Madeline

My six-year-old granddaughter loves this book. The only complaint is that the illness and hospital visit were frightening to her, but she enjoys hearing it over and over after the first shock. This is her third book in the series, and Madeline's antics are favorites for her.

Great quality... but it's a mini book. I realize that I should've realized that in the product description, but being that I'm a teacher and I've never seen a mini version of this book, I never would've thought to have looked at that. $4.50 seemed reasonable for a full sized used book in my opinion. Buyer beware.

Fun book to read to children. I read this to my 5 month old, but she doesn't seem that interested. The illustrations are probably not that easy for her to discern at such a young age. The story is cute.

My 2 year old has loved all the books in the Madeline series. She loves the artwork, rhymes, and simple story lines that connect to and share elements in common with other books in the series. This book is also my wife's favorite in the series.

I intended to purchase each of the original versions of the Bemelmans Madeline books in hardcover. This is a paperback. It may work for you, but just doesn't satisfy in the hand like a classic hard bound book.

I wanted to buy each of the original Madeline books by Bemelmans, but was disappointed when I realized that this was a later paperback publication. Story and pictures are fine, but not as expected (or hoped).

These books come from an unsanitised age.

The gypsies kidnap Madeline and Pepito, drug them and then hold them prisoners. I can handle them kidnapping Pepito as he is a misunderstood bulimic sadist. In any case, they get to work as circus performers and live life alternatively. So the story is great should you relish the alternative meme and love the awesome stereotyping of our traveller friends.

I love the illustrations but the fun is providing new text or alternatively ploughing through it in unbowdlerised form- watch your kids ask why!

I'm surprised this book isn't better known, given the popularity of the original Madeline book. The message of the story was ahead of its time. My family enjoyed this book much more than "Madeline's Rescue".

My grandson loved his Madeline books which he received for his birthday. He has them read time and time again and can quote sections of them. They are his favorite and enjoys all of L. Bemelmans characters and books.

From the picture of the book on your website I determined it was the size of the original Bemelmans publication. However, it is more the size of the children's "Golden Books" and, furthermore, is a Weekly Reader edition. I did not see this on the seller's website. Had I known this book's size and the fact it was a Weekly Reader edition, I never would have bought it.

My one complaint with this book is that the edition I received from the store did not have a dust jacket. The finish of the book was glossy and looked like it belonged in a library. I was a little disappointed by this, as I expected it to have a dust jacket just like Madeline book I bought from Barnes and Noble.

This is not my favorite Madeline book. My daughter usually likes Madeline, but was not as keen on this one. It does not have a good flow of rhyming cadence that is present in the rest of the series. The story is also fairly random and does not have much at all to do with London. Madeline and the Cats of Rome is a much better option.

I paid a lot (particularly shipping) for such a small book and I purchased it to read to my grandchildren. My children found it to be very objectionable as they thought the antics of Pepito were violent and not something they wanted my grandchildren to hear about.

It feels too long. It just goes on and on about unimportant things. There are twelve girls in a boarding school in France. The woman in charge, Miss Clavel, dresses like a nun for some reason (wouldn't she be "Sister Clavel" or "Mother Clavel" if she were a nun?). The smallest of the 12 girls is named Madeline. She's brave but a little foolhardy (which is irrelevant to the story, but the book feels it necessary to tell us this). One night she's in bed crying. Miss Clavel calls the doctor. Madeline has appendicitis. She's in in the hospital for like 10 days. The other eleven girls go and visit her, where they see "the toys and candy and the dollhouse from Papa" (the only way I could tell she wasn't an orphan). She has a scar. Then the other girls go home, and then they're all crying in bed because they all want to have their appendixes out also. Miss Clavel says, "Good night, little girls! Thank the lord you are well! And now go to sleep!"

I feel like like I could draw this well. The art is very stylized, as if the artist just really roughly sketched things and wasn't interested in making things look realistic in any way, shape, or form. It uses far too many words to tell a fairly uninteresting story. Madeline gets appendicitis. Or, a little longer: A brave little girl named Madeline who is in boarding house with 11 other girls gets appendicitis, and the other kids are jealous. That's it. Literally nothing else happens in this book. It does not need to go on this long. It's not terrible at rhyming and the meter is okay, but it changes the rhyme scheme all over the place. Quatrains, couplets, and triplets are just thrown about with abandon. And is he trying to rhyme "Papa" with "car" and "star"?

It's more annoying than anything else. It doesn't do anything for me. It's not imparting any knowledge to me. It's not interesting. It's just fairly mediocre, and the art is not very well done in my opinion.

Message: Appendicitis is fun!

For more children's book reviews, see the drttmk website.

"In an old house in Paris, that was covered with vines,
lived twelve little girls in two straight lines."

Each of the several Madeline books starts with this simple and charming little rhyme. The first book, the one being reviewed here, was written in 1939 and was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1940, and so it should have been!

I note in reading some of the fine reviews here that folks have been wondering how this book, which its obvious setting in Paris, would sound in French. Well, we may never know due to the fact that Ludwig Bemeimans wrote this in the United States in English.

This, at first glance, appears to be an odd little book; both textually and artistic. Let me tell you though, as you read this work, over and over and over again to your kids, you will find that it has an almost hypnotic charm about it. And make no mistake, whether they want to admit to it or not, little boys like this tale just as much as little girls. I think all kids can relate to the bravery, spunk, and feistiness of Madeline; the littlest girl in her class who is not afraid of ANYTING, including mice, tigers and hospital stays!

The entire text is in verse - delightful verse I might add. I noted that some have pointed out that some of the rhymes do not rhyme. This is not so. When the reader is reading this thing, certain words must be spoken with a slight French accent. When you do that, then all the words rhyme.

Anyway, for me the art work in this book is as exciting as the text. There is something tremendously appealing about it is a sort of off-beat manner. Bemeimans was an excellent illustrator whose work appeared in and on several old copies of the New Yorker and other leading magazines of his day. Even though some of the illustrations in this book may appear simple, they are actually quite complex - Bemjeimans knew what he was doing and all was calculated. His limited pallette only adds to the charm of the pictures.

This one was, is and I suspect always well be a children's classic. Thank goodness it and the other Madeline books are still in print and available.

NOTE: Reviewing the Madeline books on the store is like reviewing the Beatrix Potter books - difficult. the store has seen fit to mix editions and mix the reviews of different editions to the point that it is difficult to tell just what you are trying to review. If you will note the product description on this particular item reads as if it is selling Madeline Dolls...go figure. I tell you this simply to warn readers and possible buyers to read carefully and be sure you order the book you think you are ordering.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

In Madeline in London, Madeline and her friends go to London to cheer up a friend who is down, Pepito. Madeline and Pepito get into misadventures, but Madeline models kindness and bravery, as always.

The illustrations are also beautiful and give parents with a little knowledge of geography an opportunity to tell their children about the famous places Madeline and her friends pass (e.g. Trofalgar Square).

For anyone who is not familiar, the Madeline books follow a formula, including some of the same language and images in each book. This might dissuade some parents from buying more than one book in the Madeline series, but my daughter loves them all the more for their repetitious elements, and I love seeing the new illustrations in each book.

I realized after I posted how sexist my headline is. First, I highly recommend Madeline for boys, too. But I am especially psyched about Madeline because I have a little girl who is currently obsessed with al things "girly." Unfortunately, so many of the things she perceives to be "girly" are focused only on girls being cute and sweet. While Madeline is both cute and sweet, she is also many other things like: daring, adventuresome, and a leader.

This book is a Caldecott Honor Book. Madeline books sometimes (in my opinion) not so good but others are wonderful! You never know when you go to open the cover! This one I really loved and my almost 3 year old granddaughter loved sitting in my lap looking at the pictures and listening to the rhyming lines.

