10 Facts You Didn't Know About The Author Of The Little Prince

The Pilot and the Little Prince is a new picture book from Peter Sís that celebrates the life of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the author of the classic children's book The Little Prince.

1.

Antoine’s family called him the Sun King.

2.

He was 12 years old when he made his first flying machine.

3.

Antoine studied at Lycée Saint-Louis in Paris to prepare for the Naval Academy’s entrance exam. He didn’t pass.

4.

In the fall of 1920, Antoine began his studies in architecture at École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He quit after several months.

5.

Antoine’s first job at an airline was as a mechanic, not a pilot.

6.

He was one of the first pilots to deliver mail by plane.

7.

When the editor of a magazine heard Antoine tell his stories about flying, he asked him to write them down. Antoine’s first short story, “L’Aviateur,” was published in April 1926.

8.

Antonie liked to read and write while flying. His cockpit was filled with crumpled paper.

9.

Antoine was six feet two inches tall and had a hard time fitting in the cockpit.

10.

The Little Prince first published in the United States. It was dedicated to his friend Léon Werth.