The Man Who Walked Between The Towers

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Summary: Using lyrical words and ink/oil paintings
Review: 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.

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Summary: Made us Cry At the Bookstore
Review: My partner and I *loved* this children's book. We happened upon it in a bookstore. We sat down and I read it to her. We cried at the end. It's a touching story. As an honorable (and rare) memory about the Twin Towers that has *nothing* to do with terrorism, it's an safe, positive important story for children that balances the scary rhetoric of destruction and despair. Reminds me of an emotional eulogy to a dear lost friend.


Not to mention the adventure for Phillipe!

Truly lovely book. We bought it, and we don't even have kids.

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Summary: The view from here is grand!
Review: 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.

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Summary: A tribute to the WTC towers and one dream they inspired
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: A tribute to the WTC towers and one dream they inspired
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: will give you the willies!
Review: The first time I read this book, I read it with my 10 year old son. We both actually felt the "willies" as we looked at the pictures and imagined how we would feel at that height. We enjoyed reading a true story that seemed almost impossible. How could anyone walk and dance on a 5/8" wire for almost an hour? My husband and I both felt that the drawings of the twin towers were very tastefully done and the fact that Petit did something illegal sparked good conversations with my children.

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Summary: To Dream the Impossible Dream.
Review: THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS was written and illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein and tells the true story of Philippe Petit. Petit was a transplant to New York and was basically a street performer, though in his native home of Paris, France he had been famously known for his skill as a tightrope walker. As the Twin Towers were nearing the end of constrution in the summer of 1974, Petit decided to try the impossible and walk between the towers. So, on the evening of August 7, 1974 Petit and company snuck into the Twin Towers and under the cover of darkness went about setting up a high wire between the buildings. As morning dawned and the people of the city began their busy day, Philippe began walking between the buildings. The people below soon discovered what was going on and the authorities were called in. However, there really wasn't anything to be done until Petit finished with his act. Petit was later sentenced to many hours of community service (I believe he was also fined). However, the day he walked between the towers was a day that people never will forget.

THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS is about a man who did something illegal and in a legalist point of view, it is not a story that is probably appropriate for children. But the story doesn't hold up Philippe Petit as a man who should be honored because of the illegal actions he committed. Instead, it is a story that reminds us that sometimes we have to think outside the box. Sometimes we not only have to dream the impossible dream, but we have to live it as well. The book is also a remarkable tribute to all of those who died on September 11th. The book reminds us that though the towers are no longer there, they still exist in our memories. Life is so short and precious. Make the most of every moment.

The illustrations in the book accompany the text of the story quite well. They aren't Gerstein's best, but they are impressive nevertheless and it's not difficult to see why THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS won a Caldecott Medal. A wonderful book for all ages.

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Summary: A very daring frenchman
Review: 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.

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Summary: Unique Illustrations; Interesting Story
Review: 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.

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Summary: It will move you
Review: This book is perfect for youngsters. Not only are the drawings realistic and dizzying, but the way the author tells the story is straightforward and sensitive, not at all sensationalistic. We don't get the idea that this dangerous, unbelievable stunt was "okay" -- Philippe Petit did get arrested once he came down off the wire, however, we see his point of view, his affinity for the buildings, and how he perfected his skills before attempting this feat. I recall, as a young child, when this story was in the news. And when the towers fell on September 11, 2001, I watched this gentle Frenchman come to tears on the news during an interview, as he remembered walking between them. Very moving and poignant story, one to share with your family to spark a thoughtful discussion.