Meet Babar the Elephant at Wheeling storytime
Children can meet and learn about the world-famous Babar the Elephant at 1 p.m. Friday, May 27, Indian Trails Public Library, 355 S. Schoenbeck Road, Wheeling. The afternoon program includes stories about Babar, a related craft and a snack.
The lovable character was first created by French author Jean de Brunhoff in 1931, when it enjoyed immediate success in France.
An English language version appeared in 1933, in both the United States and England. The first book, “The History of Babar,” tells of a young elephant named Babar who leaves the jungle to visit a big city.
He later returns to the jungle and brings all the benefits of “big-city-living” to his fellow elephants. Babar becomes king of all the elephant kingdom and teaches his children the valuable lessons he learned in the city.
Jean de Brunhoff wrote seven Babar books between 1931 and 1941. His son, Laurent de Brunhoff, continued to write more than 20 books about Babar and his animal friends. Many other books, films, and TV shows have been created around this lovable elephant.
Babar stands alongside Mickey Mouse as one of the most recognized characters from children’s literature.
Books about him are printed in 17 languages, and sales have topped eight million copies. A TV series about Babar has been broadcast in 30 languages to more than 150 countries. The Babar series of books are recommended reading on the former First Lady Laura Bush’s national reading initiative list.
Meet Babar the Elephant is a great way to introduce children to this lovable character. If a child already knows Babar and his friends, this is a chance to enjoy meeting him again.
The program is designed for children ages 3-7. Children younger than 6 must be accompanied by an adult.
Tickets are required for the program and will be available 30 minutes before the program at the Kids Desk in the library on a first-come, first-served basis.
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