This is a familiar book cover, if not a familiar book. I’ve seen it all my life. Whether it was on my parent’s dusty bookshelf, in church libraries, and regularly at thrift stores—Homer Price is apparently a legend. Now, whether or not all those people who have access to his book have actually read it, hard to say. I’ve got to admit, this book promised more humor than it delivered.
I know, this reaction might be kicking old Mable in the shins: “Homer Price is my favorite childhood book!” she’s crying. “It’s a classic! How dare you not like it…Fatty!” But I’m just being honest, Mable, I’m sorry. The book lacked the humor I was expecting, and it’s just not as good as others in the same vein—most prominently in my mind at the moment, Rasmus and the Vagabond by Astrid Lindgren (1956). Now there’s a story worth reading again!
Homer Price contains six short stories about the boy, Homer Price, and the weird things that occur in his small town of Centerburg. I’ll go through them individually, but one remark I have to make is that McCloskey’s artwork in this book is absolutely delicious! It’s no wonder, really, that the cover is so popular—fans of quality illustrations ought to study this man’s work, because it’s top-notch (charcoal?) beauty.
1. “The Case of the Sensational Scent”
The opening story is a lighthearted one in many ways, and it’s the robbers’ scenes that really made me think of Rasmus. I really like the line that won the $2000 prize: “The after shave lotion with all the distinctive invigorating smell that keeps you on your toes.”(14) Explaining to my kids (ages 13, 11) why this was funny made it a whole lot less so.
2. “The Case of the Cosmic Comic”
The premise and delivery of this story was great, and it makes me this that I came into this book with the wrong expectations. I blame the blurb by James Daugherty on the back of my copy: “American comic genius in its top form.” This book made me smile, but not because it was so funny. It’s totally a coming-of-age tale where the boys realize their Superhero isn’t all that he’s cracked up to be—and rather than tell anyone, they instead fenagle a way to take advantage of their friends who don’t yet know it. It’s a good story, honestly, and I’m happy to praise Robert for that one.
3. “The Doughnuts”
The cover story is also entertaining, if not predictable. What I loved about this one was the illustration on pages 60-61. Really well-done perspective in this image, which I assume came completely from McCloskey’s noggin. It’s a masterful portrait of donut-making gone awry—like a kids’ monochromatic version of a Normal Rockwell painting…maybe. Worth studying.
4. “Mystery Yarn”
This little love story had a whole host of weird elements, like a love-triangle of string collectors who hold a contest to see who can win Miss Terwilliger’s hand. This line really dated the book:
“Splendid! … The American female is beginning to find her rightful place in the business and public life of this nation.” (81)
Now there’s one way to win a lady’s heart! It was in this particular story that I also got really annoyed with the Sheriff’s speech impediment of mixing up words. Reading the book in one’s head, this impediment might be fine, but when reading it aloud to my kids, it really threw off my rhythm:
“That’s as purty a ball a string as I’ve ever seen. It’s got a toman’s woutch! I mean a woman’s touch!” (83)
5. “Nothing New Under the Sun (Hardly)”
In this tale, a stranger with an odd truck and contraption makes his way into Centerburg. What ensues is an odd mixture of (and confusion about) two classic children’s tales, Rip Van Winkle and The Pied Piper. After nearly losing the town’s children to a maniac, the Mayor finds himself concerned more about his own image than the kids’ safety. Sounds like modern politics to me!
6. “Wheels of Progress”
This final tale introduces the concept of machine-made houses, where whole neighborhoods could be put up in no time, thanks to pre-built walls and floors. It’s pretty much a prophecy of every suburb today filled with cookie-cutter houses, and I found it intriguing. The ending is a bit odd, though, one guy finding all the buried booze of a few generations past and sleeping past his calling because of it. Not your typical theme in a children’s book!
And there you have it, a collection of stories that (in their own way) really do stand out as American classics. I guess I owe old Mable an apology: if you go into this book with the right perspective, that it’s a slice of happy Americana and not some humor book bound to make you laugh, it really is a nice collection of stories. I doubt I’ll seek out Robert McCloskey again, but this ended up being a pretty nice book to read to my kids.
©2024 E.T.
