The Cricket in Times Square (Chester Cricket and His Friends, 1)

I read this book as a child. It's a warmhearted story. It makes a great gift.

In today’s world of slop piled into the trough of libraries, it’s a wonder to find a book which so encapsulates the goodness and wonder we seem to have lost. A glorious read.

Great books for reading to kids! Makes far a great read at a couple chapters per night. Good for all ages.

When i first picked up this book, I couldn't put it down anymore. It brings you on this joyful adventure, set beneath the streets of the well known Times square. There, in an old drainage pipe, lives Tucker mouse, with his best friend Harry cat in a wonderful companionship. When the two friends meet a dirty cricket, that came all the way from Connecticut, and loves chirping little compositions, they need to help the confused cricket get used to the big City's lifestyle. Also trying to save the decreasing buisness of a poor family's newsstand, the animals stay together, even when it seems hopeless. A story of true Friendship, Happiness and the relationship between a boy and a cricket.

I bought this book for my 9year old for Christmas remembering how much I had liked it when I was young. Although he is an excellent reader it is sometimes hard to get him to actually sit down and read. When he first opened the gift he seemed genuinely disappointed to see that it was a book and not a video game, but once he started reading it took him little time to finish it on his own. Not only that, he has asked me to get another book from the series.

This is a good book because it’s about friendship and love between a small little cricket named Chester and somehow he got transported to New York and he found a cat and a mouse to be friends with. They live in a drain pipe next to a newsstand and there is a kid named Mario who owns the newsstand with his mom and dad. I think this is a good story because it’s very cute and kind of sad at the end though. But it’s a good book. - CCH age 7

I have loved this book for over 50 years. I read it in grade school, read it to my children when they were in grade school and just finished reading it to my grandson who is in grade school. Magazines and newspapers, newsstands and soda shops, they might be disappearing but the story of Chester Cricket, Harry the Cat, Tucker Mouse and the Belinis are timeless.

I never read this book as a child but chose it based on the reviews to read aloud to my 6 year old daughter. I am very discerning when it comes to books. I absolutely adored this book and so did my daughter. It made me think about all the fluff and poor writing that exists for children's literature. Just because they are young doesn't mean that they shouldn't be treated to beautiful writing. I cried at several points (and re-read many passages because they were so breathtaking), and my daughter cried when it was over. We also read Tucker's Countryside, which was a close second to this book, and finished with Harry Kitten and Tucker Mouse (my least favorite) and Chester's Pigeon Ride (a distant third). I would recommend this and Tucker's Countryside in a heartbeat. And I look forward to my daughter reading it on her own in the near future.

My sister and I really enjoyed this book (10, 7) we chose 5 stars because this story has such cute animals and they brought peace and happiness to humans, can't wait to read book 2.

Very nice read for middle schoolers

Excellent book

Lo he comprado para una estudiante de primer año de secundaria

Perfect gift for mouse loving great niece. I hear it's a good series. Hope to find the rest of the books.