Madeline and the Cats of Rome [Hardcover]

John Bemelmans Marciano (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Madeline

The Paris skies are gray, so Miss Clavel and the twelve little girls are leaving for brighter weather? spring in Rome. Rome has wonderful sights to see and delicious things to eat, but Madeline also finds an unexpected adventure, involving a thief, a chase, and many, many cats. The first all-new Madeline book in close to fifty years combines a lively story with luminous gouache and watercolor illustrations. Beloved Madeline returns, as brave and irrepressible as ever!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2—In the first all-new Madeline book in almost 50 years, Ludwig Bemelmans's grandson tries his hand at re-creating the magic and charm of the boisterous little French girl. In this escapade, Miss Clavel and the girls escape the cold, rainy weather in Paris to enjoy spring in Rome. But when their camera is stolen, Madeline races off to catch the culprit. She tracks her down and discovers one of the hiding places of the famed cats of Rome. When the thief, Caterina, lures Madeline into one of her schemes, both girls are taken to the police station. Madeline is reunited with her teacher and classmates and decides to help Caterina stage a "rescue operation" for the cats. After successfully finding homes for all of the felines, Miss Clavel, Madeline, and the girls bid a fond "Ciao!" to Italy. Marciano includes a list of Roman sites found in the illustrations. Missing, however, is a much-needed author's note explaining the history and significance of the more than 300,000 stray cats that live among the city's monuments and ruins. The artwork isn't as sharp and polished as in the original titles, the plot gets muddled, and the rhythm and rhyme of the text are slightly forced and stilted. Nonetheless, libraries with a large Madeline fan base may want to include this new adventure alongside the originals.—Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

In this sequel to the familiar Madeline picture books written and illustrated by Bemelmans’ grandson, Miss Clavel takes the “twelve little girls in two straight lines” from cold, rainy Paris to warm, sunny Rome. On a sightseeing expedition, they pose in the street while Miss Clavel takes their picture. Suddenly, an Italian girl snatches the camera and runs. Madeline and her dog, Genevieve, give chase through the streets of Rome and make a couple of surprising discoveries before their adventure ends. Though the text breaks down here and there, usually when the near rhymes go too far astray, Marciano does a good job of recapturing the look and the verve of his grandfather’s artwork without slavish imitation. Some of the illustrations are in full color, while others use bold, black lines and two shades of yellow. Marciano’s previous works include the manners book Madeline Says Merci (2001) and the board book Madeline Loves Animals (2005). Madeline fans will welcome this. Preschool-Grade 1. --Carolyn Phelan

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Viking Juvenile (September 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670062979
• ISBN-13: 978-0670062973
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #522,173 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Bemelmans Marciano is the grandson of Ludwig Bemelmans, author of the original Madeline books. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More enchantment from Madeline, September 26, 2008

By 

Doc Occula "I Can Has Cheezburger?" (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Madeline and the Cats of Rome (Hardcover)

The charm and energy of the illustrations in the Madeline books never fails to disappoint. John Marciano has carried on the tradition with a sure hand, and while his images honor the tone of his grandfather's marvelous works, they have a light spirit about them which remains contemporary.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We Love Madeline!, November 23, 2008

By 

B. Walker (Franklin, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Madeline and the Cats of Rome (Hardcover)

We were excited to see a new Madeline book in the series. We have enjoyed reading it. Although I must admit I enjoy it a little more than my 26 month old daughter. I think she will quickly grow to love Madeline just as I have always loved her.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars When in Rome, November 1, 2009

By 

Old English Teacher (Elko) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Madeline and the Cats of Rome (Hardcover)

I am a huge fan of the original Madeline books by Bemelmans. I even like the new cartoon show I have sometimes caught on Saturday morning TV. I wish I would have read this one before I bought it for a 4 year old niece. I did not like the idea of lying and thievery that was presented in the book. It ended well, but in this case I don't think the end justifies the means. I am currently looking for a different gift.