1. The Cricket in Times Square by: George Selden Made by: Claudia Blair Conner

2. Characters Mario Mario is a boy who lives in New York City. His family owns a news stand in the subway station. He is very friendly, brave, and caring ! Chester Chester is a cricket Chester is from Connecticut Chester knows how to sing!! Chester LOVES liverwurst!!

3. MORE CHARACTERS Harry Harry is a cat He is best friends with a mouse! He LOVES to sing! He knows how to get food! He lives in a drain pipe Harry is a cat He is best friends with a mouse! He LOVES to sing! He knows how to get food! He lives in a drain pipe Tucker Tucker is a mouse He knows how to SAVE MONEY He is best friends with a cat! He lives in a drain pipe Tucker is a mouse He knows how to SAVE MONEY He is best friends with a cat! He lives in a drain pipe

4. SUMMARY Chester Cricket got much more than he bargained for when he climbed into a picnic basket in his Connecticut meadow. He got a trip all the way to New York City. There, in the Times Square subway station, Mario Bellini, the son of the newsstand owners, finds Chester and makes a home for him in a matchbox. One evening, after the newsstand closes, Chester makes friends with Tucker Mouse and Harry the Cat, who take him above ground to see the sights of the city! He learns how to sing songs and he becomes famous!! He enjoys his friends and adventures that he had or has in New York City but, he decides to go back to Connecticut.

5. About the Author George Selden (Thompson) was born on May 14, 1929. Well-known as the author of The Cricket in Times Square (illustrated by Garth Williams), he was born in Hartford, Connecticut and educated at Loomis School and Yale University. A Fulbright scholarship took him to Italy in 1951 and 1952. His first two books were titles he was soon glad were out of print. As he wrote, “I recount these failures not, Lord knows, to boast, but because, if any unpublished or discouraged children's author reads this, I would like to say, as Noel Coward himself once said to me at a monster literary party where I was the least-known writer, ‘Press on!’" He said his inspiration for his books was J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. Selden’s Cricket in Times Square was a Newbery Honor Book in 1961 and an American Library Association Notable Book for Children. It has appeared in paperback and been televised, and finally, in response to requests for a sequel, Selden wrote Tucker's Countryside, which was his favorite of his books. Mr. Thompson died in December 1989. Geor ge Seld en (Tho mpso n) was born on May 14, 1929. Well - know n as the autho r of Th e Crick et in Times Squar e (illu strate d by Garth Willia ms), he was born in Hartf ord, Conn ecticu t and educa ted at Loomi s Schoo l and Yale Unive rsity. A Fulbri ght schol arship took him to Italy in 1951 and 1952. His first two books were titles he was soon glad were out of print. As he wrote, “I recou nt these failur es not, Lord know s, to boast, but becau se, if any unpu blishe d or disco urage d childr en's autho r reads this, I would like to say, as Noel Cowa rd himse lf once said to me at a mons ter literar y party wher e I was the least- know n writer, ‘Press on!’" He said his inspir ation for his books was J.R.R. Tolkie n’s Lord of the Rings trilog y. Selde n’s Cr icket in Times Squar ewas a Newb ery Honor Book in 1961 and an Ameri can Librar y Associ ation Notab le Book for Childr en. It has appe ared in paper back and been televi sed, and finally, in respo nse to reque sts for a seque l, Selde n wrote Tuck er's Count ryside, which was his favori te of his books. Mr. Thom pson died in Dece mber 1989.