Books of the week - Barbapapa

Do you know Barbapapa?
This was a question that would have never occurred to me to ask before I had children. I grew up reading Barbapapa and watching the cartoons, so for me it was obvious that EVERYBODY knew the whole family. Until F. got his first book and my husband took a look and asked what this ridiculous pink thing was. I was shocked. How could anybody not know Barbapapa, one of the sweetest character in children literature?! Especially my husband! Oh, what a disappointment and I thought I knew him when I got married...

So, now that I know that not everybody is familiar with Barbapapa (cotton candy in French), let me introduce him to you. He's this sweet, pink, shapeless character that was first introduced in 1970 by french writers Annette Tison and Talus Tyler. He was born in a garden (like a flower), he later on married Barbamama and they had seven babies - the Barbabébés. Each book is a new adventure. And what is fantastic about them is that they can change their shape into whatever they want to (a plane, a bridge, a ladder, an animal, etc) and by doing so they can help solve any problem!

Here at home, we have, of course, several books of the series. My kids love them and there isn't a week that goes by without reading at least one "Barbapapa" (with P is actually everyday before his nap time).

First book of the Barbapapa series published in 1970

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Here are my latest purchases:

• Along a Long Road, by Frank Viva - The illustrations are beautiful, but my children are too young to really appreciate the book;

• My Taxi Ride, by Jennifer Swender - Fun book for someone living in New York like us and who take cabs all the time with the kids;
  
  
  
• 10 Little Penguins, by Joelle Jolivet and Jean-Luc Fromental - My kids loved this book. It is a good counting book.