Laurent de Brunhoff
Ever wonder what it would feel like to be in a restaurant and suddenly have a glass of ice water dumped in your lap? That was almost the start of a lovely brunch with Laurent de Brunhoff, his wife Phyllis Rose and Jason Wells (Publicity Manager for Abrams). My copy of one of his books got a little damp, but otherwise no damage done. It was a typical Sunday morning in Washington and I was delighted to have an opportunity to meet with this legend in children's books-now more than 30 to his credit. He is as full of life and energy as his characters and that is truly impressive because according to my calculation he is comfortably eighty, but believe me he doesn't look anywhere near that age.
Recently, I had another opportunity to meet with Laurent and Phyllis at the French Cultural Center in New York City where there was a wonderful display of Laurent's art from his latest oeuvre in the Babar series-Babar's World Tour. The setting was fabulous and the art is a delight. For armchair travelers it will be an eyeopener; for those of us who have traveled a bit, it was a delight to look at familiar places and say-"Oh, yes, I remember being there." And by the way, they did remember the restaurant incident of our first meeting.
As to some history, a good place to start would be The Art of Babar: The Work of Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff by Nicholas Fox Weber. After the untimely death of Jean de Brunhoff, his son Laurent wanted to keep Babar alive. He is also a painter and has tried (successfully in my opinion) to be faithful to the style, but also has added his own touches. He has been actively involved in the reissue of his books as well as producing new ones such as the recent Babar's World Tour. As some biographers have noted, what is at the heart of the books appeal is the strong story of family, love and friendship and that certainly appeals to kids in the books target age range (3 to 7). One of the exceptions is Babar's Museum of Art, which he noted did not have children in mind. The book was more for him and he chose the paintings and tried to be faithful to the style of each artist. Since he has a home in Key West Florida and an apartment in New York a few blocks from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, he certainly had a ready source of original art to choose from. Not all the works are in New York of course; the original of the Seurat resides in the Chicago Art Institute and the Titian is in the Louvre. His wife Phyllis was a collaborator on the story.
As to some family history, Laurent has a younger brother who is a Benedictine Monk and another who is a pediatrician in Paris. He also has a son and daughter and a grandson. Now that his mother has passed away, there is not as much of a pull to travel abroad. I mentioned that I had recently taken the QEII transatlantic and Laurent told me that his father had done the children's room. I certainly missed an opportunity there and do not remember it being mentioned when I took a tour of the ship. The family's talents run deep, his younger brother was a concert pianist before he became a monk and their mother was also a pianist.
Laurent obtained the rights to his books from Random House and was introduced to his current publisher Abrams by a friend. It has turned out to be a productive and happy situation. The back list is being reissued and new books are also coming out. His new books are picking up on contemporary themes such as yoga. Even though Laurent has been a practitioner for more than twenty-five years, during the last seven years he has seen a real interest in yoga by younger children (I too have noticed the recent publication several yoga books aimed at young children). It is a technique being used in schools to help kids relax. Laurent's latest book, Babar's World Tour, comes with a poster that has an activity packet which teachers, librarians and home schools can freely reproduce. Kids will learn to say hello in different languages, complete a word search of the countries Barbar visited and name the places the family visited. Thus the utility of the book is further extended and becomes even more attractive to the school market. Also if you happen to read the summer issue of Travel & Leisure, on page 22 there is a picture of the book and a note that it is required summer reading, especially for kids traveling.
