Madeline In America And Other Holiday Tales
by Ludwig Bemelmans, John Bemelmans Marciano
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Book Summary Information
Author: John Bemelmans Marciano, Ludwig BemelmansEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1999-10-01
ISBN: 0590039105
Number of pages: 112
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Book Reviews of Madeline In America And Other Holiday Tales
Book Review: Madeline in America and Other Holiday Tales
Summary: 5 Stars
ISBN 0590039105 - Madeline's last book might, just by coincidence, be the best way for her to exit. The only potential negative is that, by bundling it in with three other stories, the sense of farewell, and of a glimpse at her future, is diluted.
A preface by John Bemelmans Marciano, the grandson of Madeline creator Ludwig Bemelmans, explains how this book came to be published after the author's death.
In the first story, Madeline in America, Madeline receives a cable, informing her of the death of her great-grandfather. She and the girls, along with Miss Clavel, head to his ranch in Texas for the reading of the will over Christmas. Overwhelmed by the lavish and carefree life she envisions, Madeline is all set to drop out of school until Great-Grandad's will is read. It says she will inherit when she is 21 and must, until then, attend school. There is very little actual focus on money, here, other than the excitement of little kids at getting gifts. It's Christmas, that's normal!
The second story, The Count and the Cobbler, is a short story about a cobbler who, as the saying goes, has the most poorly shod children of all. A sale to a rich count and the surprising brilliance of his youngest child leads to shoes for all, in time for them to be able to go out and sing Christmas carols.
The third story is unusual, in that it's a true story. A Bemelmans Christmas Memory is by Barbara Bemelman, the daughter of Ludwig. In it, she tells about some of her childhood holidays, including her favorite memory of Christmas 1949. At "21" on Christmas Eve, she and her family watch as a group of Salvation Army volunteers go from table to table, soliciting donations from the restaurant's well-dressed, well-off clientele. She is proud that her parents AREN'T the best dressed, and certain that her father's donation was the largest of all. It's a very short tale, but a nice one, especially since it's a child who takes note of what is important.
The fourth and final story, Sunshine, tells of a man who would like to rent out an apartment - if only he could find the right tenant. Unfortunately, the "right" tenant doesn't seem to exist! When he finally does find that perfect, quiet tenant, he's in for a surprise. Miss Moore runs a music school, among other disturbing things. Try as he might, he can't get her out of his apartment building and eventually, at Christmastime, he realizes he doesn't, really, want to.
The illustrations are typical Madeline for the most part; if you're not a fan, you're not going to become one now. The least well-done are some of those in the final story, with most of them being black sketches on backgrounds of purple or yellow. On the other hand, the full-color illustrations in that final story more than make up for the less-attractive ones. The Christmas theme here is a very thin strand to hang an anthology on, but Madeline's fans won't mind that a bit! This oversized book is one that you really need, to top off that collection.
- AnnaLovesBooks
Summary of Madeline In America And Other Holiday Tales
In this beautiful gift book, John Bemelmans Marciano has brought to fruition a neverbefore-published manuscript written by his grandfather Ludwig - the tale of Madeline's only trip to America and her holiday adventures. Includes two more of Bemelmans's wonderful Christmas stories.Madeline, in all her incarnations over six decades, has remained first and foremost one of "twelve little girls in two straight lines" in an old house in Paris. Now, with news that will astound her many fans, not to mention Madeline herself, she and her 11 cohorts find themselves on their way to Texas, U.S.A. Madeline a wealthy cowgirl? Why not! She handles her marvelous windfall with her usual aplomb, donning denim and boots to hop aboard a horse for a tour of her newly inherited gold mines, stampeding cattle herds, and gushing oil fields. At the end of the day, Miss Clavel prepares to tuck 12 little girls into bed--but wait... there are only 11! Where's Madeline?
Traditionalists need not fear that wealth will corrupt their favorite little orphan. Some surprises are still in store, even for Madeline.
While sorting through his grandfather's files, artist and writer John Bemelmans Marciano discovered the manuscript and pencil sketches for this last of the much-loved Madeline series. With great respect, Marciano completed the project with full-color paintings, and added two more of Bemelmans's holiday classics--"The Count and the Cobbler" and "Sunshine"--to create a collection no Bemelmans and Madeline devotee can do without. (Click to see a sample spread. Copyright 1999 by Barbara Bemelmans, Madeline Bemelmans, and John Bemelmans Marciano. Used by permission of Scholastic Inc.) (Ages 4 to 8--or all ages, of course) --Emilie Coulter
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