My kids and I love learning about other countries and cultures through the books we’re reading. Most recently we’ve been reading lots of children’s books about France and I’m excited about sharing our favorites with you.
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Some of these books are inspired by history, while some introduce France and its many offerings through fictional stories. Then there are the books that explore France through the eyes of a visitor or longtime resident.
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Here’s a look at our ten favorite children’s books about France:
10 Favorite Children’s Books about France
Keep in mind that the following book overviews all contain links to Amazon. If you’d prefer to support independent bookshops, you can find a similar list (with some extras!) on Bookshop.org.
1. France ABCs: A Book About the People
and Places of France
France ABCs is a great place to start if you’re exploring France through picture books. Letter by letter, this book features the landmarks, people, and culture of France.
2. Everybody Bonjours!
Everybody Bonjours is a delightful children’s book about France. It focuses on a visit to Paris and highlights several key locations. The Eiffel Tower, the Seine River, the Louvre, and Notre Dame are just a few of the destinations in this fun read.
The best part is that the vivid illustrations are combined with short, lyrical text. That makes it a perfect match for younger readers or kids who aren’t interested in lengthy reading sessions.
3. Paris In the Spring with Picasso
We can’t explore France through children’s books without diving into its rich legacy in the arts, right? That’s where Paris In the Spring with Picasso comes in.
While this book does get mixed reviews in regards to the plot, it makes our list because of how it showcases spring and art in the city of love.
4. Monsieur Saguette and His Baguette
If you’ve ever wondered just how much excitement a French baguette can add to your life, Monsieur Saguette and His Baguette is a great reading choice for you. This is a fun and imaginative way to experience life in Paris. My kiddos love this silly story, and I’m sure yours will too! :)
5. This is Paris
Looking for a retro look at life in Paris? This updated edition of the 1959 This Is Paris explores Paris through the eyes of Czech painter Miroslav Sasek.
The retro feel of the book is super cool, but there’s more to it than that. It combines basic information about the city with a glimpse of day-to-day life.
6. The Cat Who Walked Across France
Exploring France with your kids is easy in this lovely picture book. What I especially love about The Cat Who Walks Across France is that it highlights more than one city or setting in France.
Instead, this journey covers many sites you’d see passing through France: cities, landmarks, farms, countryside, villages, and even ports.
Fair warning, it’s a sweet story and a great look at French landscapes, but my kiddos did get a little teary after reading it.
7. Anatole
Anatole is a classic story about a French mouse who turns out to be quite the expert on the many cheeses that come from the Duvall Cheese Factory.
If your kiddos become smitten by Anatole, be sure to check out Anatole and the Cat and Anatole over Paris. They’re older and may be hard to find, but you may get lucky and find a few of them at your local library!
8. Madeline
Is it even possible to explore France without Madeline and Miss Clavel? Madeline isn’t just a sweet story about a girl undergoing surgery. It’s a gorgeous watercolor tour of Paris that makes it easy to take in all the sights and sounds you’ll find there.
Better yet, there’s are lots of other Madeline books and videos to enjoy. Most of these take place in France, but every now and then Madeline and the eleven other girls find adventure elsewhere.
9. Zarafa: The Giraffe Who Walked to the King
You may not expect to learn about a giraffe while reading children’s books about France, but Zarafa:The Giraffe Who Walked to the King is based on a true story from the 1820s.
Looking for more books about Zarafa and her journey to France? You may also like The Giraffe That Walked to Paris and Zarafa: A Giraffe’s True Story.
10. The Glorious Flight
Alice and Martin Provenson’s The Glorious Flight tells the story of French aviator Louis Bleriot and his first flight across the English Channel.
This story ends with Bleriot’s ground-breaking flight taking him across the Channel, but much of it takes place in the northern town of Cambrai.
Want to explore some other places through picture books? Check out the following posts:
- Children’s Books about India
- Children’s Books about South America
- From My Window (a Multicultural Children’s Book Day pick)