The Genie of Sutton Place

by George Selden

A young boy recounts the events of the summer when he had the services of an Arabian genie at his disposal.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Kids, Young Adult, Science Fiction Fantasy

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

George Selden (1929-1989) was the author of The Cricket in Times Square, winner of the 1961 Newbery Honor and a timeless children's classic. Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Selden received his B.A. from Yale, where he was a member of the Elizabethan Club and contributed to the literary magazine. He spent three summer sessions at Columbia University and, after college, studied for a year in Rome on a Fulbright Scholarship.

People often asked Selden how he got the idea for The Cricket in Times Square. "One night I was coming home on the subway, and I did hear a cricket chirp in the Times Square subway station. The story formed in my mind within minutes. An author is very thankful for minutes like those, although they happen all too infrequently." The popular Cricket series grew to seven titles, including Tucker's Countryside and The Old Meadow. In 1973, The Cricket in Times Square was made into an animated film. Selden wrote more than fifteen books, as well as two plays. His storytelling blends the marvelous with the commonplace realities of life, and it was essential to him that his animal characters display true emotions and feelings.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/george...

Reviews

[Jason Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorite books by Selden. Sadly my copy seems to have been lost, and I have been looking for a good copy for my own children. Find it hard to understand why this is seemingly out of print.

It's a truly magical book, well-written, and engaging. While the plot ultimately revolves around magic, the story itself is a very grounded and touching one of a boy on the cusp of growing up who is at loose ends since the death of his father.

I think the thing that I love about this book is the idea that every child needs a genie, of one sort or another, to navigate that transition out of childhood or through emotional journeys.

[Ivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just re-read this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. Re-read? I found this gem at my local used book shop The Paperback Rack in Tallahassee. I'd recently read "The Cricket in Times Square" also by George Selden and was intrigued by the original cover art and the brief description on the back. I brought it home and started reading and began having a sensation of déjà vu. I'm thinking I read this in elementary school. The fact that I had a prescient sense about where the story was going only added to the magic and wonder of the story. Selden obviously loved New York City - it comes through on every page in every paragraph. Tim was a fine character - wise beyond his years because the majority of his time was spent with adults who treated him as an equal. His depth of knowledge, range of experience and use of language exceed others of his age. Many will complain that this is a contrivance on the part of Selden, but I was one of those kids and thus it rang true for me. The narrative is fast, funny and enormously entertaining. If you loved "Harriet the Spy" and "From the Mixed up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankwiler," you'll love this too.

[Betsie Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

2023 Read Harder Challenge - selected based on cover (or title).

There is a LOT going on in this book! I ended up retelling the entire book to a friend over breakfast, and she was rapt by the layers and level of detail in the story. We decided we would love to see a film version made by either Guillermo del Torro or Tim Burton. Or a graphic novel maybe?

[Lora · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book! I discovered this on the list of a GR friend (hat tip: thanks Ivan!) and thought I would enjoy exlporing the author more. We enjoyed Cricket in Times Square as an audiobook. This time, I read the Genie book out loud to my teens. They loved it. We had a great time! I swapped the few swear words for softies, and the kids smirked everytime- they knew, but if I hadn't, they would have known that, too! The rest was fun and mayhem as the boy and his dog get into one social awkwardness after another, all with magic and a variety of colorful characters.
I doubt I would ever want to go to New York City. But I love seeing authors love a place. New York has its loyal fans, and the writing reflects it. That always adds a special seasoning to the words served up between the covers of a book.

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and a half stars. Apparently the book published in 1972 was based on a teleplay Selden wrote in 1957. That may explain why it was so predictable--even as a small child I found this type of comedy extremely predictable and often cringe-making even at say age 5 or 6. I will say it is probably less cringey as a book than it was on TV.

The first half was good, but then the narration got scrappy and we had the inevitable (for Selden) "talking to animals" business. I've had talking parakeets myself, and that's not how it works, but hey, you don't magick genies out of carpets in real life either.

The "occult sciences are dangerous, stay out of it" line, while laudable enough, chimed strangely with the "but I just knew I had to carry on" that always appeared in the next line.

Meh. A quick, light read and better than the sequels to The Cricket in Times Square, because it doesn't quite scream "I wrote this for the money" as loudly as they did, but it won't be on my re-read shelf.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still cataloging the shelves when I came across this classic that I had forgotten I owned (there's a lot of books stuffed in odd corners, hence the months-long cataloging project). I probably bought the book at a library sale because of the Dillons' gorgeous cover art. I was a huge Cricket in Times Square fan as a kid. Cricket always made me want to visit New York. Genie does the same, but I want the Greenwich Village and uptown neighborhoods of the book. Somewhere in this fictional land is a terrific tiny antique store with a seance room in the back. And books full of magic. The story, which is short and very sweet, weaves its own spell due to the unique voice of its narrator, a small boy desperate to keep his dog. How he does is magical and quite funny.

