MadelinelogoTwo years ago we were busy preparing for a trip to Paris.  Adam’s friend was getting married in his hometown in France and the wedding was the perfect excuse to take that once-in-a-lifetime trip to see the City of Lights.  At the time of our trip Anna would be about 18 months old, which was hardly an ideal time to visit such a stroller-unfriendly country, but we really wanted all of us to have a good time.  While museums and leisurely strolls along the Champs de Elysee would be lots of fun for us adults, it was a bit more challenging to try to plan how to make it a fun trip for Anna.  But, then we remembered something.  Or, more accurately, someone.Picture 10

The name is one that almost everyone recognizes.  Some people remember the stories, some remember the unique outfit – but, with a little prompting, almost everyone remembers Madeline.  And by everyone, I mean everyone – generations of moms, grandmothers, great-grandmothers – entire families have fond memories of reading the stories by Ludwig
Bemelmans about the adventures of a little French girl in her signature blue coat.   With our family about to take a trip to Paris with our own little girl, we thought that reading the Madeline books might be a great introduction to France for Anna.

Our favorite book in the series is definitely the first, entitled simply “Madeline“.   Madeline is the littlest of twelve girls, all of whom are supervised by the reliable Miss Clavel.   She and her classmates have lots of adventures in 1930’s Paris – visiting local museums, getting into all sorts of mischief, and playing with her dog Genevieve – all of which are told in an engaging and fun style.  Ludwig Bemelmans illustrations are wonderful – prior to our trip, we were able to point out the major landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame Cathedral, that Anna would be seeing.  The result was an audible gasp when we rounded the corner and saw the Eiffel Tower in its full glory.  Anna pointed and exclaimed “My tower!  It’s my tower!”.

madelinepictureOkay, so what if you’re not headed to France?  As a parent, I just love the message that the Madeline series brings. Madeline may be short of stature, but she’s anything but short on conviction!  Whether it’s standing up to a bully in Madeline and the Bad Hat or helping to warm up a cold traveler (who just might be Santa Clause) in Madeline’s Christmas, this bright and enchanting girl will be a character you’ll be proud to introduce to your child.

And so, with how much we adore our little French friend, you can imagine how thrilled we were when Kids Preferred offered to sponsor a giveaway to celebrate Madeline’s 70th anniversary!  Kids Preferred recently acquired the literary license from Ludwig Bemelmann’s Madeline series and they have created several adorable plush versions of the legendary redhead that are only available at Toys R Us.AnnaHalloween

We were sent the Soft Talking Madeline Doll.  At 17″, this sweet talking doll says four phrases in both English and French.   Anna was so excited to have a Madeline doll to begin with, but when she realized that the doll talked if she pressed on its hands, she was enchanted.  Her new Madeline doll has become a frequent guest at tea parties and Anna is constantly repeating the French phrases and words, which is just adorable.  Personally, I love that the hat and dress don’t come off – I’m sure Anna would like to be able to take those off and switch clothes with her other dolls, but I am very happy that I don’t have to deal with trying to locate a tiny yellow hat mixed in with the other 3434038 toys she has.

Anna is such a fan that, when asked what she wanted to dress up as for Halloween this year, she insisted on Madeline!  It made for an adorable costume and everywhere she went trick-or-treating people commented and remembered reading the Madeline books in their own childhood.

You can also find great Madeline toys such as Madeline in PJs and Madeline Bean Filled Plush at Toys R US.  If you have a great local toy store near you, they may carry other Madeline items like Dressable Madeline, 70th Anniversary Madeline – if not, then head over to www.kidspreferred.com and order those items online.  Kids Preferred carries everything from Charlie & Lola to The World of Eric Carle – check out the rest of their incredible selection!

WIN IT! One winner will win the Soft Talking Madeline Doll (ARV 25)!   To enter, please tell me another item that Kids Preferred carries that you love (aside from those already mentioned) AND become a subscriber of this site (if you aren’t already).  You MUST confirm your subscription for it to count!  I check all entries and if you are not a subscriber, your comment will be deleted.  That’s it!

Comments will close on November 19, 2009 at 10 PM EST.  One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). Open to US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement of the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

***Apparently, some of you need a refresher course in your giveaway manners.  If you need a clue or have noticed your two-word entries being deleted, please see my previous blog post on What Not to Do When Entering Giveaways before entering.  All entries that are simply “enter me”, “wow”, “great prize”etc or entries that do not follow the directions for how to enter will be deleted and you will not be notified.  Take your ignorance elsewhere.***

Kids Preferred did provide my family with product samples so that I could experience the products and share my thoughts with my readers.  All opinions expressed here are my own or that of my family and are not influenced in any way by any form of compensation.

Extra Credit:

Visit my husband’s site and enter any of his giveaways!  One extra entry per giveaway.

Enter any other giveaway on my site.  One extra entry per giveaway.

Comment on any non-giveaway post.  Leave link or name of post that you commented on.  One extra entry.

Grab my button!  Post it on your own blog and leave me the link to find it.  Two extra entries!

Follow me on twitter AND tweet about the contest. – You may do this daily for an extra entry.

Follow me on google friend connect. One extra entry.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.  You may have 3 entries for this.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!  One extra entry each.

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