Product Description

Mario is elated to find Chester. He begs his parents to lethim keep the shiny insect in the newsstand, assuring his bug-fearingmother that crickets are harmless, maybe even good luck. What ensuesis an altogether captivating spin on the city mouse/country mousestory, as Chester adjusts to the bustle of the big city. Despite thecricket's comfortable matchbox bed (with Kleenex sheets); the fancy,seven-tiered pagoda cricket cage from Sai Fong's novelty shop; tastymulberry leaves; the jolly company of Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat; andeven his new-found fame as "the most famous musician in New YorkCity," Chester begins to miss his peaceful life in theConnecticut countryside. The Cricket in Times Square--a NewberyAward runner-up in 1961--is charmingly illustrated by the well-lovedGarth Williams, and the tiniest details of this elegantly spun,vividly told, surprisingly suspenseful tale will stick with childrenfor years and years. Make sure this classic sits on the shelf of yourfavorite child, right next to The Wind inthe Willows. (Ages 9 to 12) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (135)

Product Review
I found my dvd of "Cricket In Times Square to be exactly as the seller presented it. I was sent in a very timely manner. I will use this seller again!

I've read lesser books, I suppose...
(Disclaimer: Please be aware that this review reflects only my opinion and should, like any other review, be taken with a "grain of salt," so to speak. Neither my opinion nor anyone else's should ever be the final deciding factor in YOUR decision to purchase or read a book. If you are curious about the work in question, I encourage you to purchase it, read it, etc. and come to your own conclusions regardless of what another individual has said.) Now, onto the review...

I've read lesser books, I suppose, but still, I was somewhat surprised that this one was a runner-up for the Newbery Award. The plot isn't overtly complex, though, considering that this is a children's book, it doesn't need to be. A flash-synopsis is as follows: a cat and mouse in a Times Square subway station befriend a lonely cricket who has, against his will, been brought to Conneticut. The cricket is the "pet" of an Italian boy, whose family runs the struggling newstand inside the subway station. After a few mishaps here and there, which prompt Mama Bellini to dub Chester Cricket a "jinx," Chester redeems himself by quickly learning and composing music using his cricket's wings; he and his songs soon become famous and are sought-ought by crowds in the subway station. Fame eventually (and predictably) begins to affect the cricket in a negative way and, with the help of Harry Cat and Tucker Mouse, he boards a subway headed back for the meadows of Conneticut. The book, I suppose, isn't horrible, but it isn't all that remarkable, either.

In reality, the novel really didn't have many merits. Yes, it was about several unlikely friendships, but friendship is a rather generic subject to explore in children's literature unless it is done in a fantastic and truly captivating way; the partnership of a cat and mouse has been written of before in countless stories (examples can easily be found within the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, for example) and doesn't necessarily cross any boundaries or reveal any sort of truth in Selden's book as it has in others. The subject of freedom is touched upon, albeit briefly, and Chester Cricket comes to feel he is a victim of artistic exploitation when the Bellini family has him perform on a schedule in order to draw customers to their once poorly-performing business. This is a bit melodramatic and, really, unnecessary, considering that Chester is free to escape any time he wishes with the aid of Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat. More confusing still, the cricket doesn't wish to flee out of a sense of "loyalty" (?) to the Bellinis, the family who has been profiting from his musical talent in the first place. The lines of friendship and freedom, along with any message they might convey, become muddled and aren't really smoothed out by the novel's end.

Furthermore, Selden's book contains what I feel to be a rather racist depiction of the Chinese characters. The elderly Chinese man Sai Fong who tells Mario Bellini the legends about crickets and sells him the cricket cage (which Chester loathes), is given a heavy accent in which his "R's" are written as "L's." Also, Sai Fong's laughter ("Eee hee hee!") wasn't passed off as harmless or as endearing as the author might have hoped for. Younger children, who are not racially-sensitive, could easily find humor in something that they are not mature enough to appreciate at that particular point in their lives. Yes, Selden published his work in the 60's, but as readers living in a p.c.-conscious 21st century, such issues really ought to be addressed.

Again, the story wasn't terrible, but it wasn't remarkable, either. I was rather bored at points and convinced myself to finish the book since it was relatively short. As someone who reads a tremendous lot of children's books, I don't feel that "The Cricket in Times Square" can really compete thematically, creatively, or commercially in today's market. I've read it once, though I doubt I shall ever pick it up again.

My kids & I LOVED this book!
We listened to this on tape in the car & we all loved it (40yr old mom & 2 8yr olds). Such a sweet, sensitive story of friendship & letting go what you love to make it happy. Wonderful ending....the narrarator was great, really brought the characters to life.

One of my favorites...can't believe I didn't hear about this book when I was a kid! Im sure my kids are going to want to read this now & I'll probably read it too.

Cricket In Times Square - Trip Down Memory Lane
While reading books for the Revisit Your Childhood Favorites Reading challenge I chose George Selden's "A Cricket In Times Square." In it we meet Chester the Cricket, who 3 days ago was safely enjoying a picnic lunch in Connecticut, but now finds himself in the strange & wonderful world of New York City. Discovered by Mario, the son of a newsstand owner, he soon befriends Tucker Mouse & Harry Cat. Feeling out of place at first, he soon discovers a hidden talent that brings notoriety to himself as well as Mario's family. Along the way he has several adventures, including a fire, a Chinese dinner, and eating money (quite by mistake!). This trip down memory lane was a quick read, and it's easy to see why this is a Newberry Honor book.

Loved it!
This was my favorite book while growing up. I read hundreds of books while I was younger but still read this one several times. I would love to go back and read it again. ... Read more

Product 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 (106)

Disappointment
I must say some people must have enjoyed the novel. In my case it was rather a tedious book to get through. The novel is about a surgeon (Reese) that hides away letting no one he knows where he is except brother in law Charlie. He meets a young girl Annie that has heart problem and her aunt and that is what the story revolves around.

