Connecting Constellations: The Little Prince and Young Readers

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry 

Evaluator's Response: What begs for appreciation in The Little Prince is its inviting aesthetic and the Little Prince's endearing struggle to find a friend in a vast universe of uninteresting, immoral people. In a time where more and more students find themselves in separated homes, this book can lend a perspective that some students can find relatable.

The book's length, a mere 72 pages in most editions, along with accompanying illustrations provided by the stranded pilot, make The Little Prince approachable from a first glance. 

However, since the text is translated from French, some phrases are not effectively translated. For example, at one point in the novella, the Little Prince lashes out at another character, calling that person a "mushroom." Even when read in context, this specific insult is confusing and produces a "skip-it" moment, which should be avoided at all costs in a book with such a concise count and use of words.

Additionally, at times the drawings limited some readers interpretation of the describes scenes and events in the novella.

Teacher's Response: If The Little Prince appeals to student readers, another book worth investigating is Ronia, the Robber's Daughter. Near her home, Ronia plays in a dense forest and meets Birk, a charming boy. The two friends begin an adventure across the countryside. Unfortunately, Birk is the son of Borka , the sworn enemy of her father, Mattis. When the feuding families hear about children's friendship, Ronia and Birk hide until their families put aside their differences. In short, Ronia, the Robber's Daughter is a tale about the importance of friendship and plights that can sometimes try to obstruct beautiful relationships between friends. 

Literacy Coach's Response: Using The Little Prince in class is not only a way to cover a range of 7th grade English language arts standards, it also can act as a way to build friendships and culture in a classroom. The book's approachability and warm presence works in itself to de-alienate those students who are operating at a lower Lexile level. Superficially, this book is wondrous story about a boy who travels from planet to planet in search of a friend. However, the language is so dense, it very well could take two to three weeks to unpack what's happening on a subtextual level. 

For teaching materials on The Little Prince, click right here!