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Adèle & Simon #1
Adèle & Simon
When Simon's older sister, Ad�le, picks him up from school, he has his hat and gloves and scarf and sweater, his coat and knapsack and books and crayons, and a drawing of a cat he made that morning. Ad�le makes Simon promise to try not to lose anything. But as they make their way home, distractions cause Simon to leave something behind at every stop. What will they tell their mother?
Detailed pen-and-ink drawings - filled with soft watercolors - make a game of this unforgettable tour through the streets and scenes of early-twentieth-century Paris. Illustrated endpapers extend the fun by replicating a 1907 Baedeker map of Paris.
Adèle & Simon is a 2006 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year and a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Detailed pen-and-ink drawings - filled with soft watercolors - make a game of this unforgettable tour through the streets and scenes of early-twentieth-century Paris. Illustrated endpapers extend the fun by replicating a 1907 Baedeker map of Paris.
Adèle & Simon is a 2006 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year and a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
36 pages, Hardcover
First published September 5, 2006
3 people are currently reading
482 people want to read
About the author
Barbara McClintock
59 books90 followersBarbara McClintock is the author and illustrator of books for children.
Her books have won 4 New York Times Best Books awards, a New York Times Notable Book citation, a Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor award, numerous other awards, recommended/best book lists, and starred reviews. Her books have been made into children's videos, a ballet/opera, and a recorded books on tape.
Barbara drew constantly as a child. By the time she was seven, she knew she would be an artist when she grew up. Her older sister recommended she be a childrens' book illustrator, and this proved to be a rare instance when she followed her sister's advice. Barbara also wanted to be a cat when she grew up, and is glad she had art as a back up plan.
The first part of Barbara's growing up was in Clinton, NJ. Her early influences were her photographer father, seamstress/teacher mother, and the cartoon character Top Cat.
Barbara moved to North Dakota when she was 9 with her mother and sister after her parents divorced. She continued to draw through middle and high school, frequently in the margins of her tests and homework.
Barbara attended Jamestown College in North Dakota, where she refined her drawing skills by copying pictures in artbooks she checked out of her college library.
Two weeks after her 20th birthday, Barbara moved to New York City to begin her career on the recommendation of Maurice Sendak, whon she called from North Dakota for advice about how to become a children's book illustrator.
Barbara studied for two months at the Art Student's League in New York City. She continued to copy from art books she checked out of libraries, and sketched paintings and drawings in museums in New York City. Barbara is essentially self-taught as an artist/illustrator.
After illustrating books written by other authors, Barbara began writing as well as producing the artwork for her own books.
She currently lives in rural Connectucut with the illustrator David A. Johnson, their cats Pip and Emma, and David's truly gorgeous rose garden.
Her books have won 4 New York Times Best Books awards, a New York Times Notable Book citation, a Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor award, numerous other awards, recommended/best book lists, and starred reviews. Her books have been made into children's videos, a ballet/opera, and a recorded books on tape.
Barbara drew constantly as a child. By the time she was seven, she knew she would be an artist when she grew up. Her older sister recommended she be a childrens' book illustrator, and this proved to be a rare instance when she followed her sister's advice. Barbara also wanted to be a cat when she grew up, and is glad she had art as a back up plan.
The first part of Barbara's growing up was in Clinton, NJ. Her early influences were her photographer father, seamstress/teacher mother, and the cartoon character Top Cat.
Barbara moved to North Dakota when she was 9 with her mother and sister after her parents divorced. She continued to draw through middle and high school, frequently in the margins of her tests and homework.
Barbara attended Jamestown College in North Dakota, where she refined her drawing skills by copying pictures in artbooks she checked out of her college library.
Two weeks after her 20th birthday, Barbara moved to New York City to begin her career on the recommendation of Maurice Sendak, whon she called from North Dakota for advice about how to become a children's book illustrator.
Barbara studied for two months at the Art Student's League in New York City. She continued to copy from art books she checked out of libraries, and sketched paintings and drawings in museums in New York City. Barbara is essentially self-taught as an artist/illustrator.
