Henri’s walk to Paris : Designed by Saul Bass
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* Update – The long-awaited reissue is now available. Pick up a copy at Amazon or your local book store.
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As far as I know this is the only kids picture book illustrated by designer Saul Bass. Saul provides a 60s pop color backdrop for the text written by Leonore Klein. The book was published by Young Scott books in 1962.
Henri’s walk to Paris is the story of young boy who lives in Reboul, France that dreams of going to Paris. One day, after reading a book about Paris he decides to pack up a lunch and head for the city. Along the way he gets tired and falls asleep under a tree. This is when the story really gets good. I’m not sure if I should spoil the end for you, but lets just say it involves a pencil stealing bird with a band aid on its face.
Here below is the actual preface as seen in the book.
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Like many of us Henri wants to see Paris.
In Paris, there are thousands of buses. In Reboul, where Henri lives, there is only one bus.
In paris there are many parks and rows and rows of trees. The Park in Reboul has only five trees. In Paris there are many zoos full of animals for the people to see.
So one fine day Henri packs up some lunch and starts off to see all the things he had read about.
What Henri sees we see in a flowing panorama of pictures conceived by the eminent graphic designer, Saul Bass.
and how Henri finds himself very much at home at the end of his long journey, is the amusing secret of Mrs. Klein’s warm pattern story.
Tags1960s, Illustration, kids-books, saul-bass, USA
