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Award-Winning French Titles
ELIZABETH MRAZIK-CLEAVER CANADIAN PICTURE BOOK AWARD
One night a fierce tiger prowls into a village to steal an ox; but before he is able to, he hears a strange sound and discovers a mother trying to soothe her crying baby. She tries to scare the child into silence with threats of monsters, but to no avail. Impressed that this small creature is so fearless, the tiger becomes terrified when a dried persimmon calms the crying child instantly. Reasoning that a persimmon must be the wildest, most dangerous creature in the forest, he attempts to run away. Here enters a thief, who also plans to steal an ox but mistakenly jumps on the fleeing tiger instead. Believing he is under attack by the persimmon, the tiger runs off to his mountain, while the thief, realizing his error, runs in fear of the tiger. Neither the tiger nor the thief ever ventures into the village to steal oxen again. Janie Jaehyun Park remembers her grandmother telling this ancient Korean folktale to her countless times as a child. It is retold here with simple language and beautiful illustrations of gesso and acrylic paint. Now children of all cultures can share in this amusing morality tale. SGL GOVERNOR GENERAL’S LITERARY AWARDS - CHILDREN’S LITERATURE 2002
A bird dives through a classroom window and bangs into the shoulder of a young boy named Gendron, who faints. This incident, whether the result of happenstance or destiny, turns the lives of the children and the teacher, Mrs. Glatstein, upside down: they discover that Gendron is "starving." The class decides to take up a collection to help him. Mrs. Glatstein throws herself body and soul into the fundraising. She feels guilty for not having recognized the signs of hunger. Had she not lived through the same thing in World War II? The novel portrays with sensitivity two serious subjects, poverty and war, as well as the after effects they have on people's lives. The story is both sad and humorous. The surreal pencil sketches are amusing, adding to the text while making the situation less alarming. The duo of Hélène Vachon and Yayo, the creators of the Somerset series, once again presents us with a literary achievement. AC GOVERNOR GENERAL’S LITERARY AWARD - CHILDREN’S LITERATURE 2002
Available in English under the title: The Grand Journey of Mr. Man (Saint-Lambert, Que.: Dominique & Friends, 2001) After losing his child, a man decides to leave everything behind and take a trip around the world. During his journey, Mr. Man meets a child who is a victim of war. The child has lost everything and is alone in the world. A friendship develops between Mr. Man and the child. Feeling less lonely, they set off together. Gilles Tibo tackles the serious subject of the death of a loved one and the suffering it causes. This is a simple story that is expressed in just two or three sentences per double page. The Grand Journey of Mr. Man tells a sad tale, but it also delivers a message of love and hope. The impressionistic illustrations are subdued. The warm colours reflect the emotions - pain, solitude, friendship - of the characters and atmosphere of the story, while still allowing for imagination. The illustrations are punctuated with detail: in the middle of an empty trail, we see objects left behind by spectators, an umbrella, a glass, glasses, etc. The images, which will captivate young readers, add to the text while conveying their own message. AC GRAND PRIX DU LIVRE DE LA MONTÉRÉGIE 2002
This is a story of a couple in their 50s who dream of having a perfect child. Alice, who is tall, thin and not very pretty, wants a prince charming. Albert, who is short and almost as wide as he is tall, imagines that his child will be a hero - a boxing champion. They call upon the services of Dr. Frank N. Schtein, a doctor whose modern practices they’ve heard about. The doctor promises them the type of child they are looking for. Finally, Alice has triplets. The first one, Antonio, is a real Neanderthal: he has a bulging forehead, a huge jaw and is covered in hair. The second, Valentino, is the little prince Alice wanted. The third baby spoils Albert’s dream: Lilli is a little girl the size of a bird and has straight, red hair. Comment on fait un enfant parfait aims to amuse. The oversized, comic black-and-white illustrations contribute to the humour of this incredible tale. MD HACKMATACK CHILDREN'S CHOICE BOOK AWARD
