Fiction/Picture Book

Title: Mirette On the High Wire

Author: Emily Arnold McCully



About the Author: Emily Arnold McCully was born left handed in Illinois and was transplanted to Long Island, where she grew up. A tree climber, bike rider, fort builder and ball player, she also devoted hours every day to reading and drawing. She majored in art history at college and acted and wrote for the theater. She lived in Europe for a year researching her Master's thesis, also in art history. Back in New York, she took to the streets with a portfolio of sample illustrations. Early assignments were for book jackets, magazine stories and pharmaceutical ads. A poster displayed in subway cars caught the attention of a children's book editor and a new career was launched. After illustrating other peoples' texts for several years and publishing two adult novels (A Craving and life Drawing) McCully began writing her own picture books. She has been awarded the Caldecott Medal, Christopher Award, Jane Addams Award, O'Henry Award and many others. She has two sons and lives in New York and Columbia County, N.Y., where she maintains a large garden.

Age Level: 4-8

Synopsis: Mirette lives in a boarding house surrounded by actors, dancers, jugglers, and mimes. Mirette then discovers a stranger on air, a tightrope walker named Monsieur Bellini. Mirette becomes Bellini’s student and learns to tightrope walk. But then she discovers that Bellini is overcome with fear on the tightrope which caused Mirette to feel fear herself.

Pre-Reading Activities: Determination is a key concept in this book. It teaches readers that they can do anything they set their mind to. Sometimes in order to do so you have to test yourself to get over your fear(s). Have you ever done something you thought you could never do? Has anyone helped you get over something you feared? What is your biggest fear that you would like to get over? Discuss with the class,that we can get over our fears often with the help of others.

Post-Reading Activities: What was your favorite part of the book? What was Bellini afraid of? Did you think Mirette was going to walk the tightrope? Did you think that Bellini would walk the tightrope in front of the crowd? Students will write about a fear that they have overcome and share it with the class.

My Reflection: I love that a girl is the hero in this story and saves the day! I think that this story can show how to demonstrate team work and helping others. The book also has a great historical context. This book is a great model of portraying determination, ambition, and compassion. This book encourages overcoming a fear. It is a very inspiring book!

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