Babar's World Tour (Babar (Harry N. Abrams)) - Softcover

Laurent de Brunhoff has kept the spirit of Babar and his family alive for more than fifty years. Originating as a bedtime story told by Laurent's mother, Babar first came to life though the art of Laurent's father, Jean de Brunhoff, who produced seven books about the character. Laurent built on his father's work and created many adventures for the elephant family, giving the series new spirit though his use of line and colour.

Kindergarten-Grade 3–Babar and Queen Celeste decide to embark on a world tour with the children. They head to the airport and board Elephant One, equipped with a library and language CDs. The first stop is Italy, followed by Germany, Spain, and Russia, where they learn to say hello and a simple phrase in the host language. They move on to India, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, and across the Pacific to the Anasazi caves of the American Southwest, Machu Picchu in Peru, then across the Atlantic to Egypt. Here the story begins to feel like one of those 14 countries in 14 days package deals and readers, along with Babar's children, will get jet lagged. But they cannot forego Paris or Antarctica so they make two more stops before flying home. In contrast to the wild and unpredictable adventures in Jean de Brunhoff's The Travels of Babar (Random, 2002), this is a tame journey, with the elephants traveling in style and with a well-organized itinerary. Unfortunately, the adventure is lacking, and readers are dizzied by the pace of travel and will forget the foreign phrases. The illustrations are charming, classic Babar. Devoted fans might enjoy the continuation of the king's story. Stick with the originals.–Be Astengo, Alachua County Library, Gainesville, FL
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