Napoleon: The Story of the Little Corporal (review)

Many middle-schoolers will probably find the name Napoleon to be recognizable but not necessarily meaningful. To redress that situation, Burleigh offers this lushly illustrated introduction that traces Bonaparte from his less than auspicious childhood on Corsica, through his rapid rise in the military, to his positions as First Consul and then emperor, and ultimately to his decline, exiles, and lonely passing on St. Helena's. The epic tale is rather thinly told, omitting such basic background as who was running France during the Little Corporal's rise to power, neglecting to mention that it was Lord Nelson who routed the French as Napoleon fled hastily from Egypt, and even skipping over the lively debate concerning the cause of Napoleon's death. What the title lacks in textual detail, though, it makes up for in illustrations, boasting a gallery of masterworks that interpret key moments in Napoleon's career. Layout is spacious and attractive, with generous font size and leading, plenty of margin framing artwork to advantage, and a subtle creamy background and lower colored border suggestive of French period textiles. Descriptive captions include the title and artist of the work and generally add a niblet of information about the piece itself ("Napoleon's house on Corsica was not as richly furnished as the picture suggests") or historical background (the book explains that David's painting "showing him heroically crossing the Alps on a prancing horse" is incorrect because "Napoleon actually crossed the mountains on a mule!"). Section headings comprise quotations from Napoleon that offer insight into his character and make it clear that he was as mighty a spin doctor as a conqueror. Comparative maps, quotation sources, and a select bibliography are included.