A Classic! Madeline!!!!!!

Madeline

By Ludwig Bemelmans

Bio from: http://www.madeline.com/

Ludwig Bemelmans was born on April 27, 1898 and died on October 1, 1962. He was an essayist, humorist, novelist, artist and an author of books for children.

He was born in the Austrian Tyrol and moved to the United States in 1914. When he arrived in the United States he worked in the hotel industry. But when the United States entered World War I, Bemelmans enlisted in the United States Army. He became a United States citizen in 1918, and after the war he returned to the hotel business.

It was at the suggestion of May Massee, a children's book editor for Viking Press, that Bemelmans wrote his first children's book, Hansi. Hansi was the first of Bemelmans' fifteen children's books. It was very well received by most reviewers. But it was Madeline, which brought Bemelmans his greatest success.

From the time of his marriage to Madeline Freund in 1935 (they had one daughter, Barbara...whom the Madeline character is modeled after) until his death in New York of pancreatic cancer, Bemelmans wrote approximately one or two books a year. .

Although Bemelmans became famous for his Madeline books, he always considered himself more an artist illustrator than a writer, and later in life he became a serious painter with works now on display in the Metropolitan Museum in New York and the Museé National d'Art of Paris.

That isn't to say he did not take his writing seriously, for he was careful never to insult his young audience. "We are writing for children, but not for idiots," he once stated. 

Book Summary

                In the story Madeline the main character is a small, brave little girl names Madeline.  The story takes place in France.  Madeline gets sick in the middle of the night and is taken to the hospital.  At the hospital they take her appendicitis out and she is then visited by the 11 other girls whom she lives with.  By the end of the story Madeline is doing much better and the 11 other girls who were jealous of the attention pretend that they are now sick.

Personal Reaction to story: Darling!  I enjoyed it.  It was a quick read and would be great for any young girl who may have to visit the hospital.

Illustrations:  The illustrations are set in large rectangular squares.  The meaning of this?  Not sure?  Could it be that we are looking thru a window to see bits and part of Madelines Life?  Could it be that We have a little girl who loves to push the boundaries and do things outside of the box so the illustrator has tried to put her inside the box?  Just not sure.  Makes you think.  Once you are inside the pictures we see popular sites associated with France.  They are soft and delicate with a bit of whimsy.  There are some pictures in full color and others with a yellow background and black details.  There is not a pattern that I can see to tell when the pictures will be colored or yellow.  I enjoyed the book and the pictures.  I do think the pictures are stronger than the text.

Art Medium: not sure

Final Thoughts:
1. Would this be a book I would pick up again?  Yes!
2. Would I recommend it to others to search out and take a look at?  Yes
3. Would I spend my hard earned money on the book?  Yes
Want more information?  Here you go!
http://www.madeline.com/