We're Off to Harvard Square

"We're off to Harvard Square" is a kiddie book that describes a day in Harvard Square, the commercial area around the well-known university. The book features cute Dr. Seuss-like rhymes and busy pen and ink drawings. Folks that know the region well will recognize the names of the streets, shops and restaurants in the pictures and smirk at more than a few details as they read it to their kids. A colored interior, not coloring-book-style line drawings would have made the book more exciting for children: the true target audience are the parents (Harvard or MIT alums, perhaps), not the kids themselves. Adults will look at the pictures and think, "yes, that's what the trash cans look like", or "ah, there are bikes locked to posts everywhere" and think fondly back on college days and biking in traffic. Written in 2004, the pictures are slowly becoming dated as Fleet is now Bank of America, and Herrel's, the ice cream parlor that has more than a few pages devoted to its delights, has recently announced it is going out of business. I'm very curious whether any money changed hands for shop-fronts and businesses to be included by name in the illustrations. Au Bon Pan is conspicuously absent, while an umbrella in another illustration boasts Samuel Adams beer. The Coop, a centerpiece of the area, is mentioned in rhyme. All in all, it's an adorable book for a niche market- I would not recommend it for someone who's never been to Harvard Square, but f you have, it's a delight.

This is a great kids book as well as a great momento of a trip to Boston. And the ideal gift for a Harvard alum who has kids - it's got lots more personality than most of the Harvard oriented momentoes. The rhymes are short and lively and the fun drawings give a great sense of what it's like to wander around the Square. My kids have had us read it lots and are so excited that places they have been are in a book just for them. It would make a great graduation present as well.