Module Two: Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans

Bibliography

Bemelmans, L. (1953). Madeline's rescue. New York, NY: The Viking Press.

Summary

Published more than a decade after the original Madeline, this sequel follows the adventures of Madeline, her friends, and Miss Clavel as they romp through Paris. One day, Madeline wanders from the group and falls into the Seine, almost drowning, and is rescued by a dog.  Ever grateful, the girls and Miss Clavel bring the dog, whom they name Genevieve, home with them. Soon, Genevieve becomes adjusted to life with the girls, and all is well until a group of trustees arrives for an annual inspection of the house. The trustees throw Genevieve out on the street, and the girls roam the streets in search of their friend, to no avail. Finally, however, the dog returns -- with a bit a surprise -- and the girls rejoice.

 

My Impressions

Although I am familiar with the Madeline books, I had never read them until now.  This is a whimsical story about a strong-willed girl, and I thoroughly enjoyed following Madeline and her friends through the streets of Paris. Bemelmans' detailed illustrations provide a lively glimpse of the city and also convey a full range of emotions -- from the panic over Madeline's near drowning, to the girls' sorrow at losing Genevieve, to the humor of their fights over where the dog would sleep at night. I love the idea of such a stubborn, opinionated young female character, especially given the publication date of the book (1953) and its predecessor (1939). This is a wonderful, energetic story, and I highly recommend it.

Review  

Time
"'In an old house in Paris That was covered with vines Lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.'As well-read moppets know, the smallest and bravest of the twelve little girls was Madeline. Ludwig Bemelmans' 1939 picture-and-verse classic told how Madeline came triumphantly through one of the most delightful appendectomies in literature. It also made his heroine's name a household word with a host of youngsters and their elders, who, having to read the thing aloud night after night, found grown-up delight in Bemelmans' warmly colored fantasies of Paris.

The good news for the lollipop trade: Madeline is back, with her eleven straight-living little boarding-school friends and the noble Schoolmistress Clavel, in a rousing sequel. In Madeline's Rescue, Bemelmans takes up where he left off when he noted earlier of Madeline: "And nobody knew so well / How to frighten Miss Clavel." One of the frightening things Madeline liked to do was walking on bridge railings. This time she falls into the Seine, and "Poor Madeline would now be dead / But for a dog / That kept its head."

The dog who pulls Madeline out of the Seine is happily named Genevieve, and Genevieve comes to live in Miss Clavel's vine-covered school. She gets lost, and Artist Bemelmans goes on a gaily painted search for her through Montmartre, the Tuileries, Saint Germain des Prés, and other Parisian quarters where colors abound. Genevieve is duly restored to hearthside, and there, in a less-abiding imagination, the story would have to end. But Bemelmans knows his moppets, deftly sets up a new problem: each little girl naturally wants Genevieve all for her own. There is trouble and scrapping aplenty, until Genevieve herself solves the problem to everybody's thorough satisfaction."

 

Use in the Library

This could be tied into a geography lesson for early elementary school students. Madeline's Rescue, along with other picture books taking place in foreign countries, could be used to show children various countries around the world and provide cultural information about them. A globe could be used to give a physical demonstration of these locations, as well as to illustrate specific details about the books, such as the Seine river in Paris.

This could also be used as part of an early language lesson to introduce French to children. Librarians could take specific objects, places, and people from the story and translate them into French. For example, a female dog is 'une chienne'. This could be a springboard into other words in French or additional languages.


For the Lollipop Trade. (1953). [Review of the book Madeline's Rescue]. Time, 61(18), 110.

Image from http://householdwords.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/the-read-balloon-madeline-and-madelines-rescue/

Module Two: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Bibliography

Keats, E. J. (1962). The snowy day. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.

Summary

This is the story of Peter, a young boy who spends a day outside exploring the snow-covered city. Peter is full of wonderment as he crunches through the snow, amazed at the imprints left by his feet and a stick, as well as the fun of making a snowman and snow angels. As the day wears on, he must eventually head home. Before he does, however, Peter saves a handful of snow in his pocket for later as a reminder of his adventurous day. That night, he's dismayed to discover the snow is gone and has fitful dreams that all the snow has melted away. With much relief, though, he wakes up to find another snowy day.

 

My Impression

As a child, The Snowy Day was one of my favorite books and, after this more recent reading, I am pleased to discover I'm just as charmed by this delightful book today. Like Silverstein's The Giving Tree, Keats manages to aptly portray strong emotion through simple images. Peter's pure adoration of the snow is evident from illustrative details like the fascination with his footprints and slide down the snow-covered hill: Peter stares down at his footprints, captivated by the direction of his toes in the snow, and throws his mitten-covered palms straight up in the air as he slides with abandon down the hill. Although Keats diverges from Silverstein's illustrative style with his use of colorful, collage-like images in mostly primary colors, both authors' ability to depict deep feelings through straightforward pictures remains consistent.

