Amazon.com
One night, the sounds of New York City--the rumbling of subway trains, thrumming of automobile tires, hooting of horns, howling of brakes, and the babbling of voices--is interrupted by a sound that even Tucker Mouse, a jaded inhabitant of Times Square, has never heard before. Mario, the son of Mama and Papa Bellini, proprietors of the subway-station newsstand, had only heard the sound once. What was this new, strangely musical chirping? None other than the mellifluous leg-rubbing of the somewhat disoriented Chester Cricket from Connecticut. Attracted by the irresistible smell of liverwurst, Chester had foolishly jumped into the picnic basket of some unsuspecting New Yorkers on a junket to the country. Despite the insect's wurst intentions, he ends up in a pile of dirt in Times Square.

Mario is elated to find Chester. He begs his parents to let him keep the shiny insect in the newsstand, assuring his bug-fearing mother that crickets are harmless, maybe even good luck. What ensues is an altogether captivating spin on the city mouse/country mouse story, as Chester adjusts to the bustle of the big city. Despite the cricket's comfortable matchbox bed (with Kleenex sheets); the fancy, seven-tiered pagoda cricket cage from Sai Fong's novelty shop; tasty mulberry leaves; the jolly company of Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat; and even his new-found fame as "the most famous musician in New York City," Chester begins to miss his peaceful life in the Connecticut countryside. The Cricket in Times Square--a Newbery Award runner-up in 1961--is charmingly illustrated by the well-loved Garth Williams, and the tiniest details of this elegantly spun, vividly told, surprisingly suspenseful tale will stick with children for years and years. Make sure this classic sits on the shelf of your favorite child, right next to The Wind in the Willows. (Ages 9 to 12)Book Description
After Chester lands, in the Times Square subway station, he makes himself comfortable in a nearby newsstand. There, he has the good fortune to make three new friends: Mario, a little boy whose parents run the falling newsstand, Tucker, a fast-talking Broadway mouse, and Tucker's sidekick, Harry the Cat. The escapades of these four friends in bustling New York City makes for lively listening and humorous entertainment. And somehow, they manage to bring a taste of success to the nearly bankrupt newsstand.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (114)

Charming book
I preview all of the books I assign to my kids to read. I enjoyed this one. Vivid descriptions allowed me to vividly imagine the scene and hear the music the cricket plays. This is a book I will have my 11 and 13 year-old read.

Charming personified animal characters, good story.
My daughter loved the book, and we have given copies of it several times as birthday presents, to 7-9 year old friends.I bought this CD as a gift for my 7 y.o. nephew, who wanted Books on CD so could listen in the car.This is a quality children's story, which adults can enjoy too.A good adventure, without buying into a whole series and marketing machine!Boy and Mom love The Cricket in Times Square book on CD.

Beautiful reading of a classic
An engaging dramatic reading of this fabulous animal adventure and story about friendship. This is great for a car trip.

Racist Book
This book portrays very old racist stereotypes of Chinese people.It portrays Chinese people as speaking in stereotypical accents with all r's replaced by l's.It portrays Chinese people as not knowing when to stop bowing to each other.It portrays Chinese people wearing Japanese Kimono's.If you MUST buy this awful ignorant book, do not let your child read it without teaching them about the racism and teaching them how not to be as ignorant.

A bug and his buds

This is a fun book.It's a nice book to read a chapter at a time as a bedtime book, because nothing particularly stressful or traumatic happens.The chapters are reasonable short and benign.There is tension, there is some drama, there are rich characters struggling with their individual challenges.But there aren't many chapters ending on cliffhangers that will leave young readers or listeners feeling unsettled.

The strength of the book is the warm friendship between a displaced country cricket, a scheming but kind-hearted urban rodent, and an unflappable feline.There is also the human protagonist, Mario, a young boy who labors in Grand Central Station at his parent's newsstand.Mario's family dynamic, with the passive dad and the hard-boiled, derisive mother, sets up a nice juxtaposition.We see the sweet sap of childhood innocence standing its ground against a well-meaning but distrustful adult world.

I bought this book to read to my kids because I remember loving it so much as a little kid myself, both the book and the filmstrip adaptation, which I believe I can picture myself watching in an overcrowded mobile home that was functioning as a second grade classroom.

There's one distressing flaw to the book, which I don't remember from my own childhood because I wouldn't have noticed or cared at the time, but there is a part of the book that takes place in China Town, where it feels as if the story gets a dose of 1950's borcht belt race humor. The wise old Chinese man's dialect is achieved by switching every `R' into an `L.'As is "Vely solly."Since I was reading it to my kids, I just improvised a little and avoided doing the accent, but if an older kid is reading the book for themselves it merits a discussion.A little social-historical context.

That aside, we had a great time reading this book.The part I am asked to reread is when Chester Cricket, while dreaming that he is home eating leaves, waked up and realizes he's half-chewed through a two dollar bill borrowed from the newsstand register.There's brief panic and then excited brain-storming with his mammalian accomplices.As always, some credit goes to my unsubtle vocal performance, and I'm sorry, you can't buy that at Amazon.But it is funny stuff.

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Book Description

A man with a painful past.A child with a doubtful future.And a shared journey toward healing for both their hearts.

It begins on the shaded town square in a sleepy Southern town.A spirited seven-year-old has a brisk business at her lemonade stand.Her latest customer, a bearded stranger, drains his cup and heads to his car, his mind on a boat he's restoring at a nearby lake.But the little girl's pretty yellow dress can't quite hide the ugly scar on her chest.The stranger understands more about it than he wants to admit.And the beat-up bread truck careening around the corner with its radio blaring is about to change the trajectory of both their lives.

Before it's over, they'll both know there are painful reasons why crickets cry...and that miracles lurk around unexpected corners.

Customer Reviews (52)

Heart Lifting
I'm not very good at reviewing books all I can say is that When Crickets Cry is one of the best books I've read. It'll make you cry, laugh and the wonders of the heart...literally and spiritually.

When Crickets Cry
I loved this book!My brother in law has had a heart and kidney transplant, my son has had a bone marrow transplant and needs a kidney transplant.So I could really relate to this book and the struggles of those awaiting transplants.All that aside, this book is warm, touching and tugs at the heart strings.It deals with many of the trials of life and the gift of healing.I recommend it very highly!

Perfect for a Book Club
What a fantasic read.Very vivid. A story straight from the heart for the heart.

What a Story!!!
REVIEW:Annie Stephens is a 6 year old child who lives near a small town square in a slow paced Georgia town. She is a little girl on a mission.Annie runs a lemonade stand the same time of day.The sign on her stand reads 50 cents a glass Refills Free.Annie's stand sits on the same corner everyday raising funds for her new heart.All the towns people know this and stop by for lemonade. They pay for refills and take the time to enjoy this little one.

Reese is new in town and meets Annie at her lemonade stand one day.Annie is full of questions for him. She is like a detective. Reese answers the Annie's questions. He enjoys this girl. She reminds him of someone he use to know.Someone who had this girls same vibrant spirit, same zest for life, same kind of heart that could love and the same sick heart.

Soon after meeting Annie tradgedy occurs! Reese is thrust into trying to save Annie's life.The choices that Reese makes will change both of their lives forever.

Charles Martin tells a story like no other.You'll laugh, cry, and enjoy this cozy town. The characters will stay with you long after you finish reading this book.This story made me reflect on my life, and what God has called me to do.It made me reflect on how to find the joy in this life.Reading this was definately an experience I will not forget and something I really enjoyed.

When Crickets Cry
The book truly was one of the best written ones I've read~I've never read one of his books before, but definetely will again~ ... Read more

Amazon.com
"I'm as quick as a cricket, I'm as slow as a snail. I'm as small as an ant, I'm as large as a whale." Parents and teachers choose this big square book for the message of self-confidence. Toddlers love it for the singsong phrases and Don Wood's large, silly, endearing illustrations, which feature a boy mimicking different kinds of animals. At one point, he is pictured sipping tea formally with a fancy poodle ("I'm as tame as a poodle") and on the very next page he is swinging through trees ("I'm as wild as a chimp"). Whether brave or shy, strong or weak, in the end the young boy celebrates all different, apparently contradictory parts of himself. With a confident grin, he lifts his arms up and declares, "Put it all together and you've got ME!" (Baby to age 6)Book Description
Mrs. Honey and her cat find themselves in each other's dreams.They fly and fall and fight off sharks with knitting needles.They almost drown and are rescued by sailors, attacked by pirates and saved by Mrs. Honey's cakes, only to end up walking the plank into the briny drink!And then...and then...they wake up!So, that's how you get rid of pirates! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

test of time
This book made its way to our home from my in-laws' home.It was my husband's book when he was a child, and now it is our daughters FAVORITE book.. It is such a great book, so much fun to read, and she's only 13 months old so it's nice to read a non-board book for a change!I am now looking for other stories by this author.

Great
One of the best illustrated books for young children. I read it to my children and now my grandchildren love it.

