Tues Paris Reading Rec: ADELE AND SIMON

Before there was Adele and Simon, there was Adele and Simon the children's book series, which I am highlighting in this week as part of my every-Tuesday-a-new-Paris-book recommendation.

Barbara McClintock's books are all beautiful, but I am partial to this one; from the illustrations, whose careful, soft detail perfectly evoke the turn-of-the-century Paris they depict, to the font, to the book's overall packaging--am I the only person in the world so obsessed with endpapers? Perhaps, but the Baedeker reproductions here are gorgeous--this is a picture book for kids and adults alike.

Follow them around Paris as the two children lose things--and then, if you like, follow them around Paris for real, since McClintock includes a lovely guide, with ample historical background, in the back of the book. I'm on record as being a fan of leading your kids around Paris with the help of children's books, and this is one of the best sources of that kind of fun. Fair warning -- my then-young daughters and I tried it, and Adele and Simon's 'walk' is not a short one. Perhaps best to enjoy in the comfort of a nice armchair--or bed--first.