An Armadillo in Paris, by Julie Kraulis

"Arlo feels it.  The twitch in his left claw.  The twitch that only stops when adventure begins. . . ."  Arlo, the Brazilian armadillo, comes by his wanderlust naturally.  He grandfather Augustin left journals of his travels, which Arlo now wants to follow.  First stop in Julie Kraulis's children's book series: An Armadillo in Paris.

Arlo makes many stops on his visit to Paris, at a street cafe, the Louvre, and a bookstore on the Left Bank.  He sees famous sites like the Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame, and the bridges over the Seine.  Throughout, he's looking forward to meeting the Iron Lady, which turns out to be none other than the Eiffel Tower.

Arlo is as cute as can be as he explores Paris.  Kraulis's illustrations bring the city to life in a soft, intimate way.  Most of the pictures show the armadillo-level perspective, rather than broad views or cityscapes.  If you don't already long to visit Paris (who doesn't?), An Armadillo in Paris will give you a little extra inspiration, just as Augustin's journal inspired Arlo.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!