Madeline
Who could ever forget the loveable, curious little girl Madeline, Miss Clavel, and the other eleven little girls who lived in two straight rows? Madeline was always so appealing because she was a brave girl. Even though she was the smallest, she was not afraid of anything, from mice to tigers.
Remember when Madeline had to have her appendix removed? It was so sweet and funny—how the other girls cried and worried over her (for she was certainly worried, too) but how, rather than focusing on the operation itself, the book told of the wonderful toys and gifts she received, the funny rabbit crack patterns on the ceiling, and especially of Madeline’s new interesting scar? The book ended so memorably with all of the other girls crying about how they, too, wished to have their appendixes removed!
Ludwig Bemelmans’s classic tale was written in 1939, so it’s no surprise that the illustrations reflected as much. When the girls were sometimes “very sad,” we see them looking at an injured soldier in the street. Still, the girls “smiling at the good” used in conjunction with an illustration of a wealthy man and his horse is dubious; when my daughter asks why it’s good, I tell her that the man rescued the horse and now it’s his pet. Really, there’s nothing overtly good about the picture itself, right? Of course, in the “frowned at the bad” picture, we see a policeman chasing a thief, which makes the scenario obvious.
All of Bemelmans’s pictures provide some sort of fodder for further explanation and thought with kids. And they are quite adorable, even by today’s standards; the thick, childlike lines and simple coloration remind me of Shepherd’s illustrations in House at Pooh Corner, though Bemelmans’s are quite more detailed. The cityscapes of Paris are also provided in loving yet simple detail, offering a glimpse into a beautiful city very much like any other with inquisitive children. The bistros, architecture, bridges and other scenery may seem very foreign and exotic—and therefore exciting!—but the children are as familiar as anyone’s playmate or self, making the tale both fun to read as well as easy to relate to.
Madeline is a fun adventure to read with any child, though it is particularly rewarding for spunky young girls who aren’t afraid of anything and “know quite so well how to frighten” their caregivers! It’s also a great story for reading to children who must have their appendixes removed.
