The Little Prince: Reviews & Giveaway!

Another post, another…giveaway! Woohoo!

I am thrilled to be hosting a wonderful The Little Prince giveaway, courtesy of my friends at Raincoast Books!

Open to Canadian residents, ages 18 and up, one lucky person will have the chance to win their choice of one The Little Prince book (out of four options), along with a special The Little Prince Coloring Book. Read on for my thoughts on The Little Prince Family Storybook and Joann Sfar‘s graphic novel adaptation.

The Little Prince Family Storybook [Unabridged original text] (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Rediscover Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s universal masterpiece with original text and magnificent new illustrations created by masters of film animation. This wise and enchanting fable teaches the secret of what is really important in life.

Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince is regarded as one of the most widely read and widely admired translated works. Arguably Saint-Exupery’s most famous work, The Little Prince has been adapted, translated, and read for decades. Most recently adapted for film, The Little Prince is often considered an essential classic read for everyone.

A little back-story to my relationship with The Little Prince: My first reading of The Little Prince did not actually happen until my third year in undergraduate studies. It was assigned reading for a class in criminology, and, my dear readers, I must admit I was less than enthused. My experience was memorable in that I remember feeling so nonplussed by it.

Flash forward to some years later and this opportunity to read and review versions of That Work That Has Eluded Me comes up. Intrigued by the idea of a graphic novel version (‘Maybe I will like this!’) and attracted by the loveliness of the 2015 movie clips (‘This looks stunning!’), I charged ahead with my revisit. And this time readers, I was swept away by the story.

The Little Prince Family Storybook is, quite simply, beautiful. The large picture book format of this version allows for the new movie illustrations to radiate while still perfectly accompanying the unabridged text on the respective pages. Some of the larger spreads of illustrations are achingly beautiful (e.g. the Little Prince sitting with the fox)- and highlight the amazing detail and craftsmanship of the illustrations. As per the book (verso of title page): the ‘stop-motion animation used in the film, created by cutting and animating pieces of paper, sets the stage for a poetic reading of this timeless classic’. While undoubtedly a work that can be appreciated (and has been for years!) without animated illustrations, I find The Little Prince Family Storybook a truly lovely version that only serves to enhance and celebrate the richness of Saint-Exupery’s original creation.

 

The Little Prince Graphic Novel by Joann Sfar, adapted from the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince has earned millions of fans worldwide as an imaginative, dreamy study of the meaning of life.

How horrible to be a grown-up-they all seem to be needy, lonely, vain, or power-hungry. All the Little Prince cares about is being useful to the flower he’s left behind on his very small planet, with only a few thorns to protect her from the world. Sfar’s comic-book illustrations of the wide-eyed boy prince and disheveled pilot he encounters in the African desert are edgier than the original watercolors… and his style and humor work modern magic.

An inspiring gift to longtime fans or newcomers! There is always the question of whether this story is best suited for children or adults, but legions of admirers prove that it sits in the rarified air of literature that works both ways. “A worthy tribute that’s most worthy of its own share of applause.”- Booklist, starred review

Joann Sfar’s graphic novel adaption of The Little Prince is one that I read in a single sitting. With a captivating and unexpected illustrative style, I found myself engrossed in this version. With that sort of precisely imprecise…protean…kind of illustrative style that is mesmerizing, Sfar does wonders with capturing what I would argue to be the essential elements of Saint-Exupery’s story. Readers who are perhaps hesitant to try their hand at the original, or readers who adore reading in graphic novel format might really enjoy giving The Little Prince a go with this version. I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been to take something as known and respected as The Little Prince and convert to graphic novel format, but I would argue that Sfar does an incredible job here. Wonderfully done!

Read on for more and how to enter the giveaway…

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, translated by Richard Howard (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Available for the first time in an edition for young adults, Antoine de Saint Exupery’s classic story, The Little Prince, beloved by readers of all ages, comes to life in a format perfect for teen readers. I’m glad I was asked to be the ambassador for this book. I suspect you may find that something of the starry magic of this story stays with you, as it has with me.” – Gregory Maguire

“A lovely story which covers a poetic, yearning philosophy-not the sort of fable that can be tacked down neatly at its four corners but rather reflections on what are real matters of consequence.” -New York Times Book Review

At first glance, Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s 1943 classic The Little Prince-with its winsome illustrations of a boy prince and his tiny planet-appears to be a children’s fairy tale. It doesn’t take long, however, to discover that it speaks to readers of all ages. This pocket-sized edition, perfect for teens, features Saint-Exupery’s original full-color illustrations and the unabridged text, a reader’s guide, and a introduction by Gregory Maguire. Rediscover or share the magic!

The Little Prince Read-Aloud Storybook [Abridged Original Text] (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
The Little Prince, adapted for children and illustrated with the magnificent original images from the film. A book full of tenderness, designed to help youngsters discover the magic of the universal masterpiece by Saint-Exupery.

 

Giveaway Info:
The contest is open to Canadian residents only, and entrants must be aged 18 and up. The contest will run from March 17, 2016 until March 28, 2016. One winner will be randomly selected at the end of giveaway via Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond by emailing me at fabbookreviews[at]gmail[dot]com, confirming their name, their mailing address, and their giveaway prize pick. The Little Prince Coloring Book is included as a prize, along with the winner’s prize book pick. Raincoast Books is providing fulfillment of the prizes.

Enter by clicking on the following link to Rafflecopter and follow the instructions to enter:

Click here to enter the giveaway via Rafflecopter!

Updated March 31, 2016:

The giveaway is now closed!

Congratulations to new winning entry: JOY M.!

Thank you to everyone else who visited the post and participated!

I received copies of Joann Sfar’s graphic novel and The Little Prince Family Storybook from Raincoast Books in exchange for an honest review and for the purposes of this giveaway. Thank you! Opinions and comments regarding the titles are my own. Prizes provided by Raincoast Books.