posted on 06 Mar 2020

The House on East 88th Street by Bernard Waber

Here in the UK we are perhaps less aware of Bernard Waber’s contribution to children’s literature than they are in his native USA but there can be no doubt that his creation – Lyle the Crocodile – is one of the great characters and deserves to be as well-loved as Curious George or Stuart Little. The House on East 88th Street, published in 1962, marks the debut of Lyle who went on to feature in at least nine other stories.

Waber died in 2013 after a career in which he published over 30 books - including Do You See a Mouse?, Evie and Margie, An Anteater named Arthur, and A Lion Named Shirley Williamson - but not of them quite matched the enduring appeal of the Lyle series. Waber wrote and illustrated his own stories in a deceptively simple but outstandingly effective way and in a style that was very much of its time and reminds me of Ludwig Bemelmans of Madeline fame or perhaps even Kay Thompson and her Eloise books.

The House on East 88th Street does what all good children’s books should do – it comes up with a completely barmy scenario and then doesn’t apologise for it or backtrack into unnecessary explanation or justification. The Primm family move into the house on East 88th Street only to discover that the bathroom comes with its own crocodile. Left there by the previous owner of the house, Lyle turns out to be quite the most cuddly and obliging crocodile you could ever wish to have around. In fact Lyle becomes not just the life and soul of the house but a sort of treasured community celebrity that everyone in the locality knows and loves.

But Lyle had been left in the house by Hector P Valenti, Star of Stage and Screen, who one day returns to reclaim Lyle and take him away. This is the cause of great sorrow and breast-beating in the Primm family and they all find adjusting to life in the house without their favourite crocodile around to amuse them is just too dismal. But it seems they are not the only ones who have found it hard to make the adjustment because one day another note arrives from Hector P. Valenti saying that they must take Lyle back because he cannot stand having to see any more ‘crocodile tears’ from the broken-hearted reptile.

So Lyle returns to the bosom of the Primm family and happiness for all is restored – and the scene is now set for the rest of Lyle’s future adventures.

Hardbacks and paperbacks of this heart-warming story are easy enough to find on the internet and won’t cost you more than a few pounds. Introduce your child to Lyle and you’ll be finding them a companion for life.

Terry Potter

March 2020

 

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