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Little People, BIG DREAMS
Simone de Beauvoir
New in the critically acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Simone de Beauvoir, the great French philosopher and mother of feminism.
When Simone de Beauvoir was a little girl, her father would proudly boast that she had the brain of a man – whatever that meant. But later, after years of studying, Simone would write a book that challenged the role of women in society, sending shock waves around the world. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the philosopher's life.
Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.
This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.
Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!
When Simone de Beauvoir was a little girl, her father would proudly boast that she had the brain of a man – whatever that meant. But later, after years of studying, Simone would write a book that challenged the role of women in society, sending shock waves around the world. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the philosopher's life.
Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.
This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.
Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!
35 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 2, 2018
10 people are currently reading
363 people want to read
About the author
Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara
203 books447 followersMaria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, born in Barcelona, Spain, is a writer and creative director perhaps best known as the author of much of the Little People, Big Dreams series. Each book tells the childhood story of one of the world's female icons in an entertaining, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers, allowing them to identify with the characters in each story.
You may find books from the "Little People BIG DREAMS" series on author page - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
You may find books from the "Little People BIG DREAMS" series on author page - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
January 25, 2019
This is the 13th book from the
Little People, Big Dreams
book series that I've read and thanks to these books, readers of all ages could get to know some of the amazing women in the history. I never knew who
Simone de Beauvoir
is but because of this children's storybook, I finally learned who this amazing woman is because she is the
"Mother of Feminism."
Aside from that, she is also a philosopher, writer, and activist to name a few.
Beauvoir's courage, breaking off from the norms, and standing up for gender equality are some of the important teachings from her life story that young kids will learn from reading this. I also like how it was emphasized that her father had sent them to study so in the future they can earn a living by themselves and without relying on a man for money. This should be instilled to children, especially to young girls, that women should stand up on their own and never rely upon their success to anyone.
Beauvoir's courage, breaking off from the norms, and standing up for gender equality are some of the important teachings from her life story that young kids will learn from reading this. I also like how it was emphasized that her father had sent them to study so in the future they can earn a living by themselves and without relying on a man for money. This should be instilled to children, especially to young girls, that women should stand up on their own and never rely upon their success to anyone.
November 2, 2018
The third book I have read from this series of women icons. All of them are pretty, cute and colorful and I 'd agree all the women in the series are important for young people to know about. Though no one close to the intended audience for the series will be reading anything by this feminist novelist and philosopher. So the idea is probably that adults talk their way with kids through the simple story of her life here, and inspire them. So I tried it with my 11 yo girl. She thought it was cute, okay, not particularly interesting. Since I know de Beauvoir's work, I thought it was okay--not as fun as the BabyLit board book series by Jennifer Addams, not as good for my interests as the one on Jane Austen.
Autobiographical note: From about the time I was fourteen I used to borrow hipster books from my older second cousin--her library featured books by the Beats, on Zen Buddhism, Camus, Sartre, and so on--including de Beauvoir's The Second Sex, so I could figure out the Great Mystery of Women and Girls. I am quite sure it was my first feminist text (What do you mean, did it help with solve that Mystery!?! Of course not!).
Autobiographical note: From about the time I was fourteen I used to borrow hipster books from my older second cousin--her library featured books by the Beats, on Zen Buddhism, Camus, Sartre, and so on--including de Beauvoir's The Second Sex, so I could figure out the Great Mystery of Women and Girls. I am quite sure it was my first feminist text (What do you mean, did it help with solve that Mystery!?! Of course not!).
October 16, 2018
Having now read a few of the very short picture biographies for young children in the
Little People Big Dreams
series, I’ve concluded that I like the idea of the collection a lot more than the actual books. For one thing, based on what I’ve seen, the illustrations are mostly substandard—the cartoonish characters all have extremely large heads (maybe a girl requires an overly large brain box in which to concoct and accommodate her big dreams) as well as some bizarrely rendered physical features: Georgia O’Keeffe, the iconic artist, has mouse ears, and Harriet Tubman, the heroic Underground Railroad conductor, a koala-bear nose. As for the actual biographies of the famous females: They are little more than sketches. So many of the details and struggles in the lives of the selected subjects are not quite suitable for little ears. The stories end up being so watered down that the drama and significance of their lives are largely lost. In spite of all this, when I saw Simone de Beauvoir’s story on offer on the Net Galley website, I was genuinely curious. I don’t think I’d ever consider presenting the story of the French feminist, intellectual, political activist, and companion of Jean-Paul Sartre to the very young. How would it be managed?
