France
114
Andersen, Hans-Christian (text)
Lemoine, Georges (illus.)
La Chesnais, P. G. (trad.)
La petite marchande d'allumettes (The little match-girl)
Paris : Nathan, 1999. – 41pp
ISBN 2-09-210825-5
(Danish orig. title: Den lille pige med svovlstikkerne)
Child - Poverty - Death - War - Sarajevo
Andersen's tale of the little match girl who freezes to death on the street on New Year's
Eve is timeless. The illustrator Lemoine transposes it to Sarajevo in 1999, drawing on
authentic photographic material. The child errs through the sinister, devastated city, its
eyes wide with fear and hunger. The traditional text and the contemporary setting are of
an uncanny appropriateness. The simple pathos of Andersen's tale of misery is echoed by
the captions of the illustrations which are taken from the text »Welcome to Hell« by the
Bosniak poet Ozran Kebo. Child and city are equally to be lamented. The child's death is
only one of many. (6+) <>
115
Battut, Éric (text/illus.)
Rouge Matou (Red tom-cat)
Toulouse : Milan, 2000. – [28pp]
ISBN 2-7459-0021-8
Friendship - Bird - Cat
Friendship is a strange phenomenon: it often comes by surprise and one cannot judge by
appearances who plays the stronger part in the relationship. Originally, the red tom-cat
intends to raise the little bird for the sole purpose of devouring it. But closeness and
growing familiarity secretly knit a bond between these unequal partners. There is no
devouring – the two become inseparable. When the bird migrates down south, Matou is
inconsolable. The simple text is animated by a memorable rhythm. The naive, child-like
pictures always show the bright red cat in full view. His mime play and body language are
extremely nuanced: His sly look or feline frown tell it all: appetite and cunning,
affection, joy, sad waiting and loneliness. (3+)
116
Bendetti, Claire (text)
Jalibert, Maria (illus.)
Yack' à lire de A à Zèbre : petit bestiaire littéraire (Elephantastic A to Zebra : a little literary bestiary)
[Osny] : Points de Suspension, 1999. – [60pp]
ISBN 2-912138-16-7
Alphabet - Animals - Literature
Every animal has its story explaining its pecularities: how did the dromedar get its hump,
the zebra its stripes, or the armadillo its coat of armour? And vice versa: Every story
has its animal. There's Nils Holgerson's goose, the blue bird in the fairy tale, the
elephant Babar in the picture book or the Little Prince's sheep. Both aspects come
together in this colourful, attractive mixed media animal alphabet. The doublespreads
pre-sent the animal on the lefthand side just like on a coloured tile. The narrative text
in hand-lettering on the opposite page is interspersed with small pictures full of
fun-filled discoveries. (5+)
117
Binder, Jean (text/illus.)
À ce moment précis ... ou la paix des dimanches (At that very moment ... or Sunday peace)
Paris : École des Loisirs, 2000. – [28pp]
(Archimède)
ISBN 2-211-05512-5
Burglar - Imagination - Reality
It is a lovely Sunday afternoon – the whole family enjoys peace and quiet. Suddenly,
the cat and the dog notice something. There is a burglar in the house! The fast paced
pictures explore the sudden change in situation, they catch the tightening atmosphere and
the rising tension. It seems as though a camera was following the dangerously culminating
action: on- and uplooking perspectives alternate, pictures zoom in and out while parallel
pictures feature simultaneous scenes. The suspense is over when the burglar gets away. The
only clue is a pair of black glasses. They identify the real »culprit«: It is the father
who invented the whole story at his drafting table. He dismisses the perplexed readers
with a cunning look on his face, leaving it up to them to draw the line between fact and
fiction. (6+)
118
Bloch, Muriel (text)
Vautier, Mireille (illus.)
365 contes de la tête aux pieds (365 stories from head to toe)
[Paris] : Gallimard Jeunesse / Giboulées, 2000. – [408pp]
ISBN 2-07-054272-6
Body - Body parts - Folktale
These stories about the human body, its metamorphosis, enchantment, its mutilation and
healing, come from the treasury of folktales. They can be funny or gruesome. There is a
story for every organ and physical infirmity imaginable. The hand goes shopping for the
ear, an eye »breast«-feeds a baby. The princess has golden breasts in the fairy tale,
whereas the hero has to cope with two humps. The reader is not spared drastic descriptions
of bodily functions. We learn that the different parts of our body carry responsibility
for each other and that our body may hide animalistic forces. A bibliography as well as a
list of the body parts and their metamorphoses can be found in an appendix. A read-aloud
book for children and adults alike. (9+)
119
Clément, Claude (text)
Forestier, Isabelle (illus.)
