember submitting requests for all kinds of free materials listed in the backs of magazines and I even got some dandy religious materials this way too! Power for Living. Remember that one?
In the story, her brother Gordon is also going through a rather sweet crush-inspired health food kick in which he's all about yoga and health shakes with applesauce, bananas, wheat germ and beets! The book is reminiscent of the Beverly Cleary books, but maybe I only think that because I was reading them all at the same time.
On a side note, I borrowed many books in my youth from our neighbor down the road, Andrea. Many of my beloved titles came from her. Some from our annual two family rummage sale. Others because she was weeding out her collection. This book must have been one of hers because there's a small note scrawled on the inside cover. She'd mark the books to indicate if it was one that was meant to be a "loan" or in this case, the book reads "to keep." Thanks, Andrea!
In the story, her brother Gordon is also going through a rather sweet crush-inspired health food kick in which he's all about yoga and health shakes with applesauce, bananas, wheat germ and beets! The book is reminiscent of the Beverly Cleary books, but maybe I only think that because I was reading them all at the same time.
On a side note, I borrowed many books in my youth from our neighbor down the road, Andrea. Many of my beloved titles came from her. Some from our annual two family rummage sale. Others because she was weeding out her collection. This book must have been one of hers because there's a small note scrawled on the inside cover. She'd mark the books to indicate if it was one that was meant to be a "loan" or in this case, the book reads "to keep." Thanks, Andrea!
I'd forgotten this book had illustrations.Oddly enough the cover suggests the illustrations were done by Charles Carroll, but the inside cover attributes them to Bernice Loewenstein. Maybe Carroll just illustrated the cover?
I read this sometime when I was in elementary. I remember liking Ellen Conford books a lot too. What a fun treasure.
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