Living with Lyle

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the book, The House on East 88th Street, home of our famous new neighbor, Lyle the Crocodile.  

For months, we wondered if the house where the family moved in and found a Crocodile in the bathtub was the same Townhouse our new apartment is in. After checking out every Lyle book at a couple of Libraries, a visit to the Author's website, http://www.bernardwaber.com/home-1.html, and carefully reading each and every story about Lyle the Crocodile, or re-reading my childhood favorites, I found the actual Victorian Townhouse where Lyle lived at 236 East 88th Street, pictured below with the green door.  The address of the house next door is on page 10 of Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile.

236 East 88th, home of Lyle the Crocodile

234 East 88th Street, home of Lyle's next door neighbors.

The literary landmark is on The Yorkville School on the East end of East 88th Street.  The school isn't in any of the books, but the drawings in the books look more like the Townhouses at 436 East 88th, right across the street from the school.

An exhibit debuted at the Eric Carle museum which I hope someone will bring to New York next, perhaps at the museum on East 88th Street.

Lyle is getting around New York this holiday season.  Here he is in the window of Bergdorf's, living it up with some sparkly new handbags.

We really couldn't be more pleased with our new neighbors.