Un petit chaperon rouge (A Little Red Riding Hood)
[Paris] : Grasset & Fasquelle, 2000. – [24pp]
(Collection »Lecteurs en herbe«)
ISBN 2-246-60131-2
Child - Violence - Sexual abuse - Silence - Speaking
Because of its focus on tabus, the classic fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood lends
itself to a psychoanalytical interpretation, especially to an unequivocal treatment of the
themes of violence and child abuse. Clément introduces a new problem: In this version of
the familiar tale, the child responds to the violation of its integrity with traumatised
silence. Little Red Riding Hood escapes the wolf, but she falls into a numb, deadly
silence. The illustrations hold the balance between symbolism, dream and reality with
subdued colours. The lighthearted tone of the rhymes reduces the horror of the drama.
Everything is well again when Red Riding Hood can talk about what happened to her. (5+)
120
Daudet, Alphonse (text)
Battut, Éric (illus.)
La chèvre de M. Seguin (Mr Seguin's goat)
Paris : Didier Jeunesse, 1999. – [32pp]
ISBN 2-278-30077-6
Dependence - Security - Freedom - Danger
Daudet's story of the goat, which runs away from its master and is eaten by the wolf,
explores the
alternative of a life of dependence and protection or one of freedom and risk (see cat.
no. 124). Battut's illustrations clearly demonstrate the mutual exclusion of security and
freedom. Vast landscapes open up to the inquiring and adventurous goat, a little white
spot, candidly storming across the open space. The beholder will sense her love of life in
the fresh wind of freedom as well as the growing danger in the darkening twilight. A
blood-red sky and black shadows looking like wolf's teeth provide the setting for the
deadly struggle. The layout of the text has been carefully tuned to the narrative with
coloured lettering. (5+)¤
121
Estellon, Pascale / Maury, Marianne / Weiss, Anne (illus.)
Les petits bonheurs du pré : un imagier très nature
(The little pleasures of the meadow : a very natural picture book)
[Paris] : Mila Éd., 2000. – [98pp]
ISBN 2-84006-242-9
Nature - Garden
Delicately painted pictures show flowers and vegetables, birds, insects and forest
animals, but also the sun, the moon and wind in fresh, nuanced colours. The loose sequence
of images leads the way through nature in alphabetical order: spinach and snail, peacock
and apple, radish and fox etc.. The result is a varied, attractive presentation of
nature's riches. The graphic design is well conceived. Despite all the different typesets,
the alternating white and coloured pages, the occasional verse, nursery rhyme or poem,
however, this handy volume still preserves the character of an amateur's scrap book. (4+)
122
Fort, Paul (text)
Letuffe, Anne (illus.)
Le bonheur est dans le pré (Happiness is in the meadows)
[Paris] : Père Castor Flammarion, 2000. – [20pp]
ISBN 2-08161-018-3
Summer - Childhood - Joy of life
Paul Fort's (1872-1960) famous poem will lure any couch potatoes out into the fresh air,
inspiring them to jump »over the hedge«. The photo-collage illustrations, extending over
the entire doublespread, reflect the effervescence and the lightheartedness of the poetic
verse. Small vignettes featuring scenes from a happy boy's everyday life are placed on the
monochrome green background of the meadow, just like bright, torn images from popular
broad sheets. The illustrator supports the poem's exhortation to daring by slanting and
tilting the framed space of the meadow more and more with every page, until, in the end,
the child can hop out of the frame and into life. (5+)
123
Hausfater-Douieb, Rachel
La danse interdite (The forbidden dance)
[Paris] : Magnier, 2000. – 118pp
(Collection roman : Niveau de lecture 3. et plus)
ISBN 2-84420-069-9
World War II - Jewish woman - Polish man - Persecution of the Jews - Love
Of Jewish origin, Perla is not allowed to marry her Polish love even though she expects a
child from him, and is forced to emigrate. Back on visit in 1939, she is seized by the
German invadors and sent to the ghetto of Lublin where she closely escapes death. But
Perla never loses her love of life. Quick of mind and full of vitality, she has a talent
to appreciate the few and precious happy moments of day-to-day existence. This happy
disposition keeps her heart from hardening and even helps other people to bear the
desolate existence of ghetto life. She is no heroine, but lives her life with courageous
passion. (13+) (Prix enfantaisies; 2000)¤
124
Heitz, Bruno (illus.)