[Inhabiting Books]

Set in New York City, this is a heartwarming and hilarious story by the author of The Cricket in Times Square (another good read-aloud) about what happens when you employ a genie to help you solve your problems. When Tim's father dies, Tim goes to live with Aunt Lucy in her Sutton Place apartment, bringing along his mutt, Sam. Then Sam falls in love with Aunt Lucy, following her all around the apartment, lying his head on her lap or foot whenever she sits down. Aunt Lucy doesn't love Sam back, and quickly gets so annoyed that she tells Tim the dog has to go. Desperate to keep his beloved pet, Tim seeks the help of Madame Sosostris, an old friend of the family and also a Medium. The solution they stumble across takes Tim to the National Museum to release the trapped Slave of the Carpet. When the genie turns Sam the dog into Sam, the man, hilarity and disaster ensue. It is a funny, charming, gripping story that will leave you smiling at the end.
As a read-aloud, this book works for kids as young as five or six, if they're used to narratives. (The first part of it is a little slow as the story is being set up.)
For the child who will read it alone, they might need to be a little older, say 8 or 9 - unless, of course, you've already read it aloud and they want to relive the magic themselves.
Unfortunately, this physical book is out of print, but the ebook is available on Amazon. You can still purchase copies second-hand, and definitely try your library, as they usually have older classics like this.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

One word:

FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More words: I loved the mix of characters. There are: a twelve-year-old whose father just died (Timothy), a medium who is also an antique dealer (Madame Sosostris), a posh uptown aunt (Lucy Farr), a sneery lawyer (Mr. Watkins), a singing housekeeper (Rose), a dog who is eventually turned into a man (Sam), and most important of all, a genie (Abdullah), Slave of the Carpet, former servant to the wizard Al-Hazred. And a parakeet who has a photographic memory.
Are you hooked yet?
If not, you are crazy. I was stunned by the author's imagination (the way Abdullah spoke is an example) and I was also stunned by the genie's wide range of magic after he is summoned from a tapestry at the National Museum in NYC (turning all the red lights green, placing a former chauffeur in paradise, and turning a dog into a man. Wow. I hope you read it!!n

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a child, I *adored* _The Cricket in Times Square_, and so when I saw this book in the clearance section of a book store, I was intrigued; I had never heard of this book by George Selden.

I stayed up to read it in one sitting, and I wasn't disappointed. Like _The Cricket in Times Square_ the book is situated in New York City where all sorts of things are both possible and plausible. With that said, the story of Dooley, Sam and Tim is truly wonderful, optimistic and affirming about the nature of friendship and love. The book holds up very well (written in 1973). I do hope that others will discover it.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

An old childhood favorite I hadn't re-read in a long time, from the author of A Cricket In Times Square. One of the funkier, wilder fantasies out there, in a mode that writers today don't ever seem to embrace: screwball pacing, weird bohemian set dressing, and an anything-can-happen vibe. The plot involves a boy who summons up a real genie to help when the kid's aunt won't let him keep his dog Sam; the genie helps by turning Sam human, but the whole plot threatens to come apart when the genie falls in love and his magic starts to come apart. A fun, light story for fans of Diana Wynne Jones and Peter Beagle.

[Susann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophisticated early 1970s story set in NYC (but not sophisticated à la Norma Klein). I like that Selden includes what appear to be authentic NYC details but are actually a little off, e.g., the National Museum and certain subway routes. No spoilers, but there's a transformation scene that is just wonderful.

Bought my copy at Powell's several years ago. Inscription reads: "For Christine Hervey, Christmas 1973. From Gami and Grandpa Russ."

[Sydney]

This was one of my very favorite books as a child. I reread it as part of a blog post for the Mixed Up Files. And, I have to say, I loved it just as much. The humor stands the test of time, plus it was interesting to see how children's literature as changed over the years. Read the post here: http://www.fromthemixedupfiles.com/?s...

[lola Franco · Rating 5 out of 5]

really cute and funny book. my kids enjoyed it a lot.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book over and over when I was a child. It was magical.

[Jossalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed this many times

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. I liked it, but not enthusiastically. Didn't find any of the characters immensely lovable (not that that's a requirement, but it helps). I do enjoy the urbanity of it--I'm a big New York fan, and frequent visitor, and this captures the feeling of a long-vanished era in its history. I'm not sure it's gripping enough for modern kids, or rich enough for modern adults.

(Note: 5 stars = rare and amazing, 4 = quite good book, 3 = a decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. There are a lot of 4s and 3s in the world!)