Mirette on the High Wire

Emily Arnold McCully's Caldecott Medal-winning picture book, "Mirette on the High Wire," transports readers to a charming 19th-century Parisian boardinghouse. Young Mirette is captivated by a quiet guest, who she soon learns is the famed tightrope walker, Bellini. Though Bellini has lost his nerve, Mirette's innocent determination to learn the art of wire-walking slowly rekindles his courage. This beautifully illustrated story is a gentle exploration of overcoming fear, the power of mentorship, and finding bravery within oneself. It's perfect for children aged 3-7, offering rich historical detail and a heartwarming message.

One day, a mysterious stranger arrives at a boardinghouse of the widow Gateau- a sad-faced stranger, who keeps to himself. When the widow's daughter, Mirette, discovers him crossing the courtyard on air, she begs him to teach her how he does it. But Mirette doesn't know that the stranger was once the Great Bellini- master wire-walker. Or that Bellini has been stopped by a terrible fear. And it is she who must teach him courage once again. Emily Arnold McCully's sweeping watercolor paintings carry the reader over the rooftops of nineteenth-century Paris and into an elegant, beautiful world of acrobats, jugglers, mimes, actors, and one gallant, resourceful little girl.