Adequately enough, it turns out. Author Isabel Sanchez Vegara presents the basic details of de Beauvoir’s initially comfortable, bourgeois Parisian childhood quite well. The family had been very wealthy for a time, but fortunes apparently changed overnight. The servants were let go, and Simone’s mother was suddenly burdened with all the domestic duties while M. de Beauvoir sat around on his derrière—or so it is intimated. This apparently got the young Simone thinking, as did her father’s observation that she “had the brain of a man.” Why was a boy’s mind any different from a girl’s? she wondered. The author writes that Simone “had become a feminist before the word even existed,” which is simply not true. The word “feminism” actually entered the English language in 1851. It came to mean “advocating for women’s rights” sometime between 1890-1895, over a decade before de Beauvoir was born in 1908.
According to Vegara’s telling, de Beauvoir’s father was pivotal in his daughter’s intellectual development. He shared books with her, and encouraged her to read and write. He is also said to have wanted his daughters to be educated so that they could support themselves. (It’s a long time since I read de Beauvoir’s Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter, but M. de Beauvoir’s being quite this progressive strains credibility. I’ve read elsewhere that if he’d actually had the money for dowries, these supposedly enlightened views would have been nowhere in evidence.) Simone’s parents scraped together the money to send her and her younger sister to a good convent school, where, at the age of 14, she would begin to wonder if there really was a God.
In dealing with de Beauvoir’s life from her teens onward, Vegara is understandably superficial. She mentions that Simone studied philosophy, which is about “finding new ways of thinking.” That’s not a wrong definition of philosophy, exactly, but it isn’t the way I’d explain the word to young children. De Beauvoir’s first meeting with Jean-Paul Sartre, her “soul” and “mind” mate is mentioned, and the course of their unconventional (open, non-monogamous) relationship quite cleverly sanitized as follows: “Simone and Jean-Paul never married or lived under the same roof, but they lived their love story in their own unique way.” De Beauvoir’s first novel is discussed in a similarly indirect and understated manner. We are told the book caused a scandal. (Yes, thinks the adult reader, because it was based on her and Sartre’s ménage a trois with one of de Beauvoir’s students, a younger Ukrainian woman—Olga Kosakiewicz, who later stated that her "trio" relationship with the two philosophers damaged her psychologically.)
The author winds down her narrative with allusions to de Beauvoir’s travels (she and Sartre—with his characteristically wonky, strabismic right eye—are pictured sitting primly in the company of Che Guevara) and to her inspirational feminist status. However, Vegara’s conclusion is oversimplified, poorly worded, and, well, just not quite right: “thanks to little Simone, we now know we aren’t born men and women—just special human beings with a life full of choices to make.” Current gender politics aside, most of us are born with male or female bodies, and living in those bodies does affect us and impact our choices. I think de Beauvoir would have agreed.
Writing a book about an influential French intellectual was certainly an ambitious project for Vegara. The text isn’t a total dud, but the extremely childish, scribbly illustrations, apparently done in pencil crayon, do not elevate the final product in any way. I am not exaggerating when I say I’ve seen better work by eight-year-olds. I read this out of curiosity. I am not impressed enough to recommend it.
Adequately enough, it turns out. Author Isabel Sanchez Vegara presents the basic details of de Beauvoir’s initially comfortable, bourgeois Parisian childhood quite well. The family had been very wealthy for a time, but fortunes apparently changed overnight. The servants were let go, and Simone’s mother was suddenly burdened with all the domestic duties while M. de Beauvoir sat around on his derrière—or so it is intimated. This apparently got the young Simone thinking, as did her father’s observation that she “had the brain of a man.” Why was a boy’s mind any different from a girl’s? she wondered. The author writes that Simone “had become a feminist before the word even existed,” which is simply not true. The word “feminism” actually entered the English language in 1851. It came to mean “advocating for women’s rights” sometime between 1890-1895, over a decade before de Beauvoir was born in 1908.
According to Vegara’s telling, de Beauvoir’s father was pivotal in his daughter’s intellectual development. He shared books with her, and encouraged her to read and write. He is also said to have wanted his daughters to be educated so that they could support themselves. (It’s a long time since I read de Beauvoir’s Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter, but M. de Beauvoir’s being quite this progressive strains credibility. I’ve read elsewhere that if he’d actually had the money for dowries, these supposedly enlightened views would have been nowhere in evidence.) Simone’s parents scraped together the money to send her and her younger sister to a good convent school, where, at the age of 14, she would begin to wonder if there really was a God.