Madeline is a little girl in France that lives with 11 other little girls with a nun that cares for them all in a boarding school. Madeline is the littlest one of the girls and the most adventurous. Sometimes (like in this book) her manners are well and she's adorable...in other books (my opinion here) she's over the top on bad manners and just gets into everything etc.

In this book Madeline gets very sick and is rushed out in a hurry awakin in a hospital after an appendix operation. When the girls come visit they all are jealous of all the toys in her hospital room but mostly are jealous of her big new scar on her belly! They all leave and wish her well but that night Miss Clevel awakens to find them all crying saying they want their appendix out too! She tells them to be thankful for their good health.

In the very back of the book there is a page of listing of items that are actualy in France that you can see throughout the book. So if you aren't familiar with monuments-items in France this gives you a neat look into things. Like the Eiffel Tower, The Place Vendome, Notre Dame and other scenes

Explore the city of lights through the eyes and imagination of a kid. The city comes alive and one day each young reader will remember the story of their youth and take a trip to Paris to see for themselves as adults. They won't be disappointed.
Buy the hard back copy especially for the illustrations and their magnificent colors.

I recognize this famous name and I do not doubt that the story, whether through book or TV show, have come across my way. But I do not remember such a specific event (you may recall, I have a memory of a thousand elephants) so I wanted to read it and experience this well loved classic picture book.

Certainly Madeline, the character, had spunk. A lovable Anne of Green Gable spirited quality that is likable. Madeline stood out among the twelve children and put fun into a rigid routine. She initiated the spirit of being a lovely, carefree child which later the rest wanted to emulate.

This is a wonderful and simple rhyming book for young children. The illustrations were a great compliment as well. The setting, a treat. Overall, a read that was whimsical and invited this reader to see Madeline's sweet outlook. It gave me a bit of a homesick feeling for similar innocent times in my girlhood.

Simply a charming book. The children exemplified what being a child at heart means.

Madeline and the rest of the series were among my favorite books as a little kid. Recently my brother and sister-in-law presented me with a copy of this book as an announcement I'm going to be an aunt. I cannot wait to share this story with my niece or nephew. The rhyming text is gentle and soothing; I can almost hear Christopher Plummer's voice when I read it, out loud or to myself. The illustrations are delightfully childlike but professional, with an old-fashioned sketchy style. I recommend this children's treasure to anyone with little ones; it especially makes a great bedtime story.

Over ten years separate Ludwing Bemelmans's fabled children's book, "Madeline" (1939), from the second of what would be six Madeline tales, "Madeline's Rescue." Initially published in a magazine in 1951, "Madeline's Rescue" was published in book form in 1953 and won the Caldecott Medal for the best American picture book for children in 1954. In addition to the bold and mischevous Madeline, this book features two other Bemelmans characters, the dog Genevieve and Lord Cucuface, the president of the board of trustees responsible for the "old house in Paris covered with vines."

As with so many little girls, Madeline has her own mind and only reluctantly listens and follows directions. On a walk with Miss Clavel and her 11 classmates, Madeline falls of a rail into the Seine River and is "dragged safe from a watery grave" by the heroics of Genevieve. The dog is adopted by the girls and becomes an adored pet. But during the annual inspection, Lord Cucuface shoos the dog away: "Go away and don't come back!"; to which the undaunted Madeline responds:

"Lord Cucuface beware!/ Miss Genevieve, noblest dog in France,/You shall have your VEN-GE-ANCE!"

After a search hither and yon through Paris, Genevieve reappears and the twelve little girls fight over her. Three times, Miss Clavel rises from her bed, exclaiming "Something is not Right!" But the story works out in the end.

The illustrations in the book, in the spontaneous, sketchy yellow, black and white that became a "Madeline" trademark richly deserved the Caldecott medal, with portrayals of the pompous Cucuface, Madeline's solemn declaration, standing on a chair, of VEN-GE-ANCE, the panicked flights of Miss Clavel,and Genevieve and her relationship with the little girls.

The original "Madline" and this first follow-up story remain for me the best of the Madeline tales. I have been having a lovely time with my four year old granddaughter reading these stories. Madeline, with her mischief and eclat, is among the characters in children's literature that can be enjoyed by youngsters and adults alike.

Robin Friedman

This story, first published in 1939, is told in rhyme. In it, twelve little girls, one of whom is Madeline, attend a private school in Paris. In simple and appealing words and visuals, Bemelmans shows the girls going to and from school in two lines, facing each other at the table in two rows, and going to sleep, their beds arranged in two rows. But one night Miss Clavel (whom I presume is the head of the girls' class, or is at least in charge of them) has a feeling something is not right: so finely attuned to the girls' needs is she that she senses trouble.

That trouble is Madeline, who is not feeling well and who must be rushed to the hospital, where she has her appendix removed. The other girls and Miss Clavel get to visit Madeline after several days, and it is clear that what awes her classmates is not the toys Madeline has received as get-well wishes, but the fact that she has a scar. The book ends on a humorous note, with the other eleven girls also wanting a scar.

Simple, endearing. Recommended.

I think that this book was a really great book for little kids, It tells how people can be scared of things that can happen. This book was a book that had a really nice lesson in it, and I think that it would most likley be a book that mothers, fathers, ect. can read together with their kids, and enjoy it at the same time. Madeline learned her lesson not to walk on the ledge of the bridge when she fell into the water and almost drowned. If it wasn't for the dog that saved her, she would of not lived! That is why I think that you should read this great book, and you will love it. This is an adventurous book, with lots of picture's and details. The dog who's name is Genevieve was a stray dog, and he was also the one who saved her. He soon after became her bestfriend. All the girls in the school all try to keep the dog from getting taken away from Madeline, even the nun that watched Madeline and the other girls sticked up for the dog. The inspectors came in and tried to take the dog away from the girls, and they were so upset. At the end, they got to keep the dog, and it was a very happy ending. When the author wrote this book, I think that he was thinking about the friendship that someone can have for an animal of any kind, or a person. This book shows alot of that. The kids will also love the surprise ending to the story, because I knoqw that I did. When I read the story, I could not put down the book, not even for one second. This was a great book, and I know that you will love it, and that is why you should get it.

The Madeline series has fascinated children, especially little girls, for decades. Having watched my own children enjoy the books, Madeline's Rescue became my favorite to read to children and to enjoy myself. The book has a marvelous balance of story and outstanding illustrations that make it more complete than almost any other illustrated children's book.
My wife and daughters love to quote the beginning of the Madeline books:
"In an old house in Paris
That was covered with vines
Lived twelve little girls
In two straight lines.
. . .
the smallest one was Madeline."
What an engrossing beginning! Why an old house? Why two straight lines? What are the little girls doing there? Why are we focusing on the smallest? Your mind is filled with questions that cause you to want to race forward and learn more.
This is a boarding school where the parents do not make an appearance in the story. So you are looking at the independent life of young girls.
Madeline's Rescue is the second book in the series. You will probably enjoy the book more if you read Madeline first.
One day while walking with the school, Madeline falls into the fast-moving Seine. If you have ever seen the river, you know it would be hard to rescue anyone from it without a boat. In this case, a brave dog saves Madeline. The girls take the dog home and name her Genevieve. They fight over who will sleep with her.
All's well until the school's trustees come for their annual inspection. The trustees point out the rule, "DOGS AREN'T ALLOWED IN SCHOOL." So Genevieve is put out. After the trustees leave, the girls are naturally upset and search all over Paris for her.
But Genevieve returns on her own. Miss Clavel awakens in the middle of the night to find her outside. Then Miss Clavel is awakened again when the girls fight over Genevieve. Then, she is awakened a third time for a very nice surprise! You'll have to read the book to find out what it is.
Most illustrated books don't hold up well in small paperback form. Madeline's Rescue is the exception. I recommend that you buy a large, library binding edition for home, and the paperback for travel.
The illustrations won this book the 1954 Caldecott award for best illustrated children's book in that year. I am sure you will enjoy the bright splashes of color and inked outlines for the happy scenes, and the somber, cold tones for the sad times. If you've ever been in Paris during the wintry weather, the dull looking pages will remind you of those overcast, dull days.
After you finish reading this book with your child, I suggest that you think about where else our connection with animals brings rewards in both directions. Obviously, this is true with other pets. But what about humble animals like the earthworm that make our gardens grow and look more beautiful? When we loosen the soil for the plants, we help prepare it for the earthworms too.
Discover our natural heritage and obligations!

