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I’m hoping someone can identify a short anthology of sci-fi stories I read as a fourth or fifth-grader, around 1971. It was probably published specifically for younger readers.

I’m certain it included “The Last Command” by Keith Laumer and “Puppet Show” by Fredric Brown. It’s probably where I read “Of Missing Persons” by Jack Finney as well.

This might have also been where I discovered Heinlein’s “The Roads Must Roll”, but I’m not sure about this one at all.

There were probably five or six other stories in the collection that I don’t remember or maybe never read - but as I remember it wasn’t a very large collection. I don’t remember the cover either, although I have the feeling I might recognize it if I saw it.

Although the stories in it obviously pre-date the actual book, I’m certain the book would have be purchased new (probably from a drug-store book rack) in the early seventies.

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It could well be "Tales of Time and Space", published in 1969. It has all the stories you list (except for "The Roads Must Roll") and five others, in agreement with your memory. The time-frame is about right too. Does the cover jog your memory?

enter image description here

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  • Agreed. I got that for a Christmas gift when it was first published.
    – Organic Marble
    Commented Jul 5, 2020 at 15:45
  • Could the OP possibly have read the other edition with a different cover? isfdb.org/cgi-bin/titlecovers.cgi?36345
    – user14111
    Commented Jul 5, 2020 at 20:57
  • My copy of that book has the green cover: isfdb.org/wiki/images/9/9c/TLSFTMNDSP0000.jpg
    – user14111
    Commented Jul 5, 2020 at 22:24
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    I was able to find the text from, or a description of, all but two of the stories listed for the book you've posted. I remember reading every single one of them. I thought I might remember the cover too, but the one in your post doesn't ring any bells. Maybe there were different editions. Still this almost certainly is the right book. Thanks very much Clara!
    – Weaky Reader
    Commented Jul 6, 2020 at 1:20
  • @WeakyReader: Often you can find other editions easily via goodreads. This book indeed has another edition with a very different cover. Does that ring a bell?
    – user21820
    Commented Jul 6, 2020 at 6:21

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