The Travels of Babar [Hardcover]

Jean De Brunhoff (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 12, 1937 | Age Range: 4 - 8 years | Series: Babar | Lexile Measure: 530L (What's this?)

In the second Babar story, Babar and Celeste set off in a balloon, beginning an exciting series of adventures. Escaping from savage cannibals, only to be trapped by a circus owner, Babar knows nothing of his home country’s escalating war against the rhinos. But with some help from the Old Lady, Babar returns in time to save the day.
This is vintage de Brunhoff--a must for Babar fans and a story sure to charm and engage young readers.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Babar and Queen Celeste have just been married in this early story from the most famous of elephantine chronicles. They depart for their honeymoon in a hot-air balloon, and at first all seems wonderful as they glide over a charming coastal town that might be St. Tropez before the advent of tourism. Alas, a storm takes them out to sea and then dumps them on a desert island. The fierce, spear-carrying "savages" who subsequently attack them will remind you that this book was written and illustrated in 1934: they are as far from politically correct as you can get. And the war between the elephants and the rhinoceroses, which ends the story, is also problematic for a modern audience. But the travels and adventures in between show all the excitement and charm that has made the Babar series an enduring hit. (Ages 2 to 6) --Richard Farr

Language Notes

Text: English, French (translation)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 56 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (September 12, 1937)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394805763
• ISBN-13: 978-0394805764
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 0.4 x 11.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #101,667 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #59 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Elephants

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars politically correct? no, but it will survive. February 16, 2008

By GC

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

this is the second babar book, still written by the author (and i include brunhoff's wife who is babar's true creator.) there is much in it that might offend today - i see versions of the book with those sections edited out and maybe that is wise in this day and age. however, we find those sections good leadins to deeper matters of prejudice and ignorance and therefore the book, intended as light humorous reading, serves a much more valuable purpose. with this in mind, i would advise parents to read the book before buying, not on account of the book's quality, but because of the content. It has served as a read-to book, and is read by our kids 4 - 6. It's sturdy, has taken much use, and is still looking good on the shelf!

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Another wonderful Babar adventure! March 31, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

Babar is one of the most endearing characters in children's literature. This volume is a classic that belongs on any child's bookshelf. The story of Babar and Celeste's hot air balloon ride and subsequent adventures in interesting locales fascinates kids, while broadening their cultural horizons. Some mature themes that may disturb kids (war, cruel treatment by a circus ringmaster), but provide a change from the pastel bunny and kitty story genre. Thought provoking for kids mature enough to handle it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Why this book is fine for today's kids (age 5+) February 2, 2012

By Amy Green

Format:Hardcover

I remember loving all the Babar books and reading them over and over again, including this one, and I still have all of them and will give them to my daughter in a couple of years. I'd like to address two issues people have with this book:

1) Violent and scary events in the Babar stories which aren't appropriate for toddlers (who aren't the intended audience.) Easy solution: just wait till your kids are 5 or 6 before they get into the Babar stories.

2) Racist depictions in "The Travels of Babar." Racial issues have long been an interest of mine; my mother was an English professor who taught courses on Southern African-American Women's Literature, and in college I took some courses which involved reading many novels by African-Americans (I loved them all... Walker, Morrison, Angelou, Hurston, Raisin in the Sun, Women of Brewster Place, and Manchild in the Promised Land are the ones I most remember. And Kaffir Boy and Cry, the Beloved Country, about South Africa, were also great.) The Invisible Man and The Color of Water are on my "to read" list. Just wanted to share my background for what I have to say here.

"The Travels of Babar" was written in 1934 in France, when the "darky" icon was common, and it certainly was a very offensive racist depiction -- and still is, to those who know what it is. But I grew up reading this book in the 70s, raised by white parents who were active in the Civil Rights movement, and I never made ANY connection between that fictional tribe in the book and any real people. First, the cannibals are on an island and nowhere does it mention Africa. Second, to my literal child's eyes, which were not aware of what the drawings were originally meant to represent, the drawings didn't look at all like any real people (black or otherwise) that I'd ever seen. (That's how inaccurate they are!) So the book did not in any way cause me to "absorb any hurtful stereotypes" (to quote another reviewer). I always perceived those characters as being a unique fantastical and fictional race on some remote island in a fictional story, and I never made any connection or comparisons between them and any real human beings.

But even if I had perceived them as looking 'black,' it wouldn't have made me suddenly conclude that real black people must be horrible mean cannibals. There are endless depictions of horrible fictional white characters in kids' stories, and do those make kids think all whites are like that? Or that all older females are evil witches like in the fairy tales? Or that young women have to marry rich men to solve their problems? Of course not. Kids know those stories are made up, fantastical and not a reflection of their actual reality. I think that by age 5 or 6 most kids are mature enough to interpret "The Travels of Babar" and all such stories the same way I did. None of my black friends and boyfriends saw (or see) any racism in me, so I think it's safe to conclude that the book didn't affect my attitudes toward any real people. I'm not sure how black children reading it would interpret it, but I think if they aren't yet aware of the history of those types of drawings, they might read it the same way I did.

Of course there's nothing wrong with excluding this book from your Babar library -- this is really a take-it-or-leave-it story and there are plenty of other great Babar books. I just wanted to put my 2 cents in on the fact that I don't think that this book will affect your children's racial attitudes at all, and why. Hope it helps.