Reviews 

School Library Monthly (excerpt)
"Peter, a character in The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, wakes up one morning and discovers that a blanket of snow has fallen during the night (Viking, 1962). Peter's wondrous and joyous day of snow play ensues and he creates snow angels, tramps footprints in the snow, and knocks snow from a tree. Peter decides to save a snowball in his pocket for the next day.

The illustrations of Peter in his red snowsuit and his snowy wonderland are innovative collage and colorful watercolors. The character of Peter who was a young African American boy was groundbreaking in the children's literature of the time. Ezra lack Keats was awarded the prestigious Randolph Caldecott Medal in 1963 for the most distinguished picture book.

The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation's Web site says that "this now classic book broke the color barrier in mainstream children's publishing. It is beloved by children, by their parents, and by their grandparents. The vivid and ageless illustrations, along with the classic text, have earned this book a place in the pantheon of the greatest children's literature ever produced in this country."

Book Links

"The author brought bold, bright color and collage to the forefront of children's literature, winning the Caldecott Medal and introducing children to a young African American protagonist named Peter who romps in the snow in this first book and who appears in subsequent stories set in an urban neighborhood."

Use in Library Setting

Given that Keats' The Snowy Day is considered especially significant because it broke the color barrier in children's publishing, becoming the first children's book to portray an African-American character, it could be used in a preschool story time program centered around acceptance of others, regardless of race, gender, age, religion, etc. The story could be used in conjunction with other books dealing with tolerance and acceptance, such as Dr. Suess' The Sneetches and Other Stories. Librarians could lead a discussion about the various ways people are different and how this is a positive thing.


Brodie, C. S. (2009). The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. [Review of the book The Snowy Day]. School Library Monthly, 26(4), 24-26.

Munson-Benson, C. (2006). 15 picture-book classics for preschoolers. [Review of the book The Snowy Day]. Book Links, 15(6), 66-68.

Image from http://childrensbookalmanac.com/2011/03/the-snowy-day/

Module One: The Giving Tree by Shel  Silverstein                            

Bibliography

Silverstein, S. (1964). The giving tree. New York, NY: Harper & Row, Publishers.

Summary

This is the story of a boy and his relationship with an apple tree, and how that relationship evolves with time. At first, the two are inseparable. The boy spends countless afternoons gathering her leaves for crowns, playing hide-and-go-seek, and swinging from her branches.  As time passes, however, their relationship changes. The boy becomes a man and, as he ages, spends less and less time with the tree. The older he gets, the more self-centered he becomes. Meanwhile, the tree remains generous throughout, giving all that she can to please the boy because of the love she has for him.

 

My Impression

Without fail, Silverstein's book makes me cry every time I read it. The level of emotion that is conveyed through so few words and sparse illustrations is amazing. The story starts out so simply with a loving give-and-take between boy and tree. Their relationship is on even footing at first, but becomes more boy-centric with time. The transition between boyhood and young adulthood is the most heartbreaking for the reader. Whereas once he carved only his and the tree's initials in its trunk, this changes as he grows and falls in love with a girl. Despite this, the apple tree remains faithful throughout, regardless of how infrequently the boy visits and how selfish his concerns become. Eventually, their relationship comes full circle as the boy becomes an old man with simple needs. Like its characters, this special story is appropriate for children and adults alike, and contains a wonderful message about the importance of friendship.

 

Review

 School Library Monthly
"'Once there was a tree... and she loved a little boy.'

Thus begins one of the best-known and most memorable stories from the last forty-five years -- The Giving Tree, written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein. It was first published in 1964 (HarperCollins). At first it was rejected by publishers because of concerns that it fell somewhere between children and adults' literature. It has since, however, been embraced by various audiences and has remained in print almost the entire time since its first publication. A fortieth anniversary edition was released in 2004 that includes a CD of the poetry performed by Silverstein.

The Giving Tree shares the story of a young boy and his lifetime relationship with a certain apple tree. But it is much more than that It is also a story of giving (and taking or receiving), friendship, happiness, loyalty, sacrifice, gratitude, happiness, and most importantly -- love. The tree ultimately gives everything for the boy without receiving much in return. The theme or message of the book has been interpreted in many different ways. It can be very simply understood by a second grader, or an adult can search for a deeper meaning."

Use in Library Setting

The Giving Tree would be a interesting choice to use for a discussion with middle school-aged kids about the importance of friendship and loyalty, and how far they are willing to go to remain loyal to a friend. Is there a point at which loyalty turns into a negative trait? Can a person's own needs and wants get lost in a continual outpouring of generosity?

Also, this book could be used in an exercise (for the same age group or slightly younger) about how much can be conveyed in a simple illustration. The children could try drawing their own pictures in an attempt to show concepts and/or emotions.


Brodie, C. S. (2009). The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein--A forty-five year celebration. [Review of the book The Giving Tree]. School Library Monthly, 26(1), 22-24.

Image from http://www.amazon.com/The-Giving-Tree-Shel-Silverstein/dp/0060256656