On August 7, 1974, Philippe Petit walked on a thin wire suspended between the twin towers of the World Trade Center for nearly an hour, while crowds on the ground gazed up in fearful wonder. The young French aerialist walked, danced, ran, knelt, and even lay down and rested on 7/8 inch of cable. He felt fearless and free, 1,340 feet above the earth, buffeted by swirling winds that made the heavy cable sway. Finally tiring of his antics, Philippe reluctantly stepped off of the wire, into the waiting arms and handcuffs of the police, and was whisked off to jail. The judge �sentenced� him to community service, requiring him to perform for the children of New York City in Central Park. Based on a true story, this book was the recipient of the 2004 Caldecott Medal for excellence in children�s picture books.
Gerstein�s poetic prose enhances the strong visual images of his art, interspersing short, crisp sentences with longer ones, creating a pleasing rhythm. Philippe�s ideas and thoughts are written more languidly, as they might evolve: �He looked not at the towers but at the space between them and thought, what a wonderful place to stretch a rope; a wire on which to walk.� The expository sentences, on the other hand, are often more concise and terse: �He was a street performer. He rode a unicycle. He juggled balls and fiery torches.�
Gerstein�s description of Philippe�s actual walk on the wire is particularly lyrical and full of imagery. He manages to describe what would be a terrifying experience to most people through Petit�s eyes, capturing his delight and sense of freedom: �He could feel the towers breathing. He was not afraid. He felt alone and happy and absolutely free.�
One of the author�s most effective story-telling techniques is the use of understatement. The total helplessness of the frantic policemen to intervene in Philippe�s stunt is summed up most eloquently in the question: �Who would come and get him?� The emotions of tragedy, grief and loss are powerfully evoked by this simple sentence on an otherwise blank, white page: �Now the towers are gone.�
The use of perspective, scale, and movement in Gerstein�s illustrations gives a �bigness� to the event that words alone could not do. The drawings of the twin towers themselves dwarf their surroundings, even more so in the last illustration, as they exist in memory. Particularly effective are the fold-out pages, capturing Philippe�s perspective as well as that of those on the ground. The image of Philippe�s delight in his walk, juxtaposed against the frantic, shouting, grasping policemen, conveys the stark contrast in their perceptions of what is transpiring.
Gerstein�s pen and ink drawings incorporate water color to create a mood and certain suspense in the story. While Philippe and his friends are stealthily going about their night�s work, the illustrations are set on a background washed in dark blue rather than white. The illustrations of the sun slowly rising are set against a backdrop that mirrors the night sky brightening to day.
The excitement and joy of Philippe Petit as he walked between the twin towers is a bittersweet contrast with the horror of September 11, 2001. Coming after that tragic day, this story of the realization of one man�s dream is especially poignant. This excellent offering will add to a legacy of happy memories, many of which were stolen from children on that September morning.
Related Websites:
Photos of Philippe�s walk: http://www.illusiongenius.com/WTC.html
Mordecai Gerstein�s website: http://www.mordicaigerstein.com/
Photos of the magnificent World Trade Center towers:
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/World_Trade_Center.html