If you were to walk up to the first person you met on the street and asked, "Are you familiar with the works of Mr. Ludwig Bemelmans?", you would probably get a funny stare. If, however, you were to walk up to another person on the street and said, "In an old house that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines", you might still get a funny stare but at least they might be familiar with darling "Madeline". Though its author hasn't received much interest over the years, the Madeline books have garnered a great deal of love from many members of the literary world. And of these, the only Caldecott winner was "Madeline's Rescue".
Just as they do every day, the little girls attending a French boarding school (run by the pleasant nun Miss Clavel) take a walk across the Seine. On one day in particular, however, the feisty Madeline (who beyond her near drowning gets short shift in this book) falls into the river and nearly drowns. Thanks to a plucky mongrel nearby, Madeline lives and the dog is adopted by the school. To the dismay of the students, however, several trustees coming for an annual inspection are chagrined that such a dog (a mixed-breed undoubtedly) would be allowed to live in one of their schools. Genevieve (for such is the dog's name) is cruelly turned out into the streets and it's up to the girls to rescue their faithful pup.
The book is ostensibly for children, but I suspect it is far more loved by Paris-adoring adults. As the little girls search for their doggy they walk about a variety of well known Parisien sights. Here they search amongst the patrons of the trendy Deux Magots. Yonder you can see them in a breathtaking search across Le Pere-Lachaise. I ask you, in what other picture book are you likely to see a full quote on Oscar Wilde's tomb (not to mention nods to Chopin, Moliere, Balzac, and more)? Bemelmans has a lovely lilting ear for his own prose as well. Just consider the line...
"Miss Genevieve, noblest dog in France,
You shall have your VEN-GE-ANCE!"
You just can't beat it. On top of that are some wonderful illustrations. Though most of the book is black on white with yellow, there is always the occasional full page spread that is deftly colored in deep greens and dark blues. On the whole, there is much to love in this book. Beloved for more than fifty years now, it shall continue to be just as loved for centuries to come.

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

Madeline's Rescue, with stories and pictures by Ludwig Bemelmans, is just one of the many adored Madeline books published before. The book having darling characters such as Ms.Clavel, Madeline, and Lord Cucuface is wonderful to read to children having their full-out attention with humorous situations that Madeline usually leaps herself into.
As always, in the beginning, Madeline and her fellow orphans leave the house in Paris, "in two straight lines, in rain or shine." The day takes a twist as Madeline falls into the Seine. But before Madeline met her fate, a dog came and saved her. The girls beg to keep the dog, and Ms.Clavel says its ok. They name it Genevieve. It acted almost as one of the girls. "She could sing and almost talk, and enjoyed their daily walk." Although frowns come upon the little girls faces as the collection of trustees came for the annual inspection. They were not pleased with the dogs and shooed him away quickly. With bravery Madeline declares a search for the dog.
The book keeps children's emotions high as Madeline is saved, but then the dog gets taken away. Its cute and I think even parents enjoy reading various Madeline books.

Madeline is one of twelve girls at a Parisian boarding school, who shows herself to be exceptional through daring actions such as crossing a bridge on the rail, while the other girls walk sedately in their line. The twelve girls' ordered, convivial life is well portrayed in unique illustrations and skillful writing which emphasize dramatic action rather than description. The great drama of this story is Madeline's appendicitis and subsequent visit to the hospital. The story ends in humor, with eleven little girls returning home from a visit there, and crying to have appendicitis so they can enjoy the candy and toys that Madeline received.

The Madeline books have been loved by children for seventy years, for good reason. Their engaging illustrations, careful writing, and subtle humor combine to present a secure and romantic world that is very appealing.

"Madeline in London" (1961) was the last of the six "Madeline" tales written by Ludwig Bemelmans (1898 -- 1962). Born in Austria, Bemelmans became an American citizen in 1918. He wrote many books for children and adults and was also an artist. But Bemelmans will always be best remembered for "Madeline", with her spunk, audacity, and mischief. I have been enjoying revisiting the Madeline stories with my four-year old granddaughter.

This book moves from Madeline's accustomed surroundings in "the old house in Paris covered with vines" to London and back again. The book features Pepito, the son of the Spanish Ambassador who lives next to the "old house". Pepito is also a character in "Madeline and the Bad Hat" and in "Madeline and the Gypsies." When the Spanish Ambassador is reassigned to London, Pepito becomes wan and lonely. Thus the Spanish Ambassador invites Miss Clavel and her twelve charges, particularly Madeline to hop across the English chanel for a visit to celebrate Pepito's birthday.

Our thirteen wanderers arrive in London without a suitable birthday present, and they take it upon themselves to give Pepito a horse. The mischief begins. The horse takes off for a jaunt through London carrying Pepito and Madeline on his back. After a merry chase, the trio is recovered. The unfortunate horse does little to endear himself to the family as he enters the Ambassador's garden and devours the vegetables and flowers. Madame Ambassador has had enough. At the end of the visit, as Madeline, Miss Clavel and the eleven other girls return home to Paris, they take with them a 14th traveller.

The illustrations are in Bemelmans's freestyle, yellow, black and white with some full-color drawings as well. Scenes of London and its palaces and Big Ben intermingle with drawings of the errant horse, the Spanish Ambassador's residence, Madeline and her comnpanions, and, of course" the old vine-covered house.

This book doesn't seem to be quite as well-known as the other volumes in the Madeline series. But it will delight young, budding readers and the adults who care for them.

Robin Friedman

For this fifth book in the Madeline series, Ludwig Bemelmans decides to do several things a bit differently. As always we begin with the old house in Paris that was covered in vines, but this time the twelve little girls in two straight lines each do their own illustration to help set up this tale. As we know, next door in another old house that stood next door lives Pepito, the son of the Spanish Ambassador, who is sent to England. The little girls all cried: "Boo-hoo--We'd like to go to London too." Given that the title of this book is "Madeline in London," that seems likely to happen.

In London, Pepito stops eating and grow fit, and his mama figures out it must be because her son misses Madeline and the girls. So the Spanish Ambassador invites them to the embassy and Miss Clavel and the girls pack and catch the next jet. There they find a birthday present for Pepito, and then take a tour of London town, from Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace to Drury Lane, London Bridge, and the White Tower. In London there is no need for Miss Clavel to wake up in the middle of the night or run fast and faster to some new disaster. That is because this time the disaster has to do with Pepito's present and Miss Clavel is not responsible for it (that is, until the end of the story).

Young readers who liked "Madeline's Rescue" because of Miss Genevieve will be inclined to like "Madeline in London" because it also deals with pets. I was a bit disappointed that there are not as many wonderful full-color illustrations of the sights of London as we usually find in the Madeline stories set in Paris. Those illustrations are often the best part of Bemelmans' stories, as he goes beyond the simple yellow painted pages to more complex pictures. "Madeline in London" was originally published in 1961 and it turns out to be the last time Bemelmans did his signature yellow pages, as the sixth and final story, "Madeline's Christmas," will be entirely in color.

