Book: The Little Prince

Author: Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Publication: Om Books Publication

Price: Rs. 99

Pages: 120

Plot: While trying to repair his crashed aeroplane, in the middle of the Sahara Desert, the narrator, an airman meets a little boy- The Little Prince. The Little Prince is from a small planet called B-612. He was the only inhabitant of this planet. He had a job of removing small baobabs tree as soon as they appear, otherwise, they will occupy the whole planet. On the planet, he has three volcanoes and one rose flower, his only friend. He loved the rose dearly but with time he realizes that he wanted to explore other planets. So one day he decides to leave the rose and three volcanoes on his planet and have a tour in the Universe.

Before reaching Earth he went to many small asteroid- planets. On these planets, he met a king who had no subjects, a drunkard who is so ashamed of drinking that he wants to drink till he forgets about his guilt, a geographer, a businessman who claims to own all the stars and many others inhabitants of small asteroid-planets.

He spent 8 days on Earth where he met a snake, a fox, a rose and went to a rose garden and the narrator. They both ran out of the water and were looking for a well, which they found. But after eight days The Little Prince told the narrator that he has decided to go back to his planet. And for that, he has to be bitten by a poisonous snake. The story takes a leap of a few years when the narrator tells that his body was never found which meant that he is now on his planet.

My Views: This book was first introduced to me by my teachers during my graduation days. This is my second time reading this book, but I would say I still enjoyed the book as much as I did the first time. The story is very short and is more of a children’s book. But I think this book is a good book for adults too. This book is for all the dreamers who always found themselves in doubts. This book is also for all those who spend their most of the time with children, be it educators or parents.

The book taught me many things one of them being, that how we as children are always ready to explore, to think out of the box, we are more imaginative, more creative. But as we all grow up we forget our individuality and tries to fit in the world. We function in the same set of routine and even expects our children to do the same. We negate things which are different from the set pattern, from the things which we usually see. We have already lost our creativity and are forcing children to lose theirs’ too. This book made me aware of this and forced me to become a child again.

Coming to the language of the book, as I said, it is a children’s book, it is an easy read book. One can finish it within a few days. The airman’s narration even made me cry in the end. Losing a friend and not knowing if he is alive or safe on his planet is disturbing, and his narration depicts all his worries. The ending is sad and yet a hopeful one. The airman’s wish and hope to see The Little Prince once again brings happiness in the end. For me, this book was one of the bests of 2018 reads.

Recommendations: I think this book is a must-read for all the teachers and parents to understand children. And for all the dreamers who want to understand themselves.

Ratings: 5/5

You can also read my book review of another children’s book- Animal Farm by George Orwell here.

Tangled Tourista

Tangled Tourista is an online diary, which is about travel, food and books. Here you will read about book reviews and suggestions, tested travelling tips and about new cafes and restaurants around and their reviews.