12th out of 2,254 books
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3,516 voters
Madeline (Madeline)
Madeline is one of the best-loved characters in children's literature. Set in picturesque Paris, this tale of a brave little girl's trip to the hospital was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1940 and has as much appeal today as it did then. The combination of a spirited heroine, timelessly appealing art, cheerful humor, and rhythmic text makes Madeline a perennial favorite with ch...more
44 pages
Published
1989
by London: Hippo
(first published 1939)
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Madeline is one of those books that has been in print for so long that everyone seems to know the story even without necessarily having read it. When I was pregnant with Sean, Ian and I saw the 1998 film version of Madeline. While watching (and enjoying) the film we realized that we couldn't remember the story. Ian went out and bought a copy for Sean.
The story is told through a simple rhyme taken a few words at a time across pages. The bulk of the tale though is in the illustrations as Madeline...more
The story is told through a simple rhyme taken a few words at a time across pages. The bulk of the tale though is in the illustrations as Madeline...more
“Madeline” is the first book created by Ludwig Bemelmans for his “Madeline” series and has won the Caldecott Honor Book Award. This book basically details Madeline’s earliest adventures from standing up bravely to a ferioucious tiger to having a bad case of appendicitis.
Ludwig Bemelmans’ writing is creative and sweet as he writes the story in a rhyming text that efficiently narrates the story. The story of how Madeline suffers from appendicitis and how Miss Clavel and the other girls cared enou...more
Ludwig Bemelmans’ writing is creative and sweet as he writes the story in a rhyming text that efficiently narrates the story. The story of how Madeline suffers from appendicitis and how Miss Clavel and the other girls cared enou...more
Loved it! This is a classic children's book with wonderful illustrations and rhyming verses.
I read this book many many times when I was young and to my children when they were young.
The story of French schoolgirl Madeline is timeless and includes picture references of many famous Paris landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre and Notre Dame.
I read this book for free on We Give Books.
I read this book many many times when I was young and to my children when they were young.
The story of French schoolgirl Madeline is timeless and includes picture references of many famous Paris landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre and Notre Dame.
I read this book for free on We Give Books.
When once asked if a book ever changed my life, I thought of "Madeline." It was in no way a profound awakening -- I was too young to even understand the lasting effects let alone remember the first time I read the book -- but it lay the seed for my fascination with all things French.
After the book came the Madeline doll (with her stitched on appendix scar) and the sequel stories and subsequent television shows. I still get nostalgic every time I see the two rows of girls in their yellow uniforms...more
After the book came the Madeline doll (with her stitched on appendix scar) and the sequel stories and subsequent television shows. I still get nostalgic every time I see the two rows of girls in their yellow uniforms...more
I ran across this book today, and had a flood of childhood memories. I love Madeline, perhaps because she is French, Parisian, and Catholic, three things which I was not (and still am not). She also has a sense of adventure and fearlessness, which is not always common in stories about little girls. There is always a bit of a fascination with orphans too when one is a child-- not that one wishes bad to come to their parents, but the thought of a child without proper adult supervision is sort of e...more
Madeline is an absolute classic. I can remember reading this as a young child and falling in love with the story. I, like many girls of that age, wanted to be Madeline. It is the story of 12 girls attending boarding school in Paris. I can remember thinking contrary to belief, that Madeline was an orphan girl when I was younger. Although Madeline is the smallest of the girls, she is perhaps the feistiest of them all. She is brave and all of the other little girls look to her for advice and guidan...more
Winning the Caldecott Honor Award in 1940, Madeline is a charming picture book for intended readers, N-P. It is a rhythmic tale of a feisty, yet courageous little girl’s trip to the hospital. Madeline may be the smallest of twelve little girls in the house, but she is not cowardly. In fact, she is the bravest of them all; she neither frets the mice, nor the tiger at the zoo, to it she says, “Pooh-pooh.” Readers are enthralled by her lively and impish nature. Being enwrapped in her character, rea...more
I chose for my classic picture book Madeline written and illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans. I chose this book because the Madeline series is truly a classic. This book is about 12 little girls who live in Paris in a house covered in vines. Madeline is the main character in the book. Madeline is not afraid of mice or lions at the zoo. She is brave and all of the other little girls look up to her. One night something horrible happens to Madeline and she ends up having to go to the hospital. The othe...more
Madeline is a beloved children's book for a reason. The simplicity of the story told in rhyme and charming illustrations draw readers in and make them love the little girls. I especially love the illustrations of the girls in the zoo and Madeline saying "pooh" to the tiger.
