The Little Prince

Story

After a serious plane crash, a pilot finds himself lost and alone in the Sahara Desert. He only has enough water to survive for 8 days. He soon meets the Little Prince who is from a different planet. They go on adventures together and meet a fox, a rose and lots of adults. By meeting and thinking about why people act the way they do, they soon learn what is truly important in life.

Why we chose it

A classic children’s story that has been translated – and is loved - all over the world.

Where it came from

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was a French writer and pilot. Much like the narrator in The Little Prince, he also had a crash in the desert and he was stranded without enough water.

He illustrated the book himself, using watercolour to paint the characters. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wanted to write an adventure that showed how silly adults can be and how clever children are!

Where it went next

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry originally wrote the book in French but it has now been translated into 300 different languages and has become a world-wide sensation. The book has been adapted to a film, TV series, a ballet show and even a theme park near Germany and Switzerland.

Associated stories

Antoine de Saint- Exupéry didn’t write any more children’s books but he did write a lot more about flying. Books such as Wind, Sand and Stars and Flight to Arras have been popular for adults.

There are a number of English translations, including one by Michael Morpurgo (2018).