A Little Bit of Paris by Jean-Jacques Sempé is a simple book of illustrations that that will transport you to a Paris of the imagination that reflects the best of a vibrant city. Known primarily to North American audiences for his illustrations in the New Yorker, Sempé is also well known for Le Petit Nicolas, a children’s series about a mischievous schoolboy. A Little Bit of Paris is a selection of 128 drawings that evoke a postcard Paris, but with gentle humour that injects social commentary wordlessly to a Paris that is easily recognizable, even in its quirks. This book is wonderful for the armchair traveller, as well as for anyone with a fondness for Paris.

Hardcover, 128 pages. Universe, 2007. $16.47 at Amazon.

+ A Little Bit of Paris at Amazon