Such a sweet book. Rhymes without being too rhythmic or sing-songy. I love that the girls walk past the real sights of Paris.

Mother Tongue notes: an excellent challenge for readers just past beginner level. Most pages have a large illustration, with lots of detail and 1-3 lines of text. Young children are a bit confused about such young children being away at boarding school. I always thought this was an orphanage, but Madeline’s father visits her in the hospital. That may make students feel better or worse about her position. Compare to Harry Potter, though he is older, students will be familiar with the situation.