"Oh là là!
" It's a sweet treat to travel the streets of Paris alongside Suzette and her crêpe cart as Wellington (All My Little Ducklings
) pays homage to famous French sites and great artists in snazzy picture-book style. Readers will instantly be immersed in the City of Light, thanks to the innovative layout and design. Wellington uses computer-manipulated photographs of Parisian streets, storefronts, parks and apartment buildings (with faces of real children peeking out) as a vibrant backdrop. She then imposes different textured elements (maps, stamps, ticket stubs) as well as her own acrylic-and-ink portraits of Suzette and other characters, in additional layers. The result is a funky and deliciously inviting postcard-collage. As Suzette wheels her wares through the bustling neighborhoods, she encounters a variety of hungry customers (and friendly animals) who happen to look very much like the subjects of various masterpieces (a picnic in the Luxembourg Gardens takes its inspiration from Manet's Dejeuner sur l'Herbe
; an illustration of a ring of schoolchildren gives a nod to Henri Matisse's Dance
). By book's end, youngsters will have seen some Paris landmarks and perhaps learned a bit about paintings (not to mention a few phrases trés français
). The final spread includes a glossary of French words, a crêpe recipe and notes on the street scenes, paintings and artists. Ages 2-7. (Mar.)
