Phileas's Fortune: A Story About Self-Expression - Hardcover

De Lestrade, Agnès; Docampo, Valeria

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1433807904 ISBN 13: 9781433807909

Publisher: Magination Press, 2010

Synopsis

Nautilus Gold Award Winner, Children's Illustrated

Cherry...Ruby...Chimes. How can such simple words mean so much?

Phileas’ Fortune is a book about values, about the important things we want our children to learn: what really matters in life. This book is unique because its lessons sit softly on the beauty of the text and illustrations in a story about the power of words and self-expression.  On one level, it is a poetic evocation of how “less is more” and how what is in a child’s heart is more valuable than anything money can buy. Phileas demonstrates that heartfelt communication and human openness is more meaningful than showing off or bullying.  Values education is most effective at younger ages and this book speaks to the young child directly and simply, without lecture.  On its deeper level, therefore, Phileas’ Fortune is about positive developmental characteristics we can teach our children -- of caring for others, of being honest, of being modest.

Phileas's Fortune is a sweet tale that reveals the power of words and of caring for others, of being honest and modest. What Phileas says is not nearly as important as how he says it. When Phileas expresses his love for Cybele, his humble words carry more weight than the more expensive, fancy words of a rich bully. And in the end, when Phileas expresses himself with sincerity and heart, Phileas finds more fortune than money could ever buy. 

About this title

About the Author

Agnès de Lestrade loves to write stories. She has published more than 20 books. Her book Mes yeux menthe à l'eau was a finalist for the 2008 Tam-Tam Award. Follow her on Facebook: @agnes.delestrade.

Valeria Docampo's inspiration for her art is rooted in everyday life: the eyes of a dog, the shape of a tree, the sound of rainfall, and the aromas of breakfast. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she studied fine arts and graphic design at the University of Buenos Aires. She has illustrated several books for children, including Cinderstella and Phileas's Fortune. Visit www.valeriadocampo.com and follow on Facebook: @ValeriaDocampoOfficial

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 4–A young boy lives in a strange land where people must buy and swallow the words they need in order to speak. Those who can't afford expensive words must resort to using dull, boring, discarded terms found in trash cans and gutters, and old-fashioned, useless words that go on sale. Occasionally, if they're lucky, they can catch a few good words floating in the air. Phileas desperately wants to wish his friend Cybele a happy birthday and profess his love, but unlike the bully Oscar, who has enough money to blurt out his feelings, He can't afford the right words. Instead, he smiles at her and, with all the love in his heart, utters “cherry!” “ruby!” “chimes!” Cybele doesn't have any words either, so she simply gives Phileas a kiss, to which he responds with a word he has been saving for just the right occasion: “again!” The exquisite and evocative sepia-tone paintings, highlighted with bold, vibrant reds, beautifully illustrate the poetic text and breathe life into the characters. Demonstrating that what we say is not nearly as important as how we say it, this import provides a wonderful springboard for discussing the power of words and the importance of honesty and sincerity. It will be a welcome addition to picture-book collections and useful to teachers engaged in values education.Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL
© Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About this edition

• Publisher: Magination Press
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1433807904
• ISBN 13: 9781433807909
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Docampo Valeria