This one goes out especially for Susanna Hill's fabulous brainchild, Perfect Picture Book Fridays. I have a detailed review of this book on my blog Snuggle With Picture Books.
Given that it's back to school time for kids, there would be a number of them joining a new school, changing schools, joining school for the first time. This book can help deal with a number of uncertainties that could crop up in a child's mind - no sense of belonging, not fitting in, struggling to create her own space in the crowd, self doubt, and so on.
Given that it's back to school time for kids, there would be a number of them joining a new school, changing schools, joining school for the first time. This book can help deal with a number of uncertainties that could crop up in a child's mind - no sense of belonging, not fitting in, struggling to create her own space in the crowd, self doubt, and so on.
Title: A Lion In Paris
Author and illustrator: Beatrice Alemagna
Translated from the French (original) by Mariette Robbes
Publisher: Katha (in India), 2009 / Editions Autrement (Paris), 2006
Genre: Picture Book
Age group: 4-7
Theme: Being yourself; the journey of self discovery; fitting in.
Opening Sentence: He was a big lion, young, curious and lonely.
Synopsis: A lion from Savannah saunters into Paris in search of 'love, work, a future'. Pretty much what you and I do it for too when we relocate. This story is about his journey from being an apprehensive and unsure newcomer in the city to gradually earning his sense of belonging and rightful place in the crowd.
Why I like this book: In a gentle, non preachy way, this book shows a young reader that the day you learn to be at ease with yourself, you find your place and contentment in the world, no matter how cold, unforgiving or indifferent it may have seemed until then.
Moreover, so subtly are the sights and sounds of Paris integrated into the illustrations (and the text) that by the time a child is through with this book, she'd have picked up more about the city than the average 6th grader being 'taught' about Paris in class!
Activities: With this book in hand, you'll never run out of interesting things to do with your child.
1) If new to Paris, step one is to acquaint yourself with the city's buildings and step two, point these out to her. Here's a great place to begin. This one's another.
2) Get your child to read the facial expressions of the people floating around the pages and to make her wonder why it may be so.
3) You and your child could create your own stories around your city's noticeable landmarks.
4) Play a game of I-felt-out-of-place-when...among yourselves.
Back to Snuggle With Picture Books
I think I would like this! Great activities!
ReplyDeleteSounds delightful! I'm adding it to my Need to Read books!
ReplyDeleteThanks Erik and Penny. This book is one of our household favourites!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, how come I don't know this one? It sounds a delight!
ReplyDeleteThis is one is delight, Joanna. The lion displays such genuine human emotions - ranging from hope to apprehension, self doubt, bewilderment to even sadness at not being acknowledged, and then finally finding that one lone like-minded entity that finally leads him to claiming his sense of belonging in a new city. It's subtle and brilliant!
DeleteI like the message in this book. It sounds like a good book to help kids discuss feelings and anxities. Nice activities. Great choice for this week!
ReplyDeleteThanks Patricia. I found it particularly useful to snuggle with it with my kids when they joined a new school. It allows tremendous room for raising so many issues.
DeleteI had noted some of these illustrations featured in Children's Picturebooks: The art of visual storytelling/Salisbury, Styles! So what a treat for me to read more about the story through PPBF!
ReplyDeleteYou're so right Julie! The illustrations are beautiful. Apart from the characteristic Parisian architectural backdrop, Beatrice’s Parisian montage blends little-little elements from the city’s street-side landscape (nuns in black habits to girls in work jackets, the old metro and the more recent escalator at Louvre, the newspapers, baguette, intellectuals sipping coffee at Café de Flore) to create a Paris where the years and decades collapse into the now. For a child getting introduced toParis for the first time, the pages could reflect the city as it is today just as well as it was a century ago. The colours on the pages are muted, delicate and chic, a befitting tribute to the city. Through their facial expressions, Beatrice depicts the way the people’s attitude towards our hero, the lion, changes as the story progresses – from a snooty, nose-up indifference when he arrives in Paris to the welcoming smiles from every possible window in the frame when he has finally learnt to be at ease with himself.
DeleteReminds me of this other picture book that’s my daughter’s favourite – Madeline In Paris. A different theme and storyline, of course, but the backdrop is peppered with sights and sounds of the city oh-so subtly that it makes you ache for more!
This book's theme is so versatile. I can see it used for "first day of school," "moving," etc. What a great find!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Am glad you found it useful.
DeleteDealing with uncertainty is such a constant in life, I think it's great to have tools like this book to use with our kids. Love books that are a jumping off point for real-life discussions. Thanks for the recommendation!
ReplyDeleteHi Amy, I loved the way you put it - dealing with uncertainty is such a constant in life. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI'm delighted you've joined us for PPBF, Richa! And I love that you chose this book because when I came to visit your site the other day, this was the book that caught my eye! It looks and sounds wonderful, and I'm going to have to find a copy and read is ASAP! What a wonderful message. Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Susanna for your encouragement. I am glad I've joined this forum because in a matter of a day, it's given me so many wonderful people to connect with. Am still a little overwhelmed by the truly genuine keenness with which we all follow one another's recommendations, and I guess it'll take me at least one more participation to get fully into the groove, but it's been such a spirit-uplifting experience (and I can't thank you enough for it!).
DeleteI suddenly get a feeling of belonging...You'll find me floating around this place often now:)
p.s - I'm going to be posting this same comment on your post as well because I so so mean it:)
The cover art is so soft and beautiful, this sounds like a wonderful book. Your suggestion to have children read facial expressions is great, especially for kids who have trouble understanding different expressions. Practicing with a book is a safe way to hone that skill. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Heather for stopping by! I've always found picture books to be an amazing tool to draw kids into the 'what do you think' kind of a conversation because the entire medium is so visual and alive. And willy nilly, I end up getting drawn into a similar guess-and-tell game with my kids! It's a lot of fun!
DeleteSounds like a lovely book!
ReplyDeleteBarbara
Grade ONEderful
Ruby Slippers
Thank you so much, Barabara!
DeleteRicha, I'm so glad you joined in with PPBF. It really is a wonderful community, and even though I don't currently participate (just not enough time!), I met so many great people through it -- and they're all here on your blog now!
ReplyDeleteYour selection looks so beautiful, plus it takes place in Paris, which means I HAVE to get it for my little guys (I have two-year-old twins).
Do you also write, by any chance? If so, you'll find even more picture book fanatics in the 12x12 in 2012 group at juliehedlund.com. It's a group of several hundred children's writers involved in a challenge to write one PB manuscript a month for every month of 2012. Even if you don't write, it's a cool place to hang out. There's also a Facebook group for it. Given your passion for PBs, just thought I'd let you know! :)
Thanks Renee! PPBF for me wouldn't have happened without your tweet:-)
Delete12x12 sounds like loads of fun. I'd have loved to take up the challenge this year. Will connect with Julie to find out if it's still possible.
Looks like a fun book and I love the point about how the illustrations incorporate facts about the city.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Stacy! I love books peppered with subtle details in their illustrations. I have another personal favourite, the Madeline series, which does just the same for a number of cities. Will try and feature it in the next PPBF.
DeleteWelcome to PPBF, Richa! What a wonderful book to use as your introduction to the group. I particularly liked your suggestion of having children try to read the emotional expressions on the book characters faces and think about why they might feel that way. What a great way to get more depth from the reading experience! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Beth!
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