Nicholas on Holiday

Following on from the publication of “Nicholas and Nicholas Again”, “Nicholas on Holiday” is the equally beguiling third title in this well-loved series of books, now available to English-speaking children all over the world. Firmly established as a literary cult figure, the sublimely innocent Nicholas has already charmed millions of readers world-wide since these books were first published over forty years ago. Considered classics and available in twenty-six languages, the Nicholas stories delight both children and adults. They are also regularly used as teaching materials by primary and junior school teachers. “Nicholas on Holiday” contains eighteen new stories, all of which take place during the long summer break from school. An only child, Nicholas’s touchingly naive reaction to situations is often at odds with that of the adults around him. Whether he’s staying at a seaside hotel with his parents or making new friends at a holiday camp for children, Nicholas’s efforts to keep himself and his gang amused, even when it’s raining outside, always result in unexpected and delightful chaos. In “Nicholas”, Goscinny and Sempe have created an archetypal schoolchild whose world of mishaps, confusions and downright naughtiness will raise a smile, whatever the age of the reader. Written between 1959 and 1965, these classic books are continually reprinted around the globe and offer not only a hilarious and entertaining read, but a vivid description of French life and culture.