How Little Lori Visited Times Square [Hardcover]

Amos Vogel (Author), Maurice Sendak (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 1 and up | Grade Level: K and up

A Sendak treasure long out of print available for the first time in decades.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Poor little Lori. All he wants is to go see Times Square, but somehow he is thwarted every step of the way. First he takes a subway but gets out at South Ferry. Then he takes a bus but finds himself at 242nd Street. So he tries a taxi, and here's what happens: The driver says, "Do you have enough money to pay me?" Lori answers, "What a silly question! I am much too little to have enough money for a taxi." So the driver says, "Please get out then." Will Lori ever get to Times Square? Maybe with a little help from a very... slow... moving... friend.

The incomparable Maurice Sendak illustrates Amos Vogel's enormously amusing story, which first appeared in 1963 and has been rereleased for a new generation of lucky readers. Lori's melodramatic range of emotions throughout his arduous day is pure delight for fans of Sendak's familiar artwork, as seen in such classics as Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen. Try not to be overly concerned at the idea of a small child wandering the streets of New York alone. This was written in another era, after all, and the silliness factor far outweighs the "unsafe" aspect. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

About the Author

Amos Vogel was born and educated in Vienna and came to America during the War. He founded Cinema 16, which was at one time the world’s largest film society, sat on international film juries, and has written and lectured on films.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 1 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; Re-issue edition (May 22, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060284625
• ISBN-13: 978-0060284626
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 7.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #291,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #47 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Turtles

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Adventure in New York, July 18, 2001

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: How Little Lori Visited Times Square (Hardcover)

All little Lori wanted to do was visit Times Square. But no matter how hard he tried to get there, things just didn't work out. He started at 8th Street and took the subway. But instead of going to Times Square, he ended up at South Ferry. So he took a bus and got off at 242nd Street, nowhere near Times Square. He hailed a taxi, but the driver wouldn't take him to Times Square because he had no money. So he rode the elevated subway, but ended up at his Uncle Eddie's house in Queens. And on and on to Staten Island, Idlewild Airport, Central Park and even the 125th floor of Macy's, but not Times Square. Poor Lori had had enough. He sat down on the sidewalk and cried and that's when the talking turtle came walking by. He knew exactly how to get to Times Square..... Written in 1963, Amos Vogel's charming and clever little story is as fresh today, as it was almost 40 years ago. His simple, spare text is wonderfully complemented by Maurice Sendak's inventive, humorous and familiar artwork and together they've authored an ageless treasure the entire family will enjoy. Perfect for children 4-8, How Little Lori Visited Times Square is a winner and a story youngsters will want to read again and again.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars funny sweet cinematic nyc kids tour with pictures by sendak, April 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: How Little Lori Visited Times Square (Hardcover)

Nice book by my dad about me when i was little with pictures drawn by our friend maurice its funny and sad and goes all around 60's nyc to places that don't all exist anymore.

Your kids will enjoy it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Frustration Dream about Travel Done as Humor, June 22, 2001

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: How Little Lori Visited Times Square (Hardcover)

Almost everyone has a dream now and then when it is impossible to get to where you want to go. In the morning, you may feel more tired than if you had lain awake all night. This book takes that experience, and adds new comic elements to it. Wonderful Maurice Sendak illustrations imaginatively . . . s . . . l . . . o . . . w . . . . . . d . . . o . . . w . . . n . . . . . t . . . h . . . e . . . . . . p . . . a . . . c . . . e.

"(This is a very funny book and should not be read while drinking orange juice or you will spill it!)" Be sure to heed that warning. I suggest drinking nothing more colorful than water.

"One day Lori said to himself: 'I want to see Times Square.'"

Unfortunately, he doesn't quite know where it is or how to get there. He walked to the subway, but ended up at South Ferry. Then a bus took him to 242nd Street. From there, he was soon expelled from a taxi for lack of funds. The elevated subway took him to Uncle Eddie's home in Queens. The boat went to Staten Island. A helicopter flew him to Idlewild Airport (now Kennedy, having been renamed after this book was first published in 1963). A horse and wagon pulled him to the middle of Central Park. A pony trotted him around in circles. Some sea lions just got him wet. An elevator took him to the 125th floor of Macy's (there is no such floor).

He was then crying on the sidewalk, less than 12 blocks from Times Square.

A turtle speaks . . . s . . . l . . . o . . . w . . . l . . . y and tries to help. "So Lori got on, and the turtle started crawling (very slowly of course)."

"AND THIS WAS FOUR MONTHS AGO . . . And nobody has heard from them since . . . ."

The best part of the story is after Lori meets the turtle. Each two-page spread is initially accompanied by only one word, to emphasize the turtle's slowness. Mr. Sendak does a great job of showing how Lori's emotions shift as the turtle continues on speaking slowly.

On the other hand, much of the rest of the book seems somewhat pointless other than to list that there are lots of ways to get around in New York.

A major lesson here is that you need to have both a goal and some idea of how to achieve it. If you don't have a good plan, you had better get a strong partner. This book makes those lessons very well.

Where do you lack clear goals and direction to accomplish those goals? Who can help you quickly to reach effectiveness in your pursuit of the goal? How can you attract their assistance?

Be sure you're moving in the right direction . . . and at the right pace!