Book Review #004 - 'The Little Prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry [1943]
Title: The Little Prince
Original Title: Le Petit Prince
Author: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Genre: Children's / Fantasy
First Published: France, 1943. Great Britain, 1945
Translator: Katherine Woods
Pages: 89
The Little Prince is a book I had heard of but never read. It was one of those titles mentioned whenever children's books were brought up in conversations or in online reviews and countdowns, and yet I had no idea what it was about. As a child, I had never been exposed to it.
Oh how I wish I had.
It's such a charming little book. My first experience with it was in Japanese, when I bought it from a Tsutaya store for 1000yen ($10/£7-ish) in hardcover. In Japanese it is known as both Le Petit Prince, from the original French title, and as 星の王子さま (ほしのおうじさま; hoshi no ouji-sama; The Prince of the Stars). I thought that as it was technically a children's book, it should be about my level in Japanese. I thought I would breeze through it. Alas, I was wrong.
For one thing, this is not a children's book per say. It is the kind of book that one assumes is for children given its surreal fantasy element and the accompanying illustrations, but it is a book that really speaks to all ages. It is written in such a way that it is more a book for older children to read or for parents to read with their children. Or for 21-year-old university students to read as they procrastinate so they don't have to write their literature essays on New Year's Day...
So, after attempting (and failing) to read it in Japanese, I thought I would be better off reading it in English first and knowing the storyline, so I could learn the Japanese equivalents in my second read-through. I used my Christmas money to buy some books from Waterstones, one of which was this sweet little tale.
It cost me £5.99 for the paperback, but I do think it is worth it, as the paper is high quality, slightly glossy and in full colour. Weirdly enough it is bigger than the hardback Japanese edition I own, but I think it is more due to the Japanese tendency for tiny books anyway.
So yes, I had bought it and discovered it was very pleasing to the eye and to the touch.
Opening it up, I was surprised at just how much text there was. I was still looking at it from the point of view that it is a children's book. I soon had to expel that view from my mind.
I read the first chapter and was blown away. It was then that i realised I had just fallen in love with this gem.
The story is a seemingly simple one. Our narrator is a pilot who had crash-landed his plane in the Sahara Desert. Whilst attempting to fix his plane, he encounters the Little Prince. This small, blonde-haired child is a traveller from a tiny star-planet who eventually becomes friends with the Pilot. The boy talks of his life on a tiny planet (actually known as Asteroid B-612) with nothing but three volcanoes (one inactive), shoots from the baobab trees (which he must pull up for fear they overtake the tiny rock on which he lives) and a rather proud talking rose. He also talks about his trips to visit other planets/asteroids and the characters he meets in his quest to find a friend.
One thing you get a strong sense of in this books is just how differently adults and children think. From the very first chapter it reminds an adult of their youth and curiosity, where as a child you would seek to find the answer for everything, imagination was key and the hypocrisies of adults were confusing.
It's very clever as the narrator is an adult who looks back and reflects on himself and on adulthood, after meeting the Little Prince, much like the adult reader does.
Children will delight in the story and the character of the Little Prince who is very much a child's protagonist. He is curious, yet slightly mysterious. He is honest, giving his opinion freely without worrying over offending someone. He is sweet and kind, and very rational. He grows and learns throughout the book, making friends and expanding his vocabulary with words adults like to say to sound smart!
I had a go at reading a couple of chapters aloud, just to see if it really was a good book for reading to children and it most definitely is. I amused myself by putting on voice and what with all the beautiful little illustrations accompanying the text, I think it is certainly ideal for reading to children.
Overall this book was a fantastic little read. Twenty-seven short chapters of whimsical fun, with lovable and eccentric characters, and a very touching ending. I challenge anyone to not be provoked into thought by this story, and I fail to see how someone could dislike such a charming tale.
I can see this being improved only by adding the 'nostalgia factor', which unfortunately, I am unable to experience.