I thought there was too many flashbacks to when he was a surgeon and his deceased wife. Too many details that did not add to story. I tended to skip ove quite a bit and I did manage to finish the novel which gives it a 3 star minimum. Most books i start to read I never finish.

This book was sort of dreary and really not worth the time to read it.

A good read
I found this book to be very interesting.I love the characters Mr. Martin creates.Some find this author overly descriptive but I love what he does with words. This is my third Martin book in a week.I just found him the other day when reading reviews on another book and his name was mentioned.I plan on reading all his works.

3.5 Stars
Ah, y'almost had me there, Charles.Almost.I struggled with some of the overwritten sections, the pacing issues, but I enjoyed the characters so much, that I forgave those problems.But what's the deal with the ending?I'm still baffled and scratching my head on that one. I think I need a support group.I give 4 Stars for 7/8ths of the book, but the last 1/8th? -- barely a 2 Star ratin'.Sigh.I'll split the difference and give it 3 1/2 Stars for the memorable characters & story-telling.

sentimental, repetitive, dull
Wish something happened in the book or even it the little that did happen was explained.The story tried to be mysterious but ended up being annoying.
All one dimensional characters.

Brought to tears
A well-written novel is one that transports you to that time and place and makes you a part of it. You live it. It moves you. I have never been so emotionally touched by anything I've ever read. I cried so many times. I loved this novel. I shared it with the other English teachers in my school and it has become one of their favorites, as well. Well done Mr. Martin! And, thank you, Amazon.com, for your fine recommendation. ... Read more

Product 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!Amazon.com Review
"I'm as quick as a cricket, I'm as slow as a snail. I'mas small as an ant, I'm as large as a whale." Parents andteachers choose this big square book for the message ofself-confidence. Toddlers love it for the singsong phrases and DonWood's large, silly, endearing illustrations, which feature a boymimicking different kinds of animals. At one point, he is picturedsipping tea formally with a fancy poodle ("I'm as tame as apoodle") and on the very next page he is swinging through trees("I'm as wild as a chimp"). Whether brave or shy, strong orweak, in the end the young boy celebrates all different, apparentlycontradictory parts of himself. With a confident grin, he lifts hisarms up and declares, "Put it all together and you've gotME!" (Baby to age 6) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (49)

book for young boy
this book is perfect for young boys starting at 2 years old.this is a book that a young boy will want to be read to as a regular event.This book will get plenty of use until your little boy gets older. I bought this book about 20 years ago for the first time, and I still buy this book today again and again for little boys I love.

GREAT MESSAGE,GREAT PRESENTATION!
THIS BOOK IS WONDEREFUL IN ITS MESSAGE, ITS CHARACTERS, AND ITS ARTWORK! IT HOLDS EVEN MY 14month old GRANDSON'S ATTENTION! I AM SURE THE MESSAGE DOES NOT REACH HIM, BUT THAT WILL COME AS WE REREAD IT OVER TIME.

Quick as a cricket
The 2 year old in my life loves this book, it is his favorite!!!He will say the animals names, and then I read the text, using a quiet voice for some animals and a loud voice for others!He laughs and thinks it is great.At the end he says "me" in a loud voice, laughing and smiling.

My daughter remembers this book and said it remains a favorite of hers.The illustrations are beautiful!

Fun for all
A great book for little ones to "read" and act out.The illustrations are perfect fun!

21 and still love it!
This was absolutely my most favorite book as a child. I am now 21 and still love it to this day. I'm giving it to a friend for her baby shower knowing her child will love it when she gets older. ... Read more

Product Description
"The simple, repeating story of a young cricket weho tries to say hello to the locust, worm, etc. who greet him. He cannot make a sound until the day he meets a very quiet girl cricket. Classic Carle illustrations on heavy stock make this ideal for younger readers. The chirper that sounds when the last page is opened makes an accurate cricket sound."--Children's Book Review Service. Full color.Amazon.com Review
A cricket is born who cannot talk! A bigger cricket welcomeshim to the world, then a locust, a cicada, and many other insects, buteach time the tiny cricket rubs his wings together in vain: no soundemerges. In the end, however, he meets another quiet cricket, andmanages to find his "voice." Children will love the repetitive textas they meet a steady parade of new creatures (including a"spittlebug, slurping in a sea of froth"); and of course they'lldelight in the happy ending. This is one of a series of large (11.5 by8.5 inches) format Eric Carle books with a mechanical twist: in thiscase, the quiet cricket bursts into (surprisingly authentic)electronic song as you turn the last page. (The battery isreplaceable.) An amusement for the ears, but most of all--as ever,with Carle--a feast for the eyes. The colorful cut-paper illustrationsare simply gorgeous, drawing you in even on the hundredthreading. (And there will be a hundredth reading, followed by manymore.) (Baby to preschool) --Richard Farr ... Read more

Customer Reviews (55)

Please make the chirp stop
This is a favorite of my family. It was a favorite of mine until the chirping would not turn off. The book was closed and the chirp was still chirping all night I was to tired to search for the book at first but after 10 mins I could take no more. It is a really cute story and we love the chirp but I had to take the batteries out. If my daughter wants to me to read this one to her I have to hold the batteries and put them in when she gets to the last page. Hope this helps someone else before buying the book we love Carle but I would pass on this one.

A Favorite
A favorite in our household, our toddlers often request this book and enjoy the sound effects at the end.

