George Selden Thompson (1929-1989) was an American author.
Biography
George Selden (May 14, 1929, Hartford, Connecticut – December 5, 1989, New York City, New York) [cite news | title=George Selden, 60, Writer of Tales Describing a Cricket's Adventures | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE7D7103DF935A35751C1A96F948260 | work=New York Times | date=6 December 1989 | accessdate=2006-12-19] was the pseudonym of the American writer George Selden Thompson. He was educated at the Loomis School, and graduated from there in 1947. He attended Yale University, where he joined the Elizabethan Club and the literary magazine, and graduated with a B.A. in 1951. He also attended Columbia University for three summers. After Yale, he studied for a year in Rome on a Fulbright Scholarship from 1951 and 1952.
Selden is best known as the author of several books about the character Chester Cricket and his friends. The first book, "The Cricket in Times Square", was a Newbery Honor Book in 1961. Selden explained the inspiration for that book as follows:
"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." [ [http://www.edupaperback.org/showauth.cfm?authid=155 Biography from the Educational Paperback Association.] ]
Selden remained unmarried[citation |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/05/books/review/05LORDL.html |first=M. G. |last=Lord |title=The Secret Life of the Lonely Doll: Her Doll, Herself |periodical=The New York Times |date=5 December 2004 |accessdate=2008-01-03 ] and left no immediate survivors. ]Books
He wrote several sequels and other books in a series, which totaled seven books in all:
*"The Cricket in Times Square"
*"Tucker's Countryside"
*"Harry Cat's Pet Puppy"
*"Chester Cricket's Pigeon Ride" [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B01EFD71739F933A1575AC0A967948260 Karla Kuskin, "New York Times" Children's Books review, 20 September 1981.] ]
*"Chester Cricket's New Home" [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D02EEDB1138F931A15752C0A962948260 Ellen Rudin, "New York Times" Children's Books review, 22 January 1984.] ]
*"Harry Kitten and Tucker Mouse" [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE6DF1239F936A25751C0A961948260 "Children's Books: Bookshelf". "New York Times", 15 February 1987.] ]
*"The Old Meadow" [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE7D91E31F935A35750C0A96E948260 "Children's Books: Bookshelf". "New York Times", 6 March 1988.] ]
His other books include:
* "The Genie of Sutton Place"
* "Oscar Lobster's Fair Exchange"
* "Harry Cat's Pet Puppy" (1974)
Under the pseudonym of Terry Andrews, Selden wrote the book "The Story of Harold" [ [http://www.glbtq.com/literature/andrews_t,2.html Claude J. Summers, "Andrews, Terry (1929-1989)". glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture. Web site listing, 14 December 2002.] ] .
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