Cajun French Children's Books
You might struggle to find Cajun French children's books. Even when you go to a well-stocked bookstore, you might not come across relevant titles in the children's section but have to go to the special interest shelves instead. Ask a sales assistant to check on the bookstore's computer for titles and stress that you want Cajun French titles. You could also mention the Pelican Publishing Company, of New Orleans, which has published many Cajun titles over the last 85 years. However, Pelican is not the only publisher of Cajun French children's books and the list of books given here is partial and representative.
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"Cajun Alphabet"
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In March 1991, the Pelican Publishing Company published "Cajun Alphabet." The author and illustrator, James Rice, has written many children's books and most of them have a Cajun theme. Rice has also won several awards. The "Cajun Alphabet" is in full color. The hardcover edition is 64 pages long. It's an easy-to-follow introduction to Cajun culture as well as the language. The International Standard Book Number, or ISBN, is 978-0882898223. You can use this at bookstores or online to find the book.
"Lettres Acadiennes: A Cajun ABC"
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The Pelican Publishing Company also publishes "Lettres Acadiennes: A Cajun ABC." The book first appeared in September 1992. Don Goodrum is the writer and illustrator. The purpose behind the book is to give children a flavor of the Cajun French dialect. The hardcover book is 32-pages long. The ISBN is 978-0882898995.
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"Cendrillon: A Cajun Cinderella"
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Sheila Hébert-Collins has written a series of books that are Cajun versions of traditional children's stories. One such book is "Cendrillon: A Cajun Cinderella," first published by the Pelican Publishing Company in October 1998. The story is a version of Cinderella and set in New Orleans. The French phrases and words in the text give readers the opportunity to learn basic Cajun French terms. There are definitions of each phrase and word at the bottom of the pages. The book is 32 pages long. The ISBN is 978-1565543263.
"Cajun Columbus"
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Rather than use a traditional children's tale as the basis of a story, in "Cajun Columbus," Alice Durio Hughes takes a familiar historical story and adds a twist. "Cajun Columbus" tells the story of the famous explorer who discovered America from the perspective of a Cajun seafarer, Pierre Lastrapes. The text is in Cajun dialect and the illustrator is James Rice. The ISBN is 978-0882898759.
"Clovis Ecrevisse et L'Araignée Qui File"
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Mary Alice Fontenot is the author of a series of children's books that feature Clovis Crawfish. Published by the Pelican Publishing Company in May 1996, "Clovis Ecrevisse et L'Araignée Qui File" is one such book. It is in French with Cajun dialogue. An English language version is available from the same publisher under the title "Clovis Crawfish and the Spinning Spider." The ISBN of the French version is 978-1565542204. The ISBN of the English version of the story is 978-0882896441.
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