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In Search of the Little Prince (Incredible Lives for Young Readers
For the last seventy years, The Little Prince has captured the imaginations of readers around the world. This lyrical picture book biography tells the story of its author, Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
As a child, Antoine dreamed of flying. His dream was realized when he became a pilot, first serving France during World War I, then working as an international mail courier. As he wrote letters to his family describing the foreign countries he visited, he soon discovered that writing contained its own sense of adventure. His stories showed a childlike fascination with the world, culminating with The Little Prince, one of the best-selling books ever published.
Bimba Landmann’s biography is paired with whimsical yet profound illustrations, wonderfully capturing Saint-Exupery’s personality. This book will give fresh insight into the life of a cherished author.
As a child, Antoine dreamed of flying. His dream was realized when he became a pilot, first serving France during World War I, then working as an international mail courier. As he wrote letters to his family describing the foreign countries he visited, he soon discovered that writing contained its own sense of adventure. His stories showed a childlike fascination with the world, culminating with The Little Prince, one of the best-selling books ever published.
Bimba Landmann’s biography is paired with whimsical yet profound illustrations, wonderfully capturing Saint-Exupery’s personality. This book will give fresh insight into the life of a cherished author.
34 pages, Hardcover
First published September 24, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
April 2, 2016
I'll admit that I never (to my recollection) have read The Little Prince. This picture book biography of its author, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, was an interesting introduction to his life and how his thoughts, goals, emotions, and actions played into his ultimate famous work of The Little Prince.
Reputedly, he did not seek to become an author as his love was in flying and what he experienced sensorial and emotionally while flying. To be able to live his dream of flying he worked with, and yes was a vital part of the airmail postal system. He kept a journal and from these writings eventually composed the story of The Little Prince.
This is a very interesting biography and the art is captivating. The illustrations seem to capture the complexity of Saint-Exupery's life by rendering him in somewhat a surreal form - identifiable yet a bit abstract.
I love this page on Goodreads.com of quotes by Saint-Exupery from The Little Prince. Perhaps if you visit there you will see why this children's book has so enamored readers - young and old - for so many years.
“All grown-ups were once children... but only few of them remember it.”
“The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.”
“Well, I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies.”
This is a very nice adventure for children into the world of biographies.
DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy by the publisher, Eerdmans Young Readers, to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own and I was not compensated.
Reputedly, he did not seek to become an author as his love was in flying and what he experienced sensorial and emotionally while flying. To be able to live his dream of flying he worked with, and yes was a vital part of the airmail postal system. He kept a journal and from these writings eventually composed the story of The Little Prince.
This is a very interesting biography and the art is captivating. The illustrations seem to capture the complexity of Saint-Exupery's life by rendering him in somewhat a surreal form - identifiable yet a bit abstract.
I love this page on Goodreads.com of quotes by Saint-Exupery from The Little Prince. Perhaps if you visit there you will see why this children's book has so enamored readers - young and old - for so many years.
“All grown-ups were once children... but only few of them remember it.”
“The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.”
“Well, I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies.”
This is a very nice adventure for children into the world of biographies.
DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy by the publisher, Eerdmans Young Readers, to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own and I was not compensated.
September 7, 2021
اگر که احيانا دوست دارید بدانید که چگونه آنتوان دوسنت اگزوپری، شازده کوچولو را خلق کرد :)
May 4, 2022
This children's book was fantastic. I chose this book because I knew nothing about Antoine de Saint-Exupéry before reading it, yet it taught me a lot in just one short narrative. He was not only a fantastic pilot, but also a fantastic writer and poet. All he could think of as a child was flying. His mother warned him that learning to fly was risky, so he put it off until he was drafted into the aviation regiment as a mechanic. While at work, he realized he didn't want to maintain the planes; instead, he wanted to learn how to fly them, which he accomplished, over his mother's objections.He flew for the regime for a few years until his plane crashed. Since his crash, he needed to find another paid work, but no matter how much money he was making, he was unhappy. So he got a job transporting mail to other countries by air, and that's where he discovered his passion for flying. He needed to rest for the night, so he went to the Arabian desert. He had always written to his mother, but it was at this time that he discovered his passion for writing stories and poems. When Antoine's life settles down, he becomes unhappy and lonely again, so he creates and sketches stories about a boy. This boy, I believe, was him in a new life, writing what he hoped he could still accomplish. Antoine's story is both fascinating and motivating. I believe what he was attempting to convey was that no matter what, you should always pursue your aspirations because they can lead to incredible opportunities.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2022
A brief summary of Antoine’s life written in a childlike format.
