The Golden Basket facts for kids
The Golden Basket is a fun book for kids, written and drawn by Ludwig Bemelmans. It tells the story of a family visiting the beautiful city of Bruges in Belgium. This book is also special because it's the first time readers meet Madeline, a very famous character created by Bemelmans. The Golden Basket was first published in 1936. It even won a special award called a Newbery Honor in 1937, which means it was recognized as one of the best children's books of that year.
Contents
What is The Golden Basket About?
The story follows two sisters named Celeste and Melisande. They are staying at a hotel called the Golden Basket in Bruges with their father, Horatio Coggeshall, who is from London.
New Friends and Adventures
While at the hotel, the sisters become friends with Jan, who is the son of the hotel owner. They also meet many other interesting guests staying there. One day, Celeste and Melisande go with Jan to visit the Bruges cathedral. There, they meet a group of twelve small schoolgirls. One of these girls is the lively character, Madeline!
The Author's Inspiration
Ludwig Bemelmans, the author, knew a lot about hotels. He grew up in his father's hotel in Austria. Later, he worked in hotels in the USA when he was a young man. These experiences helped him write about hotel life in The Golden Basket.
A Trip to Belgium
The idea for the story's setting came from a trip Bemelmans took to Belgium with his wife. The city of Bruges, with its charming streets and buildings, inspired him. The drawings in the book show many famous sights and places you can see in Bruges.