Big Fun
Kids love it.This is a consistent 'go to' for my my infant daughter, and we enjoy reading it to her too.Big, bright, and imaginative pictures and a warm little poem.The premise is simple: a child imagines that he/she has all of the superlative attributes of several different animals ('quick as a cricket').I don't know if this is considered a classic (yet), but I think it's a must for the kids' shelves.

A favorite book!
Let's be honest....Don't we as parents dread reading some books to our kids?? (If you are like me, some end up 'disappearing' after a while!) Well, this is one book that I enjoyed reading as much as my dds enjoyed listening to it!The pictures on each page draw you in, and the dialog is fun to read! (I had fun changing my voice around according to the animal on each page!) Though my dds are almost teenagers, we still can't part with this book!

Love this book
My kids enjoyed this book and, as a speech therapist, I love using this book for language lessons for ages 3-7. The younger ones enjoy the story and get in some practice using opposites.With the older ones, I have them practice using comparisons (I'm as ___ as a ____)after hearing the story.I've even used it in a K-1 Sunday School class for teaching the idea of how a person feels differently at different times. ... Read more

Product Description
Eric Carle. A quiet little cricket who dreams of rubbing his wings together to make a sound just like so many other animals finally achieves his goal, in a board book edition of the classic picture book that comes complete with a chirping cricket sound. 28 pages. Trim size 8.62" x 11.83".Amazon.com
A cricket is born who cannot talk! A bigger cricket welcomes him to the world, then a locust, a cicada, and many other insects, but each time the tiny cricket rubs his wings together in vain: no sound emerges. In the end, however, he meets another quiet cricket, and manages to find his "voice." Children will love the repetitive text as they meet a steady parade of new creatures (including a "spittlebug, slurping in a sea of froth"); and of course they'll delight in the happy ending. This is one of a series of large (11.5 by 8.5 inches) format Eric Carle books with a mechanical twist: in this case, the quiet cricket bursts into (surprisingly authentic) electronic song as you turn the last page. (The battery is replaceable.) An amusement for the ears, but most of all--as ever, with Carle--a feast for the eyes. The colorful cut-paper illustrations are simply gorgeous, drawing you in even on the hundredth reading. (And there will be a hundredth reading, followed by many more.) (Baby to preschool) --Richard Farr ... Read more

Customer Reviews (40)

Favorite Book!
My kids love this book and it's my favorite to read to them. If you love Eric Carle you must have this book.

A definite favorite
This is probably one of my son's favorite Eric Carle books.The repetitive text can be a trifle annoying until you realize it encourages your child to "read along" with you, which is great.

Unique Story - Great Illustrations
My daughter (18 mos) and I love this book. I especially like the story as it is unique. A great way to introduce children to different types of bugs. None of the bug names are hard to pronounce, but then again, I was an amateur entymologist in my formitive years. *wink*And the ending with the cricket chirping is very cute. I like this one as much as his other well known books: hungry caterpillar, busy spider, brown bear, polar bear, panda bear, do kangaroos have mothers too, etc etc. Definitely add this book to your Carle Collection.

Great Book
This is a great one!We read this one over and over and over.

A darling book
A darling childrens book about finding your own voice! The poor little cricket so badly wants to sing, but only when he's ready, and with a little love and encouragement, finally sings his song. A lovely book not only for young ones, but also a nice "reminder" lesson for adults. ... Read more

Product Description
A vampire, a psychic and a werewolf walk into a bar on Alpha Prime... (from 1,001 Stellar Jokes)Thomas and Rick have a stable partnership, exploring the stars and skirting the law. Vampire and companion for decades, they fill their downtime aboard their ship the Sleepwalker with sex and banter. Lately they've felt that something, or someone, is missing in their relationship. Rick believes it's a woman, one destined to complete them and become their perfect long-term third.Harriet isn't content with her life as a bank repo officer. She'd really like a desk job in Accounting, but corporate assignments are limited for a werewolf with unusual talents. Getting down and dirty with her marks isn't her practice, but she has no idea what sensual delights the latest deadbeats she's sent to collar have in mind.From the moment they meet, the trio is ensnared in a web of desire, heat and danger as they untangle a conspiracy and race to head off unthinkable disaster. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

LOTS OF SEX BUT A LITTLE BORING!
I love the way it starts because its sex immediately.I like that in my erotic romance...if you are going to read it why wait.I skipped through quite a bit because I was bored.Sex scenes good but not enough and too much blah, blah, blah in between.Hope this helps.