To learn even more visit Laurent and Babar at these other sites:
http://www.ricochet-jeunes.org/eng/biblio/author/brunhoffla.html
http://www.bookpage.com/0009bp/laurent_de_brunhoff.html
http://www.angelfire.com/art/babar/
http://www.artnet.com/artist/3227/laurent-de-brunhoff.html
Contributor: Marilyn Courtot
Reviews
The Art of Babar: The Work of Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff
Nicholas Fox Weber
Friends of Barbar will trumpet their approval of this extensive collection of illustrations and text. Barbar was "born" in 1931, thanks to his illustrator-father Jean de Brunhoff. His wife Cecile actually invented the elephant and the first adventure one evening as a bedtime story for her two sons. Jean de Brunhoff produced the first seven books of the series before his untimely death in 1937. In 1946 his son Laurent brought Babar back to life and has written and illustrated 30 Babar books. You could say that Babar was the first to popularize the "family values" theme. His honest sentiment and devotion to his family are the series' compelling threads. The Art of Babar explores these values that have been carried from father to son, and also depicts the artistic process of their watercolor techniques. Rough sketches to final illustrations show the development of the final product. This is the first time much of this material has ever been reproduced. 1989, Harry N. Abrams, $39.95. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Marilyn Bagel (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0810918935
The Babar Audio Collection
Jean De Brunhoffand Laurent De Brunhoff
Read by Louis Jourdan
An enduring children's book combines stories of memorable characters with definitive illustrations. This is certainly the case with the De Brunhoffs' many adventures of Babar the elephant, beginning with his childhood and continuing into the experiences he shares with his family and friends. Adding to the lasting appeal, the De Brunhoffs do not shy away from life issues. Death and birth, peace and war, patience and hard work, and sorrow and joy are shared honestly. Louis Jourdan narrates the stories in royal fashion. His deliberate, calm style gives import to the events of each story. He adds just enough accent for Cornelius, enthusiasm for Arthur, and wisdom for the Old Lady. Gentle music and sound effects help create the mood. Enjoy this regal presentation of Babar stories! A.R. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine 2001 (Orig. 1975), Harper Audio, Two cassetes, 2.5 hrs., Retail pak, $18.00. Ages 4 to 6. Reviewer: Ann Ritchie (Audiofile, August/September 2001).
ISBN: 0-694-52432-8
Babar and Father Christmas
Jean de Brunhoff
Amidst all the bustle and cheer, you and your child might want to set aside some quiet time. Why not cozy up together with a cup of hot cocoa and a heart-warming book? First published 62 years ago, Babar and Father Christmas has been reissued recently for a new generation of Babar fans. In this classic by Jean de Brunhoff, the kindly elephant searches the world for Father Christmas. Babar has but one request: "Won't [the generous gentleman] distribute toys to the elephant children, just as he does to the children of men?" The overworked Father Christmas comes up with an ingenious solution: a red suit, white beard, and magic toy bag for Babar--who becomes a Santa Claus for those with trunks and floppy ears. As beguiling a tale now as when it first appeared in print. 2002 (orig. 1940), Random House, $15.95. Ages 4 up. Reviewer: Mary Quattlebaum (Children's Literature).
The last pictuer book Jean De Brunhoff wrote before his death at 37, this story tells how Babar searches out Father Christmas so that he will make time to come to Elephant country. Babar falls through Father Christmas's roof, is revived by tomten-like elves, pleads his case to the beleaguered figure and is awarded a suit and beard. So it is Babar who brings Christmas to Elephant country. Several members of the De Brunhoff family helped complete the artist's final vision which includes some wonderfully familiar family arrangements, some lovely set pieces, and at the very least pictures that advance the story. Told in the present tense, the story, sans the script type that so many new readers found annoying in some of the original tales, introduces to a new generation of readers, the lovable elephant family that so many parents and grandparents remember from their own childhoods. 2001 (orig. 1940), Random House, $15.95. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Susan Hepler, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-375-81444-2
ISBN: 0-375-91444-7
Babar: A Gift for Mother
Laurent de Brunhoff