DON'T BUY FROM AMAZON - BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE
So, this book is supposed to chirp when you get to the end, I am wrapping it up to give to my nephew on Christmas Eve and I turn to the back - no sound. I called Amazon and was slightly unhappy that they sent me a book that didn't chirp and so my nephew wouldn't have it to unwrap Christmas morning. So, I call and the customer service rep is pretty surly, but finally tells me that he will send me a working copy of the book by priority mail, but the soonest it will arrive is Monday after Christmas.Which, while not ideal, is ok because my nephew doesn't leave town to go home until Wednesday.So, I wait and wait all day Monday - the book does not come.I call Amazon first thing on Tuesday only to find out the guy LIED to me, and instead of sending the book as promised, he just refunds my money and sends me an email telling me I need to re-order the book. Its the holidays, of course I'm not checking my email. Unbelievable. The girl I'm talking to is so unbelievably rude that I ask to speak to a manager and then spend WAY too long on hold. She comes back and says a manager is not available. So I say, that's fine, just have the manager call me when he is available because Hello its the end of the month and I don't have that many minutes left on my phone.She says no, that I have to hold.Moral of the story, Amazon has bad customer service and will out and out lie to you.Don't count on them for big occasions like Christmas or you will have some very unhappy children.

Great when it works
Once again Eric Carle doesn't disappoint.It is a wonderful story that allows for discussions as the child grows.Illustrations can be used to learn colors, or let the child create their own version of the story.Chirping crickets at the end are delightful for both the listener and the story teller; however, some books are problematic with how well the sound works--be sure to check your purchase out!Simple text is great for emerging readers even though they probably will have the story memorized!The board book construction is great for little fingers not yet adept at turning pages.

Teaches names of bugs
I really like that it talks about the names of bugs and what the bugs do.It has the repetition (and choppiness) of a Carle book, which made it easy to let the kids chime in on "But nothing happened.Not a sound".The ending was dumb though, which is why I gave it 4-stars. ... Read more

Product Description
"The Cricket on the Hearth" is Charles Dickens 1845 novella, which marks the third of five Christmas books written by the author between 1843 and 1847. It is the story of John Peerybingle and his family who are visited by a guardian angel in the form of a cricket who is constantly chirping on their hearth. A delightfully fantastic story, "The Cricket on the Hearth" was the best-selling of Dickens five Christmas books and is a perfect little tale for the Christmas holiday season. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Odd size
You can't beat Charles Dickens, and The Cricket on the Hearth is a great story. The book is surprisingly large and has a strangely homemade look to it. That adds to its charm.

Must have right mind set...
When reading this book, you've I think you got to have the right mind set.Dickens' A Christmas Carol was one of those literary miracles that rarely happen.And these stories should not be judged by A Crhistmas Carol.If you can adopt that mind set (which I had to do) you will find these stories enjoyable and even inspiring.

I think one thing that comes across in all of Dickens' writing is that he sincerely loved his fellow beings--and it shows in his stories.

Also recommended: Christmas Gifts, Christmas Voices--my new favorite Christmas story.

Useless format
A Dickens Christmas story is meant to be read in front of the fire with children gathered 'round. As configured in this particular ebook format you cannot do anything but sit in front of your screen and read ninety pages of nineteenth century prose. Not useful at all! This ebook would be far more usefull if, for example, you could copy or print it onto holiday paper. Since this story is in the public domain, blocking those options in this ebook is silly.

Yuck!
When Dickens was good, he was very very good.When he was bad, he was wordy and sappy and boring.Did you ever wonder why you never heard of the three stories in this book?Because they're so unremarkable!The title story is the best; i.e. it's the only one that's even readable.Do yourself a favor, don't read this book ... Read more

Product Description

Love—and smelly cheese—are in the air. Sophie Mae has accepted Barr’s marriage proposal, and they’re trying to keep her mother, Anna Belle, from taking over their no-fuss, no-muss wedding plans. But when Mom finds a cryptic suicide note that Sophie Mae’s brother wrote two decades earlier, Sophie Mae reluctantly makes a trip back to her hometown of Spring Creek, Colorado, to suss things out. 

As she pokes around in other people’s business while learning the finer points of artisan cheese making, a murderer strikes—with a glass bottle of milk. Soon, Sophie Mae discovers that aging cheese isn’t the only thing in Spring Creek that doesn’t pass the smell test.

Includes cheese-making tips!
Complete recipes on author’s website: www.cricketmcrae.com

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Customer Reviews (3)

Fun cozy mystery
Cozy mysteries are like potato chips for me. I can't ever read just one, so I'll find an author I like and read all the books in one of his or her series in a week or two. My favorite are hobby based cozies.
The author does a good job in this series, she creates a likable cast of characters, the romance is just enough without being main plot and the mystery being incidental and the craft language is spot on. Maybe it's too easy for me to sympathize with and like a character who falls in love with every new skill and just wants to learn how to make more things. But I truly like Sophie. She's opinionated, caring, a good friend, and she makes mistakes.
The blurb and the other reviewers have done a fine job synopsizing the plot so I won't.
What I like best about this whole series is that they are written entertainingly enough to appeal even to people who may not have tried the hobby that makes them cozy. Sometimes a knitting mystery is so much about knitting it throws out a non-knitter, or a miniatures mystery will go into instructional mode about miniatures. This author walks the line well, with a good balance of crafts, romance and mystery and it's all tied up with good and varied characters.It's a good light read if you enjoy these sorts of mysteries.

Great read
This was a great read.Sophie Mae's mother summons her home upon finding her brother's suicide note from 20 years ago.Sophie begins to investigate and as soon as she approaches her brother's old girlfriend, is her husband murdered and the mystery surrounding the last days of her brother starting spilling out as Sophie continues to dig deep.I could not put this book down and fell in love with Sophie Mae and her family and friends.

