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Back in 2010 I chose a book very dear to my heart in celebration of my 100th post on Playing by the book: Barbapapa’s New House by Annette Tison and Talus Taylor. I am now feeling very old, as this will be my 770th post on Playing by the book and it is celebrating the fact that Barbapapa’s New House is back in print!

To celebrate this fantastic occasion I was luxuriating in thinking about what I loved and love still about this book. And it is – appropriately enough – the houses, the homes of the barbapapas. 670 posts ago we made a dollshouse that looked like the new Barbabpapa home…

Image taken from my old edition of Barbapapa’s New House

…but this time I was dreaming about the old Barbapapa home, with its romantic turret and fairytale quality.

Image taken from my old edition of Barbapapa’s New House

As a child I longed to live in a house like this one. And when I recently saw that none other than Judith Kerr had lived in something similar as a child (there’s a video of her visiting it here) I sighed wistfully.

Our 1930s ex-council house isn’t nearly as magical, but to bring a bit of that old fashioned charm and beauty into our home I thought I’d create some colouring-in pages based on the Barbapapas gorgeous old house.

Click to download and print the colouring-in sheets:

For larger houses (2 per A4 sheet and much easier for little hands to colour in) use this series:

To make these colouring in sheets I used a series of images I found in the British Library’s Photostream on Flickr . Back in December last year the British Library released over 1 million images from 17th, 18th and 19th century books in their collection, making them available for anyone to use, remix and repurpose.

I’ve previously blogged about some of the vintage children’s book illustrations I found but all the illustrations I used for the Barbapapa colouring in sheets come from Strassburg und seine Bauten. Herausgegeben vom Architekten- und Ingenieur-Verein für Elsass-Lothringen. Mit 655 Abbildungen in Text, etc, published in 1894 by Architekten- und Ingenieur-Verein für Elsass-Lothringen. I used the trace function in Inkscape to create clean(er) black and white images, and the same programme to put them together in order to create my dream street.

Using felt glued to card and googly eyes I created a Barbapapa family and the girls then coloured in the street I’d created. Here’s the final result!

I hope the Barbapapas capture your kids’ imagination just as much as they did mine – there’s so much to love about them from their inventiveness and thoughtfulness to their playfulness. You don’t need to read the books in any set order to enjoy them so if Barbapapas are new to you, please do seek out the gorgeous book that is Barbapapa’s New House and let me know what you think of it.

Thanks got Damyanti and her family for trialling the colouring-in sheets.

Disclosure: I received a free review copy of Barbapapa’s New House from the publisher.

I don’t particularly like promoting consumerism and suggesting people buy stuff, but as I’ve been looking for fun items related to children’s literature for upcoming birthdays and Christmas I thought I’d share my finds with you once a week. Frivolous fun, but maybe you’ll spot something that is just right for you!

The post on Playing by the book which continues, month in, month out to attract the most visitors is the one I wrote for my 100th post – all about the Barbapapas. Our Barbapapa family is still played with daily, and so when I saw the new range of Barbapapa clothes and accessories from Hennes and Mauritz (H&M) I immediately knew some of these fun items would be making their way into Christmas and birthday presents!

Photo: H&M

Photo: H&M

Photo: H&M

There are hairclips, hairbands, pyjamas, rompers and even a little Barbapapa handbag – lots of goodies which could be paired up perfectly with a Barbapapa book. The UK online shop doesn’t deliver outside the UK, but H&M does have a presence in quite a few countries, and some of them also offer online shopping.

Here’s another book-related item that caught my eye…

Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art Store

Greetings cards for Christmas with an image from children’s book author and illustrator Ludwig Bemelmans (American, 1898–1962), available from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Store, which does ship internationally.

For my 100th (!) post on Playing by the book I’ve chosen one of my all time favourite books from my own childhood, a book which – fortunately – has also become one my own children adore – Barbapapa’s New House by Annette Tison and Talus Taylor.

Barbapapas are animals which can change their shape in to anything they wish. There are many Barabapapa books but this story (which like all the books in the series, can be read on its own without reference to any other Barbapapa story) recounts how the Barbapapa family create a new home for themselves.

With their large family, they have outgrown their original home and so the Barbapapas move to beautiful, old house. Although in need of some TLC, it is idyllic – turrets and winding staircases with room for all. But one day the wrecking machines come to town – it has been decreed that all old houses are to be knocked down.

The Barbapapa family are relocated to a flat in a high rise tower but they become very unhappy in this uninspiring environment and they decide to move out to build their own home.

They find a perfect location, and all working together create their ideal home. Once again their home is threatened by the diggers and bulldozers but this time the Barbapapas put up a (non-violent) fight, and secure the future of their home. Everyone is delighted and they celebrate with a happy party.

This story, like many Barbapapa stories, has an undercurrent of environmental awareness – it’s understated, but definitely there, with the idea that “modern” doesn’t necessarily equal “better than before”. Although I don’t think I was particularly aware of it as a child, as a parent I certainly do appreciate this subtle backbone to the story.

What I did notice when I was little, and which has stayed with me ever since was the delightful, humorous illustrations. The Barbapapas are just such magical characters – brightly coloured, interested in everything around them. They look not unlike balls of plasticine in their natural state, but can change in to anything – a boat, a ladder, a snail. This ability completely enchanted me as a child (as did Morph for those of you who saw British TV in the 70s!) and my kids now love the friendly, creative characters too.

5 Comments on Barbapapa!, last added: 3/25/2010

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Natalie said, on 3/24/2010 9:47:00 PM

I’ve never heard of Barbapapa before – so now I am on a mission to see if my library has it. This house that you created is fantastic, and what a fun little family. Thanks for sharing your great reads, useful links and interesting craft ideas.

Zoe @ Playing by the book said, on 3/25/2010 12:27:00 AM

Hi Natalie,
Yes, I don’t think Barbapapas ever made it big in the US – though they seem quite popular in Canada. France, Germany, Netherlands, the UK and Japan are other places where they seem to have a following. Finding the books in English doesn’t seem straightforward nowadays – but you’re in luck if you want French/German/Dutch versions!

Choxbox said, on 3/25/2010 5:01:00 AM

wow. barbapapa was hsown on TV in india in the 80s when we were kids and we loved it. we managed to find DVDs on a paris trip coupla years back and were totally delighted. didn’t know there were books as well.

and that craft you guys did – totally fab!

Nancy said, on 3/25/2010 6:27:00 AM

I love, love, love the Barbapapa playhouse and all the related links! I hope we will see some reissues of these stories in the states. A lot of their gentle messages are smart and still timely.

Zoe @ Playing by the book said, on 3/25/2010 6:34:00 AM

Hi Choxbox,

Wow, didn’t know they had been shown in India. I’ve just found out today that they’ve been released in China for the first time this year (the books – don’t know about DVDs)

Hi Nancy,
So glad you like the playhouse – I was SO happy when I discovered that you too loved barbapapas!

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