In dealing with de Beauvoir’s life from her teens onward, Vegara is understandably superficial. She mentions that Simone studied philosophy, which is about “finding new ways of thinking.” That’s not a wrong definition of philosophy, exactly, but it isn’t the way I’d explain the word to young children. De Beauvoir’s first meeting with Jean-Paul Sartre, her “soul” and “mind” mate is mentioned, and the course of their unconventional (open, non-monogamous) relationship quite cleverly sanitized as follows: “Simone and Jean-Paul never married or lived under the same roof, but they lived their love story in their own unique way.” De Beauvoir’s first novel is discussed in a similarly indirect and understated manner. We are told the book caused a scandal. (Yes, thinks the adult reader, because it was based on her and Sartre’s ménage a trois with one of de Beauvoir’s students, a younger Ukrainian woman—Olga Kosakiewicz, who later stated that her "trio" relationship with the two philosophers damaged her psychologically.)
The author winds down her narrative with allusions to de Beauvoir’s travels (she and Sartre—with his characteristically wonky, strabismic right eye—are pictured sitting primly in the company of Che Guevara) and to her inspirational feminist status. However, Vegara’s conclusion is oversimplified, poorly worded, and, well, just not quite right: “thanks to little Simone, we now know we aren’t born men and women—just special human beings with a life full of choices to make.” Current gender politics aside, most of us are born with male or female bodies, and living in those bodies does affect us and impact our choices. I think de Beauvoir would have agreed.
Writing a book about an influential French intellectual was certainly an ambitious project for Vegara. The text isn’t a total dud, but the extremely childish, scribbly illustrations, apparently done in pencil crayon, do not elevate the final product in any way. I am not exaggerating when I say I’ve seen better work by eight-year-olds. I read this out of curiosity. I am not impressed enough to recommend it.
November 6, 2018
Simone de Beauvoir (Little People, Big Dreams)by Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Christine Roussey is a book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary. This is a wonderful book especially for girls to be a role model. Simone grew up when girls were thought of as not as smart as men. Simone was smart and her dad said she must have a boy's brain. She was smart enough to get into a school that no other women had ever went to. She was the first to publish a book. All of these things shocked people because she was a women and they thought women weren't smart. But women read her book and and liked what it said. She was the start of feminism. This tells a lot more and has real pictures of her in the end. Nice book!
April 21, 2019
As a basic introduction, Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara has certainly succeeded adequately and decently enough with her Simone de Beauvoir. However, and as much as I have indeed appreciated the author's text for what it is and what it achieves, I do very much wish that Sánchez Vegara had not so naively claimed in Simone de Beauvoir that there supposedly were no feminists prior to Simone de Beauvoir and that her 1943 She Came to Stay (L'Invitée), which really should also have been named by its title in the text proper, was supposedly the very first novel to feature women as making their own choices. For sorry, but while Simone de Beauvoir certainly with her oeuvre and her activism paved the way for and towards the more radical feminism of especially the 1970s and 80s, there absolutely and most definitely were feminists well before Simone de Beauvoir and there equally and also existed authors prior to her who wrote about women taking personal charge of the lives (and for Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara to glibly claim that Simone de Beauvoir was supposedly both the first person to present women as having, exercising personal choices in a work of fiction and that she somehow was also in every way the so-called mother of feminism, well in my opinion, that is both naively in error and also is kind of a rather nasty insult to early feminists such as Mary Wollstonecraft, as well as to authors such as for example Lucy Maud Montgomery in whose novels and short fiction, female characters are indeed quite often portrayed as strong and independent).
And furthermore, Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara should (at least in my humble opinion) also have mentioned in Simone de Beauvoir the sad but unsurprising truth that even though both Simone de Beauvoir and her partner Jean-Paul Sartre were considered philosophers, albeit that they were both publishing and lecturing, whenever there were questions directed at them, while Jean-Paul Sartre was usually asked detailed and generally intelligent queries regarding his work and philosophical ideals, the questions Simone de Beauvoir was being posed (and sometimes even by fellow and leading academics) more often than not had as their themes not her work but her personal life, especially the fact that her relationship with Sartre was by choice non monogamous (something that I for one do indeed believe the author, something that I do think Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara should at least have pointed out in Simone de Beauvoir as it certainly portrays a most annoying and sickening dual standard and a major lack of respect for Simone de Beauvoir as an academic, as a thinking woman).
