The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
Author: Mordicai Gerstein
Illustrator: Mordicai Gerstein
Published: In 2003 by Roaring Brook Press
ISBN: 978-0761317913
Synopsis:
This book tells the invigorating and engaging story of the French high-wire artist, Phillipe Petit, as he journeys across the abyss between the Twin Towers in New York City on a single wire cable. It is an artfully illustrated book that immediately captures the attention of anyone who reads it through it's compelling use of colors and perspective. As the book comes to it's climax, Mordicai Gerstein builds suspense by darkening the tones of his color pallet. His use of color and three dimensionality draws readers in and helps them emotionally experience the story from multiple characters points of view. Reading this book is a "must have" experience and will likely be one that is never forgotten.
My Reaction:
When I first saw the cover of this book, I was surprisingly uninterested. However, I decided to tread on and continued reading. But, once I started reading the story my opinion of the book quickly changed. As I read it out loud to myself, I fell in love with it. I ended up immediately rereading it! The illustrations are complex -with so many different angles and perspectives to examine. Furthermore, color plays a large role throughout the book. I espeically love the color changes as you near the apex of the story; the darker tones hide the men as the set up the wire in the night and heighten the element of mystery and secrecy in their work. To me, it felt like Phillipe Petit was part of the Oceans 11 team, setting out on the next great robbery. Lastly, I found the three page fold outs mesmerizing, there is something very enthralling about possessing the ability to expand and manipulate the pages of the book. I think that's what makes playbooks and pop-up books so engaging. A reader has the chance to become just a little more physically involved in the story, which can increase their emotional involvement as well.
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