Madeline Festival

The 4th annual Madeline Festival will be held on Saturday June 6, celebrating the connection that Oswego and Fort Ontario have with Ludwig Bemelmans, author of the beloved Madeline book series.

The event features kite flying, period games, crafts, a children’s parade, an art exhibit, Madeline book readings, a play, food booths and free admission to Fort Ontario.

For more information and a schedule of activities, please click HERE.

Excerpted from Wikipedia:

Ludwig Bemelmans (April 26, 1898 – October 1, 1962^[1]) was an Austrian-born American writer and illustrator of children’s books. He is known best for the Madeline picture books. Six were published since 1939.^[2]

Madeline series[edit]

Each Madeline story begins: “In an old house in Paris, that was covered with vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines… the smallest one was Madeline.” The girls are cared for by Miss Clavel. She is likely a nun, as some French orders called themselves Madames, particularly that of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat,^[17] after which this convent school seems to be modeled; and “Mrs.” would not be an appropriate equivalent in English. Some have argued that Miss Clavel’s apparel looks more like that of a nurse (although why a nurse is working in what appears to be a Paris convent school is not explained).

Other characters include Pepito, son of the Spanish ambassador, who lives next door; Lord Cucuface, owner of the house; and Genevieve, a dog who rescues Madeline from drowning in the second book. Bemelmans published six Madeline stories in his lifetime, five as picture books and one in a magazine. A seventh was discovered after his death and published posthumously:

1. Madeline, 1939: in which Madeline must have her appendix removed
2. Madeline’s Rescue, 1953: in which Madeline is rescued from drowning by a dog (later named Genevieve). Winner of the Caldecott Medal for U.S. picture book illustration
3. Madeline and the Bad Hat, 1956: in which the “bad hat” is Pepito, the Spanish ambassador’s son, whose cruel antics outrage Madeline.
4. Madeline and the Gypsies, 1959: in which Madeline and Pepito have an adventure at a circus.
5. Madeline in London, 1961: in which Pepito moves to London, and Madeline and the girls go to visit him.
6. Madeline’s Christmas, 1985: in which everyone in the house catches cold, except Madeline. (First published in McCall’s in 1956).
7. Madeline in America and Other Holiday Tales, 1999: in which Madeline inherits a fortune from her American great-grandfather. The book also reveals Madeline’s full name, Madeline Fogg.