Just because our family travel budget doesn’t cover four tickets to Paris right now, I still want to share my love of Europe with my kids. I believe the next best thing is to read books about Paris and France in general to inspire a sense of curiosity. If your homeschool is covering European history or geography this year, I pulled together a bunch of great titles that would be perfect to incorporate into your curriculum:
Fun picture books about Paris for kids Graphic novels by famous French authors for tweens and teens Easy chapter books about historical French figures Picture books featuring French-inspired animals for little ones And even an illustrated guide book for adults loaded with pictures that will be perfect for kids who like more realistic books
Really want to set the mood? Enjoy these books about Paris and then watch one of these fun family-friendly movies about Paris. Or better yet? Why not teach the kids how to say the days of the week in French?? You can plan a simple French dinner with my easy kid-friendly recipes, too. You’ll also love these National Parks books and my list of books about Washington D.C and New York City. I couldn’t resist including a few playful books featuring French-inspired animal characters at the end! Young francophiles and armchair travelers will be charmed by Salvatore Rubbino’s lively, sophisticated illustrations and fascinating trivia about this beloved city. We see its famous buildings, its beautiful gardens, the museums, the sidewalk cafes, and the people who live there – artists, the concierges, the flower girls, and even the thousands of cats. Take a tour along the banks of the Seine, or through the galleries of the Louvre, or to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Elegant, vivid pictures of one of the most beautiful cities in the world, This is Paris! Whether at a soccer stadium (“players scoring”), a crêpe stand (“batter pouring”), or strolling the Champs d’ Elysee (where folks “bonjour” in every store), a little girl and her family are welcomed everywhere with the signature French greeting. Jump into these pages and enjoy the trip! Through lilting words and lively images, Everybody Bonjours welcomes young reader-travelers to a Paris that isn’t just for artists, grown-ups, and dreamers– it’s for kids! Claude Monet is one of the world’s most beloved artists–and he became famous during his own lifetime. He rejected a traditional life laid out clean and smooth before him. Instead he chose a life of art. But not just any art: a new way of seeing that came to be called impressionism. Alas, the garden will change, as people must. The girl sees kings and revolutions, empires and democracies, wars and tragedies. The are the best of times, and there are the worst. Through it all, the light of Notre Dame keeps hope bright. But when fire strikes Notre Dame itself, the little girl is grief stricken. It seems all light has gone out―until her beloved people discover what she has planted within them all along. And so the ballerina begins a great chase to find Degas before her big night. As she searches the streets of Paris, the ballerina encounters many other Impressionist painters, who are in the process of painting some of their great works. Monet, Renoir, Caillebotte, and Cassatt help the ballerina until she is reunited, at last, with Degas. On each cheese, he leaves a small note–“good,” “not so good,” “needs orange peel”–and signs his name. When workers at the Duvall factory find his notes in the morning, they are perplexed–but they realize that this mysterious Anatole has an exceptional palate and take his advice. Soon Duvall is making the best cheese in all of Paris! The giraffe journeyed first by boat to Marseilles, then on foot through the towns and villages of France, all the way to Paris. Her arrival in the capital was celebrated with a splendid royal parade, and everywhere she went she caused a sensation. When the widow’s daughter, Mirette, discovers him crossing the courtyard on air, she begs him to teach her how he does it. But Mirette doesn’t know that the stranger was once the Great Bellini—master wire-walker. Or that Bellini has been stopped by a terrible fear. And it is she who must teach him courage once again. Emily Arnold McCully’s sweeping watercolor paintings carry the reader over the rooftops of nineteenth-century Paris and into an elegant, beautiful world of acrobats, jugglers, mimes, actors, and one gallant, resourceful little girl. Sharing a love of cooking and having no wish to turn into big, busy people who worry too much and dawdle too little, they decide to create a feast for growing and staying young. A playful, scrumptious celebration of the joy of eating, the importance of never completely growing up and mastering the art of having a good time, Julia, Child is a fictional tale loosely inspired by the life and spirit of the very real Julia Child – a story that should be taken with a grain of salt and a generous pat of butter. While Julia is in the kitchen learning to master delicious French dishes, the only feast Minette is truly interested in is that of fresh mouse! This lively story is complete with an author’s note, a bibliography, and actual quotations from Julia Child and comes just in time