We have undoubtedly entered a new golden age for children’s literature; the quality and variety of children’s books being published these days is astounding and very comforting, sealing the future of what is a vital component of any childhood. However, the sheer volume of books published can become a bit of a hurdle for parents looking …
Three girls. A summer holiday. One epic road-trip. And sausages. Piglettes (Pushkin Press) follows Mireille, Astrid and Hakima as they embark on a trip of a lifetime to reach, by bicycle, the Palais de l’Elysée on 14th July from their home in Bourg-en-Bresse. All have different motives for getting there, but they share the same motivation …
Come and join Barroux on a game of hide-and-seek with a difference! Where’s the Elephant and Where’s the Starfish? (Egmont) are two quasi-wordless picturebooks which carry an incredibly powerful message about the effect Man has on the environment, and more particularly deforestation and sea pollution. Designed in a Where’s Wally? type puzzle book, the hide-and-seek style allows the message behind …
If you are already familiar with French illustrator Hervé Tullet’s books, you will not only instantly recognize his bold style, but also know that he loves to promote fun and creativity with books. His latest two offerings are no exception! My Stencil Kit (Thames and Hudson) combines a large art pad style book with …
Faïza Guène (Definitions) Kiffe kiffe demain, translated by Sarah Adams Doria is fifteen, a beur (French of Arabic descent) living in a soulless high rise in suburban Paris. Painfully shy, struggling at school, obsessed by TV programmes, she lives alone with her illiterate mother after having both been abandoned by their violent good for nothing …
On Monday begins a week long celebration of children’s books brought to you by the Institut français in London. This year’s edition features more than 40 public events including workshops, talks, films, live music, theatre, book signings with no less than 25 writers and illustrators. The Festival will also take part in the 50th anniversary …
Gabrielle Vincent “Ernest et Célestine vont pique-niquer”, translated by Sam Alexander (Catnip Publishing) Ernest has promised Celestine they will go on a picnic and the little mouse is very much looking forward to it. When it pours down with the rain the next day, Ernest cannot bear to see Celestine disappointed. So, undeterred by the torrential rain, off …
Marie-Aude Murail “Simple”, translated by Adriana Hunter (Bloomsbury Children’s Books) Kleber is starting his second year of sixth-form at the prestigious Lycée Henri IV and as well as worrying about the school year ahead, he must also find himself and his older brother, Barnaby, somewhere to live. Barnaby, known as Simple, is twenty-two years old but has …
Joann Sfar (original text by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)translated by Sarah Ardizzone(Walker Books) A pilot finds himself stranded in the desert after crash-landing his plane. While he desperately tries to fix the problem, a little boy appears out of nowhere. He is from a tiny faraway planet, where he lives with only three small volcanoes and …