Histoire connue (Well-known story)
[Orange] : Grandir, 1999. – [34pp]
ISBN 2-84166-099-0
Man - Goat - Wolf - Devouring
A classic tale is told with the means of classic woodcut-technique. The illustrator's
mastery shows in the economy of all devices: no text, only chapter headings, strictly
framed, monochrome pictures. The respective colours (pale blue, brown, green and red)
reflect the thrust of Daudet's morality tale »The goat of Monsieur Seguin« (see cat. no.
120). Strong, expressive lines bring to life the white goat, who intrigues the man
permanently dressed in black. One cannot miss the mutual but ambivalent attraction, and
hence will understand that the relationship is at the very centre of this story. Children
will be more prone to respond to Monsieur's grief at the loss of the goat than to listen
to the warning of the dangers of freedom. (5+)
125
Heitz, Bruno (text/illus.)
Une histoire pas terrible, terrible (Not a terribly bad story)
Rodez : Éd. du Rouergue, 2000. – [44pp]
ISBN 2-84156-215-8
Car accident - Cow - Goat
A car accident is a car accident. That's the principle of this story which features quite
a number of accidents. But never-fading optimism and creative craft ensure the pursuit of
the trip. The collision of a cow and a truck results in a half-cow-half-truck-vehicle.
Just too bad that it gives gas-milk! The next accident-repair can only improve things. The
inventive spirit is challenged once more until the perfect solution is found: a cow-goat
is mounted. These dramatic scenes are rendered by expressive graphics. Painted wooden
figures move on bright, colourful backgrounds. Strong shadows heigthen the theatrical
effect. (4+)
126
Hoestlandt, Jo (text)
Kang, Johanna (illus.)
Mon petit papa de rien du tout (My little Daddy from nothing at all)
[Arles] : Actes Sud Junior, 2000. – 31pp
(Les histoires sages)
ISBN 2-7427-2784-1
Father - Lack of father - Image of father
Mother and grandmother evade all questions about the father: »He was a
good-for-nothing!« But Lulu keeps thinking of him. One night, his wish grows so strong
that his father suddenly appears – a little man, the size of a doll. He is barefoot
like a tramp, trembling with the cold, but he is smiling. Lulu warms and cuddles him. He
doesn't want to let go off his little Dad. The next morning, he looks in the mirror and
discovers a dimple on his cheek. Daddy left it there – it was his kiss, proving that
Lulu is his child. The poetic text and the muted, soft hues of the illustrations assuage
the harshness of the child's loneliness. (7+) ¤
127
Kerloc'h, Jean-Pierre (select.)
Brouillard, Anne (illus.)
Paroles de la mer (Words from the sea)
Paris : Albin Michel Jeunesse, 2000. – [64pp]
(Paroles)
ISBN 2-226-11218-9
Sea - Anthology
To poets and philosophers the sea is a synonym for life. To the people from the country it
is a vast canvas on which they project all their dreams and desires. Sea-faring men speak
of risk, they say they're at the mercy of the awe-inspiring elements. All these
impressions of the sea find expression in a selection of quotes. The illustrations capture
the text's various points of view with broad brush strokes and subdued colours. They rely
on the power of association. The human figure remains but a shadowy outline. It seems as
though the restricted format of the page forced the illustration to focus on one detailed
aspect. What better way is there to show that the sea itself cannot be framed? (12+)
128
Leblanc, Catherine (text)
Gilard, Florence (illus.)
Des étoiles sur les genoux (Stars on the knees)
Chaillé-sous-les-Ormeaux : Dé Bleu, 2000. – 47pp
(Le farfadet bleu)
ISBN 2-84031-098-8
Child - Everyday life - Children's poetry
The short poems of this anthology are delicate creations, which enhance and enrich
sublimely captured details of everyday life with the help of succint metaphors. The child
is invited directly to perceive its surroundings with great sensitivity and awareness and
to use all five senses: listen, look, taste, touch! The synaesthetic verses favour an
associative approach, allowing the child to intuitively understand the poetic imagery. It
can be easy to write poems: feeling, perception and trust in the transformative powers of
poetry is all you need: »You are lonely – write a poem about that!« The
illustrations in bright yellow and earthy-brown tones capture the atmosphere of the poetic
imagery. The careful use of lettering as a graphic element plays on the nature of
literacy: writing fixes impressions only to renew their experience with every read. (5+)
(Prix Poésie Jeunesse; 1999)
129
Le Bourhis, Michel
Libre sur paroles (Out on parole)
Paris : Rageot, 2000. – 148pp
(Collection cascade : Pluriel)
ISBN 2-7002-2650-x
Father - Unemployment - Prison - Son -Conflict management
Father was imprisoned for a failed attempt at bank robbery. In two weeks he will be
released. The son uses this period to restore the somewhat shattered relationship to his
father. While he refuses to be helped by his mother, he finds support from a friend.
Timidly, he seizes the opportunity to confide in him, to admit his shame and
disappointment. Gradually, this brings about a change of heart. The attachment to his
father, fostered during many happy years in the small family, grows stronger again. In
keeping and sharing a secret they regain their complicity. The novel resolves
psychologically convincing with the joy over a renewed relationship. (13+)
¤
130
Mazeau, Jacques
Jusqu'à la mer (All the way to the sea)
Paris : Seuil, 2000.– 150pp (sj)
ISBN 2-02-026218-5
Grandmother - Grandchild - Illness - Death
Paul's grandmother has cancer. There is not much time left before she will leave her
eleven-year-old grandchild behind – all by himself. The narrative, meticulously
describing their last two months
together, adopts the emotional, internal point of view of the protagonists. Anna has to
let go off her role as the life-affirming guardian. In turn, Paul, in his great love for
her, has developed a strong sense of responsibility and caring. The existential anxiety,
which they try to hide from one another, endows the last, precious shared moments with
great value. The Parisean setting of the 60s adds an authentic note to the story. The
careful tone, rather untypical for teenage fiction, leaves enough room for the
unexpressable. (13+)
131
Mourlevat, Jean-Claude
La rivière à l'envers (The river flowing backwards)
Paris : Pocket Jeunesse, 2000. – 190pp
([Pocket / Junior] ; 616: Roman)
ISBN 2-266-10433-0
Adventure trip - Meaning of life - Courage - Love
The little spice boy has to master many adventures until the princess of his heart comes
to join him. The various stages of his world trip are accumulated with oriental love of
lore: the forest of oblivion, the island which does not exist, the black rainbow of
nothingness, and even the river of life which flows backwards. Thank goodness for a team
of generous helpers like chubby Mary, whose many layers of clothes stand for her
re-sistence to all adversities of life, or the little folk of perfume-creators which wakes
the hero from deadly sleep with a reading marathon lasting several months. But the most
difficult challenge of all can only be overcome by will-power. (11+)
Special Mention
132
Murail, Marie-Aude
Oh, boy!
Paris : École des Loisirs, 2000. – 207pp
(Médium)
ISBN 2-211-05642-3
Orphan - Social discrepancy - Illness - Brotherhood - Humanitarian spirit
The children (14, 8, and 5 years old) are in bad luck: their father disappeared, their
alcoholic mother committed suicide and social welfare put them in a home. Not enough: the
oldest is taken ill with leukemia. But somehow they cope with this accumulation of misery,
because they stick together like glue. Their homosexual half-brother and his established
sister offer to foster them but only make things worse. The contrary milieus in which the
children move show life in all its different facets – and always on the narrow
dividing line between happiness and despair. Social pretence crumbles under the attacks of
the subversive humour, while the reader is relentlessly confronted with extreme situations
in turn heartbreaking, irritating or simply hilarious. The reader will understand that
everyone possesses his or her own truth and humanity. (12+)
133
Serres, Alain (text)
Zaü (illus.)
Une cuisine grande comme le monde: 60 recettes pour voyager tout autour de la terre
(A kitchen the size of the world : 60 recipes to travel around the world)
[Paris] : Rue du Monde, 2000. – 58pp
ISBN 2-912084-36-9
International cooking
This large formatted travel-guide cookbook invites you to taste and smell your way around
the world. There are 25 traditional dishes to choose from. Full-page pictures in pastel
colours convey impressions of distant landscapes, cities and markets and celebrate the
diversity of the peoples and menues. Some of the recipes can be prepared by children on
their own. Brief information about exotic products and their preparation, about spices,
fruits and their role in colonial history widen the horizon. They also remind us that
– despite our different customs and traditions – we are all guests at the one
table of our world. (8+)
134
Stolz, Joëlle
Les ombres de Ghadamès (The shadows of Ghadamès)
Paris : Bayard Jeunesse, 2000. – 174pp
ISBN 2-227-73908-8
Libya - Muslims - Women - 19th century
This novel tells of the life of Muslim women on the threshold to modernity from the
perspective of an adolescent girl with great empathy and respect for the cultural and
social conditions of late 19th century Libya. The first wife is bound by tradition and a
prisoner in her own house. The second wife is open-minded, intense and prepared to take
risky decisions. As for the girl, she ardently wishes to learn to read and to be allowed
to travel. She successfully takes her first steps towards emancipation. Three male
characters, the smaller brother, the father and a religious zealot complement the image of
the secret female world from a male point of view. (12+) <>