Lend a reader a hand, won’t you?
Since yesterday, I’ve had lines from a children’s book stuck in my head. Does this count as an earworm, or does that only refer to music? Whatever — I’m saying it counts.
So… my earworm.
I know this is from something my sister and I used to read a lot as kids. I think it’s from a children’s book, but it could also just be from a short piece within a collection. I’ve tried Googling, and I’ve come up with absolutely nothing.
Here’s what I remember — it’s a rhyming story set in a kingdom with a really unfair ruler. And it has something to do with taxes. And I think someone named Max.
(I know, taxes sounds like a really weird topic for a kids’ book, but hey, I didn’t write the thing!)
The lines I know (or kind of know):
A plague on Max’s taxes! They are anything but fair! He taxes both our income and our patience, we declare.
And
So up they rose upon their toes and [something about sneaking into the palace].
And in the end,
They stuck their tacks in Max!
Am I completely crazy?
If you have any idea what this could be, please let me know! You’ll have my eternal gratitude!
Bookshelf Fantasies 
Can’t help sorry but good luck with your search.
This is going to drive me crazy! 🙂
I have the same thing – a book I loved when I was about 5, borrowed from the library, remember the story (animal characters who find reason to keep their Christmas tree up all year) but can’t find any book like it.
Wow, that’s a tough one!
I was curious and tried to search for you, but only came up with a limericks that did not really match. Sorry.
Thanks for trying! I’ve been search using different combinations of words and phrases, and I come up with lots of weird responses, but nothing that actually matches what I’m thinking of. So frustrating!
Wish I could help! I tried my library’s online children’s literature database, but either came up with too many choices or two few and none of what skimmed over looked right. Maybe your library has something similar? You might do a better search if you have a ballpark idea of publication year or range of years?
Great suggestions – thank you! I have a feeling that this wasn’t from a stand-alone book. I seem to remember that we had several collections of stories (maybe reading textbooks? my mom was a teacher), and it could have been something in one of those.
Oooh, a reading textbook sounds like it could be the answer! Not that it helps you find the story though 😦
No – but I did just stumble across a website that helps people solve “stumpers” — half-remembered books that people are trying to find. I’m going to give it a try!