After illustrating books written by other authors, Barbara began writing as well as producing the artwork for her own books.
She currently lives in rural Connectucut with the illustrator David A. Johnson, their cats Pip and Emma, and David's truly gorgeous rose garden.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
November 15, 2008
4.5 stars. What a delight! I absolutely love McClintock's artwork; it really made the book shine. The story is cute, but nothing remarkable--I think it's more a foundation for the glorious artwork (which was, for me, the whole focus of the story). I would have loved this book as a kid because in each time Simon loses something (cat picture, glove, other glove, scarf, hat, sweater) you can find it somewhere in the picture. Also, the tale is set in Paris, which is really neat—Adele and Simon visit art museums, natural history museums, walk by Notre Dame cathedral. Brilliant! :-)
May 5, 2009
An older sister's struggle to shepherd her careless younger brother home from school provides the excuse for a pictoral tour of fin-de-siecle Paris. McClintock's illustrations are, as always, beautiful, charming, and detailed -- there's almost too much to see on many pages! With kids I would plan on reading it multiple times because I suspect most won't have the patience to look at all the illustrations closely in one go, but there are lots of great details for them to notice on subsequent readings.
February 4, 2017
This is an exceptionally good picture book that can be appreciated on so many different levels.
I adore this book and I’m so happy that I can immediately read Adèle & Simon in America because I borrowed them from the library on the same day.
The illustrations are so interesting and intricate. I really loved them. I really enjoyed all the dogs & cats that make an appearance.
The story is a lot of fun. It’s about a sister who picks up her younger brother from school, and as they walk through early twentieth century Paris, the little boy manages to lose many of his possessions.
The reader/listener can read the simple story with the terrific ending and enjoy just it; it’s wonderful just on its own.
They can also search for Simon’s many lost items, which are hidden (a la Where's Waldo? but much more interesting!) on every page, and it’s a bit of a challenge to find some of them, so the search is fun.
They also have the opportunity to learn about early twentieth century Parisian culture, art, music, etc.
At the end of the book, some Paris history and information is given for each corresponding page of this picture book.
Everyone, of different ages and areas of interest, will be able to appreciate this beautiful book. This is a new favorite book of mine.
And it’s funny too!
And, there's a map of early twentieth century map of Paris too, in the inside front and back covers. I love maps in books!
I adore this book and I’m so happy that I can immediately read Adèle & Simon in America because I borrowed them from the library on the same day.
The illustrations are so interesting and intricate. I really loved them. I really enjoyed all the dogs & cats that make an appearance.
The story is a lot of fun. It’s about a sister who picks up her younger brother from school, and as they walk through early twentieth century Paris, the little boy manages to lose many of his possessions.
The reader/listener can read the simple story with the terrific ending and enjoy just it; it’s wonderful just on its own.
They can also search for Simon’s many lost items, which are hidden (a la Where's Waldo? but much more interesting!) on every page, and it’s a bit of a challenge to find some of them, so the search is fun.
They also have the opportunity to learn about early twentieth century Parisian culture, art, music, etc.
At the end of the book, some Paris history and information is given for each corresponding page of this picture book.
Everyone, of different ages and areas of interest, will be able to appreciate this beautiful book. This is a new favorite book of mine.
And it’s funny too!
And, there's a map of early twentieth century map of Paris too, in the inside front and back covers. I love maps in books!
January 4, 2020
Barbara McClintock's Adèle & Simon - a charming picture-book in which a young brother and sister make their way home through early twentieth-century Paris - has been popping up on my online friends' updates rather frequently of late, always accompanied by rave reviews. That being so, I thought I'd better see what I've been missing - after all, I can take a hint! Sometimes, anyway...
As others have observed, this is a book that functions on a number of different levels: as a cityscape and travelogue, a warmhearted examination of sibling dynamics (with Simon so absent-minded, and Adèle so impatient), and a "hunt and find" puzzle book, in which lost items can be located in the intensely detailed illustrations. It is a testament to McClintock's skill as author and artist that she succeeds on all three levels at once, creating an entertaining little gem!