I have had several occasions to read "Madeline" over the years, yet had never read anything about her. So learning that she had celebrated her 60th birthday was something of a surprise because I did not think of this first story of that irrepressible little girl as something that was first published on the eve of World War II. But the bigger surprise was learning that "Madeline" was not originally written and published in France, which I had always assumed was the case. That means all of those times I was reading this book and wondering what it would read like in the orignal French, I was completely off the mark. Live and learn.

Ludwig Bemelmans was actually born in 1898 in that part of the Tyrol which is now known as Merano, Italy, and came to the United States in 1914. A painter and illustrator, Bemelmans contributed covers to "The New Yorker," and also started writing fiction. His first children's book, "Hansi," was published in 1934. A world traveler and true cosmopolite, Bemelmans wrote and illustrated "Madeline" in 1939 but had trouble finding a publisher because most editors felt that despite its humorous verse and simple artwork the book was too sophisticated for children (Soon & Schuster originally published the book, although the rest of the series would be published by Viking, Bemelmans usual publisher). Bemelmans named his most popular creation for his wife, Madeleine Freund, whom he had married in 1935. They had a daughter named Barbara, who would provide inspiration for some of the Madeline books.

Thinking that this book was originally written and published in France is a reasonable conclusion given all of the Paris scenes Bemelmans pictures in his book. You have the Eiffel Tower on the cover and in one of the illustrations, the lady feeding the horse is in front of the Paris Opera House, the gendarme chases the jewel thief across the Place Vendome, the wounded soldier is at the Hotel des Invalides, the children visit Notre Dame in the rain and the Gardens at the Luxembourg on the sunny day, they sake in front of the Church of the Sacre Coeur, and the man feeding the birds is in the Tuileries Gardens which face the Louvre. These settings comprise part of the book's enduring charm. I always remember the yellow pages that represent "the old house in Paris that was covered with vines," especially since yellow is also the color of the hats, coats, and often the dresses that the "twelve little girls in two straight lines" wear. Yellow is also the color of Madeline's hair in this one, although that will change in future books. But Bemelmans also takes full advantage of the complete palette when he does the scenes that happen out and about Paris (and children like him because he colors outside the lines, just like they do).

Still, in the end the prime attraction is Madeline, who is the smallest one of the twelve girls. But Madeline "was not afraid of mice," just said "Pooh-pooh" to the tiger in the zoo, and knew how to frighten Miss Clavel more than anybody else. Madeline is smart, says what she thinks, and is she is a bit disobedient that is just another reason to love her. After all, she is part of a literary family of similar young girls that go back to Anne Shirley in the "Anne of Green Gables" books and Jo March in "Little Women" (Age them and I suppose you end up with Scarlett O'Hara). Perhaps not all little girls would be as brave as Madeline when they are rushed out to the hospital in the middle of the night for an emergency appendectomy, but I suspect most young girls would like to think that they would be as brave and that they would show off the scar on their stomach with as much élan as Madeline.

By this third book in the series, readers know that Madeline is the smallest one of the twelve little girls in two straight lines who live in an old house in Paris that was covered with vines. They know that she is not afraid of mice and that "nobody knew so well, How to frighten Miss Clavel." In fact, Ludwig Bemelmans accompanies those familiar words with a simplified version of the same scene accompanying the same words from the original story of "Madeline." That is because things happen differently this time, as Madeline slips and falls into the river. "Poor Madeline would now be dead, But for a god, That kept its head."

"Madeline's Rescue" is actually more about Madeline's rescuer, the aforementioned dog that "dragged her safe from a watery grave." Miss Clavel and the other girls take Madeline and the dog home, and when she turns out the light for the night, there is a fight among the girls as to where the dog should sleep. The dog proves to be clever and helpful and is named Genevieve (rhymes with "beef"). Things are happy for six months and then comes the day of the annual inspection by the trustees, and these wretched people declare that "DOGS AREN'T ALLOWED IN SCHOOL" and order Miss Clavel to get rid of "it." They are also bigots (Genevieve is "of uncertain race") and they send Genevieve out into the world.

This is where we learn that we were wrong about the title, because it is not about the rescue OF Madeline but the rescue BY Madeline, Miss Clavel, and the other girls. For it is Madeline who jumps on a chair and declares: "Miss Genevieve, noblest dog in France, You shall have your VEN-GE-ANCE!" This is the best part of the book, because this is where Bemelmans shows his characters searching high and low for their beloved dog in some of the landmark sites in Paris (including Le Pere Lachaise, the celebrated cemetery, where Bemelmans has worked in the final resting places of Oscar Wilde, Rossini, Bizet, Chopin, Sarah Bernardt, Honore Balzac, Hugo, Moliere, Heloise et Abelard, and many more).

But we also love the way Bemelmans plays with his familiar storyline, because in the middle of the night when Miss Clavel turns on her light and says, "Something is not right," she does it not once and not twice but three times this time around. So there is a happy ending and a happier ending. Actually a perfect ending given all of the fighting and the cutest drawing of the twelve little girls in two straight lines. As always, Bemelmans' childlike illustrations are captivating (and I see a touch of Thurber in his drawings of Genevieve). Any kid can draw a face with dot eyes and U-shaped mouths, and they have to appreciate that Bemelmans does not always color within the lines. But for me it is the full color illustrations of the sights of Paris that I like to look at and catch all of the details. I would love to have a pitcher book that just collects Bemelmans' Paris scenes, even without the rhyming text that is another part of what makes these stories enjoyable and classics of children's literature.

I really disagree with this being a book for 4-8 year olds. Pepito was tough to deal with - mean to the animals, wearing the scary mask...and then there was the guillotine! Too much for little ones.

This is a good book that will be fun for kids.
I ordered 2 copies as gifts. One of these came with a one and a half inch tear in the cover, hence four stars instead of five.
There are several important ideas that stood out to me. First, smiling at the good and frowning at the bad, second about bearing up when life throws curve balls at you, and third supporting those who are going through a rough patch. There is more there if you look.

I missed the Madeline books completely when I was a child, so my daughter and I discovered them together. It's an education seeing Madeline through her eyes. In Madeline, my daughter, who is somewhat shy and leery of new experiences, has a heroine who is smart, spunky, and completely in control of every situation.
I like Madeline the character a lot more than I like the books. I've found that very few writers can write wonderful verse, and I don't include Bemelmans in that august company. Some of his rhymes flow nicely together, such as the opening lines of the first book:
In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines. Some of his rhymes are jarring:
and soon after Dr. Cohn came, he rushed out to the phone, and he dialed : DANton-ten-six --
'Nurse,' he said, 'it's an appendix!' Everybody had to cry --
not a single eye was dry. . . . Madeline woke up two hours
later, in a room with flowers.
Still, the story isn't bad. A brave little girl is rushed to the hospital, has her appendix out, then shows off her scar. She makes it so exciting that all the other girls want their appendix out, too. Even my daughter wanted to have an appendix scar, until I explained just what that would entail.

Growing up in Norway I had never heard of Madeline untill my family visited USA some years ago. Our oldest daughter was then in the perfect age for the Madeline books (and dolls) We bought Madeline, and have since then read it over and over again. Now our youngest daughter is 6, and it's her turn to be in the perfect Madeline age.
Madeline is a little girl living in Paris with 11 other small girls, and their teacher Miss Clavel. Madeline is a charming little girl, and see to it that life in the small school is never boring. The story is told on rhymes in a perfectly charming way. You should think that the story might be a little hard to follow for the reader/listener, but the contrary is the truth. Just as it is a cute, charming story it is a great way of introducing rhymes to your children.
Of course, the most funny part is when Madeline is in hospital because of her appendix and all the other 11 girls also want to woke up in the middle of the night, to be taken to the hospital to have a scar on their stomach. It is lovely reading :-)
Britt Arnhild Lindland

This was another book that I read with my cousin.
I enjoyed this one, thought it was sweet. Long book, but a quick read with so many pictures.
I was going to let my cousin stop reading until after dinner, but he said "Let me finish this." He proceeded to read five more pages. And this is coming from a boy who didn't want to read and finds it boring.
So yes, very good book. Poetic, too.