I'm glad this was my first read of 2011. It's set me in positive spirits for the rest of the year!
Original Title: Le Petit Prince
Author: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Genre: Children's / Fantasy
First Published: France, 1943. Great Britain, 1945
Translator: Katherine Woods
Pages: 89
The Little Prince is a book I had heard of but never read. It was one of those titles mentioned whenever children's books were brought up in conversations or in online reviews and countdowns, and yet I had no idea what it was about. As a child, I had never been exposed to it.
Oh how I wish I had.
It's such a charming little book. My first experience with it was in Japanese, when I bought it from a Tsutaya store for 1000yen ($10/£7-ish) in hardcover. In Japanese it is known as both Le Petit Prince, from the original French title, and as 星の王子さま (ほしのおうじさま; hoshi no ouji-sama; The Prince of the Stars). I thought that as it was technically a children's book, it should be about my level in Japanese. I thought I would breeze through it. Alas, I was wrong.
For one thing, this is not a children's book per say. It is the kind of book that one assumes is for children given its surreal fantasy element and the accompanying illustrations, but it is a book that really speaks to all ages. It is written in such a way that it is more a book for older children to read or for parents to read with their children. Or for 21-year-old university students to read as they procrastinate so they don't have to write their literature essays on New Year's Day...
So, after attempting (and failing) to read it in Japanese, I thought I would be better off reading it in English first and knowing the storyline, so I could learn the Japanese equivalents in my second read-through. I used my Christmas money to buy some books from Waterstones, one of which was this sweet little tale.
It cost me £5.99 for the paperback, but I do think it is worth it, as the paper is high quality, slightly glossy and in full colour. Weirdly enough it is bigger than the hardback Japanese edition I own, but I think it is more due to the Japanese tendency for tiny books anyway.
So yes, I had bought it and discovered it was very pleasing to the eye and to the touch.
Opening it up, I was surprised at just how much text there was. I was still looking at it from the point of view that it is a children's book. I soon had to expel that view from my mind.
I read the first chapter and was blown away. It was then that i realised I had just fallen in love with this gem.
The story is a seemingly simple one. Our narrator is a pilot who had crash-landed his plane in the Sahara Desert. Whilst attempting to fix his plane, he encounters the Little Prince. This small, blonde-haired child is a traveller from a tiny star-planet who eventually becomes friends with the Pilot. The boy talks of his life on a tiny planet (actually known as Asteroid B-612) with nothing but three volcanoes (one inactive), shoots from the baobab trees (which he must pull up for fear they overtake the tiny rock on which he lives) and a rather proud talking rose. He also talks about his trips to visit other planets/asteroids and the characters he meets in his quest to find a friend.
One thing you get a strong sense of in this books is just how differently adults and children think. From the very first chapter it reminds an adult of their youth and curiosity, where as a child you would seek to find the answer for everything, imagination was key and the hypocrisies of adults were confusing.
It's very clever as the narrator is an adult who looks back and reflects on himself and on adulthood, after meeting the Little Prince, much like the adult reader does.
Children will delight in the story and the character of the Little Prince who is very much a child's protagonist. He is curious, yet slightly mysterious. He is honest, giving his opinion freely without worrying over offending someone. He is sweet and kind, and very rational. He grows and learns throughout the book, making friends and expanding his vocabulary with words adults like to say to sound smart!
I had a go at reading a couple of chapters aloud, just to see if it really was a good book for reading to children and it most definitely is. I amused myself by putting on voice and what with all the beautiful little illustrations accompanying the text, I think it is certainly ideal for reading to children.
Overall this book was a fantastic little read. Twenty-seven short chapters of whimsical fun, with lovable and eccentric characters, and a very touching ending. I challenge anyone to not be provoked into thought by this story, and I fail to see how someone could dislike such a charming tale.
I can see this being improved only by adding the 'nostalgia factor', which unfortunately, I am unable to experience.
I'm glad this was my first read of 2011. It's set me in positive spirits for the rest of the year!