Module 2: Madeline

Bemelmans, L. (1967) Madeline. New York, NY: The Viking Press.

Summary

This is the first book of the Madeline series, in which we meet Madeline who lives "in an old house in Paris that was covered with vines" with eleven other little girls and their caretaker, Miss Clavel. While Madeline is the smallest of the twelve, she is quite spunky and isn't afraid of mice or tigers at the zoo. One night, Miss Clavel is awakened by Madeline's cries, and she is taken to the hospital by Dr. Cohn. She has to have her appendix out. The other girls miss Madeline and are happy to visit her in the hospital, where Madeline has been showered with toys and flowers and is being taken care of by nuns with large starched habits that fly in the air. Madeline enjoys showing off her scar to the other little girls. Later that night, Miss Clavel is again awakened by cries and finds all eleven girls crying that they would like their appendix out too. Miss Clavel shushes the girls and tells them to say a prayer of thanks that they are well.

Worth Another Cup of Tea?

Absolutely! I love Madeline and really enjoyed re-reading this popular book for children. I like the illustrations...the recognizable, adorable outfits on the girls, the nuns, the scenes of Paris. Bemelmans did his own illustrations, and they are done in an interesting way that combines details with simplicity. For example, in the picture that shows the girls out on a rainy day, he draws Notre Dame with incredible architectural detail, yet on the opposite page showing the girls out on a sunny day in the Luxembourg Gardens, the sun is drawn like a young child would draw it, an orange and yellow circle with straight lines coming out of it. As for the text, I love the sweet story of this little girl living in Paris. I can easily visualize this group of twelve being watched over by Miss Clavel with order and efficiency yet also warmth and love. I noticed the picture of the wounded soldier with the words "and sometimes they were very sad", possibly for the first time, while re-reading it today. I don't think I had ever realized it was a soldier, and I just thought it was a man on crutches. It made me realize how much character is infused into these young girls, and that Bemelmans is portraying them as "good" girls, learning right from wrong. I also like the rhyming and can see how as a bedtime story, Madeline would be read over and over and over again before the light was turned off.

Reviews

"In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines," lives plucky Madeline with eleven other girls under the care of the kind Miss Clavel. Madeline wakes up in the night with appendicitis and is rushed off to the hospital. The other girls visit Madeline after the operation, and see her gifts, her candy, and above all, her scar. That night they all cry, "Boohoo, we want to have our appendix out too!" Bemelman's drawings of Paris bring the charm of the city to young readers.--Barnes and Noble

This is a children's classic. Madeline, the spunky heroine, becomes ill with appendicitis and must be rushed to the hospital. After her operation, Madeline awakens to a "room with flowers" and a window from which she can watch the world as she recovers and receives visits from her friends.--Children's Literature, 1993

In The Library

This would be a good read-aloud book for a storytime. It could also be used as a fun way to show older students some landmarks in Paris -- a great treat for middle school or even high school French students.

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