I can’t remember where these kinds of questions are supposed to go - apologies if this is in the wrong forum.
I have very little info for you all to work with, but I’m hoping someone will be able to come up with something because I’ve had no luck so far and it’s starting to drive me a bit crazy! I think it was a fairly large illustrated children’s book, possibly about 12" tall and 8" wide but not very thick. Pretty sure it was hardcover. All I can remember about the story is that it was about a man who I think was sad about something. I think I remember him sitting in his kitchen for at least part of the story, and I definitely remember something about saltpeter and croquettes (not necessarily together) but that’s about it. There may have also been something about string. Maybe he uses the saltpeter and string to create something else? It may have been European because it had that kind of feel to it, but I could also be totally wrong about that. I remember thinking the illustrations were amazing when I read it as a kid in the mid-1980s - it was my favourite thing about the book, probably why I don’t remember much about the actual plot.
Does any of this sound familiar to anyone? I would be thrilled if someone could solve this mystery for me!
Cafe Society is the right place for questions like this; I reported your post to the mods, so hopefully they’ll chuck it over there. You’re probably more likely to get your answer there.
Right. Being about a book, it’s more appropriate for CS than GQ.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
Were there dragons in the book?
Thanks Der Trihs for alerting the mods and to Colibri for moving this thread to the right forum 
Possibly? That seems a bit familiar but to be perfectly honest I can’t say for sure. Heh I know I’m not giving you all much to work with, apologies. But I hope you’re on to something, evilbeth, because if the SDMB can’t figure it out I don’t think anyone can!
Can you describe the illustrations?
Were they realistic, cartoonish; elaborate, simple; accompanying little, or a lot, of text?
My best guess was going to be King Krakus and the Dragon but Olson’s Meat Pies sounds promising!
I thought you guys might be on to something, but a quick google search tells me otherwise, unfortunately. I remember the illustrations being more realistic than the one on the cover of Olson’s Meat Pies. They were almost as though Dali illustrated a children’s book but without all the weird Surreal elements, if that makes any sense?? Very life-like, but still very much an illustration. Sorry, that’s the best I can do right now, so I’m guessing it’s a lost cause unless I can come up with something more specific. But I really appreciate all the attempts so far!