Mother's Day was coming and this meant gifts. Pom made a clay bowl. Flora used the chore money she had saved to buy a little glass horse. Alexander chose a lovely silver balloon. Isabelle was despondent. She had no gift. She decided to consult her father about the problem. Babar asked her what she would like to give her mother. Isabelle described a huge bowl made of gold, silver and diamonds. She also thought a horse would be nice and she would like to deliver all of this in a hot air balloon. But she was too little to give her mother all these things. Babar asked her what she was good at. Immediately, Isabelle knew. She was good at making pictures. On Mother's Day, Celeste was thrilled with all of her gifts, including Isabelle's picture of herself in a hot air balloon delivering a beautiful jeweled bowl and a horse. Judith Gray's adaptation of the de Brunhoff illustrations captures the essence and simplicity that has charmed young readers for several generations. 2004, Harry N. Abrams, $9.95, Ages 3 to 6. Reviewer: Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8109-4837-0
Babar Goes to School
Laurent de Brunhoff
When Babar's children insist that going to school is just as hard as being a grown up, Babar sets off to school for the day to prove them wrong. He soon discovers that school is not as easy or as fun as he remembers. The bus is loud, he's chastised for talking during circle time, breaks his pencil, slows down the lunch line and sits down in old gum. In the end he decides, "I think I'll go back to being a grown up tomorrow. It's a much easier job for me." A delightful story with familiar and well-loved characters. What child hasn't wanted their parent to admit that being a kid is just as much work as being an adult, perhaps even more? The illustrations are bright and colorful and provide an accurate portrayal of elementary school that some adults may have forgotten. Virtually every child will want to hear the story of how an adult tried to be a kid like them and couldn't quite hack it. 2003, Harry N. Abrams, $9.95, Ages 5 to 10. Reviewer: Sharon Oliver (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8109-4582-7
Babar the King
Jean de Brunhoff
Translated from the French by Merle S. Haas
In the land of the elephants, Babar is king and his wife, Celeste, is queen. In Babar the King, peace has just been reached with the rhinoceros and Babar is ready to build a city by the lake to celebrate. All of the elephants are given duties by Babar and when the city is complete he gives a gift to each of the elephants. The elephants hold a celebration with plenty of food for everyone, and a parade that nearly everyone marches in. Everything is perfect in Celestville, until a house burns down and the Old Lady who lives with the elephant becomes ill. Babar is uncertain about how to handle these situations, but realizes that calm thought helps him make good decisions for the citizens of his city. Although the text has been translated into English from the original French, some of the names will be difficult for children to read; nevertheless the story is fun and is very appropriate for reading aloud with young children. The illustrations are full-color and great to look at as they demonstrate the action-taking place throughout the story. 2002 (orig. 1935), Random House, $14.95. Ages 3 to 8. Reviewer: Danielle Williams (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-394-80580-1
ISBN: 0-394-90580-6
Babar the Magician
Laurent de Brunhoff
This reissue of a book originally published 25 years ago, features Babar as an amateur magician. His children and their friends gather for his first show. All goes well when he pulls two doves out his hat and then covers Flora with his cape. He removes the cape to reveal Arthur instead. However, something goes awry when he causes Zephir the monkey to fall asleep and levitate. Zepher floats out of the room and across the street. He flies through a window into the Old Lady's house disturbing her game of chess with Cornelius. Then he floats into the countryside and breaks right through an artist's canvas. A fish grabs his tail as he sails over a lake. Finally, Babar and Arthur catch up with him. Babar waves his wand and shouts, "WAKE UP, ZEPHIR!" and Zephir does. He falls onto Babar's head and asks where he is. He does not remember a thing about his adventures. De Brunhoff's signature illustrations are charming, as usual. Sure to appeal to aspiring young magicians and other toddlers during story time. 2005, Abrams, $9.95. Ages 3 to 5. Reviewer: Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8109-5863-5
Babar and the Runaway Egg
Laurent de Brunhoff