I enjoyed seeing the many sights of Paris, hunting for Simon's lost possessions on each two-page spread, and noting the many little visual details, from the autumn colors, to the subtle tribute to Ludwig Bemelmans' classic Madeline , in the scene set at the Jardin des Plantes. I can't say that I recognized the famous artists who come to the childrens' aid during my first read, but had fun going back and trying to pick them out. All in all, a wonderful little book - another winner from McClintock!
As others have observed, this is a book that functions on a number of different levels: as a cityscape and travelogue, a warmhearted examination of sibling dynamics (with Simon so absent-minded, and Adèle so impatient), and a "hunt and find" puzzle book, in which lost items can be located in the intensely detailed illustrations. It is a testament to McClintock's skill as author and artist that she succeeds on all three levels at once, creating an entertaining little gem!
I enjoyed seeing the many sights of Paris, hunting for Simon's lost possessions on each two-page spread, and noting the many little visual details, from the autumn colors, to the subtle tribute to Ludwig Bemelmans' classic Madeline , in the scene set at the Jardin des Plantes. I can't say that I recognized the famous artists who come to the childrens' aid during my first read, but had fun going back and trying to pick them out. All in all, a wonderful little book - another winner from McClintock!
December 13, 2008
A cute story about brother and sister Simon and Adele making their way home from school. Simon looses something (hat, scarf, book) at each place the siblings stop on their way home (museums, parks, parades). The story is sweet and the pictures are charming. You can find each missing item in the pictures (great for visual children) and in the back of the book is some information on the various places the children stop (the book is set in Paris, so that adds another charming dynamic).
While it's not an incredibly detailed story, it is fun and entirely worth the read.:)
While it's not an incredibly detailed story, it is fun and entirely worth the read.:)
April 18, 2018
Such a sweet story. Loved the whimsical illustrations, too.
My Rating: 5 stars
My Rating: 5 stars
January 26, 2021
This was a charming book! A sibling pair makes their way through beautiful scenes of Paris. The little brother systematically loses all of his belongings making this a unique and fun seek-and-find book. I especially loved that the illustrator included a key at the back with the specific historical landmarks that were on each page so we could talk through them as a family. A wonderful way to continue our studies of France! 🇫🇷
December 23, 2023
5 stars. This is one of my favourite picture books ever, and my siblings all adore it as well! The story is so well done and engaging and humorous, and the illustrations match it perfectly. Even though we’ve read it dozens of times, the pictures still engage us. And the characters are so sweet! Really, one of the best look-and-find books ever. I also love the notes at the back of the book about the illustrations and historical facts!
August 10, 2022
A lovely picture book of early 20th century Paris. Adèle and her younger brother Simon spend an afternoon in Paris, as Simon progressively loses his belongings. She is quite the longsuffering elder sister, but this is not a didactic book about the virtues of keeping up with one's belongings. Instead, it is a child's-eye tour of a Paris gone by. McClintock's illustrations are gorgeous as always, and very appealing to study. Simon's gloves, hat, crayons, et c. are not too hard to find on each page, and it is fun to look for them. The final page contains details about the locations of the illustrations and even more Easter eggs. Instead of Parisian sights being the centerpiece of her work, McClintock focuses on people, and casually displays the wonders of the city. It was nice to see Paris from a native child's perspective rather than a tourist's. I loved the use of a vintage map as the endpapers, charting the children's route from school to home and their adventures along the way.
Recommended for learning about life in the city, and for those who enjoy seek-and-find artwork.
Recommended for learning about life in the city, and for those who enjoy seek-and-find artwork.
June 28, 2015
Great combination of a find-the-hidden-thing book with the geography of Paris. Better still are the connections made in the end notes that make even more connections with history, art, etc.
February 3, 2017
A simple, sweet plot. Gorgeous drawings of Paris scenes. Totally missed the "seek and find" part of this book. Loved it.
November 3, 2019
2019 Book Challenge #20: Read a Book by an Author New to You
Technically, I don't think I've read any of Barbara McClintock's books. I think I've read books that she has illustrated though.
This book's illustrations were beautiful, and I enjoyed the information at the end about the artwork and locations used in the story.
