Killy’s (on the left) entry was a drawing in which symbols from the book – the baobab, the lamp-post, the Little Prince sitting on his planet – circle around our blue planet. Entitled Bleu Apaisé (Calm Blue), it is a picture that should encourage us to look up at the stars in the sky more often.

Julien (on the right) created a Little Prince above a blue planet, holding tight to his rose under a bell-jar – a poetical rendering with a childlike charm.

Killy and Julien took second and third prize respectively, each winning a copy of Joann Sfar’s graphic novel.

Jean-Michel Thiriet was born in 1958. He spent only three months at art school, but that never stopped him; in the 1980s, he started drawing for Psikopat and Fluide Glacial, then for Spirou magazine. He was one of the first authors to be published by l’Association and also edited a  collection for the famous comic-strip album publisher.

He was also involved in writing sketches for off-the-wall comedy shows Les Nuls then aux Nouvelles de Jules-Edouard Moustic on Canal +. Fans and detractors agree that Thiriet cultivates the art of the absurd, and that he regularly pushes the limits with his unfettered humour.

As part of the anniversary celebrations, a massive poster competition has been launched. The Little Prince, who has already served the cause of children’s rights in the past, is now the ambassador for this Europe-wide campaign. Today the Little Prince asks us: « Please… draw me a right! »

The competition is open to two age categories: children aged 10 to 14 and teenagers aged 15 to 18. The young artists will works in groups of 4, under the supervision of an adult. The aim of the competition is to make young people better aware of their rights; to design their poster, the artists will need to delve into the text of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Bob Foss also jointly choreographed Stanley Donen’s 1974 film version of The Little Prince and played the role of the snake.

The video link opposite  features Foss’s performance: his costume and dance steps bear a remarkable resemblance to a certain Michael Jackson.

As collectors will be aware, the Little Prince has already made his appearance in manga (Japanese cartoon strips). Today we invite you to take a look at two manga-style representations of the much-loved character, both found on Internet. Though both are very different in physical appearance from the familiar figure, it is obvious that the respective artists have grasped the relationship between the Little Prince and his rose, and the care he takes to protect her.

The drawing on the left is the work of Kazuya Minekura, creator of the Saiyuki series (well known to mangas fans); the second is a tribute by an illustrator who goes by the pseudonym of Nyotaro and about whom very little is known, apart from the fact that she lives in Thailand.

Find out more: Kazuya’s blog and Nyotaro’s Deviant Art web page.

For three days in June 2009, the Collège des Bernardins (Paris VI) was permeated by the mind and thoughts of Saint-Exupéry. Over 250 participants from all over the world came together in honour of a writer who shared with us his concerns for the world of tomorrow.

Three days of reflection and personal accounts of social and cultural campaigns inspired by the thinking of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

Now a special website dedicated exclusively to the event offers you an insight, in photos and videos, into these three days of sharing.  Newcomers to the subject will gain a better understanding of why the work of Saint-Exupéry and its mysteries continue to arouse such passionate interest today. You can also find out more about some of the work done by voluntary groups (the Little Prince Hospital in Brazil, « Dessine-moi un mouton », etc.).

One more good cause is featured on the website: the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation. 

Find out more : official website

Born in 1974, Jul began his career teaching Chinese history at university. Lateron, he decided to become a press artist. His drawings were published in La Nouvelle République des Pyrénées, Le Nouvel Observateur and Marianne.

For the last 5 years, Jul has been part of the team behind satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo. On 3 December 2007, Jul was awarded the highly respected Prix René Goscinny for his album Le guide du moutard. For the special celebrity edition of monthly comic magazine Fluide Glacial spécial People, Jul produces a quirky caricature of the Little Prince.We see the little fellow standing on his planet, looking up at an odd sort of pilot who is warning him he is losing ground in the popularity stakes and needs to do something about his image if he wants to be a real « celeb ».

Gérard Colomb once said: « Derision is pointless unless you apply it to yourself » so here is one of Jul’s cartoons for you.

To find out what happens next, pick up a copy of the special edition of Fluide Glacial from your newsagent’s.