Babar and his children are enjoying a lovely spring day when they spot a bird on its nest. Babar comments that she is keeping her eggs warm and they could hatch soon. At that moment, Isabelle notices that legs have emerged from one of the eggs and the egg is running away. The mother bird and the elephants run after the egg, but those little legs are fast! The chase continues up hill and down dale and past the art museum. The egg runs past the playground and the palace without slowing down. Finally it comes to a stop. They hear a tapping sound and then a craaack. Then the baby bird jumps out. He hops to his mother and she takes him back to the nest. The elephant children agree that spring is a season of adventures. Judith Gray's adaptation of de Brunhoff's illustrations retains the joy and integrity of the originals. 2004, Harry N Abrams, $9.95, Ages 3 to 6. Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8109-4838-9
Babar and the Ghost
Laurent de Brunhoff
Babar and his family are hiking all the way to the Black Castle. As they approach the castle a storm develops. Despite Cornelius's warning, Babar and the others proceed to take shelter in the castle. The children have great fun exploring the castle and discover a ghost. They tell Babar about the ghost, which he says doesn't exist. They all spend the night in the castle, but the children can't sleep and go to find the ghost again. They become great friends and the ghost even follows them home. The joke is on the adults, because they can't see the ghost. But that doesn't keep him from causing a lot of trouble. The kids fondly bid the ghost good-bye when Babar orders him back to the castle. The book is full of those familiar illustrations we all love. 2001 (orig. 1981), Harry N. Abrams, $16.95. Ages 3 to 8. Reviewer: Kristin Harris (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8109-4398-0
Babar and the Succotash Bird
Laurent de Brunhoff
Babar's son Alexander meets up with a Succotash Bird and learns that all is not what it seems. This gold and red magical bird flies overhead while Alexander stands out on his terrace one evening. The bird explains he is a wizard and offers the elephant the choice of two games. Alexander chooses swing-swing, whereupon he swings back and forth in midair. The next day, while hiking in the mountains with his two sisters, brother, mother and father, Alexander meets a bird that he thinks is the same wizard because it too says "succotash." But this is a bad wizard who makes Alexander too big and then too small. The tiny elephant tries to get back to his family while his family searches for him. Finally the good wizard returns Alexander to his regular size and punishes the bad bird by making him small as a mouse. The lesson is that life is like succotash, good mixed with bad. The watercolor illustrations are colorful and lively, and the bright wizard bird's first appearance in the blue-gray sky is particularly striking. Alexander's journey over land and sea when he is smaller than a squirrel is also quite dramatic. 2000, Harry N. Abrams, $16.95. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Carol Raker Collins, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8109-5700-0
Babar and Zephir
Jean de Brunhoff
Translated from the French by Merle S. Haas
Originally published in 1937, this children's classic is primarily about Zephir, the monkey. Zephir has left Celesteville, where he attends school, to spend the holidays with his family in Monkeywille. One day while rowing in a new boat given to him by Babar, Zephir accidentally hooks a mermaid. The mermaid pleads with Zephir to let her go and if he does, she will assist him in the future anytime he calls her name three times. Zephir releases her and when he returns to shore he discovers that Princess Isabelle has been kidnapped. The whole town looks for her without success, so Zephir calls on his mermaid friend to help find the Princess. Zephir and the mermaid sail to an island for advice from Crustadele, the mermaid's aunt. She advises them to go to the land of the Gogottes where Polomoche, their monster leader will be holding Isabelle captive for amusement. If they do not hurry, she may be turned to stone, Crustadele urges. When Zephir arrives, Isabelle is there. He devises a plan to rescue her, and of course, he is successful. This adventurous tale with its weird cast of characters is sure to please Babar fans, young and old. The charming illustrations of this famous author/illustrator are the perfect foil. 2002 (orig. 1937), Random House, $15.95. Ages 6 to 10. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-394-80579-8
ISBN: 0-394-90579-2
Babar and his Children
Jean de Brunhoff
Translated from the French by Merle Haas