Learned:
Antoine was called Tonio for most of his early life. He always had a passion for flying (despite multiple crashes) and writing. He tamed a desert fox on one of his expeditions. He loved and married a ‘rose’ — Consuelo — whom he met in Argentina. He died by vanishing into thin air on a plane flight from Corsica.
Quotes:
At Saint-Maurice I have a huge trunk. I’ve been filling it, ever since I was 7 years old, with my plans … with the letters I receive, with my photos. With all I love, think about, and want to remember. At times I spread them out haphazardly on the floor. And as I look down, I am reminded of all these things once again. Nothing but that trunk is of importance to me.
I’m not entirely sure that I’ve ever grown out of being a child.
One morning you wake up and say: “it was just a fairy tale.” You laugh at yourself, but deep down you’re not laughing at all. You know that fairy tales are the only truth of life.
Learned:
Antoine was called Tonio for most of his early life. He always had a passion for flying (despite multiple crashes) and writing. He tamed a desert fox on one of his expeditions. He loved and married a ‘rose’ — Consuelo — whom he met in Argentina. He died by vanishing into thin air on a plane flight from Corsica.
Quotes:
At Saint-Maurice I have a huge trunk. I’ve been filling it, ever since I was 7 years old, with my plans … with the letters I receive, with my photos. With all I love, think about, and want to remember. At times I spread them out haphazardly on the floor. And as I look down, I am reminded of all these things once again. Nothing but that trunk is of importance to me.
I’m not entirely sure that I’ve ever grown out of being a child.
One morning you wake up and say: “it was just a fairy tale.” You laugh at yourself, but deep down you’re not laughing at all. You know that fairy tales are the only truth of life.
August 29, 2021
I was pleasantly surprised by this book.
At first glance, I thought the formatting was a little off, with too many words on each page - but somehow it doesn't detract from the flow of the story at all. In fact, the odd formatting actually adds to the overall dreamy vibe of the book. The visuals really complement the story.
This would be a perfect way to introduce young readers to The Little Prince.
Learning more about Antoine de Exupery's life makes his story come alive in unexpected ways. It's fun to see how he drew inspiration from his real life, and from what he knew to be true about the world.
At first glance, I thought the formatting was a little off, with too many words on each page - but somehow it doesn't detract from the flow of the story at all. In fact, the odd formatting actually adds to the overall dreamy vibe of the book. The visuals really complement the story.
This would be a perfect way to introduce young readers to The Little Prince.
Learning more about Antoine de Exupery's life makes his story come alive in unexpected ways. It's fun to see how he drew inspiration from his real life, and from what he knew to be true about the world.
December 8, 2017
With his head in the clouds, Antoine was as wonder-filled as his ‘Little Prince’. Although lengthy, this biography reflects the fairytale life this author lead: doing all he wanted to do. . .in the sky, in flight and with abandon.
August 22, 2021
I really liked this sweet book about the life of the author Antoine de Sant-Exupery. The illustrations in this book are magical! I read his most famous novel, The Little Prince, probably when I was in high school and enjoyed it greatly. It's next on my list for a re-read.
June 23, 2024
راستش خوندن زندگینامه نویسنده موردعلاقم اونم اینهمه ساده و قشنگ خیلی لذت بخش بود:)
اینکه بفهمم شازده کوچولوی من دقیقا کی و چطوری و با چه کانسپتی به وجود اومده اینکه تونی کوچولو میخواسته تصویر کودکیش رو توی شازده کوچولو ببینه:)
واقعا لذت بخش بود برام :)
اینکه بفهمم شازده کوچولوی من دقیقا کی و چطوری و با چه کانسپتی به وجود اومده اینکه تونی کوچولو میخواسته تصویر کودکیش رو توی شازده کوچولو ببینه:)
واقعا لذت بخش بود برام :)
June 3, 2017
Informative.
