Paris Hop!

While I seriously doubt that you could really get all this done in one day, I really enjoyed this book. I even felt breathless at the end of the book. It was a lot of fun and the kids can actually learn a lot about Paris. The illustrations were perfect for the story--lots of detail and they captured the speed of the day well.

Review will be posted March 13 A cute children's book about a Grandma taking her granddaughter to Paris for the day.  The book starts out with some key French phrases and how to pronounce them.  The story is told in rhyme, which is extra impressive with the french words thrown in throughout! Super adorable illustrations as well. Now I want to visit Paris!

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review, I was not otherwise compensated.

This is a delightful introduction to the charms of Paris for a young child. First, the book introduces basic French vocabulary such as please, yes, look, girl among other French words. It sprinkles the French words throughout as it follows a girl and her grandmama as they tour Paris hoping to make it to La Tour Eiffel before dark. They see French painters, smell the croissants, view French fashion in store windows, watch a park puppet show, take a river boat ride, spot Mona Lisa and toss coins into a fountain. Are they getting too sidetracked by the sights and scents of Paris? Will they make it to the Eiffel Tower before dark? You'll find out by the end of this book.

Love the fetching illustrations, and the rhyming is clever. Love to read books to children about different geographical places. The book might have been a little bit longer, but it is delightful and great for families interested in France or travel.

I loved the story and illustrations. I had fun reading the list of words and their meanings/translations- including the way it is suppose to sound out. I learned a few words while getting a snap-shot of Paris.

What an adorable little book! I really enjoyed it. I love the glossary in the front with the meaning of the french phrases. What a perfect little introduction for little ones into a the world of another language.

Such a fabulous book for little humans! Fabulous illustrations and a rhyming storyline to enhance engagement of the readers.

Awesome book!  Kids love to learn foreign languages

I loved the style of the illustrations and the inclusion of the French phrase glossary. Very nice indeed!

My almost 5-year old twin sons highly enjoyed this book.
It gave them an eye opener about European culture and is beautifully written.
See you in "Paree"!

With it's wonderful illustrations and superb use of language, Paris Hop is a delightful introduction for kids to all the city and French culture has to offer. I absolutely loved this book and I look forward to sharing it with my kids.

I really liked this book.  It starts with a glossary of french words so that when it is randomly dropped into the story, the reader knows what is being said.  I really liked that it did more then the basic "my name is", "I see" etc.

I loved this book from the beginning to the end. The fact that there is a glossary of French words made me squeal a little as the thought of education in a book is slightly exciting for me, but for a children's book its extremely delightful.

Paris Hop! by Margie Blumberg was easy to follow and gleefully enthralling. I was able to read this book through NetGalley and I was truly not disappointed.

The relationship between Grandma Goldie and Aimee was well defined and loving. Blumberg did a great job of bringing the story to life with the adventure and Renee Andriani did a great job of bringing the characters off the page and into my heart with her illustrations.

I highly recommend this book for any child.

Since we have a Paris trip on our plan this year while we live in France, this book was especially fun to experience with my daughters, ages 5 and 7.

Loved this book. Not only are the illustrations bright and vibrant but the story super cute, and I loved learning some french words. Bien Fait, Parfait! My children would have loved this book when they were younger.

Rated: 3.8 on the KART Kids Book Scale Children (0 - 7)

Young minds are extraordinarily sensitive to new languages and young imaginations are entranced by foreign places, sounds and environments. That's the promising premise for Paris Hop!, an illustrated introduction to the marvels and mysteries of French language and culture.

The story is simple and engaging. Grandma takes Aimee on a day's tour of Paris, with the Eiffel Tower as the ultimate destination. The city's beguiling detours offer colorful snapshots of Parisian life, from the enticing pastries at the boulangerie to a Montmartre street artist's unique portrait style and the Mona Lisa half-smiling in the Louvre.

Time presses and the tower awaits them, but grandma and Aimee are sidetracked by all those Parisian distractions - the fashions, the art, the river. Will they make it to the top of the Eiffel before night descends on Paris?

Margie Blumberg's rhyming text is snappy, amusing and accessible, laced with enough French phrases to keep things exotic without frustrating the young reader. The vocabulary is of an everyday nature and the context usually reveals the meanings, although there is a handy English-French glossary at the start as a reference. The educational aspect is never allowed to detract from the tale's joie de vivre.

It's a fun story, but the charm of the illustrations makes Paris Hop! a real joy to read. Renée Andriani brings playfulness and verve to her drawings, while maintaining an authentic Parisian feel. There's an elegant, artistic mood to some of the later pages, notably a delicious depiction of a pink sunset over the Seine and Notre Dame.

