Pistes d'exploration

Look at the cover and dedication page, and determine the setting of the story. Use an online mapping tool to explore the Eiffel tower and surrounding area.

What traits would describe Madame Martine? How is she different at the end of the story? Use a graphic organizer to show your thinking.

Write a comic strip telling the story of how Max came to be lost.

Go on a picture walk. Notice the setting, colours, facial expressions and feelings.

After a read-aloud, compare your picture walk ideas to the actual story. Use a graphic organizer to show your understanding. Why are the colours different at the end? How is Madame Martine different at the beginning and at the end?

Discuss tourist sites in your area. Find a local tourist guide to help you. Survey the places that your classmates have and have not visited. Show your findings on a diagram.

The Old Woman Who Named Things, Scaredy Squirrel, Toot & Puddle, Gifts

Mots-clés

Picture book , courage , dogs , everyday life , friendship , human-animal relationships , Paris (France) , routines

Commentaire descriptif

Madame Martine is a creature of habit. She takes the same walk every day, wears the same coat, goes to the same shops. Although she lives within view of the Eiffel Tower, she has never even visited it: “such a waste of time,” she thinks. Then one rainy day, she comes across a small, dirty, stray dog that shakes up her routine. When the dog chases a squirrel on one of their habitual outings, she finds herself chasing him all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Captivating watercolours fill the pages, with muted tones giving way to brightly saturated hues as Madame Martine’s heart opens. In a daunting double spread of the view to the top of the tower, we see just her nose and headscarf, and the hunch of her shoulders, as the building’s dizzying heights dwarf her. The Parisian skyline at dusk, when she reaches the top, is similarly breathtaking. The simple, straightforward text will captivate young readers. Madame Martine’s routine stays mostly the same after encountering the little dog, only now, “every Saturday they tried something new.” An enchanting tale about discovering joy right under your nose, and the transformative power of friendship.