Madeline

Story Title: Madeline

Author: Ludwig Bemelmans

Illustrator: Ludwig Bemelmans

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Characters: Madeline, eleven other little girls, Miss Clavel, and Dr. Cohn

Summary: Miss Clavel and twelve little girls all live together in an old house in Paris. They do everything together. Madeline is the smallest and bravest girl out of the group. One day Miss Clavel finds her in bed crying, so she rushes in a doctor. He finds that she has appendicitis, so they rush her to the hospital. The eleven little girls visit her there and find her feeling better and surrounded by gifts. They get jealous, but Miss Clavel reminds them that they are lucky to be in good health.

Comments: Madeline is a classic! I love this story. Its simple rhymes and pictures are addictive. The illustrations also feature sites throughout the city of Paris, like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, The Louvre, etc.

Grade Level: Preschool to First Grade