From an old house in Paris that was covered in vines, comes a new guest to the White House...Madeline!

John Bemelmans Marciano, the grandson of Madeline creator Ludwig Bemelmans, continues the family tradition with Madeline at the White House. With a bouncy read-aloud text and stunning watercolor pictures, John Bemelmans Marciano showcases Washington D.C. just as the original Madeline quintessentially portrayed Paris.

Madeline at the White House is based on a story Ludwig Bemelmans left unfinished. John Bemelmans Marciano comments, “The idea for sending Madeline to the White House was my grandfather’s and grew out of his friendship with Jacqueline Kennedy. In a series of letters from late 1961 and early 1962, my grandfather sounded out the First Lady on ideas for the book … My grandfather died ... before the book was finished.”

In Madeline at the White House, Madeline and the other eleven little girls have a new destination: the White House. They are the guests of Candle, the lonely only daughter of the President, arriving just in time for the annual Easter Egg Roll. On the last night of the visit, Madeline and Candle stay up late, ending the evening with a magical nighttime tour of the capital’s most famous landmarks. Madeline and Candle return home to the White House just in time for the twelve little girls in two straight lines to say “Au revoir, America!”

John Bemelmans Marciano will read Madeline at the White House, discuss and sign copies of the book, and pose for photos with his young (and not-so-young!) fans at the Concord Bookshop on Tuesday, April 12 at 2:30 pm. Pre-orders will be accepted for anyone who wishes a personalized inscription, but is unable to attend the event.

For more information, visit www.concordbookshop.com, phone 978-369-2405, or visit the Concord Bookshop at 65 Main Street.