Emma in Paris

Emma, the New York sparrow whom we first met in the acclaimed Emma's Journey, returns in this delightfully playful story of acrobatics and friendship, which also affords a beautiful and unusual visit to the wonderful city of Paris. Following Emma's Journey, which took Emma from her home in Central Park through Manhattan and then across the Atlantic Ocean to Paris, Emma in Paris tells the story of Emma's first months in the City of Light, where she meets her cousin Amelie, joins with her in her circus act, and is befriended by a gentle cat named Edouard. Brave, curious, and determined, Emma is a wonderful heroine with whom to travel into the wide boulevards and secret corners of one of the world's great cities. Born in Versailles, France, Claire Frossard left for Alsace in 1997 to pursue her studies at the School of Decorative Arts in Strasbourg. Since then, she has worked in a small studio as an illustrator, creating children's books and drawings for the press. In 1998 she made her first trip to New York to visit her uncle Etienne, who is a photographer by profession. As so many before her, Claire fell in love with New York. Over the next ten years, she dreamed of returning.Then, early in 2009, she finally arrived back in New York, with the sparse beginnings of Emma's Journey in her suitcase and the address of Enchanted Lion Books in her pocket. Christophe Urbain is a photographer based in Strasbourg, France. This is his first book for children. Though he greatly enjoyed photographing all of the images for Emma in Paris, he particularly loved capturing the lesser known sights, such as the wonderful metro station that you will see in these pages.

"Children will delight in the many humorous details Ms. Frossard adds to Mr. Urbain's sharp, well-composed photographs of Paris. Birds flutter about wearing colorful helmets, a bluebird walks her pet ladybug, snails cavort among lush heads of lettuce, and young mice ride tiny bikes. [...] In addition to the engrossing artwork, the plot's revelation of Emma's bohemian lifestyle shared with her cousin will appeal to many children's sense of adventure. What child hasn't dreamed of joining the circus and entertaining crowds with daring feats of fire eating, juggling, and walking a tightrope? ... tres charmant." - Janice Floyd Durante, New York Journal of Books "Using actual photos of the city as the backdrop, Frossard draws in the birds, mice, and cats as if they are on stage. French phrases are used in the text with an asterisk that leads readers to the translation, thereby offering an opportunity for children to learn a few words in French. The cousins attach a lock to the Pont des Arts, along with many others, signifying their lasting friendship. The book ends with a spread of central Paris where kids can locate the spots characters visited. Pair this book with the Paris-set classic, Ludwig Bemelmans's Madeline." -- School Library Journal "...Emma in Paris could be an excellent introduction to French culture and the capital city, in preparation for a trip there, or to help one recall." - The New York Times Book Review "In this second book about a travel-loving bird named Emma (Emma's Journey, 2010), the little sparrow sets sail across the Atlantic to meet her Parisian cousin ... Au revoir, Emma, until (we hope) Book 3." -- Kirkus Reviews "The book is full of charming illustrations by Frossard and they are complemented by Urbain's colorful photographs which present a beautiful slice of Parisian life. In this Paris, delightfully presented by the author, the animals cats, dogs and birds go about their everyday life unnoticed by the humans." -- Crazy for Books