But truth be told, even with my textual and narrational criticisms of and issues with Simone de Beauvoir (and that I do strongly believe the author could have and should have done a bit more theme and content wise), I would most likely still have considered three stars for Simone de Beauvoir had Christine de Roussey's accompanying illustrations been more to my aesthetic tastes. For while de Roussey's renditions of buildings and interior decorations (such as books) do indeed and I guess possess a certain amount of charm, her pictures of human beings are all and sundry absolutely NOT AT ALL visually pleasant to and for me (too cartoon-like, too disproportionate, with robot-like similar facial expressions, and with especially Simone de Beauvoir to and for my eyes appearing as permanently elderly, kind of like a granny type puppet with bulging eyes, red cheeks and greyish hair). And indeed, I do find it personally increasingly frustrating that in the vast majority of the Little People, Big Dreams series books I have read to date, the accompanying illustrations have been generally non exceptional and sometimes, and actually far far too often, downright ugly.
And furthermore, Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara should (at least in my humble opinion) also have mentioned in Simone de Beauvoir the sad but unsurprising truth that even though both Simone de Beauvoir and her partner Jean-Paul Sartre were considered philosophers, albeit that they were both publishing and lecturing, whenever there were questions directed at them, while Jean-Paul Sartre was usually asked detailed and generally intelligent queries regarding his work and philosophical ideals, the questions Simone de Beauvoir was being posed (and sometimes even by fellow and leading academics) more often than not had as their themes not her work but her personal life, especially the fact that her relationship with Sartre was by choice non monogamous (something that I for one do indeed believe the author, something that I do think Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara should at least have pointed out in Simone de Beauvoir as it certainly portrays a most annoying and sickening dual standard and a major lack of respect for Simone de Beauvoir as an academic, as a thinking woman).
But truth be told, even with my textual and narrational criticisms of and issues with Simone de Beauvoir (and that I do strongly believe the author could have and should have done a bit more theme and content wise), I would most likely still have considered three stars for Simone de Beauvoir had Christine de Roussey's accompanying illustrations been more to my aesthetic tastes. For while de Roussey's renditions of buildings and interior decorations (such as books) do indeed and I guess possess a certain amount of charm, her pictures of human beings are all and sundry absolutely NOT AT ALL visually pleasant to and for me (too cartoon-like, too disproportionate, with robot-like similar facial expressions, and with especially Simone de Beauvoir to and for my eyes appearing as permanently elderly, kind of like a granny type puppet with bulging eyes, red cheeks and greyish hair). And indeed, I do find it personally increasingly frustrating that in the vast majority of the Little People, Big Dreams series books I have read to date, the accompanying illustrations have been generally non exceptional and sometimes, and actually far far too often, downright ugly.
October 6, 2018
Simone de Beauvoir is a nonfiction story about a French philosopher and activist who was known for being one of the first in what we would consider our strides towards modern feminism. It's a fine little story with a few facts about her life—I appreciated especially the explanation that she never married or lived together with her significant other, but this didn't make their relationship any less special—there's just nothing noteworthy about the book or the artwork.
Would I add it to my son's library? No.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Would I add it to my son's library? No.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 5, 2019
Simone de Beauvoir er nok den kvinde, jeg har glædet mig mest til at læse om i "Små mennesker, store drømme"-serien. Det er en noget større udfordring at skabe en levende fortælling for børn om en akademisk karriere end om eventyret på vingerne og i kunsten, så jeg var spændt på, hvordan det ville lykkes. Vi møder familien de Beauvoir ved middagsbordet i deres hjem i Paris. Familien er en del af borgerskabets overklasse, og hendes far er vældig stolt af sin datter, som kan tænke som en mand. Udsagnet skabte ambivalente følelser i den unge Simone, som selvfølgelig blev stolt af at blive anerkendt for sit intellekt men også fornærmet på sit køns vegne. Efter mange års studier udgav hun en bog, som blev grundlaget for feminismen og for den moderne opfattelse af køn som kulturel konstruktion.
Simone de Beauvoirs historie ledsages af en skitseagtig kladdebogslignende illustration, som går godt i spænd med hendes akademiske liv.
Den er – som alle andre bøger i denne serie – oplysende og samtaleindbydende, og jeg må endnu en gang give serien mine varmeste anbefalinger til små og store drømmere.
Simone de Beauvoirs historie ledsages af en skitseagtig kladdebogslignende illustration, som går godt i spænd med hendes akademiske liv.
Den er – som alle andre bøger i denne serie – oplysende og samtaleindbydende, og jeg må endnu en gang give serien mine varmeste anbefalinger til små og store drømmere.
October 4, 2018
Have I mentioned how much I love this series of board books for little ones. The pictures are delightful, and the the very simple text is easy to read, and is a good introduction to kids about famous women.
