Paris (and Giveaways!), Je t'aime!

Before you learn about this special Valentine's giveaway, take a look at the book that inspired this post:

With St. Valentine's Day just around the corner, I was looking for a good "love story" to feature on my blog.  Of course, finding a good children's book about love is not particularly difficult.  The titles are abundant and diverse.  But I was looking for something truly special and unique, not necessarily about romantic love, but more of a love based in friendship.  I came across the perfect story, and after reading it, I can hardly wait to share it with you...

Kiki and Coco in Paris is the title I'm showcasing today.  Have you read it?  It is a positively charming story about a girl named Kiki and her adventure with her doll Coco as they travel together to Paris.  In addition to capturing the sweet love story a girl shares with her best-loved doll, the book features engaging and colorful photographs set on over-sized pages.  The pages are eye-catchingly bright, and remind me of the I SPY books my kids loved for years and years.  It's rare to find such wonderful photography in a children's book.  Author Nina Gruener's sweet and simple words are the perfect compliment to Stephanie Rausser's photographic chronicle of her trip to Paris with her daughter, Kiki.  And of course, don't forget Coco--the chic Jess Brown doll who travels with Kiki on her Parisian adventure.  

So why did I choose this as a Valentine story?  Well, first of all, the story takes place in Paris--the city of love...

...captured by photos so vivid, they'll take you and your child on a journey straight there!  

When I homeschooled my children, I would always make Valentine's Day a special holiday--we would enjoy a red and pink breakfast, make Valentines, read the story of St. Valentine, and my kids would receive small gifts (I know my daughter would've loved this book)!  I was reminded of this in the book...

...and also of a breakfast I enjoyed with my husband when we went to visit my daughter and son-in-law during their 8-month stay in Paris!  

Our own Parisian breakfast...

Complete with a cafe, mmm!

I also found the sweet relationship of Kiki and Coco so endearing!!  They share many special moments together, as any girl who has a best-loved doll can tell you.  And they truly love each other...

...as you'll see throughout the book, but especially on this last spread.

What a treasure!!  Boys and girls alike will relate with the story of a child and her best-loved playmate.  And if you have a child interested in traveling, or you want them to become more interested, please give this book a try.  You will not be disappointed!  

ON TO THE GIVEAWAY... (now closed)

And while we're on the subject of Paris, I have some goodies to share!!  I've partnered with Galison/Mudpuppy for a fabulous giveaway for two of their adorable products!  One lucky winner will receive...

Sweet and colorful French-English flash cards
will help your child to learn 26 new words!
I think that's tres bien, don't you!!??

These adorable Paris-themed mini Sticky Notes will brighten anyone's day!
I'm sure you can find many uses for them, but I think I'd
use them to mark favorite quotations in my favorite books!!  

All you have to do is comment on this post to be entered into the drawing.  (now closed) It's that simple!!!  Comments left on this post through February 13th will be eligible for entry.  A winner will be chosen at random and announced on Valentine's day, February 14th!  Comments entered on Facebook posts or Pinterest will not be considered eligible for entry - just here on the blogpost.  *NOTE: I'm sorry to any readers from abroad,  but this drawing is for US residents only!!*

Finally, some parting (visual) thoughts: I came across this quick slideshow of Stephanie Rausser's photographs from her trip with Kiki (and Coco) to Paris.  Many of the images are featured in the book, but all of them are whimsical and playful!  Enjoy!!!

Curious George's Most Dramatic Adventure

Escape from Paris by Allan Drummond shows the Reys fleeing the city in 1940.

Courtesy Houghton Mifflin Company

Did you know that Curious George was originally known as "Fifi" and that he had a narrow escape from the Nazis with his creators -- on their bicycles??

May 16th marked the day Margret Rey was born to Jewish parents in Hamburg, Germany in 1906.  She is best known for co-creating the beloved Curious George books, illustrated by her husband Hans ("H.A.") Rey.  In 1935, her job as a reporter and advertising copywriter took her to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While there, she came in contact with Hans, also originally from Hamburg - whom she had met years before.

They married and moved to Paris, where their first children's book, Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys, was published in 1939.  In that story, one of the monkeys — "Jimmy, the brave monkey" — is standing next to his brother, Fifi.  It is Fifi who would later become known as "Curious George".

