THE CRICKET IN TIMES SQUARE by George SeldenIndieBound Description: Tucker is a streetwise city mouse. He thought he’d seen it all. But he’s never met a cricket before, which really isn’t surprising, because, along with his friend Harry Cat, Tucker lives in the very heart of New York City—the Times Square subway station. Chester Cricket never intended to leave his Connecticut meadow. He’d be there still if he hadn’t followed the entrancing aroma of liverwurst right into someone’s picnic basket. Now, like any tourist in the city, he wants to look around. And he could not have found two better guides—and friends—than Tucker and Harry. The trio have many adventures—from taking in the sights and sounds of Broadway to escaping a smoky fire.
Chester makes a third friend, too. It is a boy, Mario, who rescues Chester from a dusty corner of the subway station and brings him to live in the safety of his parents’ newsstand. He hopes at first to keep Chester as a pet, but Mario soon understands that the cricket is more than that. Because Chester has a hidden talent and no one—not even Chester himself—realizes that the little country cricket may just be able to teach even the toughest New Yorkers a thing or two.
My Thoughts:This is a truly wonderful book! I am incredibly honored that my book has the same sticker as this one. Usually I cringe at older books with Asian characters, but Mr. Fong didn't come off as a stereotype, each human as well as animal/insect had their own personalities. The most masterful stroke was the subtle introduction of the myth of Orpheus in the beginning and then how Chester the cricket made that myth come true in New York Times Square. Just lovely. My paperback edition has a slightly different cover, but is well loved!