And, although I knew about Simone’s love affair with John Paul Satre, I did not know that the reason her father encouraged her to be educated was because he could not afford a dowery for her, and figured she would have to support herself in the world.
And as always, there is a little timeline in the back of the book with a little more information.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
And, although I knew about Simone’s love affair with John Paul Satre, I did not know that the reason her father encouraged her to be educated was because he could not afford a dowery for her, and figured she would have to support herself in the world.
And as always, there is a little timeline in the back of the book with a little more information.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
October 3, 2018
A digital copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This series is always a joy to read, it’s a really nice introduction to well known women for little children. Of course the plot is always a little bit fast but that’s to be expected and it’s totally understandable.
I know who Simon de Beauvoir is because I've had the chance to read some parts of her famous work "The second sex" and I can say that it was so lovely to read what a feminist Simone de Beauvoir was even as a child. It's really good to know that people like her existed and that they shaped a whole generation and also the ones to come.
This series is always a joy to read, it’s a really nice introduction to well known women for little children. Of course the plot is always a little bit fast but that’s to be expected and it’s totally understandable.
I know who Simon de Beauvoir is because I've had the chance to read some parts of her famous work "The second sex" and I can say that it was so lovely to read what a feminist Simone de Beauvoir was even as a child. It's really good to know that people like her existed and that they shaped a whole generation and also the ones to come.
December 5, 2018
I have enjoyed the various books I have read from the Little People, Big Dreams series. This particular book taught me about someone that I had not heard of before. Simone de Beauoir was a French philosopher and is often referred to as The Mother of Feminism. Her interest in feminism began when her father sat by and her mother did all the work around the house including preparing all the meals, even when he was not working. As she got older her father told her that "she had the brain of a man" which she couldn't understand why a man's brain was different from a woman's) Just like all the other books in this series, it features stylish and quirky illustrations along with text that describes her background and journey. There are always extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the philosopher's life. This is a child friendly biography that shows a young woman striving to achieve her dream. This book could be used to teach young children how to write a biography, show that it is important to have a dream and strive to achieve it. It would be wonderful to be able to get a boxed set of this series for any school library. The publisher, Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Childrens, generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
October 9, 2018
Simone de Beauvoir is part of the Little People, Big Dreams series. I really liked the artwork in this volume, and the use which was made by illustrator Christine Roussoy of colour. Whilst this book has an important message at its heart - 'And thanks to little Simone, we now know that we're not born men or women - just special human beings with a life full of choices to make' - I did feel as though some of the prose throughout was a little too simplified. It seemed somehow briefer than the other books in the series which I have read. I must admit that I was a little disappointed with this one, and I had such high hopes for it.
November 30, 2018
This is another brilliant addition to this series – even as an adult I look out for the next book in the series being released. I love the images in this series and this is a delightful introduction to Simone de Beauvoir.
They are excellent introductions to some of the well-known, and less well-known, characters that have had a great impact in our lives through a variety of subjects such as literature, women’s rights and science.
4 stars from me for this one – a delightful read and one I will be highly recommending!!
They are excellent introductions to some of the well-known, and less well-known, characters that have had a great impact in our lives through a variety of subjects such as literature, women’s rights and science.
4 stars from me for this one – a delightful read and one I will be highly recommending!!
July 2, 2019
RATING: 4 STARS
2018; Quarto Publishing Group/Frances Lincoln Childrens
(Review Not on Blog)
(General series review) These are fabulous stories about great women and men in history (for the most part). The illustrations are so amazing, both for kids and adults. There is a brief history on the person that explains how this person contributed to history and matters
***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***
2018; Quarto Publishing Group/Frances Lincoln Childrens
(Review Not on Blog)
(General series review) These are fabulous stories about great women and men in history (for the most part). The illustrations are so amazing, both for kids and adults. There is a brief history on the person that explains how this person contributed to history and matters
***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***
October 22, 2018
I wish I had a little girl so that I could give her this book! It's a story of independence, openness, intelligence, gender freedom, and being strong-minded even when very young. Also the illustrations are lovely.
August 24, 2020
I NEED THIS ONE!!!
I love it!
Den dag jeg for børn! (fiktive børn) bliver det en del af pensum fra det øjneblik det er muligt!!!
love it!
de forskellige var ikke min farvorit!
men det er okay
I love it!