When I was a very small kid, the Madeline stories were always my favorite.

But this particular story has always stuck in my craw. It's especially irritating in the modern age, when the U.S. has achieved a level of respect for cultural differences, and all but eliminated blatantly racist comments and attitudes from daily conversation and life.

The difficulty is that one minority in particular has not benefited from wide acceptance of all races. The Rom people --- Gypsies --- have in recent decades lost more people in Eastern Europe to hate-related murder than at any time since the Holocaust. Yet even in the U.S. they have not been heard. European hatred of Rom people is legion, and eradicating that hatred will unfortunately be a very long time coming.

North Americans, though, should know better. Unfortunately, for the most part, we don't. The overall population knows nothing of Rom history, which included 500 years of enslavement, resultant poverty and misfortune.

In this case, we have a "classic" that teaches old hatred to new generations --- by playing on the common stereotype of Gypsies as fortune-tellers, thieves and kidnappers.

Please think twice before buying a book that will tell your kids the same old lies about a people that has suffered more than its share of extreme discrimination.

---Alyssa A. Lappen

Madeline lived in one of those houses where people who don't have moms live. I think when she got sick, she felt really scared because her mom wasn't there with her. The nun who takes care of the girls kind of looks like a vampire but she is really nice and she is the one who takes Madeline to the hospital. She had to get an operation. When she woke up I think she felt better because there were people there who took care of her. Now her friends want to get their appendixes out because they want all the toys and candy....Sean U.

This is probably my favorite of the "Madeline" series for kids. Artistically it is beautiful, mixing expressive and energetic line drawings with the occasional full-color painting quite effectively. The story mixes very comic elements (like the girls all fighting over who will have the dog sleep on their bed, while their harried nurse keeps getting up in the night as always) and elements of true poignancy, like when the dog is lost. We see Madeline in her window looking at the empty streets, sighing "Oh Genevieve, where can you be? Genevieve, please come back to me." The direct, sad, but unsentimental tone of this moment is really moving. Overall, a most satisfying tale indeed, both in story and in art, with a happy ending that is sure to please.

As a child, this was my first exposure to the idea of a boarding school, and I didn't really get what that meant. But I identified with Madeline partly because she was the smallest in her group and I was always the smallest girl in the class. I wasn't a troublemaker, but I thought her being the odd duck made her interesting. The hospital visit was scary, of course, but the handling of it was well conceived--the singsong tone and presentation made it clear Madeline was going to be okay, and she even got a reward after her ordeal. Fun to read out loud because of the rhymes!

Madeline's poetic style story continues the life of the charges of Miss Clavel, and especially Madeline, in the old house with vines in Paris. Miss Clavel, who is always so self-possessed has her one moment of total loss and confusion when Madeline falls into the river Seine. While Madeline struggles, a brave, homeless dog boldly rescues her. What follows are the "true to life" jealousies of the other little girls when Madeline adopts the dog and names her Genevive. The girls experiences with Genevive are always a hit with children and the adult who is a child at heart. This beautiful book is a past Caldecott winner!

As a child I had always been a big fan of the adventures of Madeline. I especially enjoyed this story because I love dogs and this particular story touched me at a very small age. Madeline is a very adventurous little girl who doesn't let anything get in the way of what she believes is the right thing to do. It is an innocent book that can help a young child to become more outgoing and take risk in order to achieve what they would like out of life. It is a fun and silly book to read to a child. Even reading it as an adult I found myself laughing out loud at the little things the characters do and say in the story. I would definitely recommend reading this book to any child whether they are or aren't already animal lovers.

Madeline is back with a dog in the heart of Paris! Nobody knows how quite to scare Miss Clavel, until Madeline tripped and fell. A dog keeps his head, and helps Madeline before she's dead (that's what it says, I'm not making it up). Of course, Miss Clavel allows the girls to keep the dog, and when Lord Cucuface inspects their house, it's goodbye dog, yet the girls search Paris until they find the dog. Unfortunately, an all-out war with pillows and brooms between the girls erupt: they each want the dog for their own. The battle ensues until the dog turns out to be a "SHE" and "SHE" has a present of her own for each of the girls.

Madeline has been part of my library for 30 years and she continues to be one of my favorites. My Grandma introduced her to me and I actually named one of my dogs after her! My 2 year old nephew and I read Madeline over and over again and every so often, out of the blue, he'll look up at the ceiling and say "Auntie, the crack looks like a rabbit", and we'll both laugh. This book is a fantastic add to any child's library. It rhymes throughout so it's catchy, but the words and story don't talk down to the child like some books.

Having seen pages from the orignal version of the earliest adventures of Tintin and American cartoons from before World War II, I am aware that such works could often be racist and contain stereotypes. Hergé went back and redid his offensive artwork and the versions of those cartoons available today have been edited (or censored, if you prefer). So I was interested in charges of perpetuating stereotyping being raised here against a children's book that was written and illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans in the United States at the time that the Civil Rights Movement was gaining momentum.

"Madeline and the Gypsies" first appeared, in a shorter version, in "McCall's" in 1958-59. As readers recall from "Madeline and the Bad Hat," next door to the old house in Paris that was covered with vines was the house of the Spanish Ambassador, whose son Pepito was reformed by Madeline (well, actually by a pack of dogs, but Madeline endorsed the whole thing). His parents are gone and Pepito invites the twelve little girls over a Gypsy Carnival. A cloudburst sends everybody home, but when the girls are tucked into bed Miss Clavel discovers that Madeline is missing. This is because at the top of the Ferris Wheel, stuck in the rainstorm, are Pepito and Madeline. He climbs down to get aid and the Gypsy Mama, with the aid of the strong man and the clown, get Madeline to safety.

Explaining that "Gypsies do not like to stay--They only come to go away," the Gypsy Mama gives the drenched children medicine, puts them to bed, and takes Madeline and Pepito with her when the carnival leaves. Now, technically I suppose this IS kidnapping. But there is a long-standing tradition of running away to join the circus (Toby Tyler anyone?) and "Madeline and the Gypsies" is very much in that spirit. The police are never involved and the Gypsies do not engage in criminal behavior (besides spiriting away the children). So I do not see evidence that this book either embraces or endorses the extant stereotype. Of course, if you have any concerns about this subject you are absolutely encouraged to check out the book for yourself before you let your children read it.

Certainly the life that the two children live with the Gypsy Carnival is grand. They do not go to school, and they never have to brush their teeth or go to sleep. The Gypsies teach them grace and speed, not to mention how to ride the circus horse. They even send Miss Clavel a postcard (their spelling is atrocious), which is how she knows where to go when she moves fast and faster to the scene of this book's disaster. When the adventure is over everybody says goodbye and then everybody goes home. I suppose you could think that when Madeline is cleaned up back at the old house that the implication is that Gypsies are dirty rather than clean, but as a general rule kids tend to be dirty rather than clean. Maybe offense is in the eyes of the beholder here, but at the very least I can argue that "Madeline and the Gypsies" is not an overt example of racism or stereotyping. Certainly such things can be discussed with young readers, who may not be as familiar with this particular stereotype as we were when we were the age of Madeline and Pepito.

Once again Bemelmans makes use of familiar Paris landmarks, namely Notre-Dame and Gare Saint-Lazare. But because there is some traveling involved this time around we also get to see Chateau de Fontainebleau, the Cathedral at Chartes, Mont-Saint-Michel, a Normandy farm, and the seacoast at Deauville. Actually, the artwork that stands out in this book is the second to last page, which shows the twelve little girls bouncing off of their beds. It is not unusual that the girls are not tucked away in their beds, but seeing the scene in full color for the first time in the series in this fourth book instead of the usual yellow page is sort of odd (but Bemelmans does revert to the traditional tinting for the final page).

