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Larousse 2015 Las Fábulas de La Fontaine

There are apparently eight pamphlets in this "Las Fábulas de La Fontaine" series from Larousse. So far I have been able to find six.  They are brought together in "Mi gran libro de las fabulas de La Fontaine."  The series is identical in illustration and format with the French "Les Fables de La Fontaine" from Larousse in 2014.  Again, these are brought together in "Mon grand livre des Fables de La Fontaine."

2015 La cigarra y la hormiga.  Jean de La Fontaine.  Translated by Larousse and Veronique Montserrat Estremo Paredes.  Alain Boyer.  Quinta reimpresión.  Paperbound.  Mexico City: Las Fábulas de La Fontaine: Ediciones Larousse.  $1.95 from Amazon, Dec., '22.

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".

2015 La rata de ciudad y la rata de campo.  Jean de La Fontaine.  Translated by Larousse and Veronique Montserrat Estremo Paredes.  Illustrated by Mathieu Maillefer.  Quinta reimpresión.  Paperbound.  Mexico City: Las Fábulas de La Fontaine: Ediciones Larousse.  $1.95 from Amazon, Dec., '22.

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.  16 pages.  About 5½" x 7½"

(El lobo y el cordero)

(La rana que quiso hincharse como un buey)

2015 La liebre y la tortuga.  Larousse and Veronique Montserrat Estremo Paredes.  Illsutrations by Jocelyn Millet.  Quinta reimpresión.  Paperbound.  Mexico City: Las Fábulas de La Fontaine:  Ediciones Larousse.  $1.95 from Amazon, Dec., '22 

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 vaya a paso de anciano sabio."  Millet's illustrations are 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".

2015 El león y el ratón.  Jean de La Fontaine.  Translated by Larousse and Veronique Montserrat Estremo Paredes.  Prisca le Tandé.  Quinta reimpresión.  Paperbound.  Mexico City: Las Fábulas de La Fontaine:  Ediciones Larousse.  $1.95 from Amazon, Dec., '22.  

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".

2015 El cuervo y el zorro.  Jean de La Fontaine.  Translated by Larousse and Veronique Montserrat Estremo Paredes.  Illustrations by Prisca Le Tandé.  Cuarta reimpresión.  Paperbound.  Mexico City: Las Fábulas de La Fontaine: Ediciones Larousse.  $1.95 from Amazon, Dec., '22.

The shortness of La Fontaine's fable text allows for two large visual developments here.  One 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 two later 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".

2015 La gallina de los huevos de oro.  Jean de La Fontaine.  Translated by Larousse and Veronique Montserrat Estremo Paredes.  Illustrations by Romain Guyard.  Cuarta reimpresión.  Paperbound.  Mexico City: Las Fábulas de La Fontaine: Ediciones Larousse.  $7.15 from Amazon, Dec., '22.

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 in 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".