Armchair Traveling with StoriecCities.com

At StoriedCities.com you can find a fantastic list of Stories Set in Paris. All titles are links to reviews at StoriedCities.com unless otherwise noted.

As always, the first place I turn for a book about a specific city, regardless of the age of the intended reader, is Miroslav Sasek and his This Is... series of picture books written in the 1950s and 1960s. This Is Paris takes the reader on a child's eye view of the City of Lights. I love his crisp, colorful illustrations and the way he captures the movement and action of any city.

Both Erica and I are big fans of Timothy Egan's Dodsworth books, set (so far) in New York, Paris, Rome and London. For my review of all four books, click here. For Erica's take, click here.

PICTURE BOOKS

Hugo & Miles in I've Painted Everything!

Adele and Simon
The Tale of Hilda Louise
Crepes by Suzette
A Spree in Paree
Everybody Bonjours! (great for toddlers)
Come Fly With Me
La La Rose Set in the Jardin du Luxembourg.
Mirette on High Wire
Oops!

Charlotte in Giverny and

Charlotte in Paris are by Joan McPhail Knight and illustrated by the award winning Melissa Sweet. The first and second books in this quartet begin in 1892 when Charlotte's family moves from Boston to France to live in Monet's artist colony at Giverny. In the second book, the family travels to Paris for an exhibition of the work of Mary Cassatt. Although picture book in format, this series reads like a chapter book and is filled with biographical information, a French glossary and all sorts of art work.

Don't forget the picture books of Laurence and Catherine Anholt that feature artists like Monet, Matisse, Degas, Picasso, Cezanne and Van Gogh, all of who were French or painted many of their masterpieces while living in France.

Kiki and Coco in Paris. This is a link to Stephanie Rausser's website where you can watch a slideshow of this charming book. Rausser, a professional photographer, composed a story from the many photos she took of her daughter and her doll in Paris.

The Moon Was Best by Charlotte Zolotow and Tana Hoban. A link to the publisher's page, this picture book is by two children's book greats.

Minette's Feast reviewed by Tanya

The Fabulous Flying Machines of Alberto Santos-Dumont a great non-fiction picture book about the birth of flight - in Paris - and how Cartier invented the first wristwatch for his friend, Alberto! reviewed by Tanya