Gerstein, Mordicai. The Man Who Walked Between the Towers. Brookfield: Roaring Brook Press, 2003.
Mordicai Gerstein’s, The Man Who Walked Between the Towers vividly describes the amazing feat that captured the eyes of New York City on the morning of August 7, 1974. Bored with smaller scale accomplishments, French aerialist and daredevil, Philippe Petit creates a plan to sneak to the top of one tower of the World Trade Center during the night, set up the cable and other equipment, and at dawn, walk across a very thin tightrope between the towers, knowing there will be consequences for performing this daring stunt.
The third person narrative allows readers to experience all sides of this event. The text places readers right alongside Philippe as he performs the stunt, but also allows us to imagine what it would have been like as a person in the crowd below, watching in amazement. Additionally, this 2004 Caldecott winner enhances the text through brilliant, impressionistic illustrations that bring the story to life and let readers truly “walk in Philippe’s shoes.” One specific illustration shows Philippe’s foot stepping onto the tightrope and the cityscape so far below him, allowing readers to understand the magnitude of this stunt and feel like they are there in that moment, looking down at the city.
There are several positive qualities about Philippe and his journey towards a dream that reveal important themes, like determination and accomplishing goals. This book, although written for elementary aged children, can be enjoyable and meaningful for all ages; anyone can take away personal understandings of this extraordinary event.
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2 comments:
I appreciated your analysis that, although the story was set fairly recently, it depicted a very specific historical moment.
I really enjoyed this book and was fascinated by the way the artist used art to convey the meaning of this story. If that story was told without those amazing drawings, I would have not been as moved by it. The pictures let me feel as if I was standing up on the rope with him, with butterflies in my stomach. This story was also a great way to show the Twin Towers in a positve light after 9-11. So many negative things have been going on and said about that day that this book shows one of the great things that came out of this story.
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