HOME CRAFTING MYSTERY #4
Sophie Mae, Meghan, and Erin go home to Spring Creek CO.Sophie's parents have received a letter written by her brother, who hung himself 18 years ago.Her parents want her to check around town and see what turns up about her brother's death.She visits Tabith Bines (her brother's old girlfriend) and while investigating learns how to make various cheeses.Sophie's boyfriend visits and so does Meghan's while they are there.Very good suspense novel with alot of information about making cheese. ... Read more

Product Description

Things are getting serious between Sophie Mae and Detective Ambrose. But Sophie Mae has a new love in her life—spinning. Pursuing her newfound passion is great fun . . . until her fellow co-op member, Ariel, is found strangled to death with Sophie Mae's very first skein of yarn.

Young and pretty, Ariel used her feminine charms and sexual magnetism to lure married men. Was the murder victim truly a gold digger in hot pants? Or just a troubled girl who met a bad end? With a tangled weave of suspects to wade through and Barr's ex turning up, it's all Sophie Mae can do to unravel this tightly knitted mystery—without coming undone herself!

Praise for Spin a Wicked Web, book three in the Home Crafting Mystery series:

"Cozy up for a finely crafted mystery-lots of twists and tangles, a most entertaining yarn."-Laura Childs, author of Death by Darjeeling: A Tea Shop Mystery

"A fast-paced contemporary cozy."-Monica  Ferris, author of Thai Die: A Needlecraft Mystery 

Customer Reviews (4)

Wicked good read
Couldn't put this one down. And when I finally finished it, I missed being in Cadyville. McCrae really gets the Pacific Northwest and makes her little town so real I was actually homesick for it. I missed the people there, especially Sophie Mae and her housemates and, of course, her cop boyfriend. And as a mechanical moron, I got a kick out of all the car-savvy women in Cadyville. McCrae's dialogue is so realistic that whatever the characters are talking about seems entirely plausible. She spun this yarn so cleverly that, unlike Sophie Mae, I was clueless as to who the killer was until the very end. The next one can't come too soon.

Excellent Mystery Reading
This was the first book I had read from this author.It was very good, I would recommend this to others to read.It is very much like the Terri Thayer mysteries.

Another great SM Reynolds mystery
Great characters, a tense, tidy plot, plenty of conflict, a surprising and very satifsying finish. In other words, vintage McRae. I'm already looking forward to the next one.

What a cozy should be
This is my favorite of the three McRae books -- I like the locational details, particularly the descriptions of La Conner; the domestic details (chickens in the garden, the outrageous coffee table); the meals they eat; and, of course, the crafting -- I'm going to have to learn to spin now. The recurring characters are people I want to spend time with, and I'm invested in seeing how they solve the murder. ... Read more

Product Description

Praise for Lye in Wait, the first Home Crafting Mystery:"McRae crafts strong characters [and] spins a credible, enjoyable plot." —Library Journal"[A] wonderful start to a mystery series." —Cozy Library

Wine jelly. Watermelon pickles. And a suicidal stalker? Great.Thirty-something crafter extraordinaire Sophie Mae Reynolds makes preserves by day and answers a crisis center help referral line by night. What better way to help people while still keeping a low profile? But on her very first night, she gets a call from a man who is threatening suicide . . . and her. Angrily deeming the caller a crank, her boss, Philip Heaven, disconnects the line. Days later, Philip dies from a nasty case of botulism. Now, as a stalker singles out Sophie Mae, Philip's eerie last words keep coming back to haunt her: Threat. Meant it.

Stirring up the town with talk of murder by preserves, can Sophie Mae and her handsome boyfriend Detective Barr Ambrose spoil a mad murderer's poisonous plans?This dangerously delicious second book in the Home Crafting Mystery series also includes recipes for preserves and beauty products!

Customer Reviews (4)

Questionable Home Canning Practices as the Cunning Agent of Death: This One is New to Me
Perpetual disappointment Phillip Heaven, a man described as having "horrible delusions of adequacy and [who] fell short of even that" is the unlikely philanthropist leading Heaven House Hotline, a referral phone center located in the small village of Cadyville in Washington State.During her first week, newest volunteer Sophie Mae Reynolds learns the phones, acquires a personal stalker, and unwittingly is left the sole witness to Phillip Heaven's last whispered words, "Threat. Meant it."

Now what is a good amateur detective to do with that?Phillip Heaven had been receiving threatening messages.A day prior to his dramatic demise Phillip had invited Sophie's boyfriend Detective Ambrose Barr over to his place for dinner and an unofficial consultation.Now Phillip is dead and Barr's life hangs by a thread, both infected with botulism toxin.

With Barr out of commission and local law enforcement preoccupied by the Cadyville Creep, the name given to an attacker of lone women in parking lots,Sophie takes it upon herself to investigate.Methodically Sophie questions and considers each villager who makes home canned preserves.She dodges angry retorts from home cooks incensed that their canning is now under suspicion and at the same times does battle with her own personal stalker. While Barr is peacefully recuperating Sophie carefullyconstructs a case from seemingly unrelated sources such as: a long ago story of a cunning mother's unpunished vengeance killing, tidbits of information from the local police chief's elderly outspoken mother, and her own knowledge of home canning.Soon Sophie knows the identity of both the killer and her stalker but how can she bring them to justice?

McRae's cozy mystery does require some suspension of disbelief as do most literary or TV cozies.Of course one has to wonder how Sophie can get away with questioning folks so blatantly and why local officials often forget their policy of not releasing private information. So many residents of Cadyville make their livings by crafting/artisan work, (without apparent poverty,)that one wonders if health care insurance is government provided in Washington state.Issues like these aside I purposely read these type of works for escapism and McRae's small deviations from reality did not grate on me as it might have a reader who prefers the hardnosed stuff. I thought the use of questionable canning practices was a clever device, one new to me. A fun quick read that will lift your spirits.

