Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Adapting a classic tale, especially one in which the original illustrations are such a key part of the story and its lasting appeal, might seem an iffy prospect, but it is hard to imagine a better candidate to pull it off than Sfar and his widely admired comics sensibility. On the surface, this is a straight graphic-novel retelling of the narrator pilot getting stranded in the desert, where he meets a curious little boy who claims to be from a wee planet very far away. Their conversations and interactions delicately touching on the nature of love and friendship, deviously exploring the absurdity of grown-up pursuits and the fleeting qualities of beauty capture the whimsy that makes the story's gravity so strong, and the innocence that cuts the world-weary adultness to the bone. The ultimately tricky task is to honor the source but not sound like an adaptation (otherwise, why not just read the original?), and Sfar nails it on both counts. From the vain rose and towering baobabs on the boy's planet to the pilot's drawings of an elephant swallowed by a boa constrictor and a sheep in a box, everything is handled with both reverence and ingenuity. There is always the question of whether this story is best suited for children or adults, but legions of admirers prove that it sits in the rarified air of literature that works both ways. A worthy tribute that's most worthy of its own share of applause.--Chipman, Ian Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Celebrated French cartoonist Sfar turns in a wonderful and lovely comics adaptation of Saint-Exupery's timeless classic. The Little Prince is such a beloved staple of children's literature that an adaptation might seem inadvisable; indeed, part of the original book's lasting charm is the inclusion of Saint-Exupery's own naive but unforgettable illustrations. But Sfar has wisely incorporated Saint-Exupery's role as an illustrator by foregrounding the book's presentation as a first-person narrative. Sfar depicts a very authentic-looking, middle-aged Saint-Exupery-briefly chided in the book's text for smoking "in a book for young people"-as the book's protagonist, the title character's interlocutor, and the person drawing the elephant-inside-the-boa-constrictor in his notepad. The graphic novel's text conveys the wisdom of the original book, in which a childlike perspective illuminates the absurdity of adult living while attaining its own hard-won maturity. Sfar's loose but masterful art supplements the book's themes with a supple visual style that appears accessibly artless on its surface, but occasionally blossoms into symbolism and abstraction. The book abounds with individual panels that are profound in their meaning and striking in their simplicity. Ages 9-12. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 5 Up-This timeless story of a man who meets a mysterious boy in the middle of the desert is one that has been enjoyed by readers of all ages for more than 65 years. The man is young at heart, strongly influenced by the memories of his own childhood. He loves to draw although he isn't very good at it, and his art helps him form an emotional bond with the boy. The child appears to be young but has a very old soul. He loves to talk, think, and ask questions. He also has the strength to face a sacrifice that the man cannot. The original story was illustrated by Saint-Exupery, which makes this modern transition into graphic-novel form especially seamless. Sfar is very respectful of the original writing and illustrations, but his simple yet nuanced artwork brings another layer of depth to the story, his use of shadows and close-ups reinforcing the mood of this piece. His adaptation is as classic as the original, and it will bring this quiet yet thought-provoking story to a new generation of readers. The format will be especially attractive to teens who might have missed this story when they were children, and to adults who are interested in revisiting their own childhood memories. Also available in French (ISBN 978-0-547-44330-0; $22.).-Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Purists will have trouble with Sfar's messing with a classic, but he does a credible job making the story accessible to a new audience. Sfar's prince is true to the spirit of the original, and much of the wisdom and charm of the novella is recreated in this graphic novel. The illustrations retain the feel of Antoine de Saint-Exupiry's sketches while giving them new dimension. (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A prolific comic-book artist tackles the beloved standard of French children's literature in graphic form with middling results. As if taking his cues from the late Antoine de Saint-Exupry himself, Sfar approaches hissource material with no small degree of deference. The text is reproduced nearly verbatim, andthe artist takes great pains to faithfully render the intricately detailed illustrations Saint-Exupry imagined (and stated in the text).If anything, Sfar may be too true to the original. His drawings are charmingly competent, but they lack creativity. This version of the doe-eyed prince, though clearly partaking of the illustrator's unique aesthetic, isn't really anythingreaders haven't seen many times before. The haunting landscapes of Saint-Exupry's surreal wonderland might seem the stuff of which illustrators dream, but these fall unusually flat. Standard six-per-page panels might have been interwoven with alternate perspectives and formats; without such relief, this adaptation plods. A rare miss from an otherwise adept and engaging artist; opt for the original and an evening under the stars. (Graphic classic. 8 up)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
