Babar and His Children by Jean de Brunhoff (translated by Merle S. Haas).
Title: Babar and His Children.
Author: Jean de Brunhoff (translated by Merle S. Haas).
Genre: Fiction, children's lit, illustrated, animals.
Country: France.
Language: French.
Publication Date: 1938.
Summary: Such joy in Celesteville! Babar and Celeste have had triplets. The smallest, Alexander, has a knack for getting into predicaments. Between getting stuck in the treetops and being chased by a crocodile, he certainly keeps Babar on his toes, but the three grow up just as their parents would hope for them to.
My rating: 8.5/10
My review:
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One morning Babar said to Cornelius: "Old Friend, you who have been my constant companion through good times and bad, listen now to my wonderful news. Celeste, my wife, has just told me that she is expecting a baby."
Then, pointing to the footstool, he continued: "Here is a new hat for you and also a message I have just written to my subjects. Take it and read it to all the inhabitants of Celesteville."
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Babar is trying to read, but finds it difficult to concentrate; his thoughts are elsewhere. He tries to write, but again his thoughts wander. He is thinking of his wife and the little baby soon to be born. Will it be handsome and strong? Oh, how hard it is to wait for one's heart's desire!
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She smiles and proudly shows him three little baby elephants. ..But what a surprise to find tree babies when you only expected one!
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♥ "We'll simply ave to come to a decision about their names," says Celeste to Babar. "I'd like our daughter to be named Flora."
"I'd like that too," says Babar, "and as for the two boys, I think we might choose Pom and Alexander."
After having repeated Pom, Flora and Alexander in one voice, Babar and Celeste declare: "That's perfect. Let's keep these names."
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Flora is very good and lies in her cradle playing with the rattle which Cornelius gave her.
She throws it up in the air with her trunk. What a nice jingly noise it makes!
She puts it in her mouth and sucks it. What fun!
Suddenly, she doesn't quite know how, she swallows it.
She chokes, gets purple in the face, and her trunk trembles. Celeste ruses to her.
She grabs her, turns her upside down and shakes her. But still the rattle won't fall out.
Fortunately Zephir manages to pull it out with his hand.
Flora is saved, but she cries most bitterly. Her mother tries to comfort her.
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Arthur is very glad to be trusted and proudly pushes the carriage.
He pushes it twenty feet forward, then twenty feet back, and takes good care to avoid the stones. All of a sudden he hears the soldiers parading. As he turns around to watch them, he lets go of the pram. The path is slightly downgrade at this point, and the carriage begins to roll off by itself.
Pom, Flora and Alexander think this is very funny and laugh, but Arthur is frightened and runs after them. The grade gets steeper and steeper.
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The big flamingo brings back the crown and the hat. "Oh, thank you very much," says Babar. "The hat is slightly damp and out of shape. Cornelius, however, will be happy to have it back because it is an old keepsake."
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They are gradually calming down after all these exciting events.
"Truly it is not easy to bring up a family," sighs Babar. "But how nice the babies are! I wouldn't know how to get along without them any more."