It looks like someone just photocopied each set of pages and put two sets for each kindle page.. You can't read it. Should have just had each book page for each kindle page. Please fix it someone got lazy

I have always enjoyed the Madeline books and recently purchased some for memorial books at our local library. Madeline was my special book when I was young. I have shared these for years with little people and am so glad that they are still so popular. I love Madeline

This is such a beloved, classic story to me. My Mommy used to read it to me as a child, and I have the pleasure of reading it to my daughter now. If I could find Madeline wallpaper and all sorts of other Madeline paraphernalia I would most certainly decorate my daughter's nursery in that fashion. I am ecstatic that Ludwig Bemelman's son is continuing his Madeline legacy... Although, I have yet to read Madeline and the Cats of Rome (I did browse the fantastic pictures in the bookstore though).

I have always loved this book, one of my favorites when i was little. I am glad i have kindle unlimited and didn't have to pay for thos book. I looks like it was copied on a scanner, and on my phone it showed to copied pages per page (it showed just one on the kindle). If i did have to pay for this ot would not have been worth the money.

The only other Madeline book that I had read besides "Madeline" was "Madeline's Rescue," although I knew there were other books out there about Ludwig Bemelmans' precocious young girl who lived in an old house in Paris that was covered with vines. So reading "Madeline and the Bad Hat" was a new experience. Still, I have no explanation for why I did not recognize the idiom of "a bad hat" as a colloquialism for an unscrupulous person, even though I feel like I should.

In "Madeline and the Bad Hat," the Spanish Ambassador moves into the house next door to where Miss Clavel and the twelve little girls in two straight lines live. Miss Clavel is excited to see that His Excellency has a boy, but Madeline knows as soon as she sees him that this little boy is a Bad Hat and his actions prove her right. We know that boys will be boys, but apparently that means being mean, at least for Pepito (which we eventually discover is the young boy's name). Miss Clavel finally decides that the boy needs an outlet for his energy, and so she gets him a chest of tools, thinking that "might be attractive, For a little boy that's very active." But Pepito reduces Madeline and the other little girls to tears by building himself a guillotine and while we do not actually see it in action the device is clearly used to cut the heads off of the chickens the cook is preparing for dinner.

Pepito clearly deserves a comeuppance and what is surprising is not that he gets one, but that it is rather painful. One day while Miss Clavel and the twelve little girls are out for a walk, they spot Pepito carrying a bulging sack. They follow him and discover that all of the dogs in the neighborhood are following him as well, because of what is in the sack. Now, the key educational part of this book, besides the illustrations showing interesting parts of Paris, is that we learn that you have to cry "AU SECOURS" if by any chance you are ever in need of help in France. That means that once again Miss Clavel has to run fast and faster.

What happens is a transforming event, turning the former Barbarian into a Vegetarian. Bemelmans turns everything around so that young readers can clearly see the differences in Pepito before and after. There are three times as many full color illustrations in this 1956 story as there was in the original "Madeline," mainly because Bemelmans uses the artwork to depict scenes other than the characters out and about in Paris. I wish I could figure out the logic to why some art is mostly yellow and others are full color, but so far nothing makes sense. As always, the childlike illustrations are so captivating because Bemelmans' art always seems like advanced scribbling. My only complaint is that Madeline takes a back seat to Pepito in this story. She comments on his behavior, but does not actively participate in his reformation. But we have to wait for her next outing, "Madeline's Rescue," to be back on more appropriate ground.

Young boys like this too. I think too often we steer boys away from books with girl protagonists, and that attitude stays with them. A 3 to 5 year old boy might delight in the rhymes just as much as a girl of that age. Seeing girls often develop language skills earlier, the use of books such as these with well-controlled, thoughtful use of language is useful for boys too! I loved Madeline (I'm over 40) and thought the illustrations aren't groovy - it's tough in the computer age! - they are quite whimsically delightful.
Kids I know like this book.

I confess I'd never read this book until I found it in a thrift store a week ago. I've heard of it, and I know the basics. It is every bit at charming as it was professed to be. I enjoyed the prose - written in verse - and the story of these special girls and Miss Clavel.

Erica Jane Schuder English 385, Section 5 Clemson University December 7 , 2000
Bemelmans, Ludwig. Madeline's Rescue. New York: Viking Press, 1953. One day, Madeline, the smallest and most daring girl in a French boarding school, falls in the river and a dog, Miss Genevieve, comes to her rescue. Each girl in the school adores Miss Genevieve when she comes to live with the girls. The headmasters unfortunately find the dog in the girls' room during an inspection and Miss Genevieve must leave. After a long search for the dog with no results, the girls return home disappointed, and to their surprise, Genevieve shows up with a new litter of puppies for the girls to share. The whole book intrigues and keeps attention because of the way Bemelmans has designed the images and pictures. The book itself relies on the illustrations that accompany the text. Starting with the title page, the title shown in large letters at the top of the page. The author and illustrator's names appear smaller at the bottom of the page. The first and last pages of the book show a picture of the girls' school in a frame, as if we were looking in from the outside. The frame around the outside focuses attention on the center of the page. Bemelmans uses yellow backgrounds with people and objects drawn in black outlines for of the book. Yellow contrasts well with the black used in the outlines, and this makes yellow a good bright background color. A couple of the pages have other brighter colors. These pages have darker, deep blues and reds. They are used for the sad times in the story, like when Madeline falls in the river and is sick and when the girls are looking for the lost dog. One full-page picture in the book centers on a part of the story when Madeline jokingly, falls in the river, and the dog first comes to her rescue. The whole story actually begins at this exciting event. The words and their placement in the book also have an important position in the story. All the words run along the bottoms of the page, where the eyes naturally read. The sentences all flow together because of their placement. The story does not become choppy, as if the words jumped all over the pages. Also, the words rhyme, which makes the story more fun and natural to read. At one point in the story, the words do not rhyme: at the introduction of Miss Genevieve. Maybe the author is trying to point out the introduction of another main character. The reader should realize that special attention should be brought to this detail. All together, the words and illustrations in the book work together to make a natural, flowing, fun story. They help to point out the importance of certain events in the story.

We love Madeline, but this story had some surprisingly odd elements. Pepito builds a guillotine to slaughter chickens which he gleefully eats on the following page. He puts a cat in a sack in order to sacrifice it to a pack of dogs. He does have his comeuppance and reforms, but it's still odd "mischief," considering how kids who are cruel to animals usually end up as adults.
In any event, the rhythm of the story is off, and it does not read smoothly. Its rather stilted and I would agree with another's assessment it seems to rhyme for the sake of rhyming.
I'll just skip this one and buy the others.

One of the most beloved book of my childhood! A grand ride through Paris with Miss Clavel's class of well-behaved girls...and Madeline! Always a joy to re-visit and share with youngsters (or simply the young-at-heart). A true classic.

Madeline's Rescue is about a little girl named Madeline who lives in a shelter with 12 other girls. She was not afraid of anything until one day she fell in the water, and a dog jumped in and saved her. They decided to keep the dog and name it Genevieve. And the struggles in this story teach kids to stand up for what they believe in even if other people think that you are wrong. Its for kids about 3-7 because its just one of the many wonderful children's books that is a great bedtime story because it never gets old!

A short children's story about a young girl who lives with eleven other girls in a home in Paris and who has to go to the hospital to have her appendix removed. It was a 1940 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustration in a book for children. This book, and others in the Madeline series, have become classics in children literature and every serious student of children literature should have it on their shelves. Children love these books.