With all the fast action of today's books and other media for children, reading this book feels like taking a leisurely stroll with an old friend. Like all the books in the "Babar" series, the language is simple and rather formal, and the illustrations are cheerful and engaging with bright blocks of color. The plot follows Babar's children from their birth through a series of misadventures and ends with them all safely tucked into bed at night. Characters introduced in earlier books are brought in here with the assumption that the reader already knows who they are and what their relationship is to Babar, so it might be helpful to read earlier books before this one. But with its gentle reassurance that all things will turn out well, this is an ideal book to help quiet a fussy toddler or soothe a preschooler toward bed. The charm of this book is in its quiet simplicity. 2002 (orig. 1938), Random House, $14.95. Ages 2 to 5. Reviewer: Barbara Carroll Roberts (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-394-80577-1
ISBN: 0-394-90577-6
Babar and the Wully-Wully
Laurent de Brunhoff
A reprint of a 1975 edition, Babar and the Wully-Wully chronicles the adventures of the now famous elephant children of King Babar and Queen Celeste. Pom, Flora and Alexander, the children, are walking one day near Celesteville when they suddenly encounter a strange little animal. "What is that?" whispered Flora. "A Wully-Wully," answers Pom. They take the Wully-Wully home and enjoy his antics, but soon discover that the Wully-Wully prefers the out of doors. While on a picnic, the Wully-Wully is kidnapped by Rataxes, a nasty rhinoceros. Pom, Flora, Alexander and their monkey friend, Zephir, spy on the rhinoceros compound and discover that Wully-Wully is being mistreated. They devise a plan to rescue the Wully-Wully. They are successful, but the rhinos retaliate. Mild mannered Flora comes to the rescue by appealing to the heart of everyone. It's a charming story, if a bit long for the preschool set. The illustrations are colorful and pure Celesteville. Babar fans will be delighted. 2001 (orig. 1975), Harry N. Abrams, $16.95. Ages 4 to 7. Meredith Kiger, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8109-4397-2
Babar's Book of Color
Laurent de Brunhoff
Babar was born in 1931 when Cecile de Brunhoff invented the story of an orphaned elephant for her children and her painter-husband Jean made a picture book of the tale. Since Jean's death in 1937 his son Laurent has ably continued Babar's saga. It is a pleasure to have some of the out of print titles reissued for new generations of youngsters. In Babar's Book of Color, Babar--who is an elephant of many crowns--gives his three children and Cousin Arthur their first art lesson. They begin work with one primary color each, producing a huge lobster and whale--and a swarm of yellow jackets. Marvelous white polar bears and black crows follow until Babar shows them how to mix colors. His teaching device--having the children combine transparent balloons of primary colors--is absolutely clever and makes the concept completely understandable. The day in Babar's studio ends with Babar hanging the children's artwork for display. Thus the art lesson comes full circle. Laurent de Brunhoff gracefully makes his point once more: creativity is marvelous, but even more so when a child's parent takes the time to become part of the process and lavishes praise on the results. Long live de Brunhoff and Babar! 2004 (orig. 1984), Abrams, $16.95, Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8109-4840-0
Babar's Busy Year
Laurent de Brunhoff
Babar fans will be happy to see this reissue of one of a series of concept books written and illustrated by the son of the creator of the original Babar. Although Babar and Celeste wear their crowns, these books downplay any sense of royalty; instead, the famed elephant family act very much like any contemporary Western family as the loose narrative takes them through activities appropriate for each season. Babar, Celeste, Arthur, Alexander, Isabelle, and Pom are shown first on an outing to enjoy the fall colors and pumpkin carving, then on a family winter ski vacation, and later doing spring gardening and finally having all kinds of hot weather fun. Teachers and parents of preschoolers can use this book as an engaging way to naturally introduce science. The simple text and colorful illustrations can be used to make connections to the children's own experiences as they discuss the changes in temperature, plants and human activities that occur throughout the seasons. Once the book is finished, classrooms might take surveys about the students' favorite seasons and graph the results. 2005 (orig. 1989), Harry Abrams, $9.95. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Mary Hynes-Berry (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8109-5864-3
Babar's Museum of Art
Laurent de Brunhoff
