Madeline facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Madeline |
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The cover to the original 1939 Madeline children's book
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| Creator | Ludwig Bemelmans |
| Original work | Madeline (1939) |
| Print publications | |
| Books | See Madeline (book series) |
| Films and television | |
| Films |
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| Short films | Madeline (1952 short film) |
| Games | |
| Video games | See Madeline (video game series) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Toys | Various (dolls and playsets) |
Madeline is a popular story series that started as children's books. They were written and illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans, an author from Austria and America. The stories are about a brave little girl named Madeline and her friends.
These books have been turned into many different things. There are TV shows, movies, and even video games! At the end of many of the adaptations, they use a famous line: "That's all there is, there isn't any more." The stories usually happen in a Catholic boarding school in Paris, France. Their teacher is a kind nun named Miss Clavel. She is strict but cares a lot for the girls.
Most of the Madeline stories begin with the line: "In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines..." The books are often written in rhyme. They share simple tales about everyday life and Madeline's fun, harmless adventures. Kids and parents both love these stories. A common part of the books is Miss Clavel turning on the light and saying: "Something is not right."
Contents
The Books of Madeline
The first Madeline book came out in 1939. It was written by Ludwig Bemelmans. He wrote five more books in the series between 1953 and 1961. Later Madeline books were written by his grandson, John Bemelmans Marciano.
The books are about 12 girls who live at a boarding school in Paris. Madeline is the smallest girl and is only seven years old. She is the only one with red hair. Madeline is known for being the bravest and most outgoing of all the girls. The pictures in the books look classic and show famous places in Paris, like the Eiffel Tower and the Seine River.
In the very first book, Madeline gets sick and has to go to the hospital. She has her appendix removed. All the cool gifts she gets make the other girls a little jealous! In Madeline's Rescue, she falls into the Seine River. A dog saves her, and she brings the dog back to the school. In Madeline and the Bad Hat, Madeline meets Pepito. He is the son of the Spanish Ambassador to France. Madeline tries to help him change his naughty ways.
Madeline on Screen
Animated Shorts
The first time Madeline appeared on screen was in 1952. It was an animated short film called Madeline. United Productions of America (UPA) made it. This short film was even nominated for an Academy Award! However, it lost to a Tom and Jerry cartoon.
Later, in 1959, Rembrandt Films made more animated shorts. These were based on Madeline's Rescue, Madeline and the Bad Hat, and Madeline and the Gypsies. These shorts were shown in a 1966 movie called Alice of Wonderland in Paris.
Live-Action Movie
A live-action movie called Madeline came out in 1998. It was filmed in France. The movie starred Hatty Jones as Madeline and Frances McDormand as Miss Clavel. The story in the movie combined plots from four of the books. Michel Legrand wrote the music, and Carly Simon sang the main song, "In Two Straight Lines." The movie was directed by Daisy Mayer.
The 1998 movie was different from the TV series and the original books in some ways. The boarding house where they filmed is in Croissy-sur-Seine.
Madeline on Television
In 1960, the Madeline stories were made into a one-hour TV episode. It was part of the NBC show The Shirley Shirley Temple Show.
Later, in 1988, DIC Entertainment made the first book into an animated TV special for HBO. Between 1990 and 1991, Cinar and France Animation made animated versions of the other five original books. These aired on The Family Channel.
In 1993, DIC made a Madeline TV series with twenty episodes. It also aired on the Family Channel. In 1995, DIC made 13 more episodes for ABC. These were called The New Adventures of Madeline. From 2000 to 2001, DIC made 26 more episodes for Disney Channel. These shows had songs written by Andy Street and Judy Rothman. Many people think these TV shows gave the characters their most famous looks.
Madeline Sounds and Games
Audiobooks and Music
Madeline audiobooks have been around since the 1970s. They often include both stories and songs.
The first music album for the TV series was Madeline's Favorite Songs, released in 1995. It had 16 songs from the DIC and Cinar specials. Another album, Hats off to Madeline, came out in 1996. It had 17 songs from the 1993 and 1995 TV episodes. The most recent Madeline music album, Sing-A-Long With Madeline, was released in 2002. It has 27 songs from the 2001 episodes.
Video Games
Between 1995 and 1999, ten Madeline-themed computer games were released. These were educational point-and-click games. They helped kids learn while having fun with Madeline.
Toys
Madeline toys were first made by Eden Toys LLC. The most popular toy in the 1990s was a Madeline rag doll. It had a special half-smile and a small scar. This scar was just like the one Madeline gets in the first book after her appendix surgery. Eden's Madeline Doll House even won an award for Best Specialty Toy in 2000!
Images for kids
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The original book cover