ROGUES is a thrilling novel of intrigue, hot sex, lots of laughter, and unforgettable characters.
Thomas and Rick have been together for thirty years.Thomas is a vampire and Rick is a psychic.Rick's neck bears the marks that designate him a vampire's companion.They've become lovers over the years but they still can't help but feel like something is missing or someone. Both men desire a woman to join them as a long-term third, and Rick's senses have picked up on a particular woman who would be perfect.They just have to find her.

Harriet hates her job as a bank repo officer.What she really wants is a desk job in accounting but as a werewolf with unusual abilities her options are rather limited.While she's at the Sedilous Tavern looking for a couple of specific deadbeats she'll check for other marks that could earn her a bounty.To her surprise someone in the bar also has psi power and is using it to try to draw her toward him and his companion.

What Harriet finds most disturbing about the psi's `touch' is the fact it's familiar. She'd felt it less than twenty-four hours ago.When she finally caves in and allows herself to look at the man, she realizes she's seen both him and his vampire `friend' before - in a file.There's a bounty on them which she fully intends to claim.Only things start to go very wrong.The reason for there being a bounty on them, defaulting on loan payments, appears to be bogus.Harriet can't help but be attracted to both men despite their ship, the Sleepwalker's computer, Elvie.Is there any hope for a lifetime relationship among the three of them once the truth behind the disappearing payments becomes known?

ROGUES is a thrilling novel of intrigue, hot sex, lots of laughter, and unforgettable characters.Thomas, Rick, and Harriet form a bond which is very easy to envy.Each one plays a vital part in their relationship, not just sexually but as a team outside of bed as well.Even Elvie will touch readers hearts with her obvious jealously of Harriet in `her' men's life.As if the mind-boggling goings-on between these four isn't enough to keep you reading, there's the question of where did Thomas and Rick's loan payments disappear to, how did they do it, and why?If you enjoy futuristic/paranormal storylines then Liddy Midnight and Cricket Starr have penned the perfect novel for you to indulge your need for something extraordinary.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies) ... Read more

Book Description
A reputation as a small town busybody sleuth. A gum-cracking boss who keeps calling her "babe." Now a suicidal phone stalker? Great.

After solving the messy mystery of her neighborhood handyman's lye-induced death, thirty-something Sophie Mae Reynolds makes preserves by day and answers phones at a crisis center by night. What better way to keep a low profile? But on her very first night, Sophie Mae gets a call from a man who is threatening suicide . . . and her. Overhearing the caller's irate outbursts, her morally bankrupt boss Philip Heaven severs the line. As harassing calls to her home increase, Philip comes down with a deadly case of food poisoning. And his eerie last words keep ringing in Sophie Mae's ears: "Threat. Meant it." Now stirring up the town with talk of murder-by-preserves, Sophie Mae and her hunky boyfriend Detective Barr are on a blood-red trail of rancid beets to find and stop the crafty killer. ... Read more

Book Description
Whether you’re a weekend cricketer or aspiring armchair expert, Cricket For Dummies helps you make sense of this fascinating sport. Not just a jargon busting guide to cricket’s laws, techniques and tactics, it also contains advice on kitting yourself out and provides lessons on playing the game and improving your batting, bowling and fielding skills. For the budding fan, there’s a guide to the greatest players, the memorable matches, and a tour through the cricketing scene – both domestic and international – giving you the knowledge you need to fully appreciate this special game.

Julian Knight is a BBC journalist, writer, and cricket enthusiast. He is a former youth coach and captain, and has been a club cricketer for over 20 years.
Consultant Editor Gary Palmer played first class cricket for ten years with Somerset before becoming a professional coach. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Depends what you were hoping for
I was a bit disappointed in this book because I was hoping to learn about cricket so that I could better understand when I am watching a match. About half this book is spent on tips on how to play and practice cricket.

Great reference for US cricket enthusiasts
I fell in love with Cricket while deployed to Diego Garcia several years ago.We watched Cricket matches broadcast to on South African satellite TV.For anyone who hasn't a clue what the game is all about, this book is a FABULOUS read.Though most of the references to teams and County Cricket are obviously more meaningful to British readers, the level of detail and explanation is great for US fans.Breakdowns on the fielding, bowling, and batting aspects of the game flow smoothly and are extremely easy to follow.The history and current state of the game sections give you a real feel for just how very large Cricket is in the rest of the world and makes my sorry we can't embrace what is really the most civilized of sporting events still being played. (What 300 pound lineman would be caught dead taking "Drinks" or the "Tea Interval" at halftime at the Super Bowl?!)Pick up a copy and get a good handle on the great game that we turned into baseball!