Den dag jeg for børn! (fiktive børn) bliver det en del af pensum fra det øjneblik det er muligt!!!
love it!
de forskellige var ikke min farvorit!
men det er okay
December 29, 2020
"The free woman is just being born."—Simone de Beauvoir
Entertaining introduction to the philosopher, exploring how her family and world helped shape her. Some parents (and perhaps some children) may object to a children's book that contains the question, "Does God exist?"
Entertaining introduction to the philosopher, exploring how her family and world helped shape her. Some parents (and perhaps some children) may object to a children's book that contains the question, "Does God exist?"
March 18, 2025
this was very educational! i love to learn
October 30, 2018
Simone de Beauvoir certainly is an interesting choice to be featured in the Little People Big Dreams series. The content and illustrations, as usual, are beautifully written and rendered. By focusing on the positive elements of Simone de Beauvoir, the book teaches children about the importance of education, never be afraid to be critical thinkers and be courageous to change our society a fairer, better place. By all means, de Beauvoir was such an innovative figure on feminism development.
But that's only as far I could go about loving the book.
As an adult, I could embrace and appreciate how Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre "lived their love story in their own unique way," but I am not all sure how I want to explain to my child about their uniqueness of courtship if he ever asks at his age. And don't forget de Beauvoir's controversial sex scandal with one of her students that eventually got her teaching licence revoked permanently. I have no reservation about de Beauvoir's contributions as a philosopher, a writer, a feminism advocate. Her name, I concur, should be introduced to younger generations, but probably not to children under age of 10. True, her personal past, though, had nothing to with de Beauvoir's accomplishments, but I strongly believe role models to young children in particular should be someone with positive images. To simply put, Simone de Beauvoir was too complex a person to be featured in a picture book for young children.
I enjoyed the book myself, but I probably won't include this addition to my child's personal library for at least few extra years.
But that's only as far I could go about loving the book.
As an adult, I could embrace and appreciate how Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre "lived their love story in their own unique way," but I am not all sure how I want to explain to my child about their uniqueness of courtship if he ever asks at his age. And don't forget de Beauvoir's controversial sex scandal with one of her students that eventually got her teaching licence revoked permanently. I have no reservation about de Beauvoir's contributions as a philosopher, a writer, a feminism advocate. Her name, I concur, should be introduced to younger generations, but probably not to children under age of 10. True, her personal past, though, had nothing to with de Beauvoir's accomplishments, but I strongly believe role models to young children in particular should be someone with positive images. To simply put, Simone de Beauvoir was too complex a person to be featured in a picture book for young children.
I enjoyed the book myself, but I probably won't include this addition to my child's personal library for at least few extra years.
October 4, 2018
Part of the "Little People, Big Dreams" series, this is the story of Simone de Beauvoir. The authors have managed to portray the life of this great figure in a simple enough way for children to understand, yet beautiful enough to love. The illustrations accompanying Simone's story are charming and a very good fit to the overall presentation.
This is definitely a book you will want children to get familiar with. However, it is also very enjoyable to adults,. A read-along with parents would be a very good idea! Definitely recommended for children.
This is definitely a book you will want children to get familiar with. However, it is also very enjoyable to adults,. A read-along with parents would be a very good idea! Definitely recommended for children.
October 5, 2018
I love this story of a little girl with a big mind. Even though she knew that she didn't need a man, she found one who "...was not just her soul mate, he was her mind mate, too!"
Yeah, my heart is melting. They didn't marry but had their own love story.
What a powerful story of a young girl who grew into a thoughtful woman.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Yeah, my heart is melting. They didn't marry but had their own love story.
What a powerful story of a young girl who grew into a thoughtful woman.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 23, 2018
This is a really great little biography of Simone de Beauvoir for young readers - some of the concepts might be a little difficult for them to immediately grasp, but it's an excellent introduction to pique their interest and start establishing some sense of history. The art, too, is just fantastic.
February 24, 2019
מקסים!
May 25, 2023
Muy buen acercamiento con la vida de Simone, obvio pensando que el libro es infantil.
Aún así, yo que tengo curiosidad por el trabajo de la autora la verdad es que no me he atrevido a leerla, un poco por el miedo a no entenderla. Pero con este libro me sentí más cercana a ella, la sentí más humana fuera de la idea que tengo yo de ella como símbolo del feminismo.
Espero pronto poder conocer su libros de forma directa.
Aún así, yo que tengo curiosidad por el trabajo de la autora la verdad es que no me he atrevido a leerla, un poco por el miedo a no entenderla. Pero con este libro me sentí más cercana a ella, la sentí más humana fuera de la idea que tengo yo de ella como símbolo del feminismo.
Espero pronto poder conocer su libros de forma directa.
