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Book Review: The Story of Babar the Little Elephant

Rating:

Babar the elephant is born to loving mother and lives happily in the forest with her until she is killed by a wicked hunter.  On fleeing from the hunter, he finds himself in a city.  When he sees the people there are wearing clothes he wishes that he could do the same, and an empathetic Old Lady buys him a fine suit and takes him home.  He lives with her until two of his runaway cousins cross his path.  When he returns them to the forest he decides to stay, and the elephants choose him as their king.

This unusual story combines the drama of bereavement with comedic humor.  Young children will enjoy the way Babar takes on human characteristics as he puts on his suit, and spreads the human influence of civilization to the entire elephant “people.”  Although he is shown grieving for the life he has lost, the evil that brought about his orphanhood is counterbalanced by the Old Lady’s kindness, and his story is suffused with expectant hope.  His traumatic bereavement remains a part of him, but it does not prevent him from bettering himself, helping others, marrying Celeste, and building a royal family together.

While some critics have objected to what they interpret as sexist and colonialist undercurrents, I think the Babar series is best understood as an innocent and deliciously lighthearted fantasy, at the heart of which exists a stable, joyful family.  It’s definitely worth reading.

Posted on August 31, 2009