An Armadillo in Paris

K-Gr 2—Arlo is a young armadillo from Brazil who comes from a family of world travelers. Thanks to a journal left to him by his grandfather, Augustin, he decides that his first adventure is going to a trip to Paris to see all of Augustin's favorite sights, including the mysterious Iron Lady. Arlo goes to the Arc de Triomphe, enjoys flaky croissants and macarons, strolls down the Champs Élysées, looks at the art in the Louvre, walks across the Seine on the Pont Neuf, and visits a bookstore on the Left Bank. He also enjoys having his portrait painted, playing in the Jardin de Luxembourg, and stopping at a street market to pick up food for a picnic. All the while, he still doesn't know who the Iron Lady is. Thankfully, his grandfather's journals lead him to the Avenue Gustave Eiffel, where he is instructed to look up. There, Arlo finally meets the Iron Lady—the Eiffel Tower. Lovely oil and graphite illustrations done in a muted color palette capture the famous landmarks and romantic ambiance of the city. Arlo's adventure is delightful, and the story is told in both narration and excerpts from Augustin's journal. A page of facts about the Iron Lady is appended. A good purchase for a library collection in need of picture books about various locations around the world.—Paige Garrison, Aurora Central Public Library, CO