Charlotte is always singing. Her little brother, Max, is quite serious and clumsy. François, the children’s father, thinks that Max’s clumsiness is abnormal, so he takes him to see a doctor. Max is diagnosed as having what Charlotte calls "Muscular Sophie." Max’s moods are changeable, and he becomes increasingly difficult to live with. He even becomes hurtful to his sister, despite her efforts to brighten her little brother’s life. After periods of depression and a great deal of anger, Max comes to accept his condition. No more pity. At the age of 14, he starts a new life and begins to write the first of his three autobiographies. Unfortunately, he is only 21 when he succumbs to muscular dystrophy. Despite their sorrow, Charlotte and François watch the small bird fly peacefully away. Charlotte feels that Max is still with her. Instead of leaving us sad, Chante pour moi, Charlotte offers a great deal of hope, since Charlotte, strengthened by the experience, decides to become a doctor who treats children who suffer from serious illnesses. The numerous illustrations enable us to share the emotions of the characters - both happy and sad. JMB PALMARÈS COMMUNICATION-JEUNESSE DES LIVRES PRÉFÉRÉS DES JEUNES DE L’IMPRIMERIE TRANSCONTINENTAL 2002 - 2003
Alex loves playing street hockey with his friends. He is competitive and takes every game seriously. Alex invites the beautiful Sarah to replace an absent player. When the ball gets lost in the yard of the big bad dog Médor, Alex uses his ingenuity and the help of everyone, including Sarah, to retrieve the precious ball, allowing the game to continue. After Alex’s exploits, Sarah declares her admiration for him. Alex has eyes only for her and abandons the game, which his team eventually concedes 60 to 0. Alex realizes that under certain circumstances, it is possible to play for pleasure, especially if the company’s good! Here is a contemporary story in which Canada’s national sport is played on the street with a girl participating. The short text has lots of dialogue and is embellished with numerous brightly coloured illustrations. The facial expressions of the characters will capture the attention of young readers, who will be curious to find out how the story ends. ST PALMARÈS COMMUNICATION-JEUNESSE DES LIVRES PRÉFÉRÉS DES JEUNES DE L’IMPRIMERIE TRANSCONTINENTAL 2001 - 2002
Dominic has to make a presentation to the class. He must recount the best day of his life. Since his last name is Abel, he has to go first. He knows his text by heart and is ready. He goes to the washroom and… rats! His zipper won’t go back up. The bell rings at the end of recess but Dominic can’t go back to class with his zipper down! His friend Anthony discovers him in the washroom. Anthony goes to get the principal, but he isn’t available. He brings back the secretary, but Dominic is uneasy. Geneviève, Dominic’s teacher, also comes to the rescue, but Dominic refuses to come out. He feels humiliated. A few minutes later, the whole class is in the washroom. Dominic’s teacher lets Dominic make his presentation from his stall. The janitor wants to know what the class is doing in the washroom. Geneviève briefly explains the situation to him, and thanks to his practical nature, everything returns to normal. Right from the cover page, the reader’s curiosity is aroused. This short novel, with its detailed and amusing drawings, will make you smile. Dominic’s predicament is funny, but it is nonetheless treated sensitively. His emotions may remind other young boys of how they felt when they found themselves "stuck" in similar situations. AC PALMARÈS COMMUNICATION-JEUNESSE DES LIVRES PRÉFÉRÉS DES JEUNES DE L’IMPRIMERIE TRANSCONTINENTAL 2002 - 2003
Une drôle de ministre reintroduces young readers to the eccentric Madame Charlotte. This time, our heroine finds herself entwined in a political affair. She also meets the very likable Gustave-Aurèle, the Prime Minister’s son, who helps her look for her precious Gertrude. Une drôle de ministre is full of twists and turns. Between the elephant-hide bags, government agents, a slightly too serious prime minister and his son, who has an overactive imagination, Dominique Demers teaches us a very important life lesson: between work and the serious stuff, you have to take the time to eat candy that explodes into fireworks. NS PALMARÈS COMMUNICATION-JEUNESSE DES LIVRES PRÉFÉRÉS DES JