Laurent de Brunhoff, the french author-illustrator who created the elegant elephant, Babar, died this week at age 98. Along with Paddington bear, Miffy, and Peter Rabbit, and Winnie-the-Pooh, Babar stands out as a perennial children’s favorite children’s book animal character. Created almost 100 years ago by his father, Babar the elephant was a childhood favorite of mine as well as my daughter. Whether wearing a suit in Paris, or wandering the plains of Africa, Babar is always fascinating and exotic as well as accessible for his well-mannered speech and gentlemanly ways. Be sure to discover or revisit Babar on your own or with a child soon.