Madeline (Paperback)

by Ludwig Bemelmans (Author, Illustrator)
Key Phrases: Miss Clavel

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Poor Miss Clavel! In "an old house in Paris that was covered with vines," Miss Clavel oversees the education of 12 little girls, the littlest of whom is the mischievous Madeline. Despite her size, she fearlessly pooh-poohs the tiger in the zoo and frightens Miss Clavel with her adventurous antics. When she awakens the entire house with her plaintive cries in the middle of the night, Doctor Cohn whisks the appendicitis-stricken Madeline off to the hospital where, some two hours later, she awakens to find a scar on her stomach! The scar (not to mention the flowers, toys, and candy given to Madeline by her father) proves quite interesting to the rest of Miss Clavel's charges when they make a special trip to visit her. Ludwig Bemelmans's lilting rhymes are music to children's ears, and the quirky, oddly perfect drawings of the girls in "two straight lines" lend an enticing Parisian flavor to this perennial children's favorite. (Ages 3 to 8)

Product Description
"Bemelmans' drawings have put an authentic Paris within the covers of this book. The rhymes in which the tale is told make it one that children will enjoy repeating."--The New York Times. Caldecott Honor Book; ALA Notable Children's Book. Full-color illustrations.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Puffin; New edition edition (February 24, 1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140501983
• ISBN-13: 978-0140501988
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 7 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #933,392 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #26 in	Books > Children's Books > Ages 4-8 > Classics
  #33 in	Books > Children's Books > Popular Characters > Book Characters > Madeline
  #39 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( B ) > Bemelmans, Ludwig

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DawnENGL340 at SJC, February 23, 2001

By A Customer

Although "Madeline" probably needs no introduction, this classic story set in Paris is about a Miss Clavel and twelve little girls. The smallest girl is Madeline, who is brave and does not even get scared of a lion in the zoo. Madeline scares Miss Clavel when one night she... Ludwig Bemelmans does a great job of corresponding the illustrations to the content of the story. The scene where Madeline is saying "pooh-pooh" to the lion, it has more color than other pages making it exciting. The illustrations compliment the plot and setting of the story by giving each page a mood that helps create the story. The rythem and humor in this book will appeal to most children. I found when reading it to my daughter we both giggled at the many rhymes which Ludwig Bemelmans chose as the characteristic to tell this story in. I would reccomend this book for readers at the preschool age up to age eight or so. For the younger reader it has a great rythem and illustrations that keep the eye interested. For the older reader the story is equally interesting with a slight hint of suspence. Ludwig Bemelmans drawing's of the Opera, Notre Dame in the rain and of the children playing in the Luxembourg gardens give a classic picture of Paris. The illustrations coupled with the easy flow of the story and rhyme will allow this book to be enjoyed in a timeless fashion! DawnENGL340 at SJC

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An enchanting book for girls, January 18, 1999

By A Customer

Our daughter 4th birthday present from a friend of mine who grew up on Madeline too. Now our girl is already 8 years old and still reads Madeline. And she learns how to write her own poems following Ludwig's example. After 4 years, it is still her favourite book by her bedside.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love the story. I love the rhyme. It's simply a delight., September 19, 1999

By A Customer

I read it to me kids on demand. They never tire of it, nor do I. If you like this book, try Suzy, Fair Suzy by Hugh Aaron, a beautifully illustrated book in verse about a girl who loses her doll, and the arrival of a sibling.