Customer Reviews

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This 2004 Caldecott winner is based on the true story of Philippe Petit. During the contruction of the World Trade Center, he devised a plan to walk a tightrope between the twin towers. The illustrations are the main feature of this book. There are some wonderful overhead perspectives that allow the reader to get a sense of how it would actually feel to walk hundreds of feet in the air. This book does not dwell on the loss of the towers (although it is mentioned), but rather celebrates the courageous spirit of Philippe Petit. Both children and adults will find this story interesting.

On an otherwise normal day in August 1974, a young Frenchman pulled off what may be the most impressive (not to mention foolhardy) wire-walking exhibition in history. New York City's early commuters looked up to the almost-completed World Trade Center towers to see a man, experienced aerialist Phillippe Petit, walking back and forth across them on a wire. This amazing (albeit highly illegal) achievement has now been immortalized in impressive ink and oil paintings in Mordicai Gerstein in The Man Who Walked Between the Towers. Among the artwork you will find the ingenious use of two foldout illustrations, each one establishing an amazing change in perspective of Petit's wire-walking feat and making the drama of the event all that more palpable. Published in 2003 and the recipient of The Caldecott Medal, this book is sure to captivate many young minds with its story and artistry (with a sense of vertigo thrown in absolutely free of charge), and it does stand as something of a touching reminder of the two towers that fell on September 11, 2001 and the spell they cast in their own silent yet mighty fortitude.

Alongside the artwork is the story, economically told, of Petit's dream and the manner in which he made it come true. It describes how he and some friends dressed up as construction workers, hid out on both towers until nightfall, and got the wire-walking cable (which was a mere seven-eighths of an inch wide) in place, after which Petit walked, ran, danced, and even lay down on the outstretched wire over the course of nearly an hour. He was then, of course, arrested but, to my surprise, ordered only to perform his feats for the children of New York City. This is a fabulous story that will literally take your breath away, especially if you are as afraid of heights as I am, but I can't get over just how dangerous and illegal this was (to his friends as well as himself) and can only wonder how Petit got off so easily.

In 1974 as the World Trade Center was being built, young French aerialist Philippe Petit spent almost an hour on a tightrope walking, dancing and doing tricks between the two towers. Man Who Walked Between The Towers tells his story using lyrical words and ink/oil paintings which are endearing and revealing.

I have heard that very refrain from children time and time again while reading this book. In my Gypsy-like lifestyle of a substitute teacher, I took this book with me, knowing that it would enchant the students I had, no matter where I was. Every class I read this to was spellbound. They would gasp and stare and just could not believe that a REAL person ever did what Phillipe was doing! I had a first grader reach out to touch the sky under Phillipe on one spread, he was so enthralled. In a class of 29 very-hard-to-impress third graders that I was in for 6 weeks, we made a project out of it when they designed their own drawings on what they would walk between, because they were so inspired. During the reading, near the end, on the page that stated quietly "Now the towers are gone," I had very quiet acceptance of the missing towers. The author tells the story with such reverent delight (if it was ever possible to combine the two, Gerstein has) that children naturally fall in and accept the story as is. "The Man Who Walked Between The Towers" has become one of my favorite children's books and has earned a spot in my teaching "bag of tricks." It is very moving and inspiring, and highly deserving of the Caldecott Medal for 2004.

Children will fall in love with this book & Phillipe will surely become their idol. The text is gentle & romantic, and the illustrations evoke the magic of the Towers. The ending is both triumphant & heartbreaking. The hard part for parents is answering their kids' inevitable question: "What happened to the Towers?"

The year was 1974, Phillippe Petit gazes upon the twin towers. He is a French aerialist, a street performer. He juggles and rides a unicycle, but most of all he likes to walk on a rope he tied between two trees. One day he looked at the World Trade Center. He was barely looking at the towers themselves, more at the space between them. He had walked a rope between other high places; why not there? One day he came up with a plan to get atop the twin towers. What happened? Just read "The Man Who Walked Between The Towers"

And even though there's only a ghostly picture of the World Trade Center left in our mind, we will always remember the daring man who once walked between them.

This book was a great experience to read, but just reading it made me feel like I was waaaaaay too high up.

I would recommend this book to adults and children alike.

After the events of September 11 there was an odd movement on behalf of the children's book publishers to explain the event in picture book form for the benefit of the little ones. Some of these attempts verged on the callous (paper cut airplanes flying into paper cut buildings) while others were nice thoughts but ultimately raised more questions than they answered ("Fireboat", for example). In the case of Mr. Mordicai Gerstein, however, a happy medium was reached. Here is a book that is all about the Twin Towers, but it does not linger on their fate. A mere two years after the events of 9/11, this book is an eloquent and elegant elegy to a moment when the Twin Towers helped to bring the world a great deal of wonder and joy.

