Harry Kitten and Tucker Mouse / Chester Cricket's Pigeon Ride (Chester Cricket and His Friends) [Paperback]

George Selden (Author), Garth Williams (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2009 | Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Chester Cricket and His Friends

Harry Kitten and Tucker Mouse

Meet Harry Kitten and Tucker Mouse. No one would ever dream that a cat and mouse could become friends, but that doesn’t stop Harry and Tucker. All they have is each other to depend on. Together they begin an exciting adventure throughout New York, searching for a home they can call their own. But the two friends run into troublesome times in their journey around town. Is all hope lost? Where will they turn to next?

 

Chester Cricket’s Pigeon Ride

Chester Cricket is homesick. When his friend Mario takes him to a sky show at the Planetarium, Chester realizes how much he misses seeing real stars at night. Happily, he finds his way out of the subway and into Times Square, where he might be able to see the sky—if he could just get past all of the bright lights. Then he meets Lulu Pigeon. Every pigeon Chester’s ever known loves to eat crickets. But could Lulu turn out to be a friend? Could she fly him above the bright lights so he can see the starry night sky again?

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Harry Kitten and Tucker Mouse
“From the wryly humorous opening, in which the infant Tucker Mouse chooses his name, to the satisfying warmth of Tucker and Harry’s defense of their drainpipe home in Times Square, the characters . . . are as vibrant and joyful as ever. . . . Wonderfully expressive black-and-white illustrations.”—Publishers Weekly

Praise for Chester Cricket’s Pigeon Ride
“Chester, a country cricket who misses stargazing during his stay in the city, takes a breathtaking ride with new friend Lulu Pigeon over New York. Descriptions of Central Park and Times Square are evocative . . . Full-page pen-and-ink drawings are panoramic and most vibrant when depicting the familiar Chester, Harry Cat, and Tucker.”—Booklist

“Thoughtful but unpretentious, humorous without more cleverness, this is nothing less than a good story, well told and sympathetically illustrated.”—School Library Journal

“Williams’s big, breathtaking pen-and-ink drawings almost steal the show from the author.”—Publishers Weekly

About the Author

George Selden (1929-1989) was the author of The Cricket in Times Square, winner of the 1961 Newbery Honor and a timeless children’s classic. Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Selden received his B.A. from Yale, where he was a member of the Elizabethan Club and contributed to the literary magazine. He spent three summer sessions at Columbia University and, after college, studied for a year in Rome on a Fulbright Scholarship.

 

People often asked Selden how he got the idea for The Cricket in Times Square. “One night I was coming home on the subway, and I did hear a cricket chirp in the Times Square subway station. The story formed in my mind within minutes. An author is very thankful for minutes like those, although they happen all too infrequently.” 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 wrote more than fifteen books, as well as two plays. His storytelling blends the marvelous with the commonplace realities of life, and it was essential to him that his animal characters display true emotions and feelings.

 

Selden lived in New York City until his death in December 1989. He enjoyed music, archaeology, and J.R.R. Tolkien. His editor, Stephen Roxburgh, said, "Chester Cricket, Harry Cat, Tucker Mouse, and their friends celebrate the triumph of innocence and camaraderie over cynicism and selfishness. George Selden is gone, but his voice lives on in Chester Cricket's song."

 

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.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Square Fish; First Edition edition (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031258248X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312582487
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,919 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #25 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( W ) > Williams, Garth
  • #52 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Where We Live > City Life
  • #54 in Books > Children's Books > Travel & Cultures > Where We Live > City Life

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Tucker and Harry as youngsters, July 2, 2011

By 

Avie Lumpkin "Sugargirl Ragdoll" (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Harry Kitten and Tucker Mouse / Chester Cricket's Pigeon Ride (Chester Cricket and His Friends) (Paperback)

Cricket in Times Squares has been one of my students favorites. One student noticed the other books and asked could we get them. This one, Harry Kitten and Tucker Mouse/Chester Cricket's Pigeon Ride, has already captured her attention and she is loving the pictures as well. This is a must read if you read Cricket in Times Square.