For young linguists, Paris Hop! makes language come alive in a fresh and entertaining fashion, with a visual flair that sets it apart from mere textbooks. The only downside is that it might inspire a clamor for a family trip to Paris and a visit to the Eiffel Tower. - KART Kids Book Reviews, New Jersey, USA

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Kids Are Readers Too (KART)  http://www.kartdbn.com

C'est magnifique!!  There are so many things I loved about Paris Hop! by Margie Blumberg.  Aimee and her Grandma Goldie spend a "girls day" in Paris.  Their ultimate goal is to make it to the "tippety-top" of the Eiffel Tower.  I loved following along with them on their journey ... visiting the Mona Lisa, enjoying a puppet show in the park, and posing for a local artist.  Unique to this book is the French-English glossary which references 22 different words/phrases.  One of my favorite moments is when they stop by a dress shop to play dress up and "zip and twirl with flair!"  At the end of the day, not only is the story heartwarming, celebrating relationships with grandparents, but we all actually learn something.  Lastly, but certainly not least, the illustrations are beautifully done by Renee Andriani.

This is a really cute book and fun to read.  Like that learning French words is integrated into the story. The illustrations are adorable making it a hit with the granddaughter!!

Really cute books that I would consider using for a bilingual French/English story time.

I adored this book as did my 7 year old son. We've been learning about France so this book was perfect, the illustrations are gorgeous and the use of French phrases within the book opened up lots of points of discussion. A perfect book to read prior to a trip to France! Loved it.

I was in Paris several times and this book calls me lots of good memories. This book is quite informative and the illustration is interesting. When the family want to travel to Paris, it would be a good idea to read this book with their  children before departure.

Having visited Paris, I can testify to what a fun and interesting city it is. I've been on the world's largest lightning conductor - La Tour Eiffel - during a thunderstorm which was a fun experience. I can also testify to what a magnificent view it is from there, even partially obscured by rain. Paris isn't - or wasn't, when I was there - a city full of looming and obstructive skyscrapers, so you can on a clear day, as they say, see for miles.

Grandma Goldie and her granddaughter, Aimee (yes, Aimee, you know who you are!), are interested in seeing how the city looks at sunset, and they plan on heading over to the tower in good time to see it. The problem is that there is so much else to see, so many distractions, so many sights and sounds and smells which keep on getting in their way. For the Français-challenged, there is a glossary of French words used in the text.

First there's the boulangerie where croissants, éclairs, and baguettes lure them in. Then there are the street artists and the Punch and Judy puppet show. The Louvre of course, is not to be missed, but having only one day in Paris, I rather suspect at this rate it will take them far longer than one hour to get to the tower!

I also suspect the visit to the dress shop might have been put on the back burner, but then I am not a fashion fetishist, so perhaps it's not for me to judge! La Place de la Concorde definitely beats the dress shop in my book, but it's one more delay.

I like that the itinerary actually makes sense - they're heading west along the Seine pretty much - rather than being an insane random walk. It really doesn't matter that much in a children's book like this but it does satisfy my anal instinct for verisimilitude. There! I knew I'd get a chance to work that word into a review sooner or later! Next up, rectitudinous. If that's even a word!

Yes, all exactitude is lost, in a rectitudinous manner, when the next stop comes up, since they've evidently taken a river boat to the Notre Dame which is pretty much returning them the entire distance back east which they've just traveled west! Our Lady is gorgeous though, so maybe it was worth the effort.

What is without-a-doubt worth the effort in this story is Renee Andriani's art work. I don't think I've seen anything by him before, and while the work is merely functional in some parts of the story, there are illustrations in this, particularly vis-à-vis the river boat trip, which are, mes amis, très belle. You can see a sample on my blog. The colors are quite breath-taking. I recommend this hop across the pond.

Oooh, the marvellous distractions of Paris! The yummy cakes, the gorgeous fashions, the perfect galleries....and we mustn't forget the Eiffel Tower, of course!

What a busy day Grandma and her Granddaughter have when they set off on a trip to see this famous landmark. But there are soooo many other things to see and do on the way. Surely it will be impossible to fit them all in!

With it's wonderful illustrations and charming rhyme (in English mostly and the occasional French word carefully woven into the story), it was a delight to follow their daytrip and all the places they came to visit along the way.

This is a lovely an easy introduction to another language for children. And, it has a glossary included to help with this fun frolic through the streets of 'Paree'.

A very enjoyable read that teaches a new skill, without losing any of the fun along the way.

This was such a cute book! My husband and I love to travel. Sometimes we go places as a couple and leave the kids behind, but they are always on our minds. Since we also both love to read, if we go somewhere without them we get them a book about the area we were in. After we started that tradition, the kids also have a serious case of wanderlust and a fascination with geography, so sometimes we buy books about different places just for fun. One of my favorite places I have ever been is Paris and I love this little book. It is a great way to introduce children to the French language and to some of the historical and popular parts of Paris. It is cute and easy to read and the pictures are adorable. I know my little ones would pick this book to read often. I absolutely recommend Paris Hop! to parents of pre-school or young elementary aged children. Paris Hop! will broaden your children's horizons and open up a passion for other places and cultures.  Links

This was an exciting book and a ton of fun to read. I loved how the book incorporated rhyming and french words together. Tons of fun for first graders.

Lots of fun - great for use with French language classes for map activities, etc.

