December has been designated Read a New Book Month. During this month many hunt for new books to give as gifts. If you are one of those people, take a look at the picture book biography, Monsieur Marceau, written by Leda Schubert and illustrated by Gerard Dubois, winner this year of NCTE’s Orbis Pictus Award.
The story of a mime who does not speak could cause a problem for a biographer. But not in Leda Schubert’s able hands. Readers learn that Marceau “the superstar of silence” used his body to talk for him. Born in France in 1923 Marceau became part of the French resistance during World War II, changing his last name from Mangel to Marceau so that people would not know he was Jewish. His father died in a concentration camp; his family members who returned from the camps did not speak about them. “Perhaps that, unconsciously, contributed towards” a choice of silence, he once said.
The majority of the book deals with the character, Bip, that he created on stage. As the text describes what Bip could do—such as walk against the wind when there was no wind—the illustrations bring these actions to life. Marceau turns into a fish or shows great joy and sadness. So animated is the artwork by Dubois, a Quebec illustrator, that readers feel as if they are watching a performance of the mime on stage. In these sections the text has been pared down to leave the room for the artist to ply his craft.
An Afterword provides more biographical material, and Rob Mermin of Circus Smirkus gives young readers some tips on how to get started as a mime. In a short, forty page picture books readers learn a great deal not only about Marceau but also about the craft of miming. If you want to further extend the book, clips of Marceau’s performances can be found on youtube.
There are so many reasons to love this book—the poetry of the language, the expressiveness of the art. For me Monsieur Marceau demonstrates what the perfect picture book can accomplish: words and text working together to provide a unique reading experience. Marceau and his performances come alive in this slim volume. If you or the children in your life appreciate the performing arts, you will delight in sharing this book.
