The Tour of Madeline

A publisher I used to work with once told me that from time to time she seeks out poets to write children’s books. She believes that poets often write well for children because they know how to use words sparingly, and also have a grasp on rhyme and meter.

While Ludwig Bemelmans was not a “poet” in the traditional sense, he wrote the popular series of Madeline books using simple rhyme and meter, beginning his first book in the series with the famous lines: 

In an old house in Paris

that was covered with vines

lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.

The smallest one was Madeline.

(Bemelmans, 1)

Rhymes like those used in Bemelmans’ books, as well as in nursery rhymes, are among the first snippets of language that we learn. They are what teach us the importance of words, and what help us transition one day, into reading “adult” poetry. In an article written for Poetry Foundation, John Barr (the president of the organization), writes that “people who care about their poetry often experience genuine feelings of embarrassment, even revulsion when confronted with cowboy poetry, rap and hip-hop, and children’s poetry not written by ‘adult’ poets.”  In my opinion, poets too easily forget what it’s like to be a child, and what first attracted them to the written word.

            I think Bemelmans would have qualified himself as an artist and a storyteller before a poet. His stories are straightforward, and lack any sort of depth or hidden context, but his books are often used to teach children poetry and language at an early age. Since his first book about Madeline is written in rhyme and meter, and takes place in Paris, I thought it would be worth looking briefly at Madeline’s outings around the city.

            A few of the places featured in the illustrations of the book take the reader past the Jardin du Luxembourg, Ile de la Cite, the Eiffel Tower, and the Tuileries Jardin. One of the unique things about the picture book “Madeline”, is that Bemelmans uses art and rhyme to give children a tour of the city of Paris with Madeline, her 11 housemates, and their governess, Miss Clavel.  One of the first pages of the book reads “They left the house at half-past nine, in rain, or shine—the smallest one was Madeline.” The illustration shows a picture of the 12 girls wearing yellow outfits, each with a balloon tied to her wrist, which are for sale within the Garden. Another illustration shows Miss Clavel and the girls walking through the square in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral on the Ile de la Cite, each with a black umbrella.

            Paris is a city full of all sorts of writers and poets. As a frequent visitor to the city, I believe I would be remiss to not mention at least one poet who writes in simple, accessible language geared toward children. Books like these that teach children to enjoy the spoken word and rhyme, are what allow adults to one day be able to appreciate, and to write poetry themselves. 

 

Copyright © Ludwig Bemelmans 1939.