Part of what makes readers love the story so much is the sassy little girl that Bemelamans created in Madeline. In such a short book, he somehow made readers become captivated by this girl who is feisty and makes readers care...more
Part of what makes readers love the story so much is the sassy little girl that Bemelamans created in Madeline. In such a short book, he somehow made readers become captivated by this girl who is feisty and makes readers care...more
Madeline written by Ludwig Bemelmans is a classic children's book that was one of my favorites growing up. The cover illustration is beautiful and instantly attracts young readers to the book. There is a good use of shading, and the colors complement each other very well. This is the story about twelve girls who live together in a boarding house in Paris. These girls do everything in straight lines. One night madeline woke up in the middle of the night with a stomachache. She had to be taken to...more
Mommy's review from 7/18/11 -
I still can hardly believe this myself but this was our first Madeline book. I'm so happy we borrowed the audio edition as well as the print because the narrator, Jean Richards, was fantastic.
I can't say enough about the illustrations either. I fell in love with Bemelmans illustrations and Julia, who doesn't often comment on this part of a story, even mentioned how different they were and how much she liked them. She even asked me if this author has other books like...more
I still can hardly believe this myself but this was our first Madeline book. I'm so happy we borrowed the audio edition as well as the print because the narrator, Jean Richards, was fantastic.
I can't say enough about the illustrations either. I fell in love with Bemelmans illustrations and Julia, who doesn't often comment on this part of a story, even mentioned how different they were and how much she liked them. She even asked me if this author has other books like...more
The children’s classic, Madeline, written and illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans, was first published in 1939. The story of the “twelve little girls in two straight lines” proved to be a success, and Bemelmans wrote many sequels to the original during the 1940s and 1950s. The series continues to this day, written by Bemelmans’ grandson.
Steven and I read the very first Madeline in which we’re introduced the feisty little girl in the Paris “sleep-over” school in the “old house in Paris that was cover...more
Steven and I read the very first Madeline in which we’re introduced the feisty little girl in the Paris “sleep-over” school in the “old house in Paris that was cover...more
I'm not quite sure what to make of Madeline, or how to rate the book. I'm quite sure my mom read this to me as a child--she gave us the most beautiful children's book selections through books she acquired at garage sales or checked out from the library--but I don't really have any warm-fuzzies attached to it so I'm guessing it was not a favorite.
It's still not a favorite. I can appreciate it, to an extent, but I am just not sure I really liked it that much. Maybe my expectations were too high? T...more
It's still not a favorite. I can appreciate it, to an extent, but I am just not sure I really liked it that much. Maybe my expectations were too high? T...more
Grade/interest level: K-2
Lexile: 480L
Reading level: 2.8
Genre: Picture Book
Main Characters: Madeline, Miss Clavel
Setting: Paris, France
POV: Third Person
Madeline is one of twelve girls growing up in an old house in Paris. Although not specifically stated, it appears to be a boarding house, run by Ms. Clavel. The girls do everything together in an orderly fashion. Madeline stands out among the girls as she is the smallest and most fearless. One night, Ms. Chavel senses something is not right, awake...more
Lexile: 480L
Reading level: 2.8
Genre: Picture Book
Main Characters: Madeline, Miss Clavel
Setting: Paris, France
POV: Third Person
Madeline is one of twelve girls growing up in an old house in Paris. Although not specifically stated, it appears to be a boarding house, run by Ms. Clavel. The girls do everything together in an orderly fashion. Madeline stands out among the girls as she is the smallest and most fearless. One night, Ms. Chavel senses something is not right, awake...more
This is, by far, one of the best children's books I have read. As a child, I read it over and over and my grandma read it to me at least once a day as well.
What I love the most about this book is it's simplicity with words, and it's awesome illustrations. The story is very basic and takes place in Paris--Madeline, who lives in a boarding school is quiet, but not afraid. One night, she is rushed to the hospital with an infected appendix. She recovers and once her classmates visit they become som...more
What I love the most about this book is it's simplicity with words, and it's awesome illustrations. The story is very basic and takes place in Paris--Madeline, who lives in a boarding school is quiet, but not afraid. One night, she is rushed to the hospital with an infected appendix. She recovers and once her classmates visit they become som...more
"Madeline" by Ludwig Bemelmans is a great series that I enjoyed reading when I was younger. When reading this book it brought me back to all of my childhood memories watching the TV shows, movies, and reading all the series. I remember my favorite part being when they were about to eat dinner and would pray, "We love our bread, we love our butter, but most of all we loved each other."Madeline is such a brave little girl full of adventures. I loved how she had a French accent and the pictures in...more
Madeline was written and illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans in 1939. Although this book was written over 70 years ago, it is still a great classic. Madeline was the smallest of the twelve girls she lived with. She was not afraid of anything, not even tigers. Then one night her stomach hurt and she cried and cried. The doctor soon realized it was her appendix. She woke up like a trooper two hours later. When the girls arrived, she quickly showed off her scar. By the end of the night, all the girls w...more
Madeline is a story of a redheaded little girl that is full of curiosity. Madeline is written by Ludwig Bemelmans, and has also been noted as a classic throughout time. In the story, Madeline lives in a Catholic boarding school in Paris. In the original Madeline, Madeline becomes ill with appendicitis. She is rushed to the hospital and has to have her appendix taken out. She is dramatic in revealing her scars to the other girls from the boarding school. Madeline leads the other student on advent...more
This picture book by Ludwig Bemelmans is a great classic. The story is about twelve girls who live in a boarding house in Paris and do everything together in two straight lines. One of the girls is woken in the middle of the night with appendicitis and is rushed off to the hospital. The other girls are sad Madeline has to leave. On their visit to see Madeline they see all the neat things Madeline has received due to her surgery and they too want their appendix taken out.
This is a wonderful chil...more
This is a wonderful chil...more
I remember being in love with this book and then the movie after it came out when I was around the age of 7. The story is so simple, as well as the illustrations but it makes for a good read. I like how there is a rhyming pattern throughout the book, which I think kids enjoy more just for the pure fact that some books rhyme, and I also enjoyed the semi plain illustrations. With a lot of children's books you see very little text and a lot of detailed illustrations with very vivid and bright color...more
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I guess I'm not a Madeline fan, nor is my daughter. She lost interest in this book long before it was finished, and it is very short on words. However, my daughter loved the illustrations. From the adult perspective, I loved the Parisian landmarks that were sprinkled throughout the book, but again, the story did not match the quality of the illustrations. Another thing that I did like about Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans is the fact that a short h...more
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I guess I'm not a Madeline fan, nor is my daughter. She lost interest in this book long before it was finished, and it is very short on words. However, my daughter loved the illustrations. From the adult perspective, I loved the Parisian landmarks that were sprinkled throughout the book, but again, the story did not match the quality of the illustrations. Another thing that I did like about Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans is the fact that a short h...more
I liked this book but not too much maybe because I couldn't find a solid learning experience that can come out of it. The only thing I could think of is the social studies domain because the girls are in Paris. This book includes many real sites that are actually found in Paris. It would be great for a unit on cultural differences incase a child might have a French background. We might talk about the differences and similarities of Paris and our current state like the boarding schools, the type...more
Madeline is a story about twelve little girls that live in a house in Paris; Madeline is the smallest of the girls and who the story focuses on. The girls are very proper, they always stick to their schedule (eating dinner, brushing their teeth, going to bed) and they do these things always in two straight lines. Even when they go out in Paris, they stay in their straight lines. One night while the girls were asleep in their neat rows, Madeline starting crying because her appendix needed to be t...more