for the 100th anniversary of her birth. Claris: The Chicest Mouse in Paris follows an adorable mouse who dreams of moving to Paris to follow her fashion dreams. One day, she bravely takes the leap – only to find a mean little girl with a horrible-looking cat standing in the way of her perfect Parisian apartment! C an Claris use all her wit, warmth and – of course – style to make her dreams come true? But as they make their way home, distractions cause Simon to leave something behind at every stop. What will they tell their mother? A great read for preschool and kindergarten kids who are sure to be drawn to Lily & Baa as they hop and skip, hand in hand, exploring the brightly colored sights, unique sounds and delicious treats of wondrous cities around the world, beginning in Paris, France. While her siblings eat slop, Piglette prefers pastries. But what she’s most passionate about is flowers. She loves to smell the lilies and lilacs in the pasture. So Piglette decides her precise nose is destined for the perfume shops of Paris! The book begins by inviting the reader to come along on the journey and ends with a good night wish: “Paris is a beautiful city in France; Please come visit, should you have the chance. The French call it Paree, and there is so much to see; Come with me and you’ll agree, it’s a great place to be!” At the end of our trip, au revoir and bonne nuit! Je t’aime my dear one, and je t’aime to Paree!” Colorful and whimsical illustrations feature well-known landmarks such as: The Eiffel Tower, The Palais Garnier, The Louvre, Sacré-Coeur, Sainte-Chapelle, Notre Dame, the Luxembourg Gardens, the Arc de Triomphe, and more. It’s only when he stops imitating the other dogs and follows his heart that Hudson discovers his own unique talent. Little Louis was born in France during a time when doctors were still trying to figure out what made people sick. During his teen years, he discovered a love for science and became famous for figuring out how to kill off damaging microbes. Through his curiosity and creativity (and lots of trial and error), his research led to the development of vaccinations, a vital tool in today’s world. Written and published first by French author, Antoine de St-Exupéry, in 1943, only a year before his plane disappeared on a reconnaissance flight, it is one of the world’s most widely translated books, enjoyed by adults and children alike. While not exactly a book about Paris or France itself, this is essential reading for kids! While adult readers can find deep meanings in the main character’s various encounters, they can also be charmed back to childhood by this wise but innocent infant. For generations, France had been besieged by the British. At age 11, Joan began to see religious visions telling her to join forces with the King of France. By the time she was a teenager, she was leading troops into battle in the name of her country. Though she was captured and executed for her beliefs, Joan of Arc became a Catholic saint and has since captured the world’s imagination. Travel back to nineteenth-century France with ex-convict Jean Valjean as he tries to put his criminal past behind him and his fate intertwines with the ruthless Inspector Javert, determined to put Valjean back behind bars; the poor factory worker Fantine, whose struggle to provide for her child leads to her death; her orphaned daughter, Cosette, whom Valjean saves from poverty and neglect; and Cosette’s besotted suitor, Marius. As a revolution sweeps through Paris, can Valjean elude Javert and secure a happy life for Cosette before all is lost? Follow their story in Marcia Williams’s entertaining and easily digestible retelling for young readers. But when his world suddenly interlocks–like the gears of the clocks he keeps–with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo’s undercover life and his most precious secret are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo’s dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery. A visit to Paris can often seem like a highlight reel – the Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay, the Eiffel Tower. But Paris isn’t only about the big attractions; in fact, some might say it’s the offbeat destinations that hold the greatest treasures. The Little Museums of Paris takes a whimsical journey through these smaller destinations, from the fantastical to the bizarre, offering both a guide to the city and inspiration for armchair travelers. Gaston works the hardest at his lessons on how to be a proper pooch. He sips—never slobbers! He yips—never yaps! And he walks with grace—never races! Gaston fits right in with his poodle sisters. But a chance encounter with a bulldog family in the park—Rocky, Ricky, Bruno, and Antoinette—reveals there’s been a mix-up, and so Gaston and Antoinette switch places. The new families look right…but they don’t feel right. Can these puppies follow their noses—and their hearts—to find where they belong?
- To be your favorite animal.2. To get to the delicious salad at the end of the book. But when he gets to the salad, he discovers that there’s a carrot in it. And Escargot hates carrots. But when he finally tries one―with a little help from you!―he discovers that it’s not so bad after all.