As a child, some of my favorite books were the Madeline stories. This is the first in the series, and it sets a wonderful tone. The illustrations are wonderful, and it's fun to see illustrations of actual Parisian landmarks such as the Opera, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and Tulleries. The story is fun, fast and catchy, and I used to wish that I was one of the little girls standing amongst the two straight lines lead by Miss Clavel.
This book is not just for little girls. Boys can enjoy the story as well.

The book Madeline tells the story of a child who has to get their appendix taken out. The story is told in such a manner that all of the children feel sorry for her. Yet, she becomes the star of the story when her friend comes to see her and she shows them her scar. Thus, in the end all of the children want to have their appendix out. In other words, they all want be accepted.

This was a fun one because she, Madeline, is stroppy, but not in an ill-tempered or belligerent way.

Maybe sassy would be a better adjective? No. A modern word for this very old (written over 60 years ago) young character? Fun. Yes. Madeline's fun. She'll jump on a bridge and scare the teacher. She'll even have fun showing you her scar.

Bemelmans, who was publishing with Viking, found it hard to get Madeline published. What an industry, to refuse such a sweet story...

Ludwig Bemelman has captured in the character of Madeline the spunk and innocent mischief that make little girls such fun...and so surprising! From Madeline's precarious balancing on the bridge to the bold displaying of her scar, she culminates everything a young child is (or wishes to be) that so amuses and bemuses us parents! My daughters adore the Madeline books, the girls themselves and their dog. They've even taken to studying French with me! Bemelman's rhymes are charming, although they do not quite flow at times (adds to the charm?) and the illustrations are wonderful introductions to Parisian landmarks. I have enjoyed reading these books with my little Madelines, and enjoy it even more when they "read" them back to me. Five stars!

this story of Madeline is absolutey adorable. As a child I loved Madeline and truly enjoyed this particular story. This is a story of Madeline and how she came to find her truly loyal pet. Madeline is saved by a wonderful pet and in turn Miss Clavel provides the pet with shelter. This book is truly a little girls anthem. This is an all around cute book from the vivid pictures to the ryhmming. Any child would enjoy the great adventures of Madeline!

All the Madeline books are well written and fun for children because of the rhyming text. My oldest has memorized each story and delights in finishing the sentances. Madeline had wonderful adventures, and the hospital story helped my daughter discuss her overnight stay in the hospital. The illistrations are also wonderful, and give readers a glimpse of famous French sites. J Spahn

The only way it is offensive is if you are offended by the word Gypsy. They/we are not portrayed in a negative light at all. Actually, they/we are portrayed as very caring, graceful, fast, and fun-loving. The story is also full of adventure, humor, great rhymes, and many of France's famous landmarks. A CLEAR WINNER !

This book has interesting illustrations but the narrative is just relatively uninspiring and I hesitate to use the word, stupid. I fail to see what others get from reading this apparent "classic." Ending a book with, "and there is nothing left to say" is a rather amateur way to close a child's book. I think there was nothing left to say about a bunch of orphans in an orphanage who were so lonely and so used to just doing what they were told that they were all willing to have an appendicitis just to get out of that place because the story is just plain dark and depressing. Sure, Madeline handles her life with wit and gusto and inner strength embodying herself in the midst of a structured homogeneous system but so what. The story is about a girl who lives with other orphans, dares to be see the world differently from the others and then gets one of her organs out and a huge scar on her stomach in return. What's the message here? There are more creative ways to say, be a fighter. I give it a two because the illustrating is sort of good.

The other books are good, but this one is truly entertaining. In the hands of most authors, a character like Pepito would be a failure. He skates and bikes dangerously, captures animals, builds a guillotine to help his chef with the chickens, tries to feed a cat to hungry dogs, and in an act of redemption, releases half a zoo from their cages. But this author pulls it off delightfully. It's not even remotely disturbing, because it's all so ridiculous, and is, in any case, wound up quite neatly. Pepito is a terrific foil to the twelve little girls, and story is tight and witty.

I was only seven years old when I read it. So I give it 3 *** stars as a book, but that's because it's too easy and short. But I give it 4 **** stars if you just learned to read and this makes a great first book. I am twelve so I don't really know how to rate it. I know that I could read it 100 times a day, because it's so short. And the storyline is very original and simple. So I don't know how to rate it. If you don't like my rating don't take it personaly. I still say that it's great for a first book

The story of Madeline is great but the book is not worth it. The pages are just scanned in so the wording is small and my device puts 4 pages on one screen which is hard for a kid to follow when they are learning to read.

When I was little I loved reading this wonderful story about a little girl named Madeline. I loved how the story rhymed and how the pictures were so decorative. Bemelman does a wonderful job at telling the story about Madeline the smallest girl of twelve at a school. Madeline gets into mischief but in the end everything turns out all right.

Madeline is the story of a fearless little girl lucky enough to grow up in Paris, France. She lives with 11 other girls in "an old house...covered in vines", and she has a wonderful time scaring her care-giver, Miss Clavel. In the middle of the night, Madeline is rushed out of the old house and to a hospital, frightening her housemates but she somehow manages to make them jealous of her stay there. The book is easy to follow and the pictures are clear - they're all VERY yellow, but are detailed and help tell the story. A classic everyone should read at least once. I would think anyone between kindergarten and maybe fourth grade would enjoy the story, with the two older grades able to read it themselves in addition to having it read to them.

My parents read these to me as a little girl and now I am reading them to my daughter. Actually, my daughter reads fine on her own now, but I love love love these books! Timeless and hope to add them to as ebooks on my iPad. Madeline traveled from Paris to London and evnen to Texas, where she even found her way onto a Neiman Marcus Christmas Book cover! I was introduced to these wonderful cities as a little girl and shared that same experience with my daughter as a build up to our actual journeys. I am continually amazed by Ebooks and while I resisted at first, it's so much easier to carry 50 ebooks on my iPad than 5 books in my backpack. I'm a huge ebook fan!

"... The smallest one, was Madeline." Madeline is a series that my sisters and I used to love reading. She was our hero. She was never afraid of anything and was willing to fight for everything she believed in. In Madeline's Rescue, she fell into a river and was saved by a dog they named Genevieve. The adventures that Madeline, the 11 other girls, and Miss Clavel faced with Genevieve is entertaining for children to discover. With the illustrations that show the emotions of the story, children really feel like they are there experiencing the adventures with them.

I am not a fan of France, nor of Madeline, but this book was given as a gift and I have to say my daughter begs for it and I enjoy it more than I thought. In fact, I am even going to purchase more Madeline books. My only quibble is that the rhyming is often a bit off but to be honest, I think that makes the book more enjoyable and more reflective of the time in which it was actually written. It is a classic after all.

What else can be said about Ludwig Bemelmans wonderful Madeline books? Madeline is a fantastic story which my three children (and myself) have enjoyed for years. A lovely story set in the most beautiful city with neat characters. It is a joy that every house should have a copy of.

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.

The original Madeline is charming, well written, fun for kids of any age. The Bad Hat is none of those things.

Other reviewers have commented on the negativity and preschool-unfriendly content, like decapitation. I'm actually not a parent who tries to shelter my 3- and 5-year old from too many things, but even I have to agree there's nothing to recommend this for younger kids.

That's not the reason for my 1-star review though; for older kids the content wouldn't be an issue. I just find the poetry to be yucky to read. It doesn't scan, and the rhymes aren't particularly good. Perhaps I'm spoiled by Dr. Seuss, or even by the first Madeline book; but I prefer good poetry to bad, and imho this is just bad.

There is a mistake in this classic book!

I don't know if it was intentionally meant as a joke by the author (to see how many people would notice) or if it was a hastily drawn mistake, but in the picture where the girls had come home AFTER visiting Madeleine in the hospital, they are all standing in line, breaking their bread (before they brush their teeth and go to bed). Count them. When they are breaking their bread there are twelve! In the next three consecutive picture of the girls there are only eleven.

