The two children with mind powers are Lenora, a headstrong princess who can make anything she imagines real, and Coren, a shy prince from a kingdom where everyone can read each other’s thoughts. The two are betrothed by their parents, the rulers of neighboring kingdoms (both made-up places). They are kidnapped and taken to a strange country where their normal powers are gone. Together, they have to defeat the evil tyrant Hevak and save both of their kingdoms. Originally published in 1995, I read this in the late 1990’s too, when it was published as a Point Fantasy paperback. The cover is dark, with a picture of Lenora right-side up in the lower right corner, and Coren upside-down in the upper left corner. There are also a few sequels, called More Minds , Out of Their Minds , and A Meeting of Minds . Pamela Service, Being of Two Minds , 1991, copyright. Except for the dates, the details match Being of Two Minds by Pamela Service . The two characters that could get into each other’s mind were an American girl and a crown prince of a small kingdom. The prince is kidnapped when the girl Connie is in his mind. Perhaps this is it. S622: sisters at a school in New York Book about sisters, orphans. Older just got a new job as a teacher. Younger enrolled as a student, becomes friends with another girl, who is rich– her father’s wealth began when he found a golden walnut. it’s cold and she gets sick. ends happily.
Madye Lee Chastain, Emmy Keeps A Promise , 1950s, approximate. This classic book is about Emmy and her beautiful sister Arabelle who move from their small upstate town to New York City near the turn of the century. Arabelle is always too proud and independent to seek any help but when she gets very sick during the cold winter, Emmy is the one who takes charge and gets the aid they both need. In this way, she keeps the promise she made to their aunt back home that she would watch out for Arabelle. The book has wonderful illustrations and captures the sights and sounds of lower Manhattan and its mix of people before modernization. But I don’t remember anything about a “golden walnut.” S623: short stories, enlace prГЎctico medieval times? Book-possibly Scholastic-I believe it had short stories, possibly in medieval times-one was about a boy who had to solve a riddle? One of his solutions to finding something no one else had seen was opening a nut! Read at least 35 years ago? Perhaps a 3-6th grade book?
Benjamin Elkin, The Big Jump . This description made me think of The Big Jump, except that as I recall the something new that the boy shows the king isn’t a nut but a chick that has just hatched. S624: Stuffed dog and cat made with patchwork material tear each other apart Solved: “The Duel” S625: Strawberry blond girl with Swedish braids becomes queen and overthrows evil man in black with mask An illustrated book about a blondish girl (braids on top of her head) who becomes queen of a kingdom ruled by an evil tyrant who wears a dark mask. In one scene, she stands up on the tables she was waiting on to confront the man. A friend also lights himself on fire and throws himself from a tower. (I read it in 2001-2). S626: sorceress’s daughter fixes magical tunnel Solved: Black Unicorn S627: Spelling Everything He Wants Solved: Arthur Gets What He Spells 1970s, childrens. This book was about a little boy who was having trouble with his spelling, so his parents challenged him to spell everything he wanted. They bought him everything he spelled. When he spelled something incorrectly, they bought him this wrong item. Finally, as he got better at spelling, the book concluded with him telling his parents he wanted some spaghetti. His mom and dad waited anxiously while he tried to spell this request.