Adèle & Simon (Adèle & Simon)

McClintock's beautifully restrained use of color may evoke a long-ago time, but her compositions are so dynamic there's always something for contemporary children to discover.

Delightful . . . as enjoyable as a chocolate croissant.

With its cozy, Kate Greenaway flavor and many minutiae to discover, this will be especially nice to share one on one.

PreS-Gr 2 -When Adèle meets her younger brother after school, she cautions him not to lose anything on the way home. The children take a leisurely route, visiting friends, a street market, a park, and two museums. Predictably, Simon leaves an item (his drawing, hat, knapsack, glove) behind at each location. Set in Paris during the early 20th century, this simple story is the basis for some remarkable illustrations. McClintock's pen-and-ink with watercolor technique has the feel of illustrated children's books from that period. The retro effect is accented by an old-fashioned typeface, creamy paper, and wide borders around the spreads. The children's route is traced on the endpapers -- a map of Paris from 1907. Each stop is based on a real place, some immediately recognizable, such as the Louvre and Notre-Dame. McClintock's research is described in wonderfully detailed endnotes. For example, in the picture of the bustling street market, the groupings of people are based on works by Honoré Daumier and Eugène Atget. In the Louvre, Edgar Degas and Mary Cassatt help Simon find his crayons. Readers will enjoy the visual game of hide-and-seek; the more they look, the more they can find. A beautiful example of bookmaking, with plenty to charm children, this is a visual delight." -Robin L. Gibson, Granville Parent Cooperative Preschool, OH" Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

In this nostalgic charmer, McClintock ("Dahlia") imagines a walking tour of Paris circa 1900, traced by two distractible siblings on their way home from school. (The endpapers, taken from a 1907 Baedeker map, chart the roundabout route.) When Adèle greets Simon, "He [has] his hat and gloves and scarf and sweater, his coat and knapsack and books and crayons, and a drawing of a cat he'd made that morning." Despite his sister's pleading that he keep track of his possessions, Simon loses everything on the list. At a market, closely observed from a bird's eye view, vendors sell carrots, books, birds and baskets, and Simon misplaces his drawing. Sharp-eyed readers might locate the boy's picture, but the siblings do not. Adèle and Simon move on to the Louvre, Notre-Dame and the Jardin du Luxembourg, where they watch the Punch and Judy show and a parade of the Republican Guard. Simon drops a belonging at every stop, but in the reassuring conclusion, a queue of watchful people arrives at the children's home to return the goods. In illustrations that mimic hand-colored engravings, McClintock pictures orange autumn foliage against pale blue-gray skies. She depicts every detail with precision and warmth, from architecture and cobblestones to horses, early automobiles and period clothing. An afterword with thumbnail images identifies each location and allusions to Daumier, Atget and a few Impressionists (other allusions, such as one to "Madeline", are left to discover). McClintock scores a double coup, creating a must-see for francophiles and an engaging hide-and-seek game for homebodies. Ages 4-8. "(Sept.)" Agent: Jennie Dunham, Russell & Volkening. Copyright 2006 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

"[An] instant classic. McClintock's illustrations . . . evoke the world of children's books our grandmothers handed down, by Randolph Caldecott or Emile Gaillard." —The New York Times Book Review

"Simon is a lucky kid—and so are the ones whose parents share this lovely book with them." —The Los Angeles Times

"The story is droll; the pen-and-ink drawings, glorious." —Entertainment Weekly

"McClintock's story is fun to read, and her illustrations, rich with autumn colors and scenes, make this book a standout." —Scripps Howard News Service

"The illustrations are nonpareil." —The Miami Herald

"Muted old-world watercolors pay homage to a great city and a special relationship at the dawn of the 20th century." —The San Francisco Chronicle

"A gifted artist offers gorgeous pen-and-ink watercolor drawings of early 20th century Paris." —Buffalo News

"Parents will hunt for excuses to borrow this one." —St. Louis-Post Dispatch