Since we know Madeleine is in the hospital there is an extra little girl in this one picture!

I have never heard or seen any discussion about this and would like to know if any of you has ever noticed it! It has bothered me for years!

This book was a childhood favorite of mine. I purchased this book as a new baby gift to friends who recently had a little girl and had requested favorite childhood books as baby shower gifts. I am glad that the size has remained the same and the color of the illustrations is so wonderful. Who doesn't love Madeline? She represents every girl who is curious and refuses to go along with the crowd. She would rather exercise her independence and, by doing so, gains the respect and admiration of all who meet her.

This was actually our first Madeline book. We bought it as a reminder for our daughter of our trip to London. I'm so glad we decided to get it because it has become one of our favorites. I love the way it is written because it makes it fun to read aloud. The story is a little bit long, but that is okay with us!

This is my favorite book of all time. I am ten years old and I still love Madeline! Miss Clavell teaches Madeline that she can do anything that she makes up her mind to do. I think every kid would love Madeline!

Narrated in two voices, the rhyme scheme comes to life. The CD includes several French songs and explanations as a little taste of French culture. My 5 year old is just crazy about this book & CD and sings the songs to herself often!

Happy 75th Anniversary Madeline! So happy to receive this book set as a gift. The accompanying pop-up page brought us into Madeline's Parisian world and we enjoyed pointing out the sights after reading the large sturdy picture book together. I just wish the entire book was a pop-up, but maybe I will have to wait for the 100th Anniversary Edition.

I remember reading this as a little girl and it was an unforgettable experience seeing these places in person when I was finally able to travel across the Pond to see England for myself. It was equally memorable to share the same experience with my eldest daughter when we took our first trip to London back in 2004. A classic that belongs on every shelf!

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.

My four year has recently discovered and now truly old adores Madeline and the capers that she and Pepito get into. This is a fantastic series of stories that I highly recommend to parents with young ones.

Madeline's Rescue is about a little french school girl who gets rescued by a dog after she falls into the seine (river). The school teacher allows the kids to bring the dog back to the school boarding house. The trustees however, upon their annual inspections, throws the dog out. The kids and the teacher then goes out to look for the dog, finds him, and gets a great surprise. Caldecott Award winner.

Genevieve had feelings of compassion and loyalty to the people in her community and would not be discouraged by being thrown out into the street. She remained faithful even when they said, "she'll have to go".

Ever since I was old enough to read I've loved Madeline! I remember going to the library and checking out this book and all the other ones in the series (Madeline and the bad hat, Madeline to the rescue...) I was always disappointed that they were checked out. I am 21 years old now and still have an infactuation with Madeline! She is a great role model for children of all ages and the stories and lessons learned from them stick with you!
I'd recommend this book for new mothers and small children alike!

My granddaughter (age 6) has every book written about Madeline and has enjoyed them since she was 3. She reads them to us now. 'Madeline in London' is one of her favorites. She also particularly loves 'Madeline and the Bad Hat' and 'Madeline in America'.

But you know, how will future generations know history if every children's book is cleansed? The negative connotation of gypsy can be explained later. For now, let your kids enjoy this treasure. Besides, the "gypsy mama" in this book is portrayed as a kind and loving woman, despite her role as a kidnapper.

I loved the Madeline books as a child, so when my daughter turned two I ordered this for her.... and it's truly one of her favorite books. The story is a classic, and the illustrations are as charming as ever! Thirty + years hasn't dimmed it's magic for me.

MADELINE is definitely my 3yrs.old daughter's favorite character.I got this copy as a free gift from Vermont Council of Humanities(Thanks a lot to them)and ever since then,this little girl from Paris has captured our hearts.I intend to keep all the books by Ludwig Bemelmans as a part of our collection.Not only the books...the Madeline rag-doll is also a must for any Madeline fans!!!

This is a great replica of the illustrated Madeline featured in the books. Her yellow hat and blue coat are darling and her red hair completes the picture. A great find for any child who adores the Madeline series like I did as a child.

This beautifully written and illustrated, very engaging story, is a classic of children's literature and a delight in every way. You may begin reading this to a child from the age of 7-8 mos on. One of my favorites as a child (65 yrs ago) and so for both my daughters. I have just given this new addition to my baby granddaughter.

I purchased this used for under 3.00 for a hardback. It is a gorgeous book and will hold up well to my class of kindergartners. I also purchased the stuffed doll of Madeline character and will use the set as a take-home activity for parent-child interaction.

Pepito, the boy in this book has a change of heart and goes from being unkind to animals to caring for them. It is a good story. As far as it being "dark" as another reviewer said,well,does that reader eat chickens? That's what Pepito was doing before he learned a new way to live with the animals he came to love.

This is a wonderful book for little girls. My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it over and over and over again when she was little. Since we can't part with our copy, I have bought a new for my new little grandniece, age 1. I wanted to be the "first" to give her her "first" Madeleine book.

The third book in the "Madeline" series, this focusses on the wild behavior of Pepito, a troublemaking boy who is meant to be a foil for the mischievous Madeline. The behavior shown is pretty excessive, though: Bemelmans shows the boy tying a cat up in a pillowcase and releasing it into a pack of dogs, which strikes me a way too violent. Certainly not appropriate for smaller (toddler) readers. Even if you liked the other Madeline books, you might want to think twice before picking this one up. It's a little scary.

I for one loved the Madeline books growing up and can still recite the first page to the book. I'm 30 years old and about 5 weeks away from giving birth to my first child, a daughter. I'm hoping that she enjoys Madeline as much as I did when growing up and will share this book with her for many years.

The content and artwork of this book is as charming as any in the Madeline series, but it is marred by the blatant ethnic stereotyping of gypsies (the Romani people) as unclean, work-shy itinerants. Little enough is known about true Romani culture by most people today. Stereotypes like these only make the situation worse. Yes, the gypsy mother shown is loving. No one in the book is evil. But who would dare recommend a children's book that showed a kindly black mother whose family lifestyle epitomized racist stereotypes of unintelligent and lazy African-Americans? Stereotypes are stereotypes, and they should not be promoted this way in children's books.

This is my least favorite of the Madeline series actually written by the original author. While full of fun rhymes, the book doesn't particularly hang together - plot sacrificed to rhyme. Did i really want to explain a guillotine to a 4-year-old?

There was a girl named Madeline. She was crying and she was taken to the hospital. They took her appendix out. Her friends visited her and saw all the toys, candy, and a doll house. The girls went home and said they wanted their appendix out, too. Why did the girls want their appendix out, too? You will love this book....Dylan G.

I'm guessing this is a translation from a foreign language, because a fair number of the verses either don't rhyme or rhyme randomly mid-sentence. It makes it difficult to read. Additionally some parts don't make sense anymore. (Do any other parents know how a phone might ring "DAN-TON-ten-six"? Neither did I.)

Additionally the Madeline character keeps changing during the story. I'm not sure if she's a red-head or a blonde.

So if you're buying this out of nostalgia, you may want to borrow a copy from the library first. It doesn't make nearly as much sense as I remember it making...

I am taking a class at West Viginia State Univesity and it used to be known as West Virginia State College. The class is children's literature and Mr. Roger Samples teaches it and he keeps it interesting the way he teaches the class. The book Madeline I did not like because it reminded me of a military school the way they had to eat and walk in squads every where they went. It also reminded me of an old boarding school where you had those mean teachers hitting the kids with a ruler when they answered a question wrong. I did like the rhyming words and would read this to my class. It tells you that her friends want to be cut up just so they can have a scar just like her. It does not tell they pain she had after the surgery or the painful recovery of rehab. The book makes you believe that having surgery is fun.