Parents' Guide to

The Little Prince

By Matt Berman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Gorgeous classic about friendship, love, and life.

Book Antoine de Saint-Exupery Fantasy 1943
The Little Prince Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 8 parent reviews

Evren O.
Evren O. Adult
May 10, 2020
age 5+

A classic that children can understand better than you think

Though it sometimes meditates on complex topics the fact of the matter is that many of the ideas that this book dwells on are not ideas that are going to be unfamiliar to children. On the contrary, I feel that a child will be more familiar with the concepts presented here than adults who have forgotten what it was like to live in a world of made up rules and bizarre rituals. Overall a wonderful book for all ages.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
1 person found this helpful.
Persi
Persi Adult
June 21, 2020
age 9+

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 8 parent reviews

What's the Story?

A pilot crashes in the Sahara desert. While attempting to fix his plane a thousand miles from any habitation, he meets a strangely dressed little boy who seems to have come from nowhere and who demands that he draw a sheep. "When a mystery is too overpowering, one dare not disobey," so the pilot attempts to draw a sheep. Gradually the Little Prince reveals his story. He comes from a small asteroid, where he lived alone until a rose grew there. But the rose was demanding, and he was confused by his feelings about her. Eventually he decided to leave and journey to other planets in search of knowledge. After meeting many confusing adults, he eventually landed on Earth, where he befriended a snake and a fox. The fox helped him to understand the rose, and the snake offered to help him return to his planet -- but at a price.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8):
Kids say (17):

Beloved by generations of readers, this gentle, bittersweet fable can be a hard sell for kids: Poetic language, symbolic scenes, and philosophical discussions make it a better fit for older readers. Nevertheless, curled up with the right adult, kids with the patience can find their introduction to THE LITTLE PRINCE's kindly philosophy one of their most vivid moments of childhood.

You won't go wrong with either the original translation by Katherine Woods or the newer translation by Richard Howard, which features updated language -- both serve Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's classic story well. Do seek out an edition with Saint-Exupéry's whimsical watercolors, which contribute so much to this book's magical hold over readers. Several editions published in connection with the 2016 animated film feature artwork from the film; the stills are beautiful in their own way but are a departure from Saint-Exupéry's iconic images.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what it means when the fox says you're forever responsible for what you've tamed. How does that relate to your own relationships?

  • Do you think this book's ending is sad or happy?

  • Both the Little Prince and the pilot have a dim view of adults. Do you think they're right?

Book Details

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