Wednesday, July 29, 2015

NF Pic Books-If you love The Little Prince

           Time to share on Wednesdays with Alyson Beecher's Non-Fiction Picture Book Challenge at her blog, Kidlit Frenzy.   
        Thanks Alyson!   Tweet - #NFPB15

           It's a special day today. I get to celebrate nonfiction picture books I love, and a couple of birthdays! 

           Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was born on this day in 1900, the year one set of my grandparents were born. It was fascinating to read these books and to see what my grandparents saw during their lifetimes, as well as what Saint-Exupéry saw and did. 
          And special to share, it is also my granddaughter Imogene’s fourth birthday! What amazing thing will she see in her lifetime?

The biography by Peter Sis was published last year, and the book by Bimba Landmann, in 2013. Both are interesting. I reviewed the Sis book earlier this year, and I just got the other one at my library. Two years ago was the 70th anniversary of The Little Prince. What a gift we still have from this fascinating man in love with flying and the stars!


The Pilot and the Little Prince - the life of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry - written and illustrated by Peter Sis

It’s a marvelous book to introduce this famous man of our past to younger students. Older students will love the book because of its story, and because of the illustrations. They are gorgeous, innovative and filled with more information than seems possible. Peter Sis has told well the story of Saint-Exupery.










In Search of the Little Prince - the story of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry - written and illustrated by
Bimba Landmann

Landmann also illustrated I Am Marc Chagall, among others.  This, too is an amazing and beautifully done story, tells about Tonio, as Saint-Exupéry was known affectionately, as a young boy already writing poetry. At twelve he built his first airplane, which didn’t work, but eventually Saint-Exupéry got to fly, and fly he did. Landmann follows his adventures all over the world and manages through those adventures, to tell about his early books (Wind, Sand and Stars won The National Book Award), Argentina is where he found his “Rose”, Consuelo, his love and then wife, and the desert where he tamed his fox.  

Both books share many facts about and quotes from Saint-Exupéry. Here is one that Landmann put at the end of her book:

One morning you wake up and say: “It was just a fairy tale.” You laugh at yourself, but deep down you’re not laughing at all. You know that a fairy tales are the only truth of life.

And when he returned to flying after success in writing, he wrote: “I’m happy with my job; I feel I’m a farmer with the stars.”

Both books are beautifully written and illustrated, treasures of biographies. Sadly, Saint-Exupéry flew a final mission in World War II just a month after his 44th birthday. He and his plane were never found. 


Finally, a special announcement:
The 2015 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award winner is:
Glory O’Brien’s History of the Future by A.S. King
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

12 comments:

  1. What a fun way to celebrate a birthday. Is she getting a book about The Little Prince for her birthday? I'll have to remember that as a cool way to find book presents for someone's birthday,

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    1. No, maybe in a few years, Earl. She's just too young for those. On FB I just found out that Beatrix Potter also shares this day, so maybe Peter Rabbit? You've just reminded me that it's a cool way for a gift, too. I really didn't think about it. Thanks!

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  2. What great companions for The Little Prince! Would be great for a unit :)

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    1. I love The Little Prince and Wind, Sand and Stars, excited to read and enjoy these, Kellee. Yes, a unit would be lovely, much history connected here.

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  3. Happy birthday to your sweet granddaughter! (My oldest sister got married on my fourth birthday.) Can't wait to check these out. So many books to request, if only I had more time for reading!

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    1. Thanks, Ramona. It was a happy day yesterday. The books are really wonderful!

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  4. We loved The Pilot and the Little Prince and can't wait to read In Search of the Little Prince. It will be so nice to read the Little Prince and these books with your granddaughter when she is older. We wish her a very happy birthday.

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    1. Thanks, hope you enjoy this second one, too. It is a lovely book, too.

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  5. Happy birthday (belated now) to Imogene!! The Pilot and the Little Prince was excellent. Peter Sis is just brilliant. I haven't read In Search of the Little Prince, but will need to look for that book.

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    1. Thanks, Holly, it was a nice day yesterday! I hope you enjoy this second book, too!

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  6. The Sis biography about Antoine certainly had a unique style to it. It's one that stands out to me!

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    1. It reminded me of his book about Galileo too, Michele. He includes so much information in a unique way.

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