The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Marget and H. A. Rey by Louise Borden (2005) is a strange and interesting book.
It is a picture book, technically, but I’m not sure how much it will appeal to kids, but for some kids and some adults, it is a must have.
Curious George is a classic of kidlit. The charming monkey appeared in a series of picture books starting in 1941 (though he had an earlier incarnation as a curious monkey named Fifi in a 1939 title). After that series, he’s appeared in animated series, movies, video games, and a stage show. There’s been book stores named for him, areas on Stena Line ferries, an amusement park, and a series of jelly jars. Seriously.
But none of this would have happened if the Reys hadn’t escaped from the Nazi takeover of much of Europe. The couple fled France in 1940, fleeing tanks and Stormtroopers on bikes.
The story is intrinsically interesting, and the illustrations gentle illuminations of the text…but are kids at picture book age going to want to hear about lives being destroyed? Will they be able to follow the geopolitics?
It is definitely worth reading, and real Curious George fans will want it, even cherish it. But in general…hmm.
