The Cricket in Times Square
Yearling Edition Book cover
|
|
| Author | George Selden |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Garth Williams |
| Cover artist | Garth Williams |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Cricket in Times Square series |
| Genre | Fiction, Children's Literature |
| Publisher | Yearling |
|
Publication date
|
1960 |
| Media type | |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 6436376 |
| LC Class | PZ7.T37154 Cr 2005 |
| Followed by | Tucker's Countryside |
The Cricket in Times Square is a 1960 children's book by George Selden and illustrated by Garth Williams. It won the Newbery Honor in 1961.
Selden gave this explanation of what was the initial idea for the book:
One night I was coming home on the subway, and I did hear a cricket chirp in Times Square. The story formed in my mind within minutes. An author is very thankful for minutes like those, although they happen all too infrequently.
The story is about a cricket from Connecticut named Chester who gets caught on a commuter train heading for New York. After stumbling on the subway, Chester ends up in Times Square. Mario Bellini, who helps his parents run a financially struggling newsstand, finds Chester and takes him to the newsstand, as he wants to keep the cricket as a pet and for good luck. Mama Bellini is concerned that the cricket will give the family germs, but Papa Bellini is more easy-going about the cricket's presence. At the newsstand, Chester meets Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat, who spend their time scrounging the city for food and other thrown-away items. They show him Times Square, which Chester finds overwhelming. During the story, Chester reveals his musical chirping talent. Mario takes Chester to Chinatown (via the 1 train), where he buys Chester a cricket cage from the Chinatown shop owner Sai Fong.
At one point, Chester accidentally eats a two dollar bill from the newsstand cashier. Mama Bellini wants Chester to go, but Tucker gives part of his coin collection that he's collected from scrounging to save Chester and replace the money. Later in the story during a party that Chester, Harry, and Tucker are having, they accidentally set fire to the newsstand. The fire is put out, but Mama Bellini is extremely angry, accuses Chester of being an arsonist, and demands that Mario get rid of Chester, much to the boy's dismay. However, at the right moment, Chester chirps Mama Bellini's favorite song, which she sings along to and which also leads her to change her mind. It soon becomes clear that Chester has a perfect memory for music, as he chirps opera selections, which surprises Papa Bellini.
Later, Chester chirps classical music pieces and hymns for a music teacher, Mr. Smedley, the Bellini's best newsstand customer, who is impressed and writes a letter to the New York Times about it. This is printed in the newspaper, and brings attention to the newsstand when Chester starts playing concerts there. This causes the poor fortune of the newsstand to turn around, and the Bellinis' sales quickly pick up.
...
Wikipedia