Margret and her husband were living in Paris when the Nazis invaded, and the couple fled the city on bicycles just hours before the German Army arrived. In their luggage was the manuscript of the first Curious George book. Eventually the Reys reached the United States, along with the unpublished story featuring their mischievous little monkey protagonist.

source

I've included a link to the fascinating interactive timeline: "Margaret and H.A. Ray's Life in Paris and Narrow Escape", here.

There is also a biography about the Reys, in picture book format, The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H. A. Rey, by Louise Borden and illustrated by Allan Drummond.  (You can click on Amazon's "Look Inside" feature to see inside the book.)

The Reys became naturalized citizens in 1946.  H.A. Rey died on August 26, 1977. The couple had been married for 42 years, but never had any children of their own. Margret continued with her career in writing after her husband's death. When she turned 90 in 1996, Margret gave $1 million to the Boston Public Library and its branches to improve their Children's Rooms. She also gave $1 million to Beth Israel Hospital for its Center for Alternative Medicine for Research, which studies nontraditional therapies. She died on December 21, 1996 in her home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

source: Greenville Public Library page

BEST CHILDREN'S BOOKS ABOUT ART & ARTISTS

Do you have a child who is interested in art?  Or should I ask:  do you want your child to be interested in art?  The are quite a few good children's books out there that will help foster a love and appreciation for well-known artists and their famous paintings.

ART APPRECIATION:

A Child's Book of Art: Great Pictures - First Words, selections by Lucy Micklethwait.  You may have to look at the library for this out-of-print large format book.  The selection of paintings is arranged by themes that even the youngest children can relate to:  Pets, Animals on the Farm, Birds, Fruit, Colors, Shapes, Seasons, Faces, the Five Senses, A time to Play, A Time to Eat, and so on.  From ancient to modern works, Micklethwait's selections feature children, actions scenes, and a vibrant palette.  (ages 3 and up).

How Artists See... (series), by Colleen Carroll.  This series focuses on an interactive, inquiry-based approach to art, as the author presents various artists' work, according to the theme of each book.  Each volume presents 16 painting.  The text is full of thought-provoking questions, as well as activities. Biographies of the artists presented are provided at the end of each book, as well as suggestions for further reading and an international list of museums where each artist's works can be found.  (TITLES IN HOW ARTISTS SEE...FAMILIES: Mother, Father, Sister, Brother ;  PLAY: Sports, Toys, Games, Imagination;  FEELINGS: Joy, Sadness, Fear, Love; ANIMALS: Mammal, Fish, Bird Reptile; THE WEATHER: Sun, Wind, Snow, Rain; HEROES: Myth, History, War, Everyday; CITIES: Streets, Buildings, Shops, Transportation)

ARTISTS:
Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists - series,  by Mike Venezia.  Some of the artists featured:  Da Vinci;  Michelangelo; Henri Matisse; Mary Cassatt; Rembrandt; Edgar Degas; Georges Seurat; Botticelli; Pierre Auguste Renoir; Monet. (grades 2 -5).  These are easy-to-read biographies of famous artists. Venezia's quirky cartoons of speculative events from the artists' lives are interspersed throughout the books.
Linnea in Monet's Garden, by Cristina Bjork, Lena Anderson, and Joan Sandin. (ages 7 and up).  Your child will feel like he/she is looking at Linnea's scrapbook of her trip to Monet's famous garden, in this creative book.   Sweet watercolor illustrations showing Linnea at Giverny, are juxtaposed with old fashioned photographs of Monet himself,  as Linnea shares, in her own words, her visit to see the famous water-lilies. There is also a biography of the artist, his family tree, and even a brief guide to Paris.
Katie Meets the Impressionists (series).  James Mayhew, author/illustrator. (ages 4-8)  In each book of this adorable series, Katie goes with her grandmother to visit a local art museum or gallery.  Your child will share lots of adventures with Katie, as she steps in and out of the paintings she and her grandmother encounter.  Each book ends with information about the artists that are highlighted.  (others in this series:  Katie and the Mona Lisa; Katie's Picture Show; Katie and the Spanish Princess; Katie's Sunday Afternoon; Katie and the British Artists; Katie and the Sunflowers.)

