Sfar, Joann. Adapted from the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry The little prince. Color by Brigitte Findakly. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-547-33802-6
Author / Illustrator Website: http://www.joann-sfar.com/wpen/
Media: Watercolor
Award: Youth Essential Prize, Angoulême International Comics Festival, 2009.
Use of Onomatopoeia: (p. 9) “I wish that he’d stop bleating on,” (p. 23) “Craaaaack!”
Use of Simile: (p. 22) “They’re big as churches.”
Use of Personification: (p. 30) “Flowers are weak. They’re naïve. And they’re insecure. They think their thorns make them look terrifying.”
Use of Alliteration: (p. 9) “Scritch! Scratch! Scribble!”
Special Notations: Personal Top Ten, 2010 Copyright, Graphic Novel
Annotation: A solo pilot is stranded in the desert. He meets a wise and inquisitive little boy, supposedly from another planet, and the two have a conversation that ranges from amusing to profound while the pilot attempts to fix his plane.
Personal Reaction: The Little Prince, originally written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in 1943 has been translated and update before, but never Sfar’s treatment is something new altogether. This classic book, which most would be afraid to touch, is reinvented as a graphic novel by acclaimed comic artist Joann Sfar and I was delighted and impressed by the results. Somehow, the essence of the original work is not lost, but enhanced and instead of feeling like a new version, Sfar’s work feels like The Little Prince for this generation. The watercolor illustrations are vivid and lively in contrast to the original drawings published in 1943 and yet, these new graphic novel style illustrations suit the content perfectly in the 21st century. I highly recommend this book and believe it is a wonderful example of how a classic can be given new life for a new generation.
