Léo et les presqu'îles

This vibrant, engaging assortment offers children an entertaining introduction to the French language. From stories of friendship, family, discovery, and self-esteem to silly, snappy songs of one-of-a-kind barnyard animals, lullabies, and segments of classical music, children tune in to a variety of musical styles and multicultural experiences. The accompanying CDs provide children an opportunity to hear the pronunciation of the words and sing along as they learn the language.   Young Leo sets off to discover the world?the five peninsulas near his seaside home. His mother approves, knowing Leo will finally meet the eccentric friends of his father who disappeared at sea. After all Leo?s old enough to be ?the captain of his own boat? as the song he likes to sing goes. In addition to featuring a production of the narrated story, the accompanying CD presents 11 tunes ranging from "Faire un bateau" (Making a Boat) and "La vie de matelot" (The Life of a Sailor) to "Larguer les amarres" (Cast Off) sung by noted French and Canadian singers such as Robert Charlebois and Diane Dufresne.

Gilles Vigneault is a member of the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and is hailed as one of Canada?s most important music figures of the 20th century. He has received numerous distinctions including the French Grand Prix du disque de l'Académie Charles-Cros and the Médaille Vermeil from the City of Paris. He is the author of Sunday in Kyoto and A Treasure in the Garden. Stéphane Jorisch is a four-time winner of the Governor General's Literary Award, the Ruth-Schwartz Children's Book Award, and the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award. He is the illustrator of Sunday in Kyoto and A Treasure in the Garden and has also created set designs for Cirque du Soleil. They both live in Montreal, Quebec.