Books to read if you liked Madeline

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

Spunky, adventurous, and full of confidence, Madeline has rocked the girl world for decades. If you've read through all the sequels, here are some books that evoke some of the same feelings.

Louise, the Adventures of a Chicken by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Harry Bliss

Plucky Louise longs for both adventure and a cozy home to return to when she'd finished being brave.

Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch

For 40 years The Paperbag Princess has been teaching girls it's alright to stand up for yourself, and that beauty is only skin deep.  

When We Were Very Young by A.A. Milne

Playful poems to read and reread with children.

Olivia by Ian Falconer

When Olivia tries on 17 outfits even before the book is begun, you may be debating which one is your favourite, but the funniest one is certainly Olivia in pantyhose. This pig is full of life and will delight readers on each page with her overly euphoric good nature.

Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey

The sweetest story of a mother and child who go blueberry picking. Little Sal has more fun eating the blueberries from the pail rather than allowing them to accumilate. At one point the two get mixed up with a mother bear and her cub before finding their rightful partners again. 

Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell

This is a story of Jane Goodall as a little child in the English countryside where she observes nature and writes in her journal about what she sees.

 

Mr. Gumpy's Outing

By John Burningham

Mr. Gumpy kindly permits anyone who promises to behave onto his boat for a ride. It is a lovely day and at first all the children and animals mind their manners. Until they all end up doing exactly what Mr. Gumpy asked them not to do. And all at once! The children squabble, the rabbit hops, the chickens flap, and so on until chaos quickly ensues. Nonetheless, Mr. Gumpy realizes it is simply their nature, and handles the rest of the day with calmness and a tea party. The humour of everything going exactly the opposite of how Mr. Gumpy had hoped will appeal to young children.

The illustrations add a lot of detail and information to the text. Burningham’s line drawings are enhanced with crayon, wash, and other media, and in doing so, he has created a signature style that invites readers to pour over the pages. His sensitive treatment begins with the delicate sepia line drawings and continues with gleaming areas of coloured cross-hatching and luminous ink washes to create a charming English countryside setting.

Awards: The Boston Globe-Horn Book Award (1972 )

Kate Greenway Medal (1970)
Parent’s Choice Paperback Award
A New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book
An ALA Notable Children’s Book