Cricket McRae does it again.
Lye in Wait was a fun light hearted mystery that left me wondering what Sophie Mae was going to do next. Well I was not disappointed. Heaven Preserve Us was even better. I enjoyed the craftyness of this mystery and how the plot twisted and turned. I am looking forward to further adventures of Sophie as she is quite a character.

Another great book from Cricket McRae
I had a blast reading this book!Ms. McRae has a witty writing style that holds my interest and makes reading fun ~ what a concept!I enjoyed the twists and turns of the mystery and felt the story moved along at a quick pace.Once again, she had me guessing until the end.I can't wait for the next one, I think it's called Spin a Wicked Web and sounds great!

heaven preserve us
"Heaven Preserve Us," the second book in the Home Crafting Series, is not quite as good as the first, "Lye in Wait." The heroine, Sophie Mae Reynolds, began to grate on my nerves as she went around sleuthing in an unbelievable way. No one could get away with some of the things she did. The main mystery itself was no surprise, & the secondary mystery was just ridiculous when the answer came to light.

The book kept my attention until about two thirds of the way through. There's just nothing special about the second book in this series, & I hope that third will be better. ... Read more

Product Description
Suppose you were hunting around in the desert for a fossil and instead you found a real (and very large) dinosaur, genus Stegosaurus. Joan and Joey Brown did! Only nobody would believe they had found one, which was just as well because George (as they called him) was very shy.

He was a loyal friend, though, and he did his best to help the twins with their schemes to make money to finance their mother's dry little ranch on Cricket Creek. George ate sagebrush, looked for fossils, and fought an airplane (which he thought was a Pteranodon) with faithful enthusiasm, but his nut-sized brain often made him more hindrance than help. Especially when he went after the bank robber!

Mrs. Lampman has told her hilarious story so convincingly that you'll be looking for dinosaurs around every mesa. And who knows? Maybe you'll find one! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

A Fond Memory
Got this book for my dad for Father's Day, after he mentioned that it was one of his favorite kid's books.He was thrilled and plans to read it to all my nieces and nephews.

An Old Favorite
I read this book several times when I was a kid in the 60's.It was always a favorite of mine.In fact, every time I see a Stegosaurus in a movie, I think of this book.A few years ago, I tried to find it online and couldn't but I'm pleased to know it is available again and plan on getting it for old time's sake.

A Good Book About a Dinosaur
This is simply a good book to enjoy. An interesting situation of a family living on a ranch, about to go under financially. The two children discover (or are discovered by) a stegosaurus that has been left alive over these many years. Shy of people, the stegosaurus remains hidden from everyone else until it sees an airplane, which it thinks is a flying reptile.

Plot complications include escaped bank robbers, a discouraged paleontologist, and the 12 year old son who has the dinosaur pull their car into town in order to get help. The shy stegosaurus asks the boy to turn the car's headlights off, as the dinosaur thinks the car is staring at him (he's not very bright).

I read this when I was younger, and it helped guide me into the earth sciences. An enjoyable read.

so different from my suburban childhood...
...I think that's why it appealed to me. It was also sort of a Western story without the poker games and shootouts at the saloon. The setting was evocative, the kids were innocent...I recall rereading this book.

The Shy Stegosaurus
I have a friend whose grandson loves dinosaurs.I bought this book and "The Enormous Egg" for him.He will enjoy both.I've read both books to my class and they have liked them. ... Read more

Product Description

Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!

That's the sound crickets make. You've probably heard them chirp on a summer evening. But did you know that they make their chirping sounds by rubbing their wings together, and that only male crickets can chirp?

Inside this book you'll learn about crickets, and even how to tell the temperature by counting a cricket's chirps.

Melvin Berger and Megan Lloyd have created a wonderful introduction to a fascinating insect: the cricket.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

interesting and informative series
Chirping Crickets (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 2)
Another interesting book in this series. My 5 year old loves learning about anything in nature. We've had a few crickets in our house making noise. Then he heard on our Magic Tree House story that in China Crickets are considered good luck. So he was happy to learn more about them. We learned how many different types there are and how they make that annoying, I mean wonderful, noise. It suggests you keep one for a day and how to feed and water and provide a safe hiding spot for him. Lots of info and lots of fun.

LOVELY, LOVELY!
This is the second book that I have read by Melvin Berger.The first one was about spiders.Because I like this book so much, I am going on to order two more:one about frogs, the other about bears.

Mr. Berger is a master of this genre.As well he should be as he is the author of more than 100 children's books.He also knows his subject well, since he was elected to membership in the New York Academy of Sciences.

He has an intuitive knack of selecting the most salient and vibrant features to reveal to the reader.The less dynamic or inessential he knows how to keep on the periphery.For instance, did you know that when you hear a cricket chirping, it is a male cricket you hear?Most females cannot make sounds.And again (and I find this fascinating), the ears of a cricket are under its front legs.All sorts of wondrous information carry the reader through this book.It begins:"It's late in the summer.The day is nearly over."

And it ends:"The sky is very dark now.The loud chirpings of the crickets fill the air.It is the nighttime sound of late summer."And then there is a drawing of a cricket in shadow.

The illustrations by Megan Lloyd are quite unique in that they are in darkened tones.There often seems to be a coppery light.Perfect for the child reader.