Technically, I don't think I've read any of Barbara McClintock's books. I think I've read books that she has illustrated though.
This book's illustrations were beautiful, and I enjoyed the information at the end about the artwork and locations used in the story.
December 8, 2021
This was such a funny and delightful book about two siblings walking home from school and all the things they see and lose on their way home. The pictures are so fantastic and detailed. You could look at them and find something new each time you read the book.
August 21, 2018
This series is excellent. My kids ate them up.
August 26, 2018
This was a fun book with great illustrations. A great tour of Paris.
September 26, 2023
If you love Where’s Waldo, Kate and the Impressionists and Madeline, this is an excellent book for you!
August 15, 2011
Adèle & Simon by Barbara McClintock is a beautiful and successful combination of a "search and find" book, a travelogue of old Paris, and a look at a sibling relationship.
When Adèle picks up her brother Simon from school, he still has his hat, gloves, scarf, sweater, coat, knapsack, books, crayons, and a drawing of a cat he made that morning. Although Adèle makes Simon promise to try not to lose anything, distractions cause Simon to leave something behind at every stop on their way home.
The sibling relationship features a very absent-minded, easily distracted Simon and his responsible, impatient older sister Adèle. The two wander early twentieth century Paris, encountering famous places and people throughout the city. Hidden among the detailed illustrations are the personal items that Simon misplaces.
The simple text describes the travels of the two siblings through Paris as one item after another is misplaced. Endnotes reveal the meticulous research of the author with details about each location shown throughout the book, identifying people and places, and their significance.
McClintock's pen-and-ink drawings, filled with soft watercolors, are detailed and gorgeous. They illustrate many famous places in early twentieth century Paris, including the Samaritaine department store, an old Paris street market, the Jardin des Plantes gardens, the gallery of paleontology in the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, the Metro station at St-Michel, the Jardin du Luxembourg, the Musique de la Garde band, The Lourve, the Maison Cador tea salon, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Cour de Rohan neighborhood. Many of the arrangements of figures within the illustrations are based on the work of French artists, including Honore Daumier, Eugene Atget, and Edouard Vuillard.
Included are appealing details such as cats, kittens and dogs, an organ grinder and monkey, a marching band, sweets, an ode to Madeleine, and acrobats, a sword swallower and jugglers. Illustrated endpapers replicate a 1907 Baedeker map of Paris, showing the spots where Simon loses his posessions.
It's a fantastic book that can be appreciated on many different levels, and which deserves to be in every school and public library collection. The story can be extended with geography and art activities.
For ages 4 and up, Francophiles, Paris, art, architecture, history, and fans of Barbara McClintock.
When Adèle picks up her brother Simon from school, he still has his hat, gloves, scarf, sweater, coat, knapsack, books, crayons, and a drawing of a cat he made that morning. Although Adèle makes Simon promise to try not to lose anything, distractions cause Simon to leave something behind at every stop on their way home.
The sibling relationship features a very absent-minded, easily distracted Simon and his responsible, impatient older sister Adèle. The two wander early twentieth century Paris, encountering famous places and people throughout the city. Hidden among the detailed illustrations are the personal items that Simon misplaces.
The simple text describes the travels of the two siblings through Paris as one item after another is misplaced. Endnotes reveal the meticulous research of the author with details about each location shown throughout the book, identifying people and places, and their significance.
McClintock's pen-and-ink drawings, filled with soft watercolors, are detailed and gorgeous. They illustrate many famous places in early twentieth century Paris, including the Samaritaine department store, an old Paris street market, the Jardin des Plantes gardens, the gallery of paleontology in the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, the Metro station at St-Michel, the Jardin du Luxembourg, the Musique de la Garde band, The Lourve, the Maison Cador tea salon, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Cour de Rohan neighborhood. Many of the arrangements of figures within the illustrations are based on the work of French artists, including Honore Daumier, Eugene Atget, and Edouard Vuillard.
Included are appealing details such as cats, kittens and dogs, an organ grinder and monkey, a marching band, sweets, an ode to Madeleine, and acrobats, a sword swallower and jugglers. Illustrated endpapers replicate a 1907 Baedeker map of Paris, showing the spots where Simon loses his posessions.