March 1, 2022
I’m honestly a little ashamed about how little I knew of the mother of feminism. I’ll need to get reading. I also suck at pronouncing her name, my kids enjoyed my struggle. And I love that my big one (8) is already outraged at women and other minority struggles. These little intro biographies are super important. It’s a chance to get started changing the world at a young age.
Read
April 19, 2024I hadn't heard of Simone de Beauvoir, but I had heard of her life partner, a man called Jean Paul Sartre. It is ironic considering she is known as the mother of feminism, and I have heard of the man before the woman. I would say that the book made relevant points towards the idea of feminism and having choice, ie that she never married, but I feel that it may again be too subtle for the target audience.
April 30, 2020
I've often heard her name, but never really knew who she was. I'm definitely going to need to read her works.
October 6, 2018
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Simone de Beauvoir is a new young reader book in the series Little People, Big Dreams. Written by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara and illustrated by Christine Roussey, it was released 2nd Oct, 2018 by Quarto publishing Frances Lincoln imprint. Aimed at younger readers, it's 32 pages, perfect for a storytime or classroom circle read. It's available in ebook and hardcover formats.
This series is really amazing for its accessibility and charm. These are profoundly important people who have lived through and experienced deeply difficult lives while affecting billions of people past and present. How do you take hugely important peoples' biographies and condense them down into a digestible and appealing format for very young children (and their caregivers)? I wouldn't have the first glimmer of a clue where to even start. The author of the books starts at the subjects' childhoods and moves on to their later lives and experiences.
This particular book and the artist's finesse with settings and postures/expressions is pure charm. Her drawings of Sartre were instantly recognizable and adorable (I giggled out loud) but still managed to convey respect for the subject. Major kudos.
I really love all of these books I've read and reviewed and recommend this one unreservedly. In addition to the biography, there is a short additional bibliography/suggested reading list included at the end of the book.
Lovely book! Five stars
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
Simone de Beauvoir is a new young reader book in the series Little People, Big Dreams. Written by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara and illustrated by Christine Roussey, it was released 2nd Oct, 2018 by Quarto publishing Frances Lincoln imprint. Aimed at younger readers, it's 32 pages, perfect for a storytime or classroom circle read. It's available in ebook and hardcover formats.
This series is really amazing for its accessibility and charm. These are profoundly important people who have lived through and experienced deeply difficult lives while affecting billions of people past and present. How do you take hugely important peoples' biographies and condense them down into a digestible and appealing format for very young children (and their caregivers)? I wouldn't have the first glimmer of a clue where to even start. The author of the books starts at the subjects' childhoods and moves on to their later lives and experiences.
This particular book and the artist's finesse with settings and postures/expressions is pure charm. Her drawings of Sartre were instantly recognizable and adorable (I giggled out loud) but still managed to convey respect for the subject. Major kudos.
I really love all of these books I've read and reviewed and recommend this one unreservedly. In addition to the biography, there is a short additional bibliography/suggested reading list included at the end of the book.
Lovely book! Five stars
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
March 15, 2019
Simone de Beauvoir is book in the Little People, Big Dreams series and is a children's picture book written by Isabel Sánchez Vegara and illustrated by Christine Roussey. It is a cursory biography of Simone de Beauvoir from her childhood in France to her becoming a prominent French writer, philosopher, and activist.
March, at least in my part of the world is Women's History Month, which I plan to read one children's book, particularly a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.
Simone Lucie Ernestine Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir was a French writer, intellectual, existentialist philosopher, political activist, feminist, and social theorist. Though she did not consider herself a philosopher, she had a significant influence on both feminist existentialism and feminist theory.
Vegara's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. It starts off with a young Simon de Beauvoir who grew up privileged in France with her parents, younger sister, and servants, who was extremely intelligent as a child and would one day become a philosopher that change the landscape of women everywhere. At the end, there is a concise and informative biography timeline of Simone de Beauvoir's life. Roussey's illustrations are drawn well, albeit a tad simplistic, but depicted the narrative rather well and apropos to the target audience.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It depicts Simone de Beauvoir's extravagant and privileged life in France. She devoured books as a child and was extremely intelligent – so much so that her father proclaimed her as smart as any boy. Years later, she wrote a book which challenged the roles of traditional women, which sent shockwaves around the world.
All in all, Simone de Beauvoir is a wonderful biography of a little girl that dared to dream big, sacrificed much, and worked hard to accomplish those dreams and became one of the France's noteworthy existentialist philosophers – Simone de Beauvoir.
