Angelou - Mayas World Renʹee Marie of France

Text copyright 2004 by Maya Angelou. Illustrations copyright 2004 by Lizzy Rockwell. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Random House Childrens Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.
randomhouse.com/kids
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Angelou, Maya. Rene Marie of France / by Maya Angelou ; illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell. 1st ed.
p. cm. (Random House pictureback)
SUMMARY : In Paris, France, Rene Marie, who is teased for being tall, goes on a school field trip to the Eiffel Tower, where she faces her fear of heights.
ISBN 978-0-375-82834-8 (trade)
ISBN 978-0-375-92834-5 (lib. bdg.)
ISBN 978-0-449-81833-6 (ebook)
[1. CourageFiction. 2. PhobiasFiction. 3. SizeFiction. 4. Eiffel Tower (Paris, France)Fiction. 5. School field tripsFiction. 6. Paris (France)Fiction. 7. FranceFiction.] I. Rockwell, Lizzy, ill. II. Title.
PZ7.A5833Re 2004 [E]dc22 2003021105
PICTUREBACK, RANDOM HOUSE , and the Random House colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

v3.1

When I was a little girl,

I looked around at my world.

It was small, so was I.

Then my world began to grow

With each child I came to know.

Now I try,

Now I dare

To make a new friend

Everywhere.

L et me tell you about my friend Rene Marie. She is a French girl who lives in Paris. She is very tall for her age. Once she shared a story with me about a special day and something else that is very tall! And now I will share it with you.

Rene Marie went to St. Catherines School for Girls, where the students wore smart green uniforms with white piping around the wide collars and straw hats with a dark green ribbon around the crown.

Rene Marie hated the hats. When she wore hers on top of her head, according to the rules, it made her look even taller. So she would push the hat to the back of her head.

On the way to school, she glimpsed herself in a store window. Inside the store, the shopkeeper whispered to a clerk, She looks like an angel!

One day Rene Marie was walking with her classmates along the lovely river Seine, which flows through the heart of Paris. They were on a class trip to the Eiffel Tower.

Everyone said that Paris was one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Rene Marie thought so, too, but of course, she had never been anywhere else, except once to visit her mean cousins in the south. She never wanted to go there again.

There were three cousins, all girls. They had laughed at her because she was so tall. Rene Marie had told her cousins that if they were lucky, they would someday grow as tall as she. They had hooted and giggled, saying, Never, never!

But Rene Marie didnt care what her cousins, or anyone, said. She had a secret. She was studying English so that when she grew up, she could go to Hollywood and become a movie star. Movie stars are very tall.

The class reached the base of the Eiffel Tower, once the tallest building in the world! Rene Marie saw another group of students, all boys, waiting to go up the elevator, too. They looked a little older, and one of them was as tall as Rene Marie. He smiled at her.

We must take the elevator to the observation level, said Madame Martine. And we will be joined by Monsieur Belles class. The girls giggled and whispered, but not Rene Marie. In truth, she had another secret. She was very scared of high places.

Mesdemoiselles, follow me and stay together, said Madame Martine. The other girls trailed after Madame Martine, but Rene Marie hung back shyly, looking at souvenirs. The tall boy walked over to her.

My name is Jacques. Comment tappeles-tu? he asked with a wide smile. What is your name?

She studied the trinkets and said, Rene Marie.

Arent you coming? he asked. The elevator ride to the top will be fun.

No, thank you. Ill stay down here, Rene Marie replied. I can see the Tower from here. She turned to look at the young boy. Jacques had sparkly brown eyes, and he wore a pin from a riding academy on his lapel.

It wont be the same, said Jacques. Do come. The view must be amazing.

So, you ride horses? Rene Marie asked suddenly, pointing to Jacques lapel pin.

Yes, I take lessons, Jacques explained. I used to be afraid of horses, but I made myself ride in spite of my fear. I won this pin in a competition. Do you ride? Jacques asked hopefully.

No. But Im not afraid or anything. I would love to learn to ride horses, said Rene Marie. But, Jacques? May I tell you a secret? she whispered. I am afraid of going up to the top. High places scare me! she said, gesturing to the looming Tower above them.