This book should be a treat for children.As an adult, I find it a delight!

chirping crickets
bought it for my son. he loves it, very informative.It is fun for the parents to read :) ... Read more

Product Description
Who can forget the scene in Jaws when Quint, the weathered, steely-eyed captain scrapes his fingernails down the blackboard and announces to the quibbling town elders that they're dealing with a great white shahk? In all his hard-nosed glory, Quint might seem like a creation of Hollywood, but in fact he was based on a real fishing captain out of Montauk, Long Island--Frank Mundus, captain of the Cricket II. Mundus never got his due from the movie or from Peter Benchley, the author of the novel Jaws, and that irks him. Russell Drumm, a Montauk reporter, quickly learns this and a lot more during an adventure at sea with the famous shark hunter. Also aboard is the single charter, a big-game fisherman from Hawaii who has yet to grapple with the ultimate trophy: a great white shark. In the five days that follow, the three are tossed by storms during their pursuit of what has been called nature's perfect killing machine, and Mundus relives for the reporter his 40 years on the high seas. In the Slick of the Cricket is an engaging portrait of a driven man and his unusual occupation.Amazon.com Review
Who can forget the scene in Jaws when Quint, the weathered, steely-eyed captain scrapes his fingernails down the blackboard and announces to the quibbling town elders that they're dealing with a great white shahk? In all his hard-nosed glory, Quint might seem like a creation of Hollywood, but in fact he was based on a real fishing captain out of Montauk, Long Island--Frank Mundus, captain of the Cricket II. Mundus never got his due from the movie or from Peter Benchley, the author of the novel Jaws, and that irks him. Russell Drumm, a Montauk reporter, quickly learns this and a lot more during an adventure at sea with the famous shark hunter. Also aboard is the single charter, a big-game fisherman from Hawaii who has yet to grapple with the ultimate trophy: a great white shark. In the five days that follow, the three are tossed by storms during their pursuit of what has been called nature's perfect killing machine, and Mundus relives for the reporter his 40 years on the high seas. In the Slick of the Cricket is an engaging portrait of a driven man and his unusual occupation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Too slick for this cricket...
Frank Mundus may have been the role model for Peter Benchley's Quint, but he was much more than that.Quint was an egotist whose hubris endangered those aboard the Orca and cost him his life and his shark. Frank Mundus would never play fast and loose with his passengers -- and if he went out after a shark, he'd damn well come home with the shark.Whether taking some rich paying customer out to chase down giant sailfish or going out with some pals to fill up the freezer with dinner, the man was a walking, talking fish finder.

Many (many, many) years ago, my dad and uncles got to know Mundus and, once or twice a year, they'd go out fishing. No charters, just some pals out for a day away from the wives...and if they made it past the Anchor Inn, about a mile from our dock, it would have surprised the hell out of all of them. Mundus wasn't famout yet.He was pretty young at the time, and my dad referred to him as "the kid" or "the Dutchman." Whatever his age, Mundus was already a fishing phenomenon.

In the book, Frank Mundus comes across as a loud braggart, full of semi-funny stories about shark-related pranks, including balancing himself on the carcass of a dead whale, carving off chunks of the creature and tossing them to the surrounding sharks...as if they were a pack of beagle puppies jumping for milk bones, and sacrificing a goat to impress the paying customers.Did I mention that Mundus had quite a reputation as a leg puller?

The Slick of the Cricket creates a hagiography and mythos around Mundus, and tracks a week-long shark hunting expedition during which the writer really struggles to uncover the inner enigma of Mundus. Better he should have stuck to fishing. Mundus was an ordinary guy who could catch fish and spin yarns like nobody's business. He knew the Long Island Sound, it's mysteries and currents and secret sweet spots. He knew when to try to outrun a storm or sit her out. And he knew where the big fish lived, when they were hungry and what they wanted to eat. A fish whisperer, if you will.

It wasn't magic or voodoo (despite the dubious goat sacrifice). It was experience, instinct and a very sharp brain at work.Exploring that would have made this a great read.How did Mundus know where the great whites might be? There aren't a lot of them, but if one was in the vicinity, Mundus would find him.

Same thing with the blues...my dad said The Dutchman could smell when the bluefish were running. He'd drop by and they'd pile into one of the family's leaky rowboats, gun the reluctant outboard and head out to where the bluefish were feeding. Fast, mean and delicious, the bluefish would come in droves after a school of small fry, snapping those sharp teeth as they took bites right and left...and so thick in the water you didn't need a fishing pole... you just tossed the bailing bucket over the side and scooped 'em up. The trick was not falling overboard, especially after a couple of beers. A hungry bluefish is voracious...think of an 11-pound piranha.

What Mundus knew must have been fascinating, and while I haven't had a fishing pole in my hands in a couple of decades, God what I'd give know some of his real secrets...was he reading the water, the way it looked, the surface flow, the color? What did he see that nobody else did?Russell Drumm has a good book here, but it would be better had he just shut up and fished instead of looking for the metaphysical meaning of it all.

The laughter, the bellowed-out stories, the cries of "didja see how he..." emanating from the picnic table out back where my dad, Mundus (Uncle Dutchman to us kids) and the uncles sat scaling and cleaning their catch were the real deal...hard working men having a little bit of fun when they could. Come Monday, they'd be back in the factory, back driving the truck, back hauling tourists up and down the Sound.

Maybe Mundus did sacrifice the odd goat to impress (and scare the tar out of) some moneybags dentist from Scarsdale.But he knew he was kidding and Mr. Drumm doesn't seem to. I think he might have understood Mundus'character better had he approached the man with a sixpack of Schaeffer and some still warm home-made kielbasa sandwiches.

If you aren't much of a fisherman, you may enjoy this book more. It just doesn't give enough of the Mundus kavorka -- his innate fish sense, how to track and catch the really big ones (even before there was sonar and loran), what it's like at 5:00 a.m. when the air has a knife edge to it, the water is steel grey and unforgiving, and you have something bigger than your car attached to your line. Drumm doesn't give us what it feels like going out in the dark to hunt down some dinner at the end of a hook, or to prove yourself against a 300 lb psychopath with a couple of hundred razor sharp knives in its jaw. That's what Mundus was all about, and what the book just misses. It gets the joke, but it doesn't get the man.