March, at least in my part of the world is Women's History Month, which I plan to read one children's book, particularly a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.
Simone Lucie Ernestine Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir was a French writer, intellectual, existentialist philosopher, political activist, feminist, and social theorist. Though she did not consider herself a philosopher, she had a significant influence on both feminist existentialism and feminist theory.
Vegara's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. It starts off with a young Simon de Beauvoir who grew up privileged in France with her parents, younger sister, and servants, who was extremely intelligent as a child and would one day become a philosopher that change the landscape of women everywhere. At the end, there is a concise and informative biography timeline of Simone de Beauvoir's life. Roussey's illustrations are drawn well, albeit a tad simplistic, but depicted the narrative rather well and apropos to the target audience.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It depicts Simone de Beauvoir's extravagant and privileged life in France. She devoured books as a child and was extremely intelligent – so much so that her father proclaimed her as smart as any boy. Years later, she wrote a book which challenged the roles of traditional women, which sent shockwaves around the world.
All in all, Simone de Beauvoir is a wonderful biography of a little girl that dared to dream big, sacrificed much, and worked hard to accomplish those dreams and became one of the France's noteworthy existentialist philosophers – Simone de Beauvoir.
December 29, 2018
This edition in the Little People, Big Dreams series by Isabel Sanchez Vegara introduces children to the life of Simone de Beauvoir, (known best as the mother of feminism) in the form of a picture book.
If you follow my blog, you already know how much I love this series. Love. Love. Love. And I truly appreciate introducing historical women who have changed the world or left an indelible footprint on it. In particular, I love the introduction of strong, intelligent, independent women like Simone de Beauvoir, who arguably paved some of the foundational pieces of the women’s movement. However, I felt this particular book didn’t go quite deep enough. While I appreciate that the intended audience is children, there has to be enough information to impress upon the reader why this particular woman was important. It does very little good to introduce children to the most important feminist in history if you don’t first explain feminism and why it’s important. I believe this can be accomplished in a manner that is appropriate for children, but that didn’t happen here.
Despite that bit of disappointment, her independent lifestyle, academic pursuits, and social activism are all discussed in the book and she is certainly a worthwhile figure to introduce to children.
Not my favorite in this series, but still worth a read.
Note: I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I pride myself on writing fair and honest reviews.
If you follow my blog, you already know how much I love this series. Love. Love. Love. And I truly appreciate introducing historical women who have changed the world or left an indelible footprint on it. In particular, I love the introduction of strong, intelligent, independent women like Simone de Beauvoir, who arguably paved some of the foundational pieces of the women’s movement. However, I felt this particular book didn’t go quite deep enough. While I appreciate that the intended audience is children, there has to be enough information to impress upon the reader why this particular woman was important. It does very little good to introduce children to the most important feminist in history if you don’t first explain feminism and why it’s important. I believe this can be accomplished in a manner that is appropriate for children, but that didn’t happen here.
Despite that bit of disappointment, her independent lifestyle, academic pursuits, and social activism are all discussed in the book and she is certainly a worthwhile figure to introduce to children.
Not my favorite in this series, but still worth a read.
Note: I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I pride myself on writing fair and honest reviews.
October 5, 2018
I really liked this book and how it shines a spotlight on yet another important, though slightly controversial, figure like Simone de Beauvoir.
It can't have been easy to bring her life's story down to a level that is appropriate and understandable for little children. I think the author did a great job at a challenging task, though I would have liked there to have been a bit more focus on her feminism and a better explanation of why her books and point of view were so groundbreaking and thought-provoking for society at that time.
The drawings are adorable and exude a whimsy and innocence that is very appealing to children and adults alike. I love that the illustrations seem somewhat unfinished at times, like a typical (though talented) child's drawing, with parts of the figures and background seemingly colored in with bright crayons and other parts just decorated with simple lines in a thin black marker.
I love the Little People, Big Dreams series! It's inspired and necessary, even in this day and age.
It can't have been easy to bring her life's story down to a level that is appropriate and understandable for little children. I think the author did a great job at a challenging task, though I would have liked there to have been a bit more focus on her feminism and a better explanation of why her books and point of view were so groundbreaking and thought-provoking for society at that time.
The drawings are adorable and exude a whimsy and innocence that is very appealing to children and adults alike. I love that the illustrations seem somewhat unfinished at times, like a typical (though talented) child's drawing, with parts of the figures and background seemingly colored in with bright crayons and other parts just decorated with simple lines in a thin black marker.
I love the Little People, Big Dreams series! It's inspired and necessary, even in this day and age.
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