Queen Celeste and King Babar are taking a balloon ride over Celesteville one day when the queen notices the old railroad station standing abandoned and unused by the lake. She then comes up with the wonderful idea of turning the attractive building into a museum of art. Thus the Celesteville Museum of Art (closed on Mondays) comes into being. Celeste and Babar have a big collection of paintings and sculptures that they have collected on their travels, and now all the elephants in the kingdom can come and look at the beautiful pieces themselves. At the opening of the museum, Pom, Alexander, Flora, Arthur, Isabelle, and Zephir go to look at the art works. They have never been to a museum before and don't know what to expect or what to do there. And this is where this wonderful book is such a great tool for children. It helps to show young children what an art museum is like and how paintings can tell a story. It also shows them how the elephant children in the book see different things than the grown-ups do. Cornelius, the old and wise elephant, knows a great deal about the paintings and what they mean. He can tell the children these meanings if they want to hear about them, but the elephant children learn that one doesn't have to know the deeper meanings of a painting to appreciate it. Also they learn that a painting doesn't have to be old or pretty to be considered art. As Babar says "There are no rules to tell us what art is." What this book does for children is to open up their horizons and give them a freedom in how they look at art and also, one hopes, how they create their own art. The adult reader of this book will delight in the author's interpretation of great art works. Laurent de Brunhoff turned many familiar paintings and other pieces of art into elephant works of art. Vincent Van Gogh's "Self Portrait" has an elephant head and the "Little Dancer" made by Degas acquires a trunk, large ears and hefty legs. All is all this is a delightful book for readers of all ages. 2003, Harry N. Abrams, $16.95, Ages 4 up. Reviewer: Marya Jansen-Gruber (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Best Children's Books of the Year, 2004; Bank Street College of Education; United States
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, July 21, 2003; Cahners; United States
ISBN: 0-8109-4597-5
Babar's Rescue
Laurent de Brunhoff
Babar was born in 1931 when Cecile de Brunhoff invented the story of an orphaned elephant for her children and her painter-husband Jean made a picture book of the tale. Since Jean's death in 1937 his son Laurent has ably continued Babar's saga. It is a pleasure to have some of the out of print titles reissued for new generations of youngsters. In Rescue Babar's daughter Isabelle takes over when Papa mysteriously disappears during a father-daughter camping trip, leaving her alone in the jungle wilderness. Pauvre petite! Does she cry? Yes. But after the tears she thinks. Papa would never abandon her, therefore he must have disappeared against his will. Isabelle staunchly sets off to rescue her father, along the way collecting a trio of unlikely allies: Lion, Monkey, and Snake. Will they succeed? Mais, oui! But read the book to your own little ones to learn how. It's a wonderfully enabling story of intelligence, pluck, and persistence--with the added grace of Laurent de Brunhoff's imaginative illustrations. 2004 (orig. 1993), Abrams, $16.95, Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8109-4839-7
Babar's World Tour
Laurent de Brunhoff
How wonderful to be able to fly off around the world on "Elephant One"-only having to pack a sweater, a bathing suit, and pajamas! Babar and Celeste decide it is time for their children to become a bit more cosmopolitan, so the first stop on their Grand Tour after Celesteville is Italy. From there the lessons in language, gourmandizing and architecture proceed to Gaudi's Barcelona, Moscow's Red Square, India, Japan, Angkor, Mesa Verdi, and Machu Picchu. The best is saved for nearly last: Paris, of course! De Brunhoff pays homage to some of the usual sites, then throws in the elegant 17th century Place des Voges, an insider's choice. It's a charming journey, and de Brunhoff's take on places like Abu Simbel (the monumental pharaoh reliefs have become elephants) are marvelous. Yet one does miss (un peu) the Babar Family's outrageous, though possibly less edifying, adventures of times past. With reinforced binding for many armchair visits, rich printing on thick, glossy sheets, and the inclusion of a framable poster, the sole thing missing is perhaps an endnote naming all the places pictured for the benefit of parents who haven't had the pleasure of seeing them in person. 2005, Harry N. Abrams, Ages 3 up, $16.95. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8109-5780-9
Babar's Yoga for Elephants
Laurent de Brunhoff
