Curious George Escapes from Wartorn Paris

Curious George is one of many beloved characters who inhabit children's books and children's imaginations. Curious George may not have actually visited Paris as part of his delightful adventures. However, the author H.A. Rey and his wife had a very real and dangerous Paris adventure: escaping from the German invasion of Paris in May through August, 1940. As they fled for their lives, they carried an early draft of the first Curious George book with them. They were fortunate, as their escape was successful, and they eventually came to the US where they published a number of successful children's books.

The Journey that Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey by Louise Borden describes the history of their lives in language that children could understand. Both of the Reys were German Jews, who had already fled from Germany and the Nazi persecutions. Unfortunately, they were in Paris when the German armies marched in. They managed to obtain needed papers, cash, and bicycles for the journey. They traveled through France by bicycle and by train, managed to cross the Spanish border, and then took a ship across the Atlantic. The book tells this story in detail, with illustrations from the archives of H.A. Rey and additional illustrations by Allan Drummond.

The house in Paris where the Reys were living.

Paris.

H.A. Rey managed to acquire bicycle parts and make two bicycles for their escape.

For the summer blog event "Paris in July" I am reviewing visits to Paris by some well-known characters in children's books. This is no doubt the most surprising Paris connection of any such character, I would say! To see what Parisian adventures and locals the other bloggers are exploring, check the blog Thyme For Tea where Tamara, a lover of Paris who lives in Australia, is hosting this event.