HANDS-ON ART:
Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters , by MaryAnn F. Kohl, Kim Solga.
Great American Artists for Kids: Hands-On Are Experiences in the Styles of Great American Masters by MaryAnn F. Kohl, Kim Solga.
Storybook Art: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of 100 Great Picture Book Illustrators by MaryAnn F. Kohl, Jean Potter.
Primary Art: It's the Process, Not the Product, by MaryAnn F. Kohl.
Preschool Art: It's the Process, Not the Product, by MaryAnn F. Kohl.
First Art: Art Experiences for Toddlers and Twos, by MaryAnn F. Kohl, Renee F. Ramsey, Dana Bowman, Katheryn Davis.
(Click here for MaryAnn's website, where you'll find her blog and several of her favorite links to other blogs about art projects for kids.)
Drawing with Children, by Mona Brookes.  This book will teach your children to draw what they actually see, not what they think something should look like!  For parents and teachers who want to help their children develop spatial awareness, see lines and shapes, and build artistic skills.  It's like having an art tutor... in a book.  (My kids and I had great results with this helpful teaching tool.)

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. ~Pablo Picasso

MOTHER MARIA OF PARIS, A BRAVE NUN

SILENT AS A STONE, by Jim Forest, is the story of Mother Maria Skobtsova who, with the aid of her son Yuri, helped rescue Jewish children in occupied France from the fate of extermination in WW II Nazi death camps.  Her plan?  To motivate Paris garbage collectors to hide the children in trash cans and smuggle them out of the city to safety! 

Children ages 7 and up will be captivated by the story of this brave nun.  (For parents and older children:  there is a lengthy Historical Note at the end of the book that has more information and some photos of Mother Maria during her lifetime, as well as the details of her death in the German concentration camp, Ravensbruck.  Mother Maria was recognized as a saint by the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in 2004.  Her day of remembrance is July 20th.)


“No amount of thought will ever result in any greater formulation than the three words, ‘Love one another,’ so long as it is love to the end and without exceptions.” - Mother Maria Skobtsova

TRAVEL TO PARIS WITHOUT EVER LEAVING YOUR HOME!

If your kids liked the movie RATATOUILLE, they'll like the picture book ANATOLE (written by Eve Titus, illustrated byPaul Galdone.) Anatole is a mouse who sneaks into the Duvall Cheese Factory to taste the cheese. He even leaves little notes, commenting on the quality of the cheese. Things begin to change for the better for the factory when his advice is followed...fun reading and great art in a classic Caldecott Honor book.

Also look for: ANATOLE AND THE CAT; ANATOLE AND THE PIED PIPER; ANATOLE AND THE PIANO; ANATOLE AND THE POODLE.

MADELINE (Caldecott Medal winner, by Ludwig Bemelmans) is a favorite of young girls and boys alike. Stanzas like "an old house in Paris that was covered in vines" and "twelve little girls in two straight lines" are appealing to kids not only because of the rhyme, but because of the order that is established. Then along comes Madeleine, the heroine and smallest of the girls, who proceeds to destroy that order with her impetuous mischief! There's also Miss Clavel, the nun who is constantly trying keep Madeleine out of trouble... and Pepito, the Spanish Ambassador's son from next door, who will make brothers want to listen in to their sister's "girl books"!

Also look for: MADELINE'S RESCUE (Caldecott winner); MADELINE'S CHRISTMAS; MADELINE AND THE BAD HAT; MADELINE AND THE GYPSIES; MADELINE IN LONDON.

THE HAPPY LION (by Louise Fatio, illustrated by Roger Duvoisin) is about a friendly lion in a small French zoo who enjoys the visits each day of the townspeople. See what happens when the zookeeper forgets to close the cage door.

Also look for: THE HAPPY LION ROARS

MONSIEUR SAGUETTE AND HIS BAGUETTE (by Frank Asch) is a silly story in which a baguette becomes the handy solution for impending disaster during Monsieur's very eventful walk home!

ADELE AND SIMON (by Barbara McClintock) Adele cautions her brother not to lose anything on their way home from school...well, you can guess what happens! Gorgeous illustrations of neighborhoods and landmarks bring to life a simple story, set in early 20th century Paris. Not to be missed! (Note: with careful searching each of Simon's lost items can be found!)