More Homer Price

by Robert McCloskey

Selections from Centerburg Tales

Genres: Childrens, Fiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1951

About the author

John Robert McCloskey was an American writer and illustrator of children's books. He both wrote and illustrated eight picture books and won two Caldecott Medals from the American Library Association recognizing the year's best-illustrated picture book. Four of those eight books were set in Maine: Blueberries for Sal, One Morning in Maine, Time of Wonder, and Burt Dow, Deep-water Man; the last three all on the coast. He was also the writer for Make Way For Ducklings, as well as the illustrator for The Man Who Lost His Head.

McCloskey was born in Hamilton, Ohio, during 1914 and reached Boston in 1932 with a scholarship to study at Vesper George Art School. After Vesper George he moved to New York City for study at the National Academy of Design.

In 1940, he married Peggy Durand, daughter of the children's writer Ruth Sawyer. They had two daughters, Sally and Jane, and settled in New York State, spending summers on Scott Island, a small island off Little Deer Isle in East Penobscot Bay. McCloskey's wife and eldest daughter Sally are reputed to be the models for little Sal and her mother in Blueberries for Sal (1948), a picture book set on a "Blueberry Hill" in the vicinity. Three others of his picture books are set on the coast and concern the sea.

Peggy died in 1991. Twelve years later on June 30, 2003, McCloskey died at his home in Deer Isle, Maine.

Reviews

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some really fun new stories, great for adults and kids alike. The last story with the disgustingly unbreakable record is probably the best.

[Charles Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Return with us now to the days of yesteryear.

Homer Price is back with three more stories of mirthful entertainment: “Experiment 13,” “Ever so much more so,” and “Pie and Punch and you-know-whats.” Ever so the astute young man, Homer always manages to save the day.

McCloskey managed to outdo himself with the illustrations 120-121 and especially 114-115.

We never did discover the identity of the mysterious stranger in the last story, but “The Mysterious Stranger” is also a Mark Twain work.

Do not miss out on this brief literary treasure.

[Emma Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not sure why this book isn’t more well known. Never read the first collection but this was on my shelf as a kid and I loved it (maybe more than it deserves). Perhaps my first foray into what could be called “magical realism,” some of these stories still haunt my imagination…especially “experiment 13”.

[Connie Gunderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

He liked this one OK but the length of the individual stories (about 50p each) was not to his liking. He wants his literature broken down into amuse-bouche segments so he can stop for the night at a convenient interval. On to the next -- Mr Popper's Penguins!

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Homer Price is a fun character. This book has 3 more charming stories of his adventures in his small town. Aside from a few words we use differently now, I think these stories have ages relatively well for being written in 1951.

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pandemic family read for July/August.

Now this one was fun. The silliness is off the charts and the wordplay makes all of it absolutely entertaining all around.

We all thoroughly enjoyed it and this one has aged far better than some more recent books that we have read.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reprint collecting 3 of the stories from Centerburg Tales.

[Cathi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite as good as the original, but still lots of fun!