Théo le Corbeau et Maître Renard

Abstract

"Un conte écrit et raconté par Anne Roumanoff d'après les Fables de La Fontaine." This 32-page landscape-formatted book presents an extensive and engaging contemporaruy adaptation of La Fontaine's fable with delightful animal figures. Yongu Théo is a "ne'er do well" dropout child who lands, to his disgust, working for Monsieur Chèvre, a maker of cheese. He has a dream of creating a world-class chese, and his boss gives him eight days in the cheese cave to give his dream a try. Théo's "Corbasson" cheese, heart-shaped, is an instant wild hit. After some delightful ins and outs, the plot of Maître Renard, master of an industrail-size cheese factory, is foiled in his attempt to flatter Théo's recipe out of him. There is a happy ending here for Théo and his family. The last pages offer La Fontaine's fable with helps and questions. There was a CD which is no longer present. I am happy to learn that Anne Roumanoff created at least four other such adaptations of La Fontaine. I have ordered them and look forward to enjoying them.