The+Man+Who+Walked+Between+The+Towers+(2)

__The Man Who Walked Between The Towers__

Author: Mordicai Gerstein Illustrator: Mordicai Gerstein (oil and pen illustrations) Reading Level: 2.5 Publisher: Original Publication Roaring Book Press Square Fish Edition April 2007 Winner of: 2004 Caldecott Winner Number of Pages: 40 including 3 page foldouts ISBN: 978-0-312-36878-4

The illustrations in __The Man Who Walked Between The Towers__ are the most important element of the book. The events that this book is based on took place in Manhattan in 1974 during the morning rush of the city. Mordecai does a beautiful job showing Philippe Petit seeing a space in between the towers and deciding that this beautiful empty space provided a perfect challenge. As the reader, I am looking up at the Twin Towers, just as millions have done before they were destroyed and you can’t help but be completely amazed by their beauty. The walk in between the towers was so beautiful and peaceful, and through Mordecai’s illustrations we are able to see the amazing scenery of the city just below Philippe’s feet. Most of the story took place on the roof of the towers and on the wire. Philippe was standing on a wire from which he could see almost the entire city below him. The illustrations helped me as the reader feel the serenity and peace that Philippe must have felt as he walked in the sky. Though the city was loud and busy, Philippe walked, danced and rested, with birds flying over and around him, on his wire where not one fear, weakness or trouble could touch him.
 * Analysis:**

Mordecai Gerstein is an author, illustrator, painter, sculptor and animated film maker who began writing and illustrating his own work in 1980. He wrote and illustrated __The Man Who Walked Between The Towers__ in 2003 and this book, based on true events, won the Caldecott Award in 2004. Mordecai was born and raised in Los Angeles and moved to New York City after art school to pursue a career. Mordecai had intentions of only becoming an artist, but to support his family, he began designing and directing animated commercials. A career-changing move occurred when he met Elizabeth Levy in 1970. Elizabeth wanted Mordecai to illustrate her book “Something Queer is Going On;” this book later turned into a series that the two are still working on. Mordecai has won awards for his writing, illustrations, and film work. He currently lives in Massachusetts with his wife Susan Yard Harris (who is also an illustrator), and his daughter Risa.
 * Author Biography:**

__The Man Who Walked Between The Towers__ recounts live events that occurred on August 7th 1974 in Manhattan, NY. The children’s book is about a man, Philippe Petit, who walked across a wire that extended from the roof of the North Tower of the World Trade Center to the roof of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Philippe, a French Funambulist, and his three friends posed as construction workers in order to carry the wire and other equipment to the very top of the unfinished World Trade Center. After minor problems, Philippe begins his walk, a quarter of a mile high in the sky. As people begin to notice and watch him from the street, Police run to the top to arrest him. After almost an hour of walking, dancing and lying on the wire, Philippe finally walks to the police to be arrested. However, instead of being put in jail, Philippe was ordered to perform his tightrope act in the park for all the children to see.
 * Summary:**

This children’s book shared an amazing story about a fearless man who decided one day to walk in the sky between the Twin Towers in Manhattan. Mordecai Gerstein does a beautiful job at writing about these events. His work not only recognizes Philippe Petit, but is also a memorial of the Twin Towers that have since been destroyed, but have left marks in the sky. Not only do his words captivate you, but his oil and ink illustrations are completely breathtaking. Mordecai beautifully illustrates this walk, and focuses on Philippe’s foot on the wire. These illustrations depict the fearlessness and strength of Philippe Petit on every single page, including the foldout which captures the entire wire from tower to tower. Mordecai did a brilliant job at writing and illustrating this book that will one day be responsible for keeping this memory alive in our nation.
 * Review:**

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