Madeline and the Cats of Rome

by John Bemelmans Marciano

Overview

Madeline visits Rome!

The Paris skies are gray, so Miss Clavel and the twelve little girls are leaving for brighter weather—-spring in Rome. Rome has wonderful sights to see and delicious things to eat, but Madeline also finds an unexpected adventure, involving a thief, a chase, and many, many cats. The first all-new Madeline book in close to fifty years combines a lively story with luminous gouache and watercolor illustrations. Beloved Madeline returns, as brave and irrepressible as ever!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780670062973
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	09/04/2008
Series:	Madeline Series
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	9.04(w) x 12.16(h) x 0.41(d)
Lexile:	AD630L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

John Bemelmans Marciano carries on the legacy begun by his grandfather, Ludwig Bemelmans, author and illustrator of the Madeline books, with stunning watercolor artwork and playful, energetic storytelling. John Bemelmans Marciano is the author and illustrator of several other books including Delilah and Bemelmans: The Life and Art of Madeline’s Creator. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Editorial Reviews

Having inched his way into his grandfather's spotlight with a Madeline board book and other tie-ins, Marciano tries out a full-dress solo performance here-and makes the grade nicely. Looking and sounding just like the classic episodes, this all-original outing takes Madeline and her schoolmates on a rhymed trip to sunny Rome where, after visiting the Sistine Chapel and other familiar sights, she and Genevieve hare off after a young thief who snatches Miss Clavel's camera. After a brisk chase they reclaim the camera, but find themselves (briefly) under arrest and also saddled with an entire old houseful of stray cats. Though an unexplained general costume change partway through breaks the visual continuity, Marciano sketches children, tourists and their surroundings with that old, loose, familiar vim-in (as further homage) alternate sets of full-color scenes and pages in yellow and black. Like the newer Amelia Bedelias, this doesn't exactly take the perennial favorite in new directions, but it does seamlessly extend the series. (Picture book. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews