Babar's Little Girl

Babar

by Laurent de Brunhoff

The arrival of a new baby, Isabelle, creates much excitement in Babar's family, particularly after she learns to walk and gets lost in the mountains.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Fiction, France, Family

36 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Laurent de Brunhoff est un auteur et illustrateur français.

Laurent De Brunhoff has kept the spirit of Babar and his family alive for over 50 years. Babar was created by Laurent's mother as a bedtime story, and was first illustrated by Laurent's father, Jean de Brunhoff.

After his father's death, Laurent continued to create over 30 Babar stories.

Laurent de Brunhoff lived in Connecticut with his wife, writer Phyllis Rose.

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was forced to read it for French class. With all things aside, it would be enjoyable for a small child in or out of France. I'm not sure why we're reading it, let alone for months on end.

[Joanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book, written by the son of the original Babar author, features the introduction of Princess Isabelle to the royal elephant family. The cover illustration should give you some idea of what Isabelle is like, dancing around on her roller skates while plugged into some kind of elephantine Walkman.

It's a decent story about a fearlessly adventurous princess, and it does have one really good picture of an elephant hang gliding. Plus, Isabelle winds up at the home of old family friends Boover and Picardee, two gentlemen camels who appear to be in a same sex relationship. (Perhaps gay marriage is legal in Babar's Utopian Realm.)

It's an odd book, in that it exists in a kind of limbo where the story itself is unable to determine whether it intends to be a modern fable or a tale from a simpler time. (A time when, for example, a five year old elephant princess could accept a boat ride from a stranger without readers having to worry about the plot veering off into Babar: SVU.)

Although Isabelle is a fun and resourceful addition to the series, this installment overall lacks much of the magic of earlier Babar books.

[Monique · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I'd known how it would unfold, I would have skipped this one. The "friends" Isabelle goes to see: not wholesome. But now that I've read it, I'll hold onto it, after all. Though it may not be a book for my kids, it shows some of the complication in the life of a celebrity/royal child. Kings have to maintain diplomatic relations with all kinds of questionable characters. Babar is a strong enough monarch and father that his daughter is fundamentally safe wherever she goes.

We'll keep praying for the children of the powerful and famous. They need us. And we need them.

P. S. I see the text I read was "revised" in 2012. How, I wonder? These things bother me. The Babar books especially seem to have been stealthily revised all over the place.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book for Bean. Actually Babar’s daughter Isabelle sounds a lot like my granddaughter Bean. So it’s no wonder this book will be a keeper and read often.
Happiness in a book. A special tie between father and daughter.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter adored this book and wanted to read it over and over. Few things: is it weird that I didn't like that she ran off from her family? And went in a boat with a stranger? Usually I'm not alarmed by these sorts of things but I though we should talk about staying with your family, asking for help, and...not getting into a boat with strangers.

[Mandi Simmons]

Babar’s Little Girl focuses on Babar’s daughter Isabelle. The book tells a story about Isabelle, who always smiles, sings, and skips on her family adventures. During one of them, Isabelle goes missing.

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Isabelle is born and gets into trouble for wandering off a few times. When the friends she is visiting see Babar on television pleading for her to come home, do they call Babar? No. Of course not. They take the baby elephant home as quickly as possible—on hang gliders!

[Sanna lukee lapselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ei ollut meillä yhtä iso hitti kuin muut Babar-kirjat, en oikein tiedä miksi. Luettiin vain kerran tai pari ja sitten unohtui hyllyyn. Itsestäni tässä on samaa viehätystä kuin muissakin sarjan kirjoissa.

[#KindnessTrioLibrary Librarian]

Donations to the #KindnessTrioLibrary 2019

BookCrossing.com BCID: 910-15511765

http://bookcrossing.com/journal/15511...

[Kathy Nealen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book introduces Babar’s fourth child, Isabelle. She is a very lively and adventurous child. My granddaughter likes her best.

[Julia Jasztal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mommy's review from 7/28/10 -


I picked this up one day a long time ago because Julia LOVES the Babar cartoons on On Demand and has been watching them since she was tiny. I'd like to find more of these because she ended up loving this just as much.
This book covers when Celeste gives birth to baby Isabelle. Isabelle grows and ends up taking a little adventure on her own without her parents knowledge. She has a grand time with her parents friends, Boover and Picardee, until they all see King Babar on t.v. asking for the safe return of his daughter. The way the three get back to the palace was a source of joy for Julia.
Overall this is a cute book for any child but if the child is already a fan of Babar they'll most likely love it!

[Kristin Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Babar and Celeste have another little girl (Isabelle) and she is very spunky and energetic. She is loved by everyone. Well one day Isabelle wanders off and doesn't tell anyone where she is going. Her family is worried about her when she is no where to be found. Isabelle learns her lesson about leaving without telling anyone where she is going.

I wasn't a big fan of this book. I felt that the flow of things was off. It wasn't my favorite children's book.

This would be a book that I would incorporate in my lesson about teaching my students to listen to adults and follow what they say.

[Dolly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking for some Babar stories, since I remember reading them in my own childhood.

This story was okay, but I'm not sure it truly teaches children that it's a bad idea to stray away from the adults and parents who are with you. This just makes it look like an adventure, with few consequences!

Fun illustrations that gave me a lot of nostalgia for the Babar stories I read in my childhood.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the illustrations of the book. As for the story itself, I felt there were too many gaps, although the different settings are good for discussing with children. Other than that, it's good to see how Babar is quite up to date with technology since he does use video-conferencing in the book. A good book to read with children.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fourth elephant child, Isabelle, is born. She gets away from the group and has fun playing. She doesn't realize that she was missing until she saw her father on the television announcement. Good thing they had a television on at that point.

[Cana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a little too wordy for my liking. It was written by the son of the original Babar author, and it's just not quite the same.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the Babar stories were a bit like the Berenstain Bears and their Morals and Messages!

[Rishmi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well I don't want to review all of the books, so this is the last one I'm reviewing!! Well, i guess this isnt rlly reviewing, but still!!! Wow, I say well a lot, don't I?

[Deeanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

My youngest did a book report on this book for school.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nora and I have read this a couple times lately and I love that Boover and Picardee, the two "gentlemen" that Isabelle happens upon in her adventures, seem just a little queer.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not quite of to the level of the other books in this series. Still, it is a wonderful story about the love and respect between a father and a daughter.

[Barb]

wonderful

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fav as a child a series I want my future kids to read

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read to James and John

[Alfajirikali · Rating 2 out of 5]

What can I say? I'm not a fan of Babar.

[EmmaG · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this book was good. It was interesting to read.