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Robert McCloskey (1914 to 2003) was an amazing illustrator and an equally amazing author. He combined his skills on many picture books (Lentil, Blueberries for Sal), including the picture book that embodies, in my opinion, the most perfect combination of words and art I have ever encountered - Make Way for Ducklings. His illustrations for the beloved five-book Henry Reed series add remarkably to the delight of those books written by Keith Robertson. This review, however, is about the only two middle school level books that McCloskey both wrote and illustrated: Homer Price and its sequel, Centerburg Tales.
The setting is the little town of Centerburg, in the 1940s, which could be located in any state in America. Homer Price is a 12-year-old boy whose family is an active part of the town. His parents run a campground and one uncle runs the town restaurant. His grandfather, Hercules, is retired and wanders about the town telling stories of “the old days” to the Homer and his friends. These books will keep you fresh on your Greek classics – the whole male side of the family has names like Ulysses, Telemachus, Hercules and, of course, Homer!
Both books are episodic in that each chapter is a self-contained story, although Homer Price definitely comes before Centerburg Tales. The recurring characters connect the overall story and plot development, and the illustrations form an important part of the books. The humor is delightful, as the stories, all told from Homer’s boy point of view, lightly and fondly poke fun at radio superheroes, crime stories, the invention of new labor-saving gadgets, small-town politics, the growth of new housing sub-divisions, and the follies and foibles of advertising, all part of 1940s America. Come to think of it, all these are actually still part of our lives today. As an example of the sly humor in the stories, Homer has a pet skunk, to whom he has given the name Aroma!
The books are written at a sophisticated middle school level, and are great books to be read aloud to younger and older audiences, such as usually exist in a family setting. Boys and girls will both like reading these books. Homer Price is a boy, and Centerburg is a town, with whom everyone should become acquainted.