Great Introduction
Having known little, and with a need to get up-to-speed quickly - trip to England and daughter's (in school there) boyfriend a cricket "nut" - this fit the bill nicely. ... Read more

Book Description
Cricket Explained offers the sports enthusiast a user-friendly introduction to baseball's British cousin, a game that shares with America's national pastime the common ancestor "rounders".

This is the definitive beginner's guide to the game of cricket, written by a world authority on the sport, the co-inventor of the Coopers & Lybrand World Cricket Ratings System. Cricket Explained takes the reader from the game's fundamentals -- basic rules, terminology, equipment -- to the finer points of strategy, individual playing styles, and cricket lore.

The book includes a combined glossary/index for easy reference and is illustrated throughout with the lighthearted drawings of British cartoonist Mark Stevens. So even if you don't know "short leg" from "silly mid off" or a bowler from a batsman, you'll come away from Cricket Explained with an understanding for this truly international sport which, like baseball, is loved both for its elegant simplicity and its vexing complexity.

Among the topics covered in Cricket Explained's concise, user-friendly entries are:
-- Cricket's history
-- Making sense of the action on the field
-- Batsmen and the batting order
-- Fielders and fielding positions
-- Fielding and batting tactics
-- Scoring and statistics
-- Bowling strategy
-- How many players are required
-- How runs are scored, outs are made, and a game is won
-- Umpires and the rules
-- Bowlers and their individual styles
-- Different types of cricket played throughout the world ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

A great book for the novice
I caught the cricket bug recently, but didn't really know what the game was all about. This book covers play, rules and general information about the game in an entertaining manner.

Nice and Quick Reference
This book can be both used as a reference and an introduction to Cricket. It explains some of the more difficult concepts and terms in a quick and easy-to-understand manner.

Cricket is NOTHING like baseball!!!
For years, my West Indies friends have said "Cricket is just like baseball" and I just couldn't get it.Mr. Eastaway does a fantastic job of explaining the terminology and the rules so that I can now watch a match and understand fully what's going on.Mostly I learned not to ask "why they call it that" because, as he says, for some words, there is no logical explanation.

A fantastic guide for the recently initiated
I had the pleasure of catching two of the five days of an England test match against South Africa at the Oval during a recent holiday in London.As an American and an avid baseball fan, all I had ever heard of cricket was "boring", "incomprehensible" and, yet again, "boring".I found my two days at the Oval fascinating and was fortunate enough to not only have the patience to pay attention to the game during those two days, but also to stumble upon this great book at a bookstore on Fulham.I was even more fortunate to find the book between the two days I attended, read it from cover to cover, and have become a bit of a pest now to my American nonbelieving friends.Cricket is a great sport and if you want the quick and dirty, well here it is.From Googly to Howzhat, it's all here.Now I know enough to pester my Indian neighbors during the next test match.I wish I had this book last year during the World Cup.Great read.

Informative and amusing at the same time
This book is best suited to somebody who has witnessed some cricket without having a clue what was going on.The book is filled with answers to questions typical of the ones a novice might ask (why do they all wear white? don't they all get bored? who's WINNING???).Fun cartoons throughout.I understand that the UK edition of this book is called 'what is a googly?'. ... Read more

Book Description
Cocoa butter soap, check. Lemon lip balm, check. A dead body?

That's just what Sophie Mae Reynolds finds in her workroom: the corpse of Walter Hanover, the neighborhood handyman. He died from drinking lye, something she has in good supply. But the police don't suspect Sophie Mae, a thirty-something widow who makes and sells beauty products. Instead they call it a suicide. But why would a man with lottery cash and a loving fiancée kill himself?

No one can stop the impulsive Sophie Mae from answering this riddle, not her sensible best friend Meghan or Detective Ambrose, who incites annoyance as well as stomach flutters. Sophie Mae's big mouth and sharp nose lead her to a peppermint-scented trail of arson, bigamy, and a shocking family secret that reveals a personal connection to Walter . . . and his killer.

This crafty new series features real recipes and a blundering, yet lovable, amateur sleuth who brings a fresh face to cozy mysteries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

lye in wait
I am very pleased to have found a new mystery series. "Lye in Wait" was a page turner, & I stayed up way too late reading it. The prose really flows, & there are no lulls in the action. The first person narration was great, & I ended up loving Sophie Mae more than the mystery.

three books in one!
Not only do we get a good mystery story, but also recipes for making soap, lip balm and bath crystals--with great tips throughout the book--along with instructions on how to run your own business. I still can picture the characters clearly and there were portions where I laughed out loud. Very cleverly written...loved it!

A very intriguing story
McRae definitely knows how to craft a story. This is a great read that keeps your interest from the first page. Sophie Mae Reynolds just can't stop wondering why poor Walter Hanover would commit suicide. She forges ahead for answers, even though she often gets the feeling she should mind her own business. 'Lye in Wait' is full of surprises: I could not put this book down and I can't wait for the sequel. Go Sophie Mae!

Hooked from the beginning
From the very first sentence I was hooked.The author has crafted a story full of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the murderer is revealed at the end.Fun to read, I couldn't put it down! ... Read more

Book Description
Crash!  One minute Chester Cricket is calmly sifting inside his stump house.  The next thing he knows, the roof is collapsing upon him!  Left without a home, Chester is forced to move in with one neighbor after another in Tucker's Countryside.  Nothing works out quite right--John Robin throws loud all-night parties, Henry and Emily Chipmunk are too tidy, and Donald Dragonfly's twig is much too small for both of them.  Even his good pal Walter Water Snake can't help joking about Chester's predicament.  All of his friends have found a happy home.  Will Chester ever find a place to call his own? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Another page turner
My son read Cricket in Times Square in school and enjoyed it so much he asked me to get him this book.He found this a good read and is now planning to read the Pigeon Ride.

This is a wonderful book !!!
I love lots of diffrent kinds of books and I loved lots of theones I've read and I loved these books and they are in my top list. Irecommend these books to children who like adventure and fun in their books. Also I think it's very good for moms or dads to read to their children for bedtime stories and together time.

IT WAS SO BORING I ONLY READ HALF OF IT!
I absolutely loathed it.IT WAS HORRID,HORRIBLE,AND THEY REALLY NEED BETTER PICTURES!

super-dooper charm
Chester Cricket , a cricket who lost his home beacause two overweight women sat on an old stump which he he lived in. In this charming story Chester is seaching for a new house to livein.He searches and searches but no house suits him.A must read! ... Read more

Book Description
"Chee! Chee!"Inside Jay's dark pocket Cricket began fiddling. The talking stopped.Everybody listened.A Caldecott Honor classic that celebrates friendship and new experiences-back in print on its 40th anniversary One afternoon late in August, before the start of a new school year, Jay finds Cricket. Cricket fits just right in small spaces-like under a tea strainer or in Jay's very own pocket-and Cricket makes the most exciting sounds. But what happens when it's time to go back to school? Will Cricket come too?Forty years after its original publication, this charming tale continues to capture the imaginative world of a child. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

country story
Jay is a young man who enjoys his country life.In the picture book we join his as he explores the country side where he lives.On his adventures he finds a cricket and decides to keep him.He has to start school soon and decides to take him to class with him.The cricket starts to make his noise and the teacher lets Jay share the cricket for show and tell.

The book showed that even bugs can be good pets.It was a little long for a picture book and kids might have a hard time sitting still through the whole story.
I would recommend this book for kids ages 6-10.Kids who enjoy country life will identify well with the main character, Jay

An excellent children's book with beautiful illustrations
A lyrical, beautifully written story which captures the imagination of children and adults.The writing is so wonderfully descriptive that you can taste the sweet and sour appleas and hear the sound of the cricket. This story was one of my favorites, as a child, and now it is a favorite ofmy nieces and nephews. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Entertaining and clear!
With ex-pat family in Britain, I had to find out why they'd be so hot for cricket after years of baseball.This well-illustrated guide takes one carefully through the complexities of the game, along with classic British witticisms and acknowledgement of its idiosyncracies.After reading it, I called family and said, "I now know what a googly is."They didn't, so I sent the book on.I also can read sports articles on games and understand them.You too can learn about mid silly and off leg.Have fun! ... Read more

Book Description
This story, along with crickets that really chirp, teaches children the joy of praising God. Vivid illustrations and four lines of rhythmic text on each page are sure to delight young children. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Wonderful fun and great lyrics!!
My son 18m loves this book and the bright pictures. He can finally click the crickets heads correctly but does not need to to stay interested. The flowers, frogs, birds....all are a part of reading and finding and now counting during our book time.

my 2 year old loves this one...
This book is fun for my two year old daughter because it is interactive (she clicks the crickets before I turn the next page).Also, it is a beautiful story about praising God and joining in with everyone else (the owl, the frog, the mouse, etc...) to bring glory to our Father in heaven.Finally, the illustrations throughout this book are beautiful & I love the color palletes chosen.Definitely worthwhile for your little one. ... Read more

