Babar Comes to New York

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By Rocco Staino -- School Library Journal, 10/6/2008 2:00:00 PM

Babar the elephant, the beloved protagonist of nearly four dozen children’s books, is now the star of his very own show: an exhibit at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York City. 

For the last two weeks, crowds of all ages have been coming to the former home and library of financier Pierpont Morgan to see “Drawing Babar: Early Drafts and Watercolors,” which features more than 170 works, including manuscript drafts, sketches, and watercolors, for the first book by each of Babar's two authors, father and son Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff.

The show is the result of a 2004 gift of drawings and watercolors to the museum by Laurent de Brunhoff and his brothers. “The Story of Babar has found its final home in a city far from Celestville and far from Paris but where we think Babar will feel very comfortable” says Laurent de Brunhoff, who continued the series after his father’s death. 

During a recent visit by SLJ, the building’s galleries seemed more like a nursery school than a museum. Children, parents, and caregivers were found gazing at framed drawings or spread on the exhibit floors reading Babar books aloud. “Do you know the difference between a sketch and a drawing?” an older woman asked her young charge as they viewed the watercolors of Babar, Celeste, Arthur, and Zephir. 

Visitors will also enjoy watching the evolution of the Babar series. In earlier books, Babar was simply called “baby elephant.” And the writing has changed, too. It’s unlikely, for instance, that the text from Babar: King of the Elephants, in which Babar tells Cousin Arthur, “you are too fat” would make it into print today.

The exhibit runs through January 4, 2009.