This is a fun little book following a girl and her grandma on a day's touring in Paris. It starts with them already in Paris and as you read through and see the illustrations, it really gives you the atmosphere of walking through Paris: the bakeries, the street artists, the parks, the streets, the fountains, the people, the Seine, the Louvre, Notre Dame and of course the Eiffel Tower.

* About the writing: It's written in a fun rhyming text that has a good rhythm. At times rhyming took precedent over the clarity of the text, but I didn't mind that too much and I don't think it would matter to children who would enjoy the rhythm and rhymes. The text also includes a few French words which provides a fun way to teach children a little bit of the language (and also contributes to the French atmosphere of the book). A little dictionary is provided to explain what all the French words in the book mean.
The story ends with "Bonne nuit Paree, Good night" so I think this would make a good bedtime book.

* About the artwork: Really lovely artwork by the talented Renee Andriani. It really captures the spirit of Paris well and almost makes you feel like you're there as you read. The style of drawing of the people is really cute and there are plenty of bright vibrant colours and a few particularly beautiful scenes like a picture of the Seine river at sunset with the majestic Notre Dame and pink tree blossoms; or the picture of the Eiffel Tower at twilight. Gorgeous. Makes you want to visit Paris!

A wonderful introduction of Paris, France, and the French language to children. A lot of information and illustrations provided. Introductions to simple french phrases and their english translations help begin the bilingual lifestyle for children. I can't wait to read to all of my nieces and nephews and help jumpstart their education in a fantastic, fun, and exciting way.

This fun book is about a grandmother and granddaughter who travel to Paris.  This story takes you on their journey.  You get to see the French culture and popular tourist sites.  This book includes French words, so it is educational in that way as well.   The illustrations are bright and cheerful.

This book is like Madeline meets Flat Stanley.  As a family in love with foreign languages, especially French, I adore this book.  I love that they are all over the place seeing as much possible, it is kind of the way I am when I go places, I never seem to have enough time!  I think this would be a great introduction to a foreign city and a few foreign words.

A sweet story for children interested in Paris or travel. The illustrations of Parisian tourist highlights are darling, and the rhyming story is sweet. The font was distracting to me.

When I saw this book on *Netgalley I thought the cover looked so cute that I had to go ahead and request it. When I was in high school I actually took a school trip to France (and Italy). So I figured it would be nice to introduce my son to a country I don't think he has ever heard of before.

Paris Hop! tells a rhyming tale of a grandmother introducing her grand daughter to the sites, sounds, and tastes of gay paree. From the top of the Eiffle tower to a bakery filled with baguettes this is France baby.

I loved that at the beginning of the book it includes a glossary that explains the meaning and prononciation of a number of french words. My son caught on pretty quickly that at times I was speaking a language other than English. He of course then had to question me on it and unfortunately I don't think he could understand the simple concept that people in France speak French. Has nothing to do with the book and everything to do with his learning disability. 

I loved the illustrations and loved pointing out to my son the things that I had seen when I was in Paris. He seemed interested and asked when he would get to go to Paris. 

My son seemed to enjoy the book but he couldn't give me an answer on how many stars he thought it was. So I'm going to go with 4 out of 5 stars.

*I received a free copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion
**This book was read with my special needs son who is severely learning disabled. The review reflects not only my opinion but his as well

Grandmother and grand daughter have just one day to see Paris. The goal is to make it to the Eiffel Tower before sundown, but with so many sights to see, can they squeeze it all in? Paris Hop by Margie Blumberg is full of rich illustrations as well as a glossary of the numerous French words peppered throughout the book (including the correct pronunciations). The entire story is written in rhyme - a little off meter but still charming. The activities are perfect for the two generations including having their "portrait" painted by street artists and enjoying a view of the Notre Dame Cathedral while on a boat ride down the Seine. Must "to do's" include a visit to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa and a stop at a boulangerie to grab a baguette for breakfast. Trying on gowns at a boutique and watching an outdoor Punch and Judy puppet show at the park are two other fanciful activities to be enjoyed. When they finally reach the Eiffel Tower, the sun is setting, but the bright lights of Paris become a special bonding memory for grandmother and grandchild to share, rounding out the perfect day. 

While Blumberg has written a cute picture book highlighting the sights of Paris, it is the illustrations by Renee Andriani which steal the show. Andriani's phenomenal representations of Paris are finely detailed and almost fool the reader into believing that they have been transported overseas and are touring the city along with the grandma and child. Unfortunately, the illustrations simply overwhelm the text, making me wish that there was a little more substance to the story. I will be on the outlook for future artistic endeavors by this illustrator. Three stars for the written portion, five stars for the art work, leaving an averaged total of four stars. 

A thank you to Netgalley and MB Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Paris Hop! is like a double-dream-come-true for a child (or anybody else for that matter), 'cos this is the story of a little girl who goes hopping across Paris for a day with her Grandma!
Ah, some people have all the luck!

This rhyming tale features plenty of French words, and also an immensely helpful appendix at the beginning of the book, which not only lists out all the words with their meanings, but also a super easy guide to pronouncing them right.
The book offers gorgeous illustrations and will surely be a delight for children!