Paris up, up and away – A unique picture book and a poetic tribute to the City of Light

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Published on Monday, 30 November 2015 14:30

Last Updated on 01 October 2017

Monica Costa

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Paris Up, Up and Away by French illustrator and paper and textile designer Hélène Druvert (published by Thames & Hudson) is a the most original and unique picture book I have ever come across (yes really!).
In the awakening of the Paris attacks this book becomes a poetic tribute to the City of Light and for that reason it is even more emotional.

The story starts with the words

The Eiffel Tower is bored today
Wouldn’t it be nice to fly away?
Paris is full of things to do –
The Tower would like to see them too
The Tower takes off for the day
To watch the city work and play …

The Eiffel Tower is bored and decides to cut loose and fly over Paris to watch the city from above and at times it shrinks back down to watch it among its people.

Sailing through the night air, it glides over the Seine; a short hop away, it finds the Opéra.

It weaves through crowds on the streets and in the department stores, falls asleep in the sun, and wakes up to the jangling bells of Notre Dame.

This beautifully crafted book, brought to intricate, magical life by Helene Druvert’s ornate lasercuts, is a wonderfully imaginative introduction to Paris and its monuments for young children.

The pages are made in a very innovative technique as intricate black and white lasercuts.

It is a story suitable for children from 4 years of age which parents will absolutely adore reading again and again. We have already read Paris Up, Up and Away 10 times and counting.