Tales from Parc la Fontaine

Ellie Contursi is a children’s librarian at the London Public Library.

In the first of this picture book’s lovely trio of stories, “Trevor
and the French Fry,” we encounter Trevor the parrot, who has decided
to escape and act “wild” (he goes for a walk). Things get
interesting when he spots a delicious french fry; but, alas, some
seagulls successfully wrestle it from him. Tired of acting wild, Trevor
heads home for a relaxing bath.

In the next story, “Fiona the Lonely Land Snail,” we encounter
Fiona the lonely snail, who yearns for true love. When she spots a baby
caterpillar, her friend Colin warns her not to fall in love with it
because such a relationship would only end in sadness. But Fiona can’t
help herself; she loves the caterpillar. Then she watches it turn into a
butterfly and fly away. Colin tries to cheers her up with the
announcement of rain (Fiona loves the rain). This works until the next
time.

In the final story, “Angela’s Day,” we encounter Angela, a fly
who has a lifespan of only one day. But during that one day, she lives
life to the fullest, visiting bees and ladybugs, rescuing a friend from
a spider’s web, and enjoying the stars.

The tales from Parc la Fontaine can be summed up as “short but
sweet,” with charming characters that we meet briefly, but that cause
us to smile after each encounter. Soft-coloured pencil illustrations in
pastels convey the gentleness of the narratives. Recommended.