Dire Quoi?

"In an old house in Paris, covered in vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines..."  and I could keep going.  Madeline held a permanent  spot in my five-year old-reading repertoire and still today I beg the children I watch to let me read it to them.  But, my (apparently American-centric) world started to crumble two days ago when I found out a French friend of mine had never even heard of the book. The book that features classic Parisian settings from The Luxembourg Gardens to the Place de la Concorde... the book that has names like "Miss Clavel"... the book that has the Eiffel Tower on the front.  How could he not know Madeline? 

I was shocked to learn that Madeline was neither published in France nor originally written in French.  It is only now that I am realizing what pitiful logic that was..."it is set in Paris ergo it must be French."  

The Austrian author, Ludwig Bemelmans was born in Italy and lived there until he moved to the United States working as an illustrator until he eventually wrote and published his beloved children's books.  Qui sait? 

Still, I feel sorry for the French children who are missing out on such a classic story about their country. Instead, they are reading these absolutely terrifying books. America wins! Just kidding...But, this same friend, was also not familiar with my favorite little elephant, Babar. Research confirmed that Histoire de Babar is most definitely French. So perhaps I shouldn't take his word for it...