The+Man+Who+Walked+Between+The+Towers


 * The Man Who Walked Between the Towers **
 * Bibliographic Data: **

Mordicai Gerstein was already a talented children’s book illustrator when he decided to start writing children’s books of his own. Since then, he has released dozens of titles and has won nearly as many awards for his stories of childhood innocence, spiritual exploration, and imagination gone wild. His biographical story of tightrope walker Philippe Petit won the 2004 Caldecott Medal, making The Man Who Walked Between the Towers the most distinguished American picture book for children in 2004. Mordicai Gerstein has always been an artist. As a child, he enjoyed painting and eventually graduated from art school in Los Angeles. He continued painting in New York City and supported himself and his family for 25 years by designing and directing animated television commercials. Another biographical picture book, The Man Who Walked Between the Towers (2003) tells the story of Philippe Petit, the daredevil who walked across a tightrope suspended between New York City's World Trade Center towers in 1974. The book won the Caldecott Medal in 2004, and parents have praised the book as an invaluable tool for talking to their children about the events of 9/11. Many of Gerstein's children's books are destined to be classics. His style of writing and illustration brings each of his stories to life, shows a passion for adventure, and relishes the joy that comes from understanding the mysteries of the world. Despite a successful career illustrating children's books, the first book Gerstein wrote, Arnold of the Ducks, was turned down by seven publishers. Eventually, The New York Times called it one of the best children's books of the year.
 * Author Biography: **

“The Man Who Walked Between the Towers” is a fictional story that illustrates how a man defies the impossible; walking between the Twin Towers. In 1974, French aerialist Philippe Petit threw a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center and spent an hour walking, dancing, and performing high-wire tricks a quarter mile in the sky. This picture book captures the poetry and magic of the event with a poetry of its own: lyrical words and lovely paintings that present the detail, daring, and--in two dramatic foldout spreads-- the high drama of Petit's feat.
 * Summary: **

“The Man Who Walked Between the Towers” is a great book that shows children how when you set your mind to it, you can achieve that goal. Even though Philippe is arrested by the police for walking between the towers when we was not allowed, he exemplifies what it is like to want to achieve something so bad that it does not matter what happens afterwards. I would recommend this book to teachers as well as students. This provides a great example of how when you set an achievement goal for yourself and you want it so bad that you just need to go for it and not hesitate. In the end, all that matters is that you accomplished that goal even if the consequences are good or bad. The last page of Philippe smiling while at the police station is an indicator that he is happy with the actions he did and really presents to the reader the true emotions he is feeling.
 * Review: **

By reading this book to my future classroom, the students can learn the importance of achievement. It also shows traits of how to go about setting the goal and going through with it. For my students I can use the example of “the sky’s the limit”, but know to make wise and measurable goals for oneself. After reading this great read, I will ask the students if they have ever achieved a great goal or know someone who has achieved a great goal. This is a wonderful book to share with children. They will learn how to set goals and achieve them in the most possible way.
 * Analysis of Literary Element: **