The story is based on the true tale of one Philippe Petit. A French aerialist, Petit was adept at juggling, unicycle riding, and (as it happened) tightrope walking. When construction finished on the Twin Towers in 1974, Petit happened upon the crazy notion of walking between them. The man was no stranger to such a stunt. He had, after all, walked between the towers of the Notre Dame Cathedral back in his native France. After asking the Tower's owners for permission, his request was quickly declined. To be allowed would fly in the face of a million safety regulations, after all. The quick thinking Petit reasoned that all that was left was to go ahead and do it anyway. Involving some friends, a construction disguise, and a four hundred and forty pound reel of cable, Petit successfully made it to the roof of one tower in the night and connected the line between the towers with help. Then, as the dawn broke, he did his famous walk across. Once finished, Petit was sentenced by a judge to perform for the children of the park as his penance; a punishment the artist suffered gladly. The book concludes the story on a wistful note. We view the space where once the towers stood and read, "Now the towers are gone". A ghost of the Two appears on the next page and the book says, "But in memory, as if imprinted on the sky, the towers are still there. And part of that memory is the joyful morning, August 7, 1974, when Philippe Petit walked between them in the air".

What Gerstein has done is give us a memory of the Twin Towers that is a good and joyful one. This is no mean task, especially when you consider the horrors that were to follow. I've heard an interesting assortment of objections to the book in my time. Some people argue that no book about the Twin Towers is appropriate for children, whether the book concentrates on 9/11 or not. Such sentiments are silly. You can't ignore the past and, when done tastefully, a book about a significant event can teach more to children than a lesson plan could ever hope to. Other objections say that the book glorifies a silly stunt. Considering the fact that Petit was well trained, took all the necessary precautions, and did what he did for the love of his art, this objection is petty at best. Some say that this is not Gerstein's strongest work and that he should have won the Caldecott for another book instead. I have not read other Gerstein creations, so my experience is (like that of the Caldecott committee) limited to only his most recent creation. But to say this book is not medal worthy is patently ridiculous. Just at glance at the book is enough to tell you that.

Look with me. The text is not only true, it is respectful. What I'm about to write here is second-hand knowledge garnered from a children's literature listserv, so I can't vouch that what I'm about to say is true. However, I believe that before this book was published Philippe Petit knew that it was being written and requested a look at the galleys prior to publication (not a ridiculous desire considering he was the book's star and hero). Such a look was not granted but just after publication Petit was allowed a copy of the story and he greatly approved of it. The only correction he wished to make was the section discussing the thickness of the cable he walked across. I believe he wished it to be changed from five-sixths of an inch to seven-eights of an inch. Future books have been published with this change, so if you happen to have an earlier printing of the story you may have a collector's item on your hands. My point with this story is the pains with which the author has taken to render everything in it factual. On top of that, it's very well written, with the viewer gasping and cheering with every close shave and near accident Petit incurs.

As for the illustrations, they are utterly lovely. From the windswept cover (note the very American bald eagle flying below Petit) to the large pull out sections showing both Petit's walk and the height at which he was walking. If you can read through this book and successfully suppress all shudders then you're a better man than I, Gunga Din. Best of all is how evocative the tale is. The title page displays the towers being built on a snowy day, and there is a repetitive motif of parents holding up babies to look at Petit. This book is filled with delicate wonders and scintillating details on every page.

I can't imagine how anyone could dislike this story, but some do. Just the same, if you want a picture book filled with beauty and breath-taking adventure, with one happy ending and one wistful ending apiece, select Gerstein's award winning creation. It deserves its applause.

I first heard about this book while seeing the author being interviewed on the "Today show" after winning the Caldecott award. The subject matter really peeked my interest both due to the fact that I vaguely remember when Philippe actually did this
and the fact that due to the terriorists the "towers" are gone.
We lost a family member on 9/11 and I really wanted something positive and lovely to remember the towers and those who worked there. The book is lovingly illustrated and beautifully written and will be a classic in my house for my grandchildren to read and be read too.

My understanding of the Caldecott Medal is that is awarded to an outstanding picture book artist and that the text can be inconsequential in consideration of the award.

That being the case, there is no doubt that The Man Who Walked Between the Towers deserves its prize. A fascinating snapshot of time is captured in this book with an amazing eye towards unusual perspectives and views and innovative page designs, including two fold outs.

While the text of the story is a little awkward, it gets the point across. Gerstein seems to end Petit's story before the book ends and uses the final pages to focus the reader on the World Trade Center, not Petit, leaving the reader a little unsure if the book is a memorial to Petit or to the towers.

Ultimately, one is not unhappy to end up calling it a little bit of both.

I was surprised to learn that this book had won the Caldecott.
Gerstein has done some great work - "The Three Samurai" and "Wild
Boy" come to mind right off hand - but this book just didn't do
anything for me. This is hardly the first time I have wondered
about a Caldecott winner. Zemach and David Small both won for
books that were among my least favorite of theirs while
others of theirs were really fantastic. I guess I just haven't
guessed yet what makes the committee tick.

I vaguely remember when the incident that the story is about
took place and if I remember correctly, the guy was arrested
later. I am not sure that this is appropriate subject matter
for kids of "picture book" age.

The cover is arresting, and seeing the twin towers inside does
make your heart skip a beat, but otherwise, I didn't find that
much to recommend it.