The Lonely Phone Booth
Will be published approx. on 2. September 2010
Book
Hardback
32 pages
978-1-56792-414-5 (ISBN)
Description
A sad, forgotten phone booth in New York City becomes a hero in this story of community and caring for others. "A story celebrating the fabric of a neighborhood."-New York Times Book Review
The Phone Booth on the corner of West End Avenue and 100th Street was one of the last remaining phone booths in New York City. Everyone used it-from ballerinas and birthday clowns, to cellists and even secret agents. Kept clean and polished, the Phone Booth was proud and happy until, the day a businessman strode by and shouted into a shiny silver object, "I'll be there in ten minutes." Soon everyone was talking into these shiny silver things, and the Phone Booth stood alone and empty, unused and dejected.
How the Phone Booth saved the day and united the neighborhood to rally around its revival is the heart of this touching story. The Lonely Phone Booth has a lot to say about the enduring power of the faithful things in our lives. For children, it's a wonderful way to talk about their own communities.
The Phone Booth on the corner of West End Avenue and 100th Street was one of the last remaining phone booths in New York City. Everyone used it-from ballerinas and birthday clowns, to cellists and even secret agents. Kept clean and polished, the Phone Booth was proud and happy until, the day a businessman strode by and shouted into a shiny silver object, "I'll be there in ten minutes." Soon everyone was talking into these shiny silver things, and the Phone Booth stood alone and empty, unused and dejected.
How the Phone Booth saved the day and united the neighborhood to rally around its revival is the heart of this touching story. The Lonely Phone Booth has a lot to say about the enduring power of the faithful things in our lives. For children, it's a wonderful way to talk about their own communities.
Reviews / Votes
"The Lonely Phone Booth, the first children's book by Peter Ackerman, a screenwriter and playwright, takes a more intimate look at a slice of life in a New York City neighborhood. Scene-stealing illustrations by Max Dalton convey the story's nostalgic sensibility. A story celebrating the fabric of a neighborhood, that intangible quality New Yorkers treasure."-The New York Times Book Review"Evoking the same kind of New York charm as favorites like The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge and The House on East 88th Street, screenwriter Ackerman celebrates a humble phone booth (still standing at 100th Street and West End Avenue) that saves the Upper West Side-and vice versa. Fellow newcomer Dalton's retro vignettes set the scene with square-jawed men in skinny ties, Girl Scouts in braids, and assorted neighborhood clowns, ballerinas, and secret agents while Ackerman explains how things used to be. 'Each week, phone company workers came to clean and polish the Phone Booth, to collect the deposited coins, and to make sure that its buttons were working properly.' The booth has plenty of customers until people start holding 'shiny silver objects' to their ears, puzzling the phone booth and eradicating the long lines of callers waiting 'just to wish their grandmas a happy birthday.' An electrical storm reveals the vulnerability of the cellphone network ('Hey, does this old thing work?' a construction foreman asks, eyeing the dilapidated booth), causing the locals to reevaluate its worth. Cultural history of the best sort."-Publishers Weekly
"This endearing little book straddles two technological eras in its tale of the life and times of a public phone booth on the corner of West End Avenue and 100th Street in New York City. The story and artwork introduce children to all the life and varied people of the big city, from secret agents to ballerinas to grandmas. Just when the last of the phone booths is to be carted away, a cell phone disaster reminds everyone that some parts of the good old days are worth keeping around. For ages 4-8."-Foreword Magazine
"Peter Ackerman's winning text is wonderfully complimented by Max Dalton's retro style artwork. The art not only tells a splendid story in and of itself, but it also celebrates the colorful and diverse people who live in New York City."-Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Review
"The Lonely Phone Booth is filled with nostalgic, colorful illustrations that bring back the era of '60's children's book illustrations, which harmonizes well with the story. The Lonely Phone Booth is perfect for children age 4 and up, and will help preserve some history of communication technology while amusing and entertaining a young audience."-Midwest Book Review/Children's Bookshelf
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Lincoln
United States
Target group
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 4 to 8 years
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 265 mm
Width: 212 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Weight
394 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-56792-414-5 (9781567924145)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Peter Ackerman
The Lonely Phone Booth
E-Book
12/2020
David R. Godine, Publisher
€10.69
Available for download
Persons
Peter Ackerman co-wrote the movies Ice Age and Ice Age 3 and is a writer on the TV show The Americans. He is the author of The Lonely Phone Booth, The Lonely Typewriter, and The Screaming Chef. Max Dalton lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina and has too many interests to list here-from writing to painting to playing music and reading about animals-but his all-time favorite is drawing. He often works with Peter Ackerman and is the illustrator of The Lonely Phone Booth, The Lonely Typewriter, The Screaming Chef and Extreme Opposites.