Madeline
Ludwig Bemelmans (1939)

THE A5 BOOK REVIEW

One of our favorite series of children’s books is the Madeline series, written and illustrated by Austrian author Ludwig Bemelmans.  The books focus on a seven-year-old girl named Madeline who lives in a beautiful Catholic boarding school in Paris.  Madeline is the smallest but most adventurous in the group, the courageous heroine, and the only redhead.  The stories are generally written entirely in rhyme, and the illustrations are captivating for younger readers.  The books also showcase the beauty and charm of Paris itself.  Madeline is now a media franchise with television and several films, but of course we believe the books are the best option.  Recommended for ages 5+.
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OTHER BOOKS IN THE MADELINE SERIES

GREAT QUOTES:

"In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines ..."
- the famous opening line of many of the books in the Madeline series

"That's all there is, there isn't any more."
- the famous closing line of every book in the Madeline series

INTERESTING FACTS & LINKS:

  • Bemelmans wrote the first six books in the series.  Later books were actually written by his grandson, John Bemelmans Marciano. 
  • ​See some of Bemelmans' cover illustrations for The New Yorker at Art.com.