"From The Past" Friday : Barbabapa

Let's begin this new schedule today, my friends, and let me share one of my best childhood book memories ... and which is also an old classic for both my boys, I'll name it : BARBAPAPA !!
I think I discovered the existence of these colorful characters around the age of 4 or 5, when my mom worked in a preschool. I remember going to the book corner of her class & reading/looking at these books very very often ! If you don't know Barbapapa, here is a little biography ...
Barbapapa is both the title character, and name of the "species" of said character, of a series of children's books written in the 1970s by Annette Tison and Talus Taylor, who resided in Paris, France. The books were originally written in French (barbe à papa is French for candy floss, or - literally - "father's beard"), and were later translated into over 30 languages.Barbapapa himself is a generally pear-shaped, pink shapeshifting blob-like creature who stumbles upon the human world and tries to fit in. The shapeshifting is usually accompanied by the saying "Clickety Click—Barba Trick" (in the French version "Hup Hup Hup, Barbatruc"). After various amusing adventures, he comes across a female of his species (more shapely, and black-coloured), named Barbamama. They produce seven children, known as the Barbababies, each a different colour :

- Barbazoo (Barbidou in French), yellow, male, lover of animals
- Barbalala, green, female, lover of music
- Barbalib (Barbotine), orange, female, lover of books
- Barbabeau (Barbouille), black and furry, male, lover of art
- Barbabelle, purple, female, lover of beauty
- Barbabright (Barbibul), blue, male, lover of science
- Barbabravo (Barbidur), red, male, lover of strength and heroism

In 1974 & 1977, a series of 93 cartoons of 5mn each were created. We have them all on DVDs, and they're really fabulous. What I love about these books & the "old" cartoons that were made after that, is that the concept is good. Barbapapas are soft, pacifist, helpful, polite, smart, eco-conscious. Really, it was the best of all the cartoons I used to watch as a child. And more importantly, the books are fabulous, and can be found everywhere now.
Of couse, way too much merchandizing has been made over the years, and this I do not like. We have books & DVDs at home, and that's all.
Now, I'll leave you today with a video ...

Have a fabulous weekend ahead, friends ! Do take care. oxoxo