It's a fantastic book that can be appreciated on many different levels, and which deserves to be in every school and public library collection. The story can be extended with geography and art activities.
For ages 4 and up, Francophiles, Paris, art, architecture, history, and fans of Barbara McClintock.
August 11, 2017
Though the narrative is fairly simple and predictable, what really highlights this book are the gorgeous illustrations of the neighborhoods and famous landmarks around Paris (only missing the Eiffel Tower.)
The relationship between the young boy and his sister is fairly realistic (although they are a bit young to be wandering the city on their own!) and the story is humorous.
We really enjoyed searching for the lost items, which are found on each page. Great book to read aloud and wonderful information about each illustration in the back (mainly for parents.)
This book was featured as one of the selections for the August 2011 Maps and Geography themed books for the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books group here at Goodreads.
The relationship between the young boy and his sister is fairly realistic (although they are a bit young to be wandering the city on their own!) and the story is humorous.
We really enjoyed searching for the lost items, which are found on each page. Great book to read aloud and wonderful information about each illustration in the back (mainly for parents.)
This book was featured as one of the selections for the August 2011 Maps and Geography themed books for the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books group here at Goodreads.
November 12, 2010
It's shameful that it's taken me this long to figure out the allure of Barbara McClintock's illustrations. We have several of her books on our shelf, and finally, with Adele and Simon, I've figured it out. Her round-faced, thick-eyebrowed children are every bit mischievous and enchanting, exasperating and magical as, oh, say, the child who is listening to me read the story. No wonder it's a most-requested bedtime book.
This book is beautiful. Just beautiful. And as if the premise and illustrations aren't lovely enough, it's also a seek-and-find book! Like Mary and the Mouse, The Mouse and Mary , it's so detail-oriented that it probably does not lend itself as a read-aloud for a larger group. But it is an excellent cuddle time book.
This book is beautiful. Just beautiful. And as if the premise and illustrations aren't lovely enough, it's also a seek-and-find book! Like Mary and the Mouse, The Mouse and Mary , it's so detail-oriented that it probably does not lend itself as a read-aloud for a larger group. But it is an excellent cuddle time book.
June 27, 2022
A standout picture book set in Paris in the early 1900s. Adele walks her little brother Simon home from school, and along the way, he loses items. Each item is hidden somewhere in the detailed illustrations that give the reader a tour of historic Paris. At the end, the author gives a brief history of the places they visit, and a 1907 map on the endpapers traces their route.
There are some fun little Easter eggs hidden in the pictures, like Madeline and her schoolmates, in two straight lines, walking in the park, or famous French artists Edgar Degas and Mary Cassatt helping to search the Louvre for Simon’s lost crayons.
The beautiful illustrations, combined with all these thoughtful details and extras make this a 5 Star book to me.
There are some fun little Easter eggs hidden in the pictures, like Madeline and her schoolmates, in two straight lines, walking in the park, or famous French artists Edgar Degas and Mary Cassatt helping to search the Louvre for Simon’s lost crayons.
The beautiful illustrations, combined with all these thoughtful details and extras make this a 5 Star book to me.
January 10, 2009
Pen and ink illustration fit perfectly with this tale of a girl and her younger brother walking home from school in 1907 Paris. The story begins with Adele picking up Simon from school and an inventory of what he’s wearing and carrying… all of which disappear among the busy drawings. In a “Where’s Waldo?” effect, the missing items can be located in the pictures, along with other interesting items… such as the line of schoolgirls from the Madeline books and famous Parisian sights, including the Louvre and the Notre Dame cathedral. In the end, Adele and Simon have everyone searching for the lost items, which are all later returned.
October 30, 2012
McClintock must have gone to Paris – this is a love letter to the city, but definitely not one of my favorite books by her. What I did love was -- the illustration of Madeleine and all the orphans are marching behind Miss Clavel. The end paper map, according to the note on the copyright page, is from a 1907 Baedeker – which sets the scene in beautiful art nouveau / beaux arts Paris. (Although I never saw a motor car, which makes me think it’s set earlier.) Her illustrations are wonderfully intricate and lovely again, but the story is really weak – it seems to me that she had the idea for the pictures and created a story around it.
