Babar and Zephir

Babar #5

by Jean de Brunhoff

In the most fantastical of the classic Babar stories, we follow Zephir, Babar’s monkey friend, home on school holiday. The monkey princess, Isabelle, has been kidnapped by the horned monster Polomoche, and everyone is very worried. But Zephir, with the help of a tiny mermaid named Eleanore, is certain that he can save the princess himself.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, France, Classics, Animals

48 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1936

About the author

Jean de Brunhoff was a French writer and illustrator known for co-creating Babar, which first appeared in 1931. The stories were originally told to their second son, Mathieu, when he was sick, by his wife Cecile de Brunhoff. After its first appearance, six more titles followed. He was the fourth and last child of Maurice de Brunhoff, a successful publisher, and his wife Marguerite. He attended Protestant schools, including the prestigious L'Ecole Alsacienne. Brunhoff joined the army and reached the front lines when World War I was almost over. Afterwards, he decided to be a professional artist and studied painting at Academie de la Grand Chamiere. He married Ceccile Sabourand, a talented pianist from a Catholic family, in 1924.
Brunhoff died of tuberculosis at the age of 37. After his death, Hachette bought the printing and publishing rights to the Babar series, and ten years later Jean's eldst son, Laurent, took on his late father's role of writing and illustrating the series. The first seven Babar albums were reprinted and millions of copies were sold all around the world, but they were all abridged; they had 30 pages instead of the original 48. The Babar books are thought to be a way for Brunhoff to share himself with his family. Many people did not notice the 10 year gap, as Laurent also showed exceptional talent in drawing elephants. De Brunhoff and his wife are buried in the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris.

Reviews

[Roland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book's been out of print for awhile, which strikes me as strange. Anyhow, out of the classic Babar books by Jean de Brunhoff, this one is probably the "least" among them. It's a great read, and the artwork is delightful as all hell, but I did feel a little tricked by the title. The book's called "Babar and Zephir," but Babar's only shown on the first page, and even then, it's his back! The book's all about Zephir and a crazy adventure he goes on, so it really should have just been called "Zephir" or something. I read a review which commented that this was the strangest of all the Babar books, and I agree. It certainly has the most fantastical storyline, involving Mermaids, strange creatures that will turn you into a rock unless you make them laugh, etc. Zephir's funny, and the story's very cute. Contrary to another review, there is a fishing scene, where he encounters the said mermaid. It's not the best book in the Babar series, but it deserves to be in print and read. It should be available in the "Bonjour Babar!" collection, if you can't find the individual copy used. All in all, I enjoyed this book, and it was a nice little detour in the series.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published in 1936 as Les vacances de Zéphir - alternately translated in English as Zephir's Holidays, Babar's Friend Zephir and Babar and Zephir - this fifth of Jean de Brunhoff's classic picture-books featuring the elephant Babar shifts focus, concentrating on the adventures of the little monkey Zephir, who returns home for the holidays at the beginning of the story. When Princess Isabelle, the daughter of General Huc, goes missing, clever Zephir calls upon the mermaid he has recently caught and set free for help, and sets out on a rescue mission...

Given my mixed reactions to this series thus far - some of the books ( The Story of Babar ) have left me fairly indifferent, while others ( The Travels of Babar ) I have actively disliked - I was surprised to discover that I really enjoyed Babar and Zephir. Perhaps this is because, despite the title, this is very much Zephir's story, with Babar having little to nothing to do with it. The fairy-tale elements here - the wild creature whom the hero aids, and who aids the hero in return; the quest to rescue the threatened princess - are very appealing, and the artwork is charming. Recommended to Babar fans, with the proviso that Babar himself appears only in one scene.

[Serch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Las ilustraciones son bonitas, la historia entretiene pero hubo un pequeño detalle que no me gustó. No lo voy a mencionar porque supongo es algo personal. Si se animan a leerlo tal vez coincidan.

Al final de la historia se incluyen 5 preguntas para los niños, son sencillas, de verdadero y falso pero así nos daremos cuenta si pusieron atención a este corto cuento.

[Luke Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

As usual, drawings are great, the plot is weird and abit colonialist, as is always the case with Babar

[Alann Blanco · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ (Ahora quiero los libros de Babar, me encantó la edición)

No sabía de estos libro y ahora los necesito, me encantó tanto las ilustraciones y para un cuento corto esta muy divertido e interesante.
Me quedé súper picado con la historia y sin duda necesito más aventuras de estos personajes.

[Aaron · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like it very much. I thought it was about fishing but it wasn't.

[Roger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seems like maybe this was going to be the start of a spin-off series about Zephir the monkey. But the author died at 37 of tuberculosis. This story is a real adventure. There are mermaids. (I’m not going to complain that the mermaids are topless, because the author is from France. Everybody knows European mermaids go topless.) But the princess doesn’t get to do anything but get captured, rescued, and promised as a future bride.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book (under and different title) when I was a child. Many, many, many years later, I read this book to my son. I remembered the illustrations almost perfectly because I was so enchanted by them. I still am enchanted by them, and the charming story.

[Jose Carmona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Història curta per tal que els més petits s'acostumin a llegir una mica. Dins de l'univers d'en Babar, els personatges aprenen que ajudar els altres pot ajudar-te a tu en el futur.

[Rich Farrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a bit of a Babar fan, so I was surprised to find out about this book from Jean de Brunhoff that I had never heard of. I triple-checked to see if it was, in fact, part of the original series and it is. The story itself felt like a Babar book in the manner of storytelling but really it's a kind of spin-off to Zephir's homeland that is similar to Babar's kingdom of elephants. That being said, after having finished the book I could see why it isn't common on bookshelves: The mermaids are topless and there is no artistic covering by flowing hair as is common in other cartoon depictions. I don't know much about French censors, but I can't imagine how this book made it to the U.S. when it was published. (Or maybe it wasn't. I didn't look up the history.) All of that aside, it was a fun read though, although I don't know if I'd reread it.

[Pamela Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este bello libro sigue la línea de aventuras del rey de los elefantes “Babar” pero en esta ocasión la aventura la protagonista uno de sus queridos amigos, el monito “Zafir”. Y es que al terminar el curso en villa Celeste, Zafir va a pasar sus vacaciones con su familia en el país de los monos. Lo que no espera es que poco después de llegar a su hogar una de sus preciadas amigas es secuestrada, y Zafir pide ayuda a una de sus mas recientes amigas para acudir a su rescate. Lo que hará para salvarla requerirá de todo su ingenio e imaginación.

Quede encantada con este pequeño libro, las lustraciones son la cosa mas bella que he visto en un libro, y sobre todo muestran con exactitud lo que va pasando en la historia, así que ha los pequeños lectores les encantara.

Este libro es un poco diferente a lo que he leído anteriormente de Picarona libros, con una historia mas larga y con mas trama, por lo que lo recomiendo para lectores de 7 años en adelante que lo puedan leer sin problemas, o para lectores mas pequeños si se lo van a leer sus papas.

Sea como sea, la calidad y amor que se puso en la creación de este libro es plenamente visible, consiguiendo que sea una lectura disfrutable para chicos y grandes.

Esa es mi opinión, pero como siempre digo, lean el libro y juzguen ustedes mismos.

MI CALIFICACIÓN:
3.5⭐

♦SIGUEME EN MIS REDES SOCIALES: https://linktr.ee/cronicas.de.una.lec... ♦

[Stven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now a book in the Babar series which I do not remember from my childhood Best in Children's Books. I can see why: mermaids. Mermaids who, in the French fashion, do not trouble to wear bikini tops. They're not the least bit sexed up, but no children's editor in America in the 1950s would have dared present them. The narrative in any case mostly wanders away from Babar and the elephants and travels instead with the Old Lady's monkey Zephir to the dwellings of the monkeys, who though quite as civilized as the elephants simply are not such charming creatures to behold. There are some nice moments in the story but it's not quite at the level of the earlier books.

[Raja99 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another delightful Babar book by Jean de Brunhoff. Babar and the elephants only appear in a tiny illustration on the first page; the rest of the book is taken up by the somewhat fantastical adventures of Zephir, their little monkey friend.

I'm unsure whether I read this one as a child; the story doesn't seem familiar, but a few of the illustrations strike a chord with me.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a surprising fantasy of monkeys and mermaids. It doesn't have much to do with Babar. The President of the land of the monkeys is a general who wears a Napoleonic hat. So the book is a souvenir of imperialism. Once the monsters come in, including some sort of naked Moses or caveman, it's hard to be upset.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had this book when I was a kid. It has been lost for almost forty years. I thought I would never see the story again. I was wrong. The story has been repackaged as Babar and Zephir, and, although the title makes less sense than the original, the story and illustrations are still completely charming.

[The Narrator · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Babar books by JEAN De Brunhoff are incredibly imaginative, beautiful works of art. This one in particular, starring Polomoche, Zephir the Monkey, Aunt Crustadele and others, is one of the best. "He who smells of rotting apples..."

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites in this series.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this one. I really enjoyed the adventures of Zephir, who by the way had the most awesome name EVER.

[lilias · Rating 3 out of 5]

My least favorite of the Babar books, but it does have fantastic illustrations just like the others.

[SARAH · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am finding that I am not a fan of the Babar books...they seem disjointed.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too difficult, I will not be reading this to my kids any time soon. Kind of a magical realism vibe.