Book Description

Amazon.com
Old Cricket didn't get to be a ripe old age "by being a dumb bug." No,sir. When his wife asks him to ready their roof for the winter, he fakesa knee injury to weasel out of it. When she sends him off to Doc Hopper,he hobbles out of the house "with a creak-creak-creak in case hismissus was watching." On his way, he meets up with his cousin Katydid,who needs help with some berry-picking. He fakes yet another ailment--acrick in his neck--and wobbles off "with a creak-creak-creak, anda crick-crick-crick, in case Katydid was watching." All (meaningOld Cricket's nap) would have gone according to plan, surely, if the bugdidn't encounter Old Crow, a bird who didn't get to be a ripe old age"by being a birdbrain." Old Crow wants to eat Old Cricket, and by thetime our leggy anti-hero escapes the crow's clutches, the connivingcricket has developed some very real ailments. The team behind thewonderful Sailor Moo: Cowat Sea succeeds again in creating a delightfully cleverread-aloud with plenty of rhythm, repetition, and winning wordplay.Ponder Goembel's skillful, larger-than-life illustrations (my, whathairy legs the crickets have!) suit the good-natured fable to a T. (Ages4 to 8) --Karin SnelsonBook Description
Old Cricket tells his missus why he can't fix the roof -- "I woke with a creak in my knee, dear wife."

He tells Cousin Katydid why he can't pick berries -- "I woke with a creak in my knee and a crick in my neck."

He tells Uncle Ant why he can't harvest corn -- "I woke with a creak in my knee, a crick in my neck, and a crack in my back....I'm off to see Doc Hopper."

But before he gets there, Old Crow comes calling. "Caw-caw-caw," he says, hungrily. And caw is one C-word Old Cricket can't relish.

The creators of Sailor Moo present a second critter comedy, full of wordplay and antic animation.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

No dumb bug
This book is absolutely my favorite to read to my kids. Stories that I can make come to life and create some adreneline in them are fabulous and this one certainly does it. We stumbled across it at the library and I HAD to order it -- not to be found in a brick and mortar book store. Get it today! You'll be reading it forever!

Check out "Storms Comin" too.

Crick a little, crack a little, crick crick crick (crick a lot, creak a little more)
There are few things I like better in this world than finding a great new read-aloud picture book for my library storytimes.Maybe Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream, but that's about it.For me, a book that reads well to large screaming hoards of five-year-olds is worth its weight in gold.I don't know how I missed the publication of "Old Cricket" back in 2003, but I give you my solemn word of honor that it will rarely find itself anywhere but in my finest storytime collection from now on.

On a fine clear morning Old Cricket wakes up on the wrong side of bed.He's feeling particularly cantankerous and his missus tells him in no uncertain terms to fix the roof."You don't get to be an old cricket by being a dumb bug" the text informs us, so Cricket makes up an imaginary creak in his knee to get out of the job.While en route to the doctor (or so his wife thinks) he meets up with his cousin, Katydid.She asks him to help pick some berries off the bush, but Old Cricket adds a fake crick in his neck to accompany the supposed creak in his knee.You see where this is going.Ants ask him to help them bring in the last of the corn and a crack in his back is the additional malady.It's only when he meets up with Old Crow who wants to eat him that his tricks no longer work ("You don't get to be an old crow by being a birdbrain") and he develops every physical ailment that he invented in the process of running away.In the end, Cricket does visit Doc Hopper (who's name will remind certain members of my generation of the villain in "The Muppet Movie", I'm sure) and is cured.So it's homeward to fix the roof and a happy ending for one and all.

The text reads aloud beautifully with lots of different voices, plenty of "cricks" "creaks" and "cracks" to sound out the text, and a fast-paced chase sequence for those who weren't paying attention at the beginning.Author Lisa Wheeler has slowly been making a name for herself and I look forward to reading other titles of hers like "Sailor Moo".The repetition in this book works beautifully for younger readers and I daresay this would make an excellent storytelling tale sans book if it came to that.

Not that you should forget about the gorgeous pictures accompanying the text.Rendered in acrylic paints, artist Ponder Goembel (who's first name I may well steal for my own child someday) throws her back into this book.Every animal here is rendered realistically with a kind of gently shaded sheen.Leaves sport natural holes and bites, and though every animal (with the exception of the nudist ants) wears clothing in this tale, it never looks unnatural or out of place.Old Cricket, for example, doffs a worn red cap and what looks to be a fisherman's vest when he goes out into the world.I especially enjoyed the little details that appeared here and there.Old Cricket has only one antennae, a fact that becomes crystal clear when he and the missus (also lacking that particular protuberance) pose in a final touching shot.Even if your child is not reading on their own yet, they'll be delightedly poring through this book for hours and hours on end.

