Madeline's New Adventures in Rome

Posted on September 26, 2008

Madeleine is about to have her first new adventure in fifty years. John Bemelmans Marciano, the grandson of the author of the original Madeline books, is carrying on the family tradition with the new book, Madeline and the Cats of Rome (Viking).

Since 1939, generations have cherished the old house in Paris covered in vines and the 12 little girls in two straight lines, including the smallest one with a can-do streak and a penchant for calamity. But why tamper with a character so endearing? "I had always thought, 'Boy, it's never going to go away,' but classics do fade," said the 38-year-old Marciano, who lives in Brooklyn and spent years studying the drawing technique of his grandfather, Ludwig Bemelmans, for his "Madeline and the Cats of Rome."

Marciano, who's touring to promote the recent release, is far from a newbie children's writer, with three books on other subjects to his credit. In fact, he's not even a newbie "Madeline" purveyor. While sifting through Ludwig's personal papers for his acclaimed tribute book about his grandfather's life and work, Marciano discovered unfinished text and pencil drawings that led him to illustrate and complete the story for "Madeline in America" in 1999. He also turned Madeline into a good-etiquette advocate in "Madeline Says Merci" and created a rhyming board book featuring the spunky French redhead in "Madeline Loves Animals."

But "Madeline and the Cats of Rome" is the first full-length story book using the character. In it, Marciano sends teacher Ms. Clavel and the girls on vacation. Once in Rome, there's petty crime, a curly haired antagonist turned do-gooder and a creaky old house full of cats.

Some reviews have been good and some have been brutal. Publisher's Weekly was really negative saying "Awkward syntax and forced rhymes abound. The joy and brio of the original books go missing." But Madeline fans aren't listening to the critics. The book is available at Amazon.com and bookstores everywhere.

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