Two stars for the plot.
Russell Drumm's In the Slick of the Cricket, is an introductory course to the legendary shark fisherman, Frank Mundus.Fishing in the waters near Montauk, Mundus is well known for bringing in record-breaking White sharks.According to Mundus, his straightforwardness and skillfulness in shark fishing inspired Peter Benchley to create the character Quint, in his most frightening and notorious novel-JAWS.We are given this information as well as several other humorous experiences as Drumm sails on what could very well be Mundus' last expedition on his indestructible ship, the Cricket II.I felt that the plot had the potential of becoming something much larger than what it actually is.Several of Mundus' experiences are thought provoking such as humankind's massive crave for the exploitation and genocide of all shark species after the film JAWS hit the movie screens.However, Drumm's writing style was often ambiguous; jumping from Mundus' stories to his present expedition without smooth transitions is confusing and mis-leading.Obviously, fishing jargon is commonly used and difficult to follow at times, but Drumm does a decent job in identifying and defining the terms through both his and Mundus' stories.Also, most of the chapters end with philosophical ranting about Drumm's personal views on a variety of the substance dealt with in the book, but the connections between his thoughts and Mundus' words were poor.If you're interested in fishing excursions and the exploitation of sharks, this book may be of interest to you.Either way, I recommend that the reader remains focused to follow the sketchy transitions between Robert Drumm and Frank Mundus.

Interesting yarn, but he ain't no Melville.
This is an interesting story from an author trying too hard.The previous reviewer was spot on.Wade through the metaphysics and introspection and you'll find the stories about the fishing and the fishing people interesting.

Quint Lives!
Taking place along the shores and outer reaches of Long Island, NY, Russell Drumm smartly lets the sea stories of Frank Mundus, purported to be Benchley's model for the shark hunter Quint,be the center of this short book. Joining Mundus on one of his last trips out before retirement, Drumm let's Mundus' voice do most of the talking and a fine story teller Mundus turns out to be. When sticking with Mundus and the journey at hand, the book is successful, but when Drumm explores the metaphysical with his take on the nature of fishing and the spiritual presence of a deck hand that committed suicide; the book veers off into places that just waste time and don't further the narrative. Read it for Mundus, and make your way through the rest.

Quint Lives!
Taking place along the shores and outer reaches of Long Island, NY, Russell Drumm smartly lets the sea stories of Frank Mundus, purported to be Benchley's model for the shark hunter Quint,be the center of this short book. Joining Mundus on one of his last trips out before retirement, Drumm let's Mundus' voice do most of the talking and a fine story teller Mundus turns out to be. When sticking with Mundus and the journey at hand, the book is successful, but when Drumm explores the metaphysical with his take on the nature of fishing and the spiritual presence of a deck hand that committed suicide; the book veers off into places that just waste time and don't further the narrative. Read it for Mundus, and make your way through the rest. ... Read more

Product 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 (13)

At last, Cricket explained
At last, Cricket explained in a truly readable and amusing style. Other books plod through the process like a food recipe. This books takes you on a journey. A fantastic companion for any sports enthusiast!

It is, although my explanation is simpler
Cricket, the most civilised of sports upon which mighty empires have been built. Who can resist the thwack of willow on leather, the sight of a well-delivered googly and the stomach-rumbling appeal of interval tea and cake?
The answer is many of my American friends, who mock this noble sport and titter at the terminology. This is a bit rich given that Tight End is not to them a description of a pert maiden but a position played in football: itself a most self-contradictory description given how little the foot actually meets the ball!

I suspect their mocking is merely a smokescreen put up to hide their ignorance (and therefore appreciation) of this, the sport of champions. To them, I commend this admirable tome as the obvious antidote. My only reservation is the wordiness of the explanation. By contrast, I was brought up having the rules explained to me thus:

"You have two sides, one out in the field and one in. Each man that is in the side that is in goes out, and when he is out he comes in and the next man goes in until he is out. When they are all out, the side that is out comes in and the side that is been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out. Sometimes you get men still in and not out.

When a man goes out to go in, the men who are out try to get him out, and when he is out he goes in and the next man in goes out and goes in. There are two men called umpires who stay out all the time and they decide when the men who are in are out. When both sides have been in and all the men have been out, and both sides have been out twice after all the men have been in, including those who are not out, that is the end of the game."

deceptive title
Robert Eastaway wrote a terrific little book called "What Is A Googly?", which is a beginner's guide to the game of cricket.Knowing this, I ordered what I thought was a second book on the topic.Sadly, it is the same book, printed from the same plates.Only the title is different.I'd give it 5 stars if I didn't think this reprint with new title was verging on fraud.

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.

... Read more

Product Description
On his way home with the cows one evening, a six-year-old Kentucky farm boy catches a cricket and makes it his friend. The story reveals a child's sense of wonder about nature in verse-like prose. Full color. Caldecott Honor Book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Delightful! Perfect!
I sat down and read this to myself one evening while the kids were in bed, since it was long, I wanted to see if I thought they would enjoy it. I was so surprised! The language is beautiful, it is a pleasure to read, and it the story is so simple and sweet and realistic. I know the kids will love it. Jay's adventures in the country, with his pet cricket, and on his first day of school will be a huge hit for any little ones who enjoy bugs. There's no gimmicks in here, this is truly quality children's lit.

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

Product Description

Coaching Youth Cricket features explanations, photos, and illustrations depicting the various drills and skills of cricket, including fielding, bowling, and batting. Also included are chapters devoted to helping coaches communicate with players, understanding rules and equipment, keeping practices fun and motivating, ensuring safety, and teaching cricket skills. Written by renowned cricket expert Ian Pont, Coaching Youth Cricket will enable coaches at all levels to fulfill their responsibility to nurture and develop young cricketers and help them foster a lifelong passion for the game.   

Product Description
The adventures of a country cricket who unintentionally arrives in New York and is befriended by Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat. Spanish language edition. ... Read more

Product Description
"The Cricket on the Hearth. A Fairy Tale of Home" is a novella by Charles Dickens, written in 1845. It is the third of Dickens' five Christmas books, the others being "A Christmas Carol" (1843), "The Chimes" (1844), "The Battle of Life" (1846), and "The Haunted Man" (1847). ... Read more

Product 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.Amazon.com Review
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 fakes a 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 his missus was watching." On his way, he meets up with his cousin Katydid, who needs help with some berry-picking. He fakes yet another ailment--a crick in his neck--and wobbles off "with a creak-creak-creak, and a crick-crick-crick, in case Katydid was watching." All (meaning Old Cricket's nap) would have gone according to plan, surely, if the bug didn'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 the time our leggy anti-hero escapes the crow's clutches, the conniving cricket has developed some very real ailments. The team behind the wonderful Sailor Moo: Cow at Sea succeeds again in creating a delightfully clever read-aloud with plenty of rhythm, repetition, and winning wordplay. Ponder Goembel's skillful, larger-than-life illustrations (my, what hairy legs the crickets have!) suit the good-natured fable to a T. (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Old Cricket a perpetual favorite
For those of you who run storytimes for prek- 2nd grade and are doing a bug/insect theme, this book is an excellent read-a-loud selection.It has enough suspense and drama to draw the children into the story and also has a repetitious aside that the children pick up immediately.So you have the combination of a great read-a-loud/participation story all rolled into one.I heartly recommend this book for a prek-2nd grade storytime.

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! ... Read more

Product 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

Product 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 (12)

Good, Fun, 'Novel' Read
What a fun series.I happened to meet the author and pick up her book by happenstance. Although, it took a couple of pages to get into it, after the first chapter or two, I couldn't wait to turn the page.A fun, unique book with a great character.I was pulled into Sophie Mae's life and just bought the third book in the series.Fun plot and enjoyable characters.Mystery and suspense without the gore.Definitely enjoyable and nicely written.

A perfect read on a snowy night/day
I have to say the I just loved Sophie.She is a no nonsense kind of gal and I really enjoyed finding out how the story, with it's twists and turns, would turn out in the end. I liked that I could indentify with Sophie and wondered how I would handle a dead handyman in my basement.Keep the books coming, Ms. McRae, as I love your story line.

book review
I enjoyed her books tremedously and really hope she writes more in this series!!
Great characters and loved all the storylines.

Has Some Good Moments
Soap maker Sophie Mae Reynolds is devastated when she finds the body of neighborhood handyman Walter Hanover on her workroom floor. The police think he committed suicide by drinking lye but Sophie Mae isn't convinced and begins looking into Walter's death herself much to the annoyance of Detective Barr Ambrose. The more Sophie Mae digs, the more complicated the case becomes. Sophie Mae doesn't seem to have a clue about Walter's death, but someone thinks she does and soon her life and the lives of those around her are in real danger.

"Lye in Wait" is the first book in Cricket McRae's Home Crafting Mystery series and it has some good moments. The characters are good, starting with Sophie Mae. She is a well-written character - widowed and making a decent living with her soap and other beauty products. I liked the fact that in this book, unlike some other mysteries, Sophie Mae is seen actually working instead of letting the mystery take over the book. Sophie Mae lives with her friend Meghan and Meghan's young daughter Erin and McRae does a good job of describing the relationship between the three which is very believable. The descriptions of the meals that Sophie Mae and Meghan cook made my mouth water. While the characters and soap making elements worked for me, the mystery aspects didn't work as well. Although the book has all the elements of a cozy mystery (including the ubiquitous attractive detective) it is a little too gritty to be called a cozy, especially in the way Walter dies and Meghan's relationship with her jerk of an ex-husband. The mystery seems to rely on too many coincidences and I felt cheated at the end when the murderer was revealed.

"Lye in Wait" is not a perfect mystery, but has some good moments and interesting characters and looks like the start of a good mystery series.

Makes me want to make some soap and lip balm!
I enjoyed "Lye in Wait."One of my best friends is a soapmaker and I've been the beneficiary of many of her lotion bars, lip balms, and new recipes.I'm glad McRae provided some good homecraft recipes on her website.

I liked the down-to-earthiness of the main character, Sophie, and that the mystery gets started right away.In places, the story moved forward a bit slowly, but didn't get bogged down.And I'm always thankful when a mystery is about solving a mystery and not about everyone jumping into bed every 5 pages. All in all, it's an intelligent, cozy read.

One small thing bugged me though.It grinds me when authors depict people with mental illness either as sociopaths or as sketchy and fragile. In "Lye in Wait," Debby seems to fall into the later category.

Some of my dearest friends have mental illness--a physician, an attorney, a software developer, a technical writer, a martial arts instructor, and a psychologist.It takes hard work and tremendous courage for them to live well with their illness.Each has dedicated their life to helping others, in spite of the stigma, shame, and complexity brought into their lives by mental illness.

Just once, I would love to see an author depict a person with mental illness as capable of compassion, creativity, intelligence, or strength, instead of as a murderer or pathetic wreck.

To McRae's credit, when I emailed this "gripe" to her, she responded and said she'd discussed Debby's character with a person who lives with mental illness.That person gave Debby's character a thumb's up.

I eagerly await "Heaven Preserve Us." ... Read more