This book brought back memories of my trip to Paris and some of the pictures in the book were sites that I had visited there, like the Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and the Tuileries Gardens. I enjoyed this book, because it introduced a place and a little girl from a country that may not be too familiar to children. Children could start learning a new country and a new word, "PARIS". Also, the children can get to know that the 12 little girls, live, sleep, eat and do things together, all year ro...more
Madeline is the classic tale of twelve young orphan girls who live together with their caretaker/nun Miss Clavel. The story begins by talking about all the daily activities that the little girls do together such as brush their teeth and go out everyday at exactly nine in the morning, no matter what the weather is like outside. The main character of our story, Madeline, is introduced as the tiniest, yet bravest of all the young girls, who can bring Miss Clavel to her whits end like no other. One...more
My daughter and I both love this book. I can't remember reading the story of Madeline before I had my daughter....but I am sure I did or had it read to me as a child, the story is familiar to me at any rate. Last year my daughter and I watched the movie and kind of fell in love with Madeline then. We have watched many movies since then and read many stories as well. A year later at five, my daughter and I still love this book.
The illustrations are simple but charming. In the back of our copy is...more
The illustrations are simple but charming. In the back of our copy is...more
Madeline is a picture book with the primary age group as the intended reader. I listened to the audiobook as well as read the ebook. It has won the Caldecott Honor Book award. The book is about a girl named Madeline who lives in a boarding school in France and is fearless. She awoke one night in pain and the doctor came over and told Madeline she needed to get her appendix removed. I gave the Madeline four stars because the plot appeared a little lack luster and the illustrations. There is littl...more
Sep 04, 2011
Rain Misoa
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Ages 4-7 and anyone who likes to cause a little trouble~
Recommended to Rain by:
School Librarin and We Give Books
Shelves:
childrens-books
This is one of the children's books that I read for We Give Books, A Pearson Foundation Initiative to help children all around the world obtain books. It's an organization that gathers many campaigns in one spot on the web to encourage people to read many books for children. With every book you read, one gets donated to the campaign you signed up for. (There's quite a few campaigns available.) A very good friend of mine, Nicole Terazue, recommended this site to me since she knew I loved reading...more
Illustrator: Ludwig Bemelmans
Publisher: Viking Press
Date of Publication: 1958
Genre: Poetry, humor, classics
Reading level: age 5-9
Theme: courage, compassion, spirited heroine, concern
Curricula use: teach children about other cultures
teach children about different issues concerning various themes.
Social Issues: Orphanage, Culture
Text & Pictures: The illustrations capture a child's interest right from the start. The pictures of Paris allow you to know the setting from the start and throughout...more
Publisher: Viking Press
Date of Publication: 1958
Genre: Poetry, humor, classics
Reading level: age 5-9
Theme: courage, compassion, spirited heroine, concern
Curricula use: teach children about other cultures
teach children about different issues concerning various themes.
Social Issues: Orphanage, Culture
Text & Pictures: The illustrations capture a child's interest right from the start. The pictures of Paris allow you to know the setting from the start and throughout...more
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Ludwig Bemelmans was an Austrian author, an internationally known gourmet, and a writer and illustrator of children's books. He is most noted today for his Madeline books, six of which were published from 1939-1961. A seventh was discovered after his death and published posthumously in 1999.
More about Ludwig Bemelmans...
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“In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines
Lived twelve little girls in two straight lines
In two straight lines they broke their bread
And brushed their teeth and went to bed.
They left the house at half past nine
In two straight lines in rain or shine-
The smallest one was Madeline.”
—
112 people liked it
More quotes…
Lived twelve little girls in two straight lines
In two straight lines they broke their bread
And brushed their teeth and went to bed.
They left the house at half past nine
In two straight lines in rain or shine-
The smallest one was Madeline.”

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