The Cricket in Times Square by Selden, illustrated by the AMAZING Garth Williams. (Garth Williams illustrated Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little too.)
This book is for children, in elementary school and was an award winner right away, when published 52 years ago. It is about a lost cricket in NY city who finds a mouse and a cat. My Spike's great uncle Harry, as you can see, was the model for cat in this book ;)
I had not read this book in about 40 years, since I first read it at age 6. Reading it now, I must say it is still my favorite all time book, and here is why.
If the best gift a parent can give a kid is learning to read, the 2nd is taking the kid to a library. My mom was a huge reader and took us to the library every week, where she got a stack of books, and WE got a stack of books. Libraries in my memory are about the most wonderful places on earth, and I have been lucky to live near some nice ones.
We lived in Connecticut when I was 6 and read this book, and we took the train to see my grandparents in New York city. OH HOW I loved exciting NY city, and still do.
What is this book about? A cricket who lived in a Connecticut meadow, like the one across from my house, who takes the train, like we did, into New York city, and who finds himself in a subway station, just like we did! Of course this was my favorite book, I knew all these places and things! But even if we had lived in Iowa and I wasn't able to directly imagine these things, it is still a great book, and I don't say that because of the pictures of grey tigers in there....
In other news, the kiln is on, and here you see the wife decorating some of her tiles yesterday.
I told her it was the cousin IT photo....
w.JPG)
16 comments:
great book- I can not wait to see those tiles! How exciting it is at your house- but watch out Maude will quit her job to become a potter and stay home with you.
Great choice! Now I'm thinking (Ow! I haven't had enough tea to think) about favorite book(s) and why!
Spike must be very proud. As a cousin, Aloysius is also proud of his great (probably removed) uncle.
I remember reading that book when I was a kid. I loved it. I may go to the library to find it and re-read it. Some children's books were written for adults too, like the "Velveteen Rabbit", I think this was one.
Many of my favorite reads are children's books. I once had a cat named Fern - named after the little girl in Charlotte's Web.
My favorite is "Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present" by Charlotte Zolotow, illustrated by Maurice Sendak.
Sigh, yes. Libraries are my Tiffany's.
And that's one of my very favorite books, too!
I don't remember ever reading this one....sounds like a classic!!!
We read to our kids every.single.night until they were well into middle school...some of my best memories before bed time!
Love the cousin "it" photo!!!
That is a great book. Your mom did right by you with the library visits and instilling a love to read.
Thanks for the recommendation of the book. We have grandchildren now, and we are always looking for classic children's books.
Gary, I think you should illustrate an adult book about Godzilla attacking Gnome-ville. Godzilla is then repulsed by a cat and dog team, and the gnomes are saved, but not before Godzilla lays an egg for the sequel.
One of the best books ever! Thanks for reminding me...this goes on the gift list for the nieces & nephew.
Garth Williams also illustrated the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. LOVE his work!
Garth Williams also illustrated the Little House series. You know you're a literary geek when you know that IMMEDIATELY upon seeing the name.
Books . . . there's nothing like 'em.
I love libraries, too!! Anything 'bookish' actually. Haven't read this one, but I'll be looking for it soon.
xxx
Nice post - looks like a great book. We need to do more to support libraries as a society, because a certain (I'll let you guess) political party thinks that because they are one the very few public resources we have left, they SOCIALIST and EVIL and MUST BE DESTROYED.
Off my soapbox now, but here's a link the the hilarious 2-part interview with Stephen Colbert & Maurice Sendak:
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/406796/january-24-2012/grim-colberty-tales-with-maurice-sendak-pt--1
And for everyone's convenience, here's the link to part two:
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/406902/january-25-2012/grim-colberty-tales-with-maurice-sendak-pt--2
I enjoyed that book, too. Tell me, what happens to Harry? Doesn't he get adopted by some family in the country?
I read that book to my kids! It was a really great book!
Post a Comment