What are the circumstances that lead to a fictional character’s conception and life that endear her to millions of fans through generations?

Ludwig Bemelmans, author of the children’s books Madeline, was born April 27^th, 1898 in Austria and came to the United States at age 16. Though he had a passion for drawing and painting in his youth, he didn’t find his creativity blossom until a time when confined for part of a summer to a hospital bed after an accident.

The cracked ceiling looked like a rabbit. A little girl in the room next to him was there for an appendectomy. A story his mother told him as a child came to mind that had included a hospital bed with a crank at the foot, a little girl and a nurse. In New York it happened that he observed a French teacher who taught a class of small girls and gave them daily walks around Gramercy Park.  Before long, a masterpiece began to fall into place.

Popular children’s author Judy Blume says, “When my daughter was born, Madeline was the first book I bought for her. Some books you never forget. Some characters become your friends for life.

Happy Birthday Ludwig Bemelmans!

P.S. Make certain that your little readers have the right skills to enjoy classics like Madeline for a lifetime. If your child needs reading help, click here › for a short video overview of the Reading Horizons methodology.