It has been a long time since I first read Antoine De Saint-Exupery’s “The Little Prince,” a beautiful tale of love and loneliness. After reading Peter Sis’s new biography “The Pilot and the Little Prince,” I think it is time I reread this classic tale, the most read and the most translated book in French. Two million copies are sold annually.
Sis’s book is a collection of beautifully drawn pictures using a variety of art techniques: watercolor, pointillism, pen and ink, and scratched color on gesso. Each page has so much to look at that the text is secondary to the art work. But the text is important and tells about Saint-Exupery’s life and his early fascination with flying. Born before the dawn on aviation, he witnessed the birth of flying and made it his career. Accompanying the text about his life, Sis has created several imaginative timelines showing the growth of aviation.
There is so much to see and learn from “The Pilot and the Little Prince”that it can be read again and again. It is a great choice for child and parent to share.