August 17, 2008
This is a really fun picture book. Simon and his sister Adele are on their way home from school and experience a fantastic spectrum of adventures...but at each place, Simon loses something until he literally arrives home without a single thing he left school with. The book takes place during "turn of the century" in Paris, France and the illustrations are wonderful. Plus, children can help find Simon's things in each of the illustrations. I thought this was a clever, fun, interesting read!
August 1, 2010
densely packed pages, beautifully illustrated, with a simple plot that has been amazingly engaging for my sub-two-year-old. A bit pricey, but highly recommended for toddlers with disposable income.
November 16, 2017
Kids will love looking for Simon's missing things on each page.
October 24, 2020
This book has grown on me, especially as the mother to a preschooler who is SO Simon 💕
March 15, 2022
This story follows older sister and younger brother Adele and Simon who adventure throughout Paris on their way home from school. This story has the text and illustrations very closely together with the illustrations and details being involved throughout. In the beginning the text is to the side close to the illustrations and then throughout the book it's at the bottom as we see the full landscape of Adele and Simon exploring Paris on their way home from the school day. Then at the end it's back towards the opposite side from the beginning. This book has so many details throughout the illustrations that develop the text and story, with Simon losing one thing after another and the reader can look closely and see where it is at in the pictures as well as the people they meet and the places they see throughout Paris. If the reader looked closely, they could see all the characters throughout the book. This book is very warm and comforting. Although Adele and Simon are exploring you feel you are exploring Paris with them throughout the illustrations and your curiosity spikes with looking at every detail. For characterization, you feel Simon's forgetfulness and explorative nature as well as Adele's frustration of her brother losing everything. A child can feel the emotional link between siblings, especially if they have a sibling of their own. It also displays the emotional dependence of an older sibling and younger sibling.The drawings provide and drive the plot and the chaos of the city but also give minor and major details. The illustrations are beautiful and elegant, so detailed that every student would be able to point something out that someone else hasn't seen!
January 12, 2021
I read this with my 6yo as an introduction to France in #passportaroundtheworld. It's about a brother and sister making their way home from school on the streets of France. They walk through various Parisian parks and landmarks and the little boy loses a new item at each stop. (The missing items are hidden throughout the pictures, so it's fun looking for each one as you read.) The pictures are lovely and capture the architecture and clothing styles of early 20th-century France.
The main reason I'm marking this down one star is because I would have loved to have the names of the areas they were walking through or the things they were seeing incorporated into the story. They walked through the Louvre, stopped in front of the Notre Dame, and listened to one of the greatest bands in the world, but these names were only given as footnotes at the end of the story. It was a sweet story, but not quite what I was personally hoping for.
The main reason I'm marking this down one star is because I would have loved to have the names of the areas they were walking through or the things they were seeing incorporated into the story. They walked through the Louvre, stopped in front of the Notre Dame, and listened to one of the greatest bands in the world, but these names were only given as footnotes at the end of the story. It was a sweet story, but not quite what I was personally hoping for.
September 3, 2019
Barbara McClintock is a masterful storyteller in both her writing and her illustrations. In Adèle and Simon, she tells the story of turn-of-the-century Parisian siblings and their encounter with The City of Light on their daily walk home from school. Simon, it seems, has a habitual problem of losing his belongings much to his older sister's chagrin. McClintock not only captures some of the most stunning sights of Paris, but has a good bit of fun hiding the lost items within her illustrations. Children will have a great deal of fun scanning the pictures for gloves, hats, knapsacks, and scarves.
February 29, 2020
I was surprised by how into this my oldest son was--I expected it to be too old for him. During the first read, he wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to be doing, but it only took him that read to remember where everything was in the book. For the parents, and especially those who have visited Paris, it's a lovely trip down memory lane. The illustrations are gorgeous, and I liked the recap at the end that explains where all the locations are.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews