Thursday, January 17, 2013

Robert McCloskey's Extra Robber














Are you familiar with Robert McCloskey? Robert McCloskey lived from 1914 to 2003, He wrote and illustrated stories about a character named Homer Price, he also wrote Make Way for DucklingsLentil, Time of Wonder, Blueberries for Sal and Burt Dow, Deep Water Man. He received the Caldecott Medal for Make Way for Ducklings and Time of Wonder. He was a great story teller and an excellent draftsman. Time of Wonder and Burt Dow, Deep Water Man are beautifully illustrated in watercolors.
In Homer Price there is a story called "The Case of the Sensational Scent" wherein four robbers (count them, "four") stage a big heist on a live radio program and Homer eventually solves the crime and helps in the apprehension of the crooks.
A strange thing occurs to the reader's eye in one illustration that shows all of the robbers in one bed at a motel. Though it has been well established in text and pictures that there are four robbers there are suddenly five criminals in the bed at the motel! It's weird, it's actually kind of creepy! It makes me think of those movies where a mysterious person lurks in a scene who isn't supposed to be there, a ghost!
Here are some pictures, check them out, read the books, they are great fun for anyone.




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