| The Cricket In Times Square | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | George Selden |
| Illustrator | Garth Williams |
| Cover artist | Garth Williams |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Cricket in Times Square series |
| Genre(s) | Fiction, Children's Literature |
| Publisher | Yearling |
| Publication date | 1960 |
| Media type | |
| ISBN | 0-440-41563-2 |
| OCLC Number | 6436376 |
| LC Classification | 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 Award. 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 the criket chirp in time square. The story formed in my mind within minutes. An author is very thankful for minutes like those, although they happen all too infrequently."[1]
Contents |
The story is about a cricket named Chester from Connecticut who gets caught on a commuter train heading for New York and after stumbling on the subway he ends up in Times Square. Mario Bellini, whose parents run a financially struggling newsstand, finds Chester, takes him to the newsstand and wants to keep him as a pet and for good luck. Mama Bellini is concerned that the cricket will give them 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 on, more seriously, 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 and demands that Mario get rid of Chester, much to his dismay. However, at the right moment, Chester chirps Mama Bellini's favorite song, which she sings along to and which leads her to change her mind. It 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 fortunes of the newsstand to turn around, and the Bellinis start selling their newspapers and magazines very well to the new crowds.
Mario senses that Chester has become unhappy, and says out loud that he wishes Chester hadn't come to the newsstand if he wasn't going to be happy. This makes Chester decide that he wants to return to the countryside. He tells Tucker and Harry this, and Tucker tries to convince Chester to stay. However, Harry says that Chester should do what he wants with his life and stop the concerts if he isn't happy.
With the advent of fall, Chester decides to go home to Connecticut. He gives a final concert that causes Times Square and blocks of New York City to fall still, with everyone stopping to listen to the music. Mario plays one last time with Chester at the newsstand after that last concert, and falls asleep after a while. Later that same night, after Chester gives a farewell chirp to Mario, Harry and Tucker take Chester to Grand Central Terminal so that Chester can hop on to a train. At Grand Central, they all say good-bye. Later, when Mario wakes up as his parents have returned, he realizes later that Chester has gone home, but accepts this by saying: "And I'm glad." The story ends with Tucker telling Harry that maybe they'll visit the country one day, "in Connecticut".
In 1973, Chuck Jones wrote and directed a short animated version of The Cricket In Times Square with Mel Blanc cast as the voice of Tucker Mouse, Les Tremayne as the voices of Chester Cricket, Harry Cat, Papa Bellini, and Mr. Smedley, June Foray as Mama Bellini, and Kerry MacLane as Mario.[2] Jones also wrote and directed two animated sequels, A Very Merry Cricket (1973) and Yankee Doodle Cricket (1975).
The book inspired the sequels Tucker's Countryside, Harry Cat's Pet Puppy, Chester Cricket's Pigeon Ride, Chester Cricket's New Home, Harry Kitten and Tucker Mouse, and The Old Meadow.