Recommend me some lovely books in French for early readers (age 6-7)

February 24, 2020 11:52 AM

I'd like to get some books for my friends' daughter, who is just beginning to read in English and in French. She already has a ton of books in English that her parents (and I) read with her, so I'm looking for a few French-language books that would also be appropriate for her reading level. Extra points for humor, delightful illustrations, and representations of diversity.
posted by theory to Writing & Language (10 answers total)

Best answer: My son was very fond of books featuring the art of Marc Boutavant. His 2 favourites were Le Tour du monde de Mouk and Le popotin de l'hippopo.
posted by Ashwagandha at 12:25 PM on February 24, 2020

One of my favorite comics just finished and her oldest daughter is 6 and enjoys reading these books. Boumeries! They come in either English or French (Canadian), are about Boum and her family and day-to-day life. They are funny and silly and very approachable. You can read them on her website first, too, to get a feel for them.
posted by jillithd at 12:57 PM on February 24, 2020

Best answer: I also want to recommend books by Elise Gravel that come in either English or French (Canadian, again). Books about bugs and refugees and being yourself. They are great!
posted by jillithd at 1:01 PM on February 24, 2020

Can't beat Le Petit Prince.
posted by zadcat at 1:17 PM on February 24, 2020 [2 favorites]

Joachim a Des Ennuis

(apparently now called Petit Nicolas a Des Ennuis.
posted by Kafkaesque at 1:34 PM on February 24, 2020

Best answer: Saisons and Gens by Blexbolex are gorgeous and clever (Saisons especially). We love and have worn out our copies. There's some diversity and pushback on traditional gender roles in Gens but I wish there were a lot more. These just have one or two words per page and so they might be appropriate for younger kids too but 6 or 7 is still in the right range.

Blexbolex also has a slightly more complicated book, Romance, that I'd also recommend without hesitation even though I've only read the English version (Ballad).  This one has more narrative, with a bit of peril, but still just a few words per page.
posted by miles per flower at 1:37 PM on February 24, 2020

My 7 year old son's current favourites are the Hibou Hebdo (Owl Diaries) books and Ricky Ricotta et son robo géant.
posted by subluxor at 1:59 PM on February 24, 2020

Babar.
posted by CCBC at 3:29 PM on February 24, 2020

Asterix le Gaulois
posted by dustpuppy at 6:59 PM on February 24, 2020

Le chemin de la montagne by Marianne Dubuc is the definition of lovely. It is a little sad/bittersweet at the end though.
posted by Rora at 6:03 PM on February 25, 2020