Great text.
mediocre illustrations.
Great text.
mediocre illustrations.
September 11, 2022
A brief biography of the Little Prince author, illustrated in the style of that book.
March 19, 2024
Beautiful art in this story of Antoine de Saint Exupéry.
May 9, 2026
i just think the art is so ugly.
October 24, 2019
"The Little Prince" is one of all-time my favourite books, so to learn a bit more of the author's ("Tonio") history and how his whole life lead to that brief tale before he died at the age of 44 was beautiful, as were the vivid and Chagall-esque illustrations.
February 12, 2016
I was walking by the junior bio section at work today and this just happened to catch my eye. I mean, it's big, and it's pretty! And when I looked closer I saw that it had Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's name on it, so clearly it had to come home with me!
It's a really beautiful, dream-like book about Saint-Exupéry beginning with his childhood and his first yearnings for flight, all the way through his disappearance while on a mission in the Mediterranean during World War II not long after The Little Prince was published. Landmann does a great job of emphasizing all the autobiographical elements of The Little Prince, from Saint-Exupéry's crash in the Sahara, his tamed fox, and his love of a rose (his wife, Consuelo), and shows how his thoughts about greed and war were the same as the little prince's. I love the covers, which show the little prince coming to life through Saint-Exupéry's writing, and then the two of them together, shoes off, beside the prince's rose and volcano, and with Saint-Exupéry's airplane close by. It's nice to picture him there.
Anyway, I'm glad I spotted this, and glad I read it, and I think it's well worth a look for fans of Saint-Exupéry or his little prince.
It's a really beautiful, dream-like book about Saint-Exupéry beginning with his childhood and his first yearnings for flight, all the way through his disappearance while on a mission in the Mediterranean during World War II not long after The Little Prince was published. Landmann does a great job of emphasizing all the autobiographical elements of The Little Prince, from Saint-Exupéry's crash in the Sahara, his tamed fox, and his love of a rose (his wife, Consuelo), and shows how his thoughts about greed and war were the same as the little prince's. I love the covers, which show the little prince coming to life through Saint-Exupéry's writing, and then the two of them together, shoes off, beside the prince's rose and volcano, and with Saint-Exupéry's airplane close by. It's nice to picture him there.
Anyway, I'm glad I spotted this, and glad I read it, and I think it's well worth a look for fans of Saint-Exupéry or his little prince.
October 18, 2014
Filled with softly-colored illustrations that have a nostalgic, almost-dreamlike quality about them, this picture book biography offers insight into the life of Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Adventurer, dreamer, mail pilot and author of the classic The Little Prince, Antoine always seemed to be searching for something. Even as a child he dreamed of "having wings that would let him fly anywhere he wanted" (unpaged), an ambition that he later accomplished. Flying and writing soothed his soul, and the author describes how his sojourn in the desert likely provide the inspiration for his children's book. The book's endpapers contain photographs of this talented yet mysterious man, and the author has woven in quotes from him throughout the text. Clearly, the author/illustration has immersed herself in the life of this man. Those who love The Little Prince will enjoy this one thoroughly and want to read it alongside Peter Sis's picture book about the same subject.
November 18, 2014
The adventurous, creative life of French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry ended much too soon during World War II, yet it was a life that gives credence to the saying "short but sweet."
Writer and illustrator Bimba Landmann captures both sentiments in graceful words and thoughtful artwork in her biography of the author of "The Little Prince."
Aimed at young people age 7 and up, this Eerdmanns Book for Young Readers is a history lesson — and maybe an art and literature lesson, too — in just 34 pages.
Imaginative drawings on each page force the eye to spend as much time on them as on the text, and the text is superb, filled with picturesque, near-poetic phrases.
They bring little Antoine from his dreamy early life through adult adventures on four continents, and leave one with the feeling they know this amazing man whose vivid spirit brought the world one of its great stories.
Writer and illustrator Bimba Landmann captures both sentiments in graceful words and thoughtful artwork in her biography of the author of "The Little Prince."
Aimed at young people age 7 and up, this Eerdmanns Book for Young Readers is a history lesson — and maybe an art and literature lesson, too — in just 34 pages.
Imaginative drawings on each page force the eye to spend as much time on them as on the text, and the text is superb, filled with picturesque, near-poetic phrases.
They bring little Antoine from his dreamy early life through adult adventures on four continents, and leave one with the feeling they know this amazing man whose vivid spirit brought the world one of its great stories.
August 7, 2014
I love The Little Prince. I had also read a little about Saint-Exupery's life, particularly his crash I'm the desert. The story of his life is told in this book for children (and adults) in a style that reminded me of The Little Prince. It is a biography, but it has the whimsy of an adventure story. The art is beautiful and almost dreamlike. I recommend this to anyone who has or plans to read The Little Prince or generally loves children's literature with excellent art.
Disclaimer: I received a free preview copy with the request that I review it.
That said, this copy is not in the final bound form. I will buy a copy.
Disclaimer: I received a free preview copy with the request that I review it.
That said, this copy is not in the final bound form. I will buy a copy.
February 9, 2015
This fascinating biography explores the life of the French author of the beloved book "The Little Prince." With a wonderful dream-like quality to both the illustrations and the poetic text, the story of Tonio, a little boy whose imagination and creativity set him apart and help him grow up to be a writer and pilot, flies off the pages. The author does a remarkable job of expressing Saint-Exupery's longings and dreams through the illustrations, which pay homage to the symbolic imagery found in "The Little Prince." Readers will enjoy floating among the stars and clouds as they read about a unique literary figure.
December 31, 2014
A very well written picture book biography about Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author of The Little Prince. Overall, the book does a good job of covering the events in Tonio's, as he was called as a boy, life that inspired his best-selling novel.
The painterly artwork does a great job of showing Tonio's imaginative mind. Any one spread would make for its own art exhibit, so detailed and intriguing for the viewer.
Highly recommended read for fans of The Little Prince.
The painterly artwork does a great job of showing Tonio's imaginative mind. Any one spread would make for its own art exhibit, so detailed and intriguing for the viewer.
Highly recommended read for fans of The Little Prince.
April 10, 2015
In Search of the Little Prince – The Story of Antoine de Saint-Exupery by Bimba Landmann – Biography, picture book – 4th grade and up – I feel like I knew nothing about this person, what an informative, fascinating book. I especially appreciated this quote at the end of the book: “One morning you wake up and say: “It was just a fairy tale.” You laugh at yourself, but deep down you’re not laughing at all. You know that fairy tales are the only truth of life. – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
June 11, 2015
The biography of Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author of The Little Prince. Fascinating life story accompanied by beautiful illustrations. Endpapers at front are photographs of Antoine and his family as well as a quote from Antoine. Such an interesting life story with such a tragic, mysterious ending.
January 18, 2015
Le Petit Prince has been in the back of my mind ever since reading it in high school French class!
Not clear what happened to his wife, but it is clear that he loved flying.
The size and tight lines of the text here is hard on on my old eyes (even with glasses).
Not clear what happened to his wife, but it is clear that he loved flying.
The size and tight lines of the text here is hard on on my old eyes (even with glasses).
March 1, 2015
Wonderful illustrations.
Words failed for me. They were very interpretive of his story and tried to be magical but mostly weren't (to me anyways). Still a great book. Probably spoiled by Peter Sis who aces both the words and illustrations in his book, "The Pilot and the Little Prince."
Words failed for me. They were very interpretive of his story and tried to be magical but mostly weren't (to me anyways). Still a great book. Probably spoiled by Peter Sis who aces both the words and illustrations in his book, "The Pilot and the Little Prince."
October 12, 2014
A richly imagined, poetic introduction to aviator and author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Beautifully illustrated in dreamlike images. See also Peter Sís's The Pilot and the Little Prince.
December 24, 2014
quite a sweet interpretation.
January 31, 2015
Lovely artwork, tedious text.
August 3, 2015
Beautiful, dreamy telling of de Saint-Exupery's life. Wonderful illustrations.
April 18, 2017
Lovely illustrations, but the overlong text seems small and uninspired on the page. Try The Pilot and the Little Prince: The Life of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry instead.
May 3, 2017
Biography of St. Exupery, with lots of connections to pieces of the Little Prince story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews