Editorial Reviews. French language edition of the classic story of meaning, love, and beauty. Considered one of the most beloved books of the century. The Little Prince (French: ''Le Petit Prince''), first published in 1943, is a novella and the most famous work of the French aristocrat writer, poet and pioneering aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The novella is both the most read and most translated book in the French language, and was voted the best book of the 20th century in France.