Aesop's Fables > Books of Fables > Series Books > Larousse 2014 Les Fables de La Fontaine

Larousse 2014 Les Fables de La Fontaine

 

There are apparently eight pamphlets in this "Collection Les Fables de La Fontaine" series from Larousse.  Of the eight, I found two this summer in Europe and I just ordered two.  Now I have found the other four.  They are brought together in the French "Mon grand livre des Fables de La Fontaine."

They are also brought together in the Spanish "Mi gran libro de las fabulas de La Fontaine."

2014 La Cigale et la Fourmi.  Jean de La Fontaine.  Illustrations: Alain Boyer.  Paperbound.  Paris: Collection Les Fables de La Fontaine:  Larousee.  €1.90 from Gibert Jeune, Paris, June, '19.

"Des albums aux illustrations drôles et modernes pour décourvrir toute la saveur des textes de La Fontaine."  "Drôles" characterizes well what we find here in Boyer's illustrations: highly stylized and dramatic.  This cicada actually grabs the ant's leg to plead with her.  In the next image, she is on the ground weeping and pleading.  Changes in the color and size of the typeface add to the effect.  A lively introduction to La Fontaine for smaller children.  16 pages.  About 5½" x 7½".

2014 Le Rat de ville et le Rat des champs.  Jean de La Fontaine.  Mathieu Maillefer.  Paperbound.  Paris: Collection Les Fables de La Fontaine: Larousse.  €1 from Pele Mele, Brussels, August, '19.

"Des albums aux illustrations drôles et modernes pour décourvrir toute la saveur des textes de La Fontaine."  In this pamphlet the two rodents are contrasted in attitude, color, and shape.  The best image shows the pudgy brown disgruntled country fellow in his coveralls ready to leave after the first attack.  The artistry exaggerates gesture and expression well to express the story to children.  Now I need to find the missing four booklets in this series.  From my first attempts, I would say that it will not be easy.  16 pages.  About 5½" x 7½".

2015 Le Loup et l'Agneau.  Jean de La Fontaine.  Illustrated by Romain Guyard.  Paperbound.  Paris: Collection Les Fables de La Fontaine: Larousse.  €2.75 from Amazon.fr, Sept., '19.

"Des albums aux illustrations drôles et modernes pour décourvrir toute la saveur des textes de La Fontaine."  In this pamphlet two visualizations stand out particularly.  The first is repeated three times, including the illustration on the front cover: the menacing wolf threatens a cuddly little lamb.  The second is the last illustration on 14-15: the shepherd picks up the empty boots that the little lamb had been wearing.  I still need to find the missing four booklets in this series.  From my first attempts, I would say that it will not be easy.  16 pages.  About 5½" x 7½".

2015 Le Grenouille qui veut se faire aussi grosse que le Boeuf.  Jean de La Fontaine.  Illustrated by Élodie Bossrez.  Paperbound.  Paris: Collection Les Fables de La Fontaine:  Larousse.  €2.75 from Amazon.fr, Sept., '19.

"Des albums aux illustrations drôles et modernes pour décourvrir toute la saveur des textes de La Fontaine."  In this pamphlet, Bossrez's animals are highly stylized, almost Picassoesque or cubist.  The frog, for example, that appears on the title-page has the elements of a frog put together quite creatively.  Both the frogs and the ox wear swimming suits or shorts.  The double-page 6-7 shows the frog working out in gymnastics adapted to life on a creek.  The inflated frog on 10 is wonderful.  This artist resists showing the explosion itself.  I still need to find the missing four booklets in this series.  From my first attempts, I would say that it will not be easy.  16 pages.  About 5½" x 7½".

2014 La Lièvre et la Tortue.  Jean de La Fontaine.  Illustrated by Jocelyn Millet.  Paperbound.  Paris: Collection Les Fables de La Fontaine: Larousse.  €17.34 from Better World Books, Oct., '19.

"Des albums aux illustrations drôles et modernes pour décourvrir toute la saveur des textes de La Fontaine."  This hare has headphones connected to a smart phone, and he wears blue running shorts.  As the two contestants converse, a porcupine sitting at a table off to the side sharpens his quills.  This hare not only sleeps, but he plays on his phone before getting his shoes on and going.  The bespectacled tortoise "se hâte avec lenteur."  "Drôles" characterizes well what we find here in Millet's illustrations: highly stylized and dramatic.  Among these good illustrations is the back cover's oval glimpse of the hare eating carrots and reading a book.  Changes in the color and size of the typeface add to the effect.  A lively introduction to La Fontaine for smaller children.  16 pages.  About 5½" x 7½".  I am surprised at how much I had to pay for this pamphlet to complete this set of eight.

2014 Le Lion et le Rat.  Jean de La Fontaine.  Illustrated by Prisca Le Tandé.  Paperbound.  Paris: Collection Les Fables de La Fontaine: Larousse.  €6.99 from Amazon.fr, Oct.,' 19.

"Des albums aux illustrations drôles et modernes pour décourvrir toute la saveur des textes de La Fontaine."  Le Tandé here has us fascinated with the large halo-like mane of the lion.  Perhaps the best two-page illustration here has the lion magnanimously freeing the mouse, who scampers away on a tree-branch.  The very next picture has the lion similarly scampering, only this time not into freedom.  In this story's last image, the mouse basks in the lion's mane, while the lion basks on a tree-branch.  Changes in the color and size of the typeface add to the effect.  A lively introduction to La Fontaine for smaller children.  16 pages.  About 5½" x 7½".

2014 Le Corbeau et le Renard.  Jean de La Fontaine.  Illustrated by Prisca Le Tandé.  Paperbound.  Paris: Collection Les Fables de La Fontaine: Larousse.  €2.28 from Amazon.fr, Oct., '19.

"Des albums aux illustrations drôles et modernes pour décourvrir toute la saveur des textes de La Fontaine."  The short text of La Fontaine's fable allows for two large visual developments of a short text.  One example is the fox's following of the aroma of the cheese.  Le Tandé lets the aroma swirl across two pages leading the fox along.  On the next pair of pages, Le Tandé offers a creative conception of the crow singing.  What follows is a wordless pair of pages in which the cheese floats down near the waiting fox.  Jubilant fox and regretful crow are both well depicted on the next pair.  Changes in the color and size of the typeface add to the effect.  A lively introduction to La Fontaine for smaller children.  16 pages.  About 5½" x 7½".

2014 La Poule aux Oeufs d'Or.  Jean de La Fontaine.  Illustrated by Romain Guyard.  Paperbound.  Paris: Collection Les Fables de La Fontaine: Larousse.  €8.29 from Amazon.fr, Oct., '19.

Here is the last of these delightful pamphlets.  Guyard frequently uses the same basic design: farmer on the left-hand page and hen on the right.  The first two pairs of pages correspond almost exactly to each other except that the first pair are done n shadowed silhouette.  The hen somehow becomes more endearing as we see her little legs sit on the edge of the nest with boots on.  The nest, by the way, is decorated with euro signs!  The next two repetitions of the pattern have, first, a putative gold mine inside the hen and, second, a dead hen on her back with legs sticking up in the air.  Well done!  Changes in the color and size of the typeface add to the effect.  A lively introduction to La Fontaine for smaller children.  16 pages.  About 5½" x 7½".

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