Postmark Paris: A Story in Stamps

by Leslie Jonath

The colorful world-within-a-world of postage stamps illustrates this lyrical account of a young girl's experiences in Paris. When she and her family move to the city for a year, one of the first places her father takes her is to the stamp market. Her adventures are magically captured in the dainty images of the postage stamps she collects. Young readers will delight in this uniquely told story of a girl finding her own place in a world far from home.

Genres: Travel, France, Childrens, Nonfiction

108 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Relyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find that I like nearly everything published by Chronicle Books. I almost never, ever buy a book I haven't read. It's just a rule I've made for myself in an attempt to help me be frugal. I use libraries a lot and count on them to help me spend my book budget well. Anyway, I told you all that to share that I love Chronicle Books so much I can nearly buy them unread and know I'll love them. Postmark Paris is no different. What a wonderful book. Leslie Jonath writes a memoir that tells the story of her French year through stamps. Kind of like Irene Beckerman's Love, Loss, and What I Wore. Another great book, by the way. Of course, this memoir was told from a child's point of view. It really was wonderful. My head is bubbling with ideas of how I can use it in the classroom. I could use it as an introduction to our own autobiography writing. Or, as an introduction to stamp collection and a unit about hobbies. Or, for one of our many discussions about art. So many ways! I LOVED this book!

[Heather Zubek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book. Once started, I tore through it, going on a journey through Paris with the author. I was so pleased not to visit the usual spots but the almost insignificant pieces of life. Much more interesting. I loved the vinaigrettes of life and the delicate stamps. What a treasure.

[K. McDevitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a neat concept and a sweet execution. When the author was in Paris for a year as a little girl, she began collecting stamps (it was all the rage). So she documents her time in Paris through a series of short one-page memories each accompanied by a stamp. Sometimes the stamp has something to do with her story and sometimes the story is directly about the stamp. They play off each other and move her adventures forward. I loved hearing what it was like for her and seeing her passion for the lovely stamps filling out her collection. A lovely read, especially if you like stamps!

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this gem at the bargain table at Vroman's. A ten year old recounts the year she lived in Paris with little stories and stamps. The pictures of the stamps are beautiful. Very cute book!

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a clever book. I liked how the stamps were incorporated with the text to tell the story. A really fun, short read.

[Marta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a children's book. Yet, adults will find it enjoyable too.

It tells the story of a 9 year old American girl whose family spends one year living in Paris. It is written the way you'd imagine a girl this age would narrate her discoveries, adventures, surprises, teachers, classmates and neighbors in the City of Lights. I thoroughly enjoyed reading each page and perusing the accompanying "timbres" (stamps) photographs.

It is so realistically written, that I was surprised to find it wasn't a memoir. It is classified as fiction, yet it certainly reads like a memoir, with its snippets of visits to parks, monuments, museums, descriptions of people met and forays into French words. Philately fans will find the photographs of stamps especially beautiful.

So, for a leisurely hour or so visit to Paris, seen through the eyes of a nine year old, I recommend you pick up a copy of Postmark Paris: A Story in Stamps, grab a cup of tea, sit in a comfy armchair and slowly read this delightful book.

[Zuska · Rating 3 out of 5]

A clever concept; the stamps are beautiful to look at and will provoke an interested reader to look up more information about the images on them. The story isn't really about the stamps, they are used to illustrate the author's experiences as a 10 year old in Paris (and they do so remarkably well.) But I would hope that a curious child reader would be motivated by at least some of the images to learn more about them. A sweet little book.

[Ziyue Lan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn’t anything extraordinary, but it was a really interesting read detailing the author’s short stay in France through short paragraphs describing her days there accompanied with beautiful stamps.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet little book about a young American girl's year in France with her family. She shares her memories through the stamps she collected while she was there. Lovely.

[Rye]

“Bonjour Française et Française!”

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love stamps! And now I'm sad because I'm getting ready to move and tossed an envelope full of stamps I had cut off of cards and letters over the year. I could have made them into a book!

[Linda Spyhalski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an awesome little book! If you ever saved a stamp just because it was pretty this little gem is for you! I will be reading it again before I pass it on!

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute book, told from the vantage point of a young girl in Paris who collects stamps.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved...brought back many memories of my childhood in France.

[Marissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet, presumably autobiographical vignettes (the protagonist’s name is “Leslie”) from the perspective of a 9-year-old American girl whose family spends a happy year living in Paris’ 5th arrondissement. Accompanying each anecdote is an illustration of a stamp from the girl’s collection; the little stories and little images add up to a reminder to appreciate life’s little moments of beauty and wonder. When it comes to evocations of Paris’ charms by Leslie Jonath, I prefer her more recent, less personal The Little Pleasures of Paris , but Postmark Paris proves that she has loved the City of Light long and sincerely.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this little book. The use of French stamps to call to mind remembrances of time spent in France was delightful.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

a v. clever way to tell a story

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a charming little book based around an expat girl's time in Paris and her interest in stamps. Beautifully designed.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this a second time and enjoyed it even more