The Cricket in Times Square

George Selden

Feb 2014 · Chester Cricket and His Friends Book 1 · Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

About this ebook

After Chester lands, in the Times Square subway station, he makes himself comfortable in a nearby newsstand. There, he has the good fortune to make three new friends: Mario, a little boy whose parents run the falling newsstand, Tucker, a fast-talking Broadway mouse, and Tucker's sidekick, Harry the Cat. The escapades of these four friends in bustling New York City makes for lively listening and humorous entertainment. And somehow, they manage to bring a taste of success to the nearly bankrupt newsstand.

Join Chester Cricket and his friends in this classic children's book by George Selden, with illustrations by Garth Williams. The Cricket in Times Square is a 1961 Newbery Honor Book.

Ratings and reviews

I first stumbled across this story in a dusty second hand book store as a child. Enticed by the cover of a cat, mouse and cricket, I bought it. After more twenty years, I was ecstatic to have found the title and ebook last night. The Cricket in Times Square is a charming story on the newsstand as a microcosm of NY where anything can happen with talent and belief. Anchored by the stately characters of Chester, Tucker and Harry, the tale is akin to a sitcom we are privy to by suspending adult rationalisation.

I loved it . It was an amazing story. Beautiful. I almost felt like crying at the end, but yes astounding,beautiful, and amazing. I loved it. I'm the kid by the way. The one who was reading it. :) <3

I used to read this when I was in 2nd grade. Now I'm in tenth and I still love it.

About the author

George Selden (1929-1989) was the author of A Cricket in Times Square, winner of the 1961 Newbery Honor and a timeless children's classic. The popular Cricket series grew to seven titles, including Tucker's Countryside and The Old Meadow. In 1973, The Cricket in Times Square was made into an animated film. Selden lived in New York City until his death in December 1989. He enjoyed music, archaeology, and J.R.R. Tolkien.

Garth Williams illustrated all seven of the Chester Cricket books and many other distinguished works, including Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web, and the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.