Homeschool Literature: George Selden
What happens when you hear something unexpected?
For George Selden, it was the sound of a cricket chirping in the Times Square subway station. That tiny, surprising sound became the inspiration for The Cricket in Times Square, a beloved children’s classic about a country cricket who finds himself far from home—and discovers that he has a special gift to share.
Author Spotlight: George Selden and the Magic of Music in Story
Selden was born in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1929. He studied at Yale University and later spent a year in Rome on a Fulbright Scholarship before beginning his writing career. He wrote more than fifteen books and two plays, but he is best known for The Cricket in Times Square, which received a Newbery Honor in 1961. The Cricket stories eventually grew into a seven-book series.
But perhaps the most interesting part of Selden’s story is where his most famous book began. He wasn’t sitting at a desk trying to come up with a clever idea. He was riding home on the subway when he heard a cricket chirp. He paid attention, wondered about it, and allowed that moment to become the beginning of a story.
That makes The Cricket in Times Square a wonderful book to explore in your homeschool literature studies—not just as a read-aloud, but as an invitation to listen more carefully to the world around you.
As you read, listen for the sounds that make the story come alive. Chester is a cricket with a remarkable musical gift, and music becomes an important part of his friendships and his new life in New York. What sounds would your children use to describe their own surroundings? The call of a bird? Rain against the window? A train passing in the distance? The hum of a busy kitchen?
A Homeschool Literature Resource for The Cricket in Times Square
If you’re looking for a thoughtful way to explore The Cricket in Times Square with your children, Rooted Childhood offers a wonderful introduction to the story and its themes. The resource provides ideas for enjoying Chester’s journey while encouraging children to think about friendship, belonging, music, and the surprising ways a story can connect with our own experiences. It’s a helpful companion for families who want to go beyond simply reading the book and start a conversation about what makes this classic story so memorable.
More Homeschool Literature Ideas for Your Family
For more ideas for your homeschool literature studies, take a look at the childhood favorites in HEAV’s Favorite Books for National Book Month. And if your family enjoys The Cricket in Times Square, Macmillan’s George Selden author page offers a look at Selden’s other books and the rest of the Cricket series.
Sometimes a good story begins with something very small—a sound, a question, a walk, or a moment we almost overlook. George Selden’s story reminds us that when we slow down and pay attention, we may discover the beginning of a story waiting right in front of us.
Megan Mora Fuentes
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