Sebastien Braun

When Raj and his dad head out for a day of adventures, list of activities firmly in hand, the young tiger imagines it is going to be the best day ever. But when it transpires that his father has accidentally left his wallet at home, preventing them from doing some of the things on the list, Raj thinks that their outing has been ruined. Fortunately, both he and his dad soon find ways to have fun that don't involve money, and the day turns out to be a success after all...

Expatriate French show more author/illustrator Sebastien Braun, now living and working in London, has created many engaging reassurance stories for young children. His On Our Way Home is a lovely father-child story for younger childdren, and so is Raj and the Best Day Ever! I thought the loving interactions between Raj and his father were well-captured here, both in art and text, and I appreciated the message (too infrequently seen in children's stories) that fun can be had through activities that don't require a lot of money. As long as you have an imagination, and a loving playmate, you're set! The artwork here was colorful and humorous, perfectly capturing Raj and his father's reactions, whether of consternation or pleasure, throughout the story. Recommended to anyone looking for good father-son stories for the picture-book set, as well as to those seeking children's stories that emphasize that money isn't required, to have a good time with one's loved ones. show less

With this charming reassurance tale meant for the very young, Sebastien Braun - whose I Love My Daddy and I Love My Mommy belong to the same genre - pairs a simple text with warm, expressive illustrations, creating a very satisfying bedtime story. As Daddy and Baby Bear make their way home, they frequently stop to enjoy the natural beauty around them. Together, they race through a meadow, count the golden leaves falling from above, and share the berries they find. "We saw the twinkling stars show more come out..." the narrative concludes, "And then we were home."

It is all too easy for books such as this to slip into mawkishness, but On Our Way Home manages to convey a sense of love and security with simple, straightforward language. Braun's lovely acrylic illustrations, luminous and tender, slowly seduce and lull the reader. What could be more desirable, in a bedtime book? show less

Sebastien Braun, a picture-book author/artist whose work is generally geared toward younger children - think reassurance tales like I Love My Mommy and On Our Way Home, or simple concept-books like Meeow and the Big Box and :Meeow and the Little Chairs - turns his attention to Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairy-tale in this new offering for the Story House collection. Depending upon you view of revisionist fairy-tales, this retelling of The Ugly Duckling will appear either in the light show more of a charming adaptation for younger children, or a misguided watering down of the original. My friends probably won't be surprised to discover I fall more into the latter camp...

Although the simple illustrations - done in India ink, marker pen, and colored pencil - are undeniably cute, the narrative itself is so bland, that I had difficulty understanding why Andersen's tale was used at all. If all that was required was a gentle, feel-good animal story, surely an original one could have been created? But to take a classic story, something that has bite - there is a kind of sharp poignancy to the duckling's suffering, from his rejection by his own mother, to his all-too-brief sojourn with the doomed ganders in the wild - and omit all the disturbing elements, so as not to distress the tots... Well, it doesn't sit right. If The Ugly Duckling is too disturbing for toddlers, I say: read them something else. show less

After reading and enjoying Sebastien Braun's On Our Way Home - a reassurance tale in which a father and child enjoy a homeward stroll - I thought I would take a look at some of his other books, and stumbled across this new series devoted to the games of Meeow, a clever little cat. In Meeow and the Big Box, which (together with Meeow and the Little Chairs) introduces the series, Meeow uses a big cardboard box, some red paint, and his imagination, to create a fun prop for his make-believe show more play.

Simple text, together with fun, brightly colored illustrations, make this an excellent concept-book for very young children, who will identify with Meeow's craftiness, and his sense of fun. I was a little disappointed that the book didn't have more textural depth, as the velvet Meeow on the cover leads the reader to expect similar delights within; but otherwise, this is a good selection for imaginative toddlers and pre-schoolers. show less