First published 1968
Charles stares at the American pancake flour box, determined to create proper French crepes for Mardi Gras just like his family always made in Paris. The ten-year-old can read French perfectly, but the English directions on the package might as well be hieroglyphics. This presents a real problem. Mardi Gras means crepes, and crepes mean celebrating the day before Lent begins. Charles refuses to disappoint his mother and little sister Zezette. He knows the magic lies somewhere in that ordinary box of pancake flour. The solution requires serious thinking, but Charles tackles the challenge head on. Along the way, he manages to keep his surprise secret from his family while forming unexpected friendships with two American soldiers. The story captures a young boy's determination to preserve family traditions despite the obstacles of language and circumstance.
Genres: literary-fiction, family-life, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: France, Paris, United States
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
63 pages · Hardcover · The Viking Press