Everyone knows Babar, of course, but it's long been a secret (hitherto well hidden in Celesteville) that he and his family enjoy practicing yoga daily. Here we find archeological evidence, uncovered by scholarly-looking elephant scientists, no less, that yoga has in fact not only been practiced by elephants for centuries, but was invented by these clever pachyderms. This yoga primer for elephants and all other discerning beings is rendered in classic style, with the gently tongue-in-cheek humor that generations of Babar fans have grown to know and love. We learn to our surprise that there has been a revival of yoga following recent surprising archeological findings. The elephants of Celesteville have rediscovered the ancient art. We learn that yoga now offers them "calm and control" in their busy and demanding lives. The images of Babar and other elephants in demonstrations of the Salutation to the Sun, stretches, and a series of yoga positions are both endearing and surprisingly accurate. And there's more. Yoga helps the elephants find tranquility at exasperating moments--when there is a delay, for example, at Celesteville Airport; and in the middle of traffic in New York's Times Square. Moreover one can practice yoga anywhere, as we can see from the meditative elephants in Central Park. Yoga revelations can occur when one travels. The Golden Gate Bridge? Obviously it was inspired by two elephants doing the Cobra. But which really came first, the Bridge position in yoga, or the half-dome in Yosemite National Park? A final surprise is the large, friendly poster that opens out of the backmatter. Definitely calculated to make us "relax and draw strength from our inner elephant." Namaste, Babar! This one's a delight. 2002, Harry N. Abrams, $16.95. Ages 6 to 9. Reviewer: Uma Krishnaswami (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8109-1021-7
The Story of Babar the Little Elephant
Jean de Brunhoff
This much-loved classic about a heroic, ingenuous pachyderm continues to capture new readers and their hearts with each successive reprinting. The story was first published in 1933, inspired by the stories that Madame de Brunoff told her husband Jean. Their son Laurent continued the tales for decades to follow. The first in the series introduces readers to Babar, a very good little elephant whose mother loves him very much. When he witnesses her death and runs away, readers will run with him, caring and worrying. Fortunately, all sorts of good things befall Babar: a wealthy, loving benefactor who offers him the Good Life, a reunion with his cousins, a return to his elephant community and a coronation with his new Queen Celeste at his side. Life has helped the lemon-laden Babar make lemonade. Babar's green suit and bowler--and De Brunoff's simple, child-appealing, colorful illustrations--are known throughout the world. Whether children meet Babar by the book's accompanying merchandise or the first book in the series, they will eagerly want to read more of his adventures. 2002 (orig. 1933), Random House, $14.95. Ages 3 to 8. Reviewer: Esther Hershenhorn (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001; H.W. Wilson; United States
Recommended Literature: Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, 2002; California Department of Education; California
ISBN: 0-394-80575-5
ISBN: 0-590-10235-4
ISBN: 0-394-90575-X
The Travels of Babar
Jean de Brunhoff
Translated from the French by Merle S. Haas
Continuing the chronicles of the French elephants, Babar and Celeste, this story picks up as the newly-wed couple leave for their honeymoon in a hot air balloon. The anthropomorphic elephants straddle the human and animal worlds in this adventure as their balloon is taken down by storm. They are eventually saved but without their crowns, they are mistaken for ordinary elephants and sold to the circus. They escape and are once again reunited with their friend, The Old Lady. I admit, I'm biased--having grown up with Babar and Celeste, I have always loved the De Brunhoff's stories. Reading them now, it becomes clear that the stories were originally written in 1934 and lack some of what we might call politically-correct sensitivity as they display issues of sovereignty and colonization. The cannibals (read "uncolonized savages") that attack Babar and Celeste on the deserted island have big red lips and wide white eyes. Also, there is a war between the rhinoceros and elephants that is a bit aggressive, but Babar's cunning ingenuity ends the fighting. The wild adventures of these courageous elephants always end on a positive note and they are so full of detail (and the elephants so well-dressed!) that they are a delight to read over and over (and over!) again. 2002 (orig. 1934), Random House, $14.95. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Sarah Seage (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-394-80576-3
ISBN: 0-394-90576-8
Updated 07/07/05
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