The Little Prince

“Growing up is not the problem. Forgetting is.”

I am so stoked to see this gorgeous movie!

Have you read the book? This is my review from 2007:

Do not dismiss The Little Prince as a children's fairy tale. The story has layers full of thought-provoking themes and ideas for adults.

The Little Prince is thoughtful, bittersweet, and highly imaginative. The plot is all over the place and beside the point; read to find the not-so-hidden messages for living a rich and beautiful life.

This book has found its way onto my best books list. Excellent.

"Good-bye," said the fox. "Here is my secret. It's quite simple: One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes."

"But what does ephemeral mean?" repeated the little prince, who had never in all his life let go of a question once he had asked it.

(This particular phrase was repeated several times throughout the book, reminding me of the five-year-old living in my home. And, indeed, a few days after finishing the book, Levi was insistent that I address a question of his saying, "I have never in my life let go of a question once I've asked it.")

"Good Morning," said the little prince.

"Good morning," said the salesclerk. This was a salesclerk who sold pills invented to quench thirst. Swallow one a week and you no longer feel any need to drink.

"Why do you sell these pills?"

"They save so much time," the salesclerk said. "Experts have calculated that you can save fifty-three minutes a week."

"And what do you do with those fifty-three minutes?"

"Whatever you like."

"If I had fifty-three minutes to spend as I liked," the little prince said to himself, "I'd walk very slowly toward a water fountain..."

 

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I recently reviewed a stunning picture book biography of Antoine de Saint-Exupery written and illustrated by Peter Sis, but if you are looking for a lovely biography that is easier to read aloud I highly recommend In Search of the Little Prince: The Story of Antoine de Saint-Exupery. The prose has a dreamy quality, and the illustrations are magical—in keeping with the atmosphere of The Little Prince.

 

One morning you wake up and say:
”It was just a fairy tale.”
You laugh at yourself, but deep down you’re not laughing at all.
You know that fairy tales are the only truth of life.

                                 ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery