Childrens book about a Herdi Gerdi Gondalope

Please help! I really want to track down a copy of this book. I've tried searching everything but not luck!
It was about a little boy named Simon who wanted a Herdi Gerdi Gondalope for his birthday (a big dinasour-like animal). I remember it started like "what would you like for your birthday simon" his father asked, "a very special animal, a herdi gerdi gondalope"
Very annoying i can remember the story but not the title!
Gorgeous book, must be from 60's maybe 70's. Any ideas would be great!
Thanks everyone

So far the only hit i've found on "gondalope" is Uno's Garden but that doesn't sound much like your book....and is published far too late.

Hope someone else has better luck!

I'd hazard a guess at Sam Pig and the Hurdy Gurdy Man, but that's published too late and doesn't have a child named Simon as far as I can tell. (Not that I have a whole lot of data to go on.)

Also, this is a result based on the assumption that you may have meant the spelling 'hurdy gurdy' rather than 'herdi gerdi'.

This is book is called "The no such thing" by Penelope Janic

http://www.kids-bookreview.com/2009/06/hurdy-gurdy-gondolope.html is a blog post about it - about finding it. It's not on LT, yet, but there's a copy or two (at relatively high prices) on eBay.

ABE has a few too but also surprisingly expensive. I suppose its understandable where they bring back fond memories of Childhood.