I certainly hope that "Old Cricket" won itself a fair share of awards the year it came out.This book needs to be on every reading list in the country for kids below the age of... oh say.... 72.Funny, fine, and frantic, it is the kind of book every author of folktales hopes to write and so few actually do.

A true keeper
This book was absolutely great. My 7 year old thought it was funny and we had a lot of fun in the creak-creak-creak and the crick-crick-cricks.Besides being an entertaining story, the underlying message about excuses and what goes around comes around couldn't be better.

Wonderful!
Old Cricket is a delight!Having read Wheeler's other books, this one was another jewel to add to our growing home library.You don't get to be a smart cooky unless you read the best books, and Wheeler knows exactly what we like!

Great Classroom Book!
Another one from the talented Lisa Wheeler! It is perfect for a teacher gift. . .there are SO many learning strands that it applies to! as well as to the person in your life that just wants a delightful story.

A read aloud that is sure to please!:)) ... Read more

Book Description
In a California garden on a rainy night, Cricket feels small and worthless.He hops up some steps and finds himself in a place filled with light and warmth and a tall, sparkling tree.He begins to sing but is scared into silence by two voices, one big and one small.It is then that he makes a marvelous discovery. Eve Bunting's text is filled with her customary tenderness and charm, and Timothy Bush has captured its mood in his luminous illustrations.Together they create a memorable holiday book about a cricket who discovers that though he may be small, he is not insignificant. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Song of Angels.....
"It was cold in the garden.Cricket felt small and worthless in the bigness of night..."He hops up icy steps, under a big door, across sleek floors, into a warm room, "and over to a tall tree with stars clinging to it."He hopped onto a branch and began to sing.And that's when he hears the voices of father and child discussing the songs of angels."Did you know that angels sing in the songs of birds, and frogs and people and crickets?" the big voice asked..."The child didn't know that and neither did Cricket."He was small, then.But not worthless.What a great discovery!"Eve Bunting's simple, gentle text is poetic, and complemented by Timothy Bush's stunning and expressive illustrations.Together word and art celebrate the wonders of the holiday season in a warm and touching way.Perfect for little ones 3-7, Christmas Cricket is just right for quiet, read aloud cuddling, and is a sweet and lovely story to help ring in the holidays."And in his hiding place Cricket rubbed his wings, one against the other for his own joy, and sang and sang, and sang." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Wonderful
This book is wonderful.Though it is listed as a Kids Book, it is moving for any adult.I can not read it to my children without at least one tear.I would recommend it as a gift for anyone 5 - 105! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great book for Americans to get started in Cricket
G'day , I found Coaching Youth Cricket by Australian Cricket Boardvery useful in launching an inschool program in Kansas and across the USA teaching PE Teachers about the game of cricket and also educate parents new to the game , what it was all about.I highly reccomend it. to find out more about jr cricket in the usa i also recomend checking out HotShotCricket.com and USJuniorcricket.org
if you are interested in learning about Cricket this book will help.
Edward.

A great resource for cricket coaches!
I coach youth cricket in Colorado (USA) with programs in both the community and at the elementary school level. I have found this book a wonderful resource for interesting drills. I have also expanded and modified their drills for American children to create additional drills for my program.

I believe this book is a MUST for anyone serious about mainstreaming cricket in the US, and more specifically teaching children (who live anywhere!) cricket.

The ACB has approved this; remember they have created the worlds best cricket side, arguably, best ever. Why not learn from the best, using their tools and resources? This is one affordable vehicle one should consider for your children and adult cricket program!

For more information on our implementation, visit us at ColoradoJuniorCricket.Org.

Useful for a Novice American!
I am currently researching sports not regularly played in the USA and how they are played by both children and adults.Cricket is the first on my list.Considering the fact that my "world of sports" has only included baseball, basketball, American football, and hockey, I find this book quite helpful.It speaks in terms the total novice can understand and it seems to adequately describe children's involvement in the game.

Contains useless information and boring
I have read this book and I found the information contained within it to be so useless that it was actually quite boring to read with nothing new or informative to learn.I believe I would have better spent my money on other cricket coaching books which are much cheaper and in my view contain quality information regarding the coaching of cricket for all ages, youths included. I guess I forgot the golden rule "never judge a book by its cover". ... Read more