The Golden Basket

By Ludwig Bemelmans

Two sisters explore a magical hotel and city, uncovering new friendships and adventures.

3.4/5 Goodreads · 52 ratings

96 pages

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Bookroo's summary

In the enchanting city of Bruges, sisters Celeste and Melisande embark on a whimsical adventure. Staying at a hotel with a golden basket on its roof, they befriend Jan, the innkeeper's son, and Monsieur Carnewal, the kind maître d'hôtel. As they explore medieval streets and canals, the sisters discover a world of imagination and joy. Amidst swans and lamplighters, a mischievous French schoolgirl hints at future delights. What wonders will they uncover in this charming Old World setting?

From the publisher

On a cobblestoned street in the ancient city of Bruges, a hotel with a golden basket on its roof admits a trio of weary travelers: a father and two little girls, Celeste and Melisande. The next morning, the sisters awake to the thrill of discovering a new country and meeting new friends, including Jan, the innkeeper’s son, and Monsieur Carnewal, the hardworking, warmhearted maître d’hôtel. The girls discover a world of imaginative fun within the hotel itself as well as in the picturesque city of medieval buildings and towers, where graceful swans swim in the canals and a lamplighter makes his daily rounds.Inspired by a trip to Belgium, author Ludwig Bemelmans drew upon his youthful experiences at his family’s Austrian inn to perfectly recapture the setting of an Old World hotel. This charmingly illustrated tale, originally published in 1936, is the second of Bemelmans’s many books. A brief cameo by a mischievous French schoolgirl – the first appearance of the author’s iconic character, Madeline–offers a hint of the joys to come.