How Little Lori Visited Times Square

by Amos Vogel, Maurice Sendak (Illustrations)

A Sendak treasure long out of print available for the first time in decades.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, New York, Fiction, Classics

64 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1963

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Lori decides one day that he'd like to visit Times Square, and immediately sets out, only to find that come what may, he never seems to get there. The subway he takes leads him to South Ferry, the bus he rides leaves him at 242nd Street, and the taxi driver he hails kicks him out, when it turns out he doesn't have the money. All other avenues of transportation prove just as fruitless, leading him to sit down and cry. A helpful turtle then happens by, and learning the cause of his unhappiness, offers to take him to his destination. Turtles, of course, are notoriously slow, and the narrative concludes with the information that nobody has heard from Lori and his turtle friend since...

Leaving aside the question of why anyone would want to visit Times Square in the first place - this New Yorker considers it a penance having to pass through that part of the city! - I found How Little Lori Visited Times Square immensely entertaining. First published in 1963, and reprinted in this new edition in 1991, this tiny picture-book packs quite a punch. The humor rests not just upon Lori's continual misdirection, as he tries to navigate the big city, but also upon the interaction of text and image. I loved the fact that the helpful turtle speaks so slowly that there is only one word per page! I loved the warning about not walking on pigeons, in the bus scene, and found myself wondering if that was an inspiration for Mo Willems, in writing Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! With its open-ended conclusion - after all, Little Lori never does get where he is going! - I can imagine that this one won't appeal to everyone, but for those with a somewhat quirky sense of humor, it will have lots of charm. Recommended to those who enjoy stories with a somewhat bent sense of humor, as well as to all Maurice Sendak fans.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good friend of mine brought little Lori's adventure to my attention a year ago, and I've now had the chance to obtain a copy and re-read it.

This book is... I mean... You just have to read it. Really. It's that simple.

And make sure someone is filming your reaction when you reach the last two pages, because it is a doozy.

[Ma Grendel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sendak's illustrations are intriguing...but I found the story unsettling.
I didn't spill my orange juice from amusement, and if the story was written for the author's children, I can only wonder what message Vogel was trying to impart.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my 24th — and final — book of 2025. With this charming little book, I reached my reading goal.

My daughter gave it to me as a Christmas gift because the main character is also named Lori (even though he’s a young boy). She used to live near Times Square, and I visited her there often — so the book felt like a small personal echo of those years.

It’s beautifully illustrated, with a story that is short, gentle, and complete. I finished it in about five minutes, and could easily have spent much longer simply lingering over the pictures.

[Mary Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who has known me for a while knows oh my great love for Maurice Sendak. I collect books illustrated by him. I wasn’t aware of this book until I found it in my local bookstore. Little Lori is trying to get to Times Square. He keeps taking different conveyances and ending up in the wrong place. Finally a turtle offers to take him…and no one has heard from them since. Sendak’s whimsical illustrations perfectly match Vogel’s dry humorous text. What a delight.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is what people imagine when they hear Free Range Children. Instead Lori is the opposite -- he obviously has no idea of direction or how to get around on his own.

The illustrations are cute and the story line with the turtle is awesome, but the beginning is just scary as he wanders around the boroughs with no supervision and no idea what he's doing.

[Medeia Sharif · Rating 5 out of 5]

All Lori wants to do is visit Times Square. He takes a taxi, ferry, helicopter, and other modes of transport, but he always ends up in the wrong location. Someone offers a solution, though. The ending is hilarious.

[Putri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoy this incredible work of art. My humor might be twisted, but will I use this book to teach Adult ESL learners that just arrived in NYC? Absolutely. Will I read this book to my own children? I’m not sure. I might have to talk with my partner about it to ask for a second opinion.

[Dawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like the end. When I finished reading it to my son, he said "does he get back home?" Not a good book for young kids.

[angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute trip around new york.
will little lori ever get to his destination?

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in Books are Magic with a good friend. Honestly, everyone should read it.

[Ellie Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointed w the ending what the hell.
my mom said it was a little “macabre”

[Dar Vig · Rating 5 out of 5]

the best book i have ever read

[James Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

br

[Leighbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cheeky ending! Pictures are by the legendary Maurice Sendak.

[Anna Goldstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

totally gonna teach to my students. huge plot twist. falsified geography but it’s ok.

[Buku Arutala · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't spill my orange juice. I'm sorry for not laughing for this kind of humors. But I did appreciate for the cute and nice illustrations made by Sendak.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant and quirky little picture book, illustrated by Maurice Sendak. I think it was dormant for years and recently re-issued (?). Though dated (pre-JFK, e.g., "Idyllwild Airport"), it remains a gripping tale of a boy trying (unsuccessfully) to navigate the transportation of NYC to get to Times Square. It's unrealistic that a boy of that age (6?) would be traveling around alone in the city and, hence, I would disagree with the reviewer who thinks the story would traumatize the little ones.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a strange little picture book. It was published the same year as WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE and despite the popularity of that book, this one illustrated by Sendak never really caught on. It's a shame though because it is a quirky little picture book that has a lot of fun hidden text in the illustrations that adds to the humor.

I found out about this book from attending an event at Literati Bookstore where Philip and Erin Stead talked about their favorite odd and obscure picture books. This is the first one they talked about in that presentation and as a result, I had to buy it.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this at our library and it looks like it's been out of print until very recently. The illustrations are by Maurice Sendak and the whole book is absolutely delightful. A must read for anyone who loves Sendak or NYC (is there anyone on the planet that doesn't fall into one of those camps?)

The whole point of this book is silliness. Here's a parenthetical warning from the title page: "(This is a very funny book and should not be read while drinking orange juice, or you will spill it!)"

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

...Lori is not the kind of child who should be given free rein of the city. He gets very lost. Repeatedly.

A little darker at the end than I initially expected, but I shouldn't have been surprised.

For some reason, I had more questions about the helicopter and the horse-and-wagon route than, you know, the talking turtle.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightfully weird and wonderful children's book. I've checked it out of the library over and over again, more for my own enjoyment than for the wee ones. It isn't sweet, it isn't depressing, it falls just this side of odd and I rather enjoy that.

[Thiago Blumenthal · Rating 5 out of 5]

The end was not ruined by Mr. Vogel at all. It's children's literature at its best. The way the turtle speaks, occupying many and many pages, is naively genius. And that was Mr. Sendak. A treasure rediscovered for all Sendak fans and children of all times.

[N · Rating 3 out of 5]

Children's books writers did waay too many drugs in the 60s.

[BM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the illustrations! The story itself is a bit worrisome...I won't ruin the ending.

[Emerson and Theodore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emerson found this little gem at the nypl store. We sat down on the floor and read it. He liked it a lot! We didn't buy it bc we had a lot to carry but we may order it.

[Kest Schwartzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hah! I didn't see THAT twist ending coming!

God I love children's book pathos.

[Ivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice little picture book - early Sendak drawings.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zany. Funny. Surprising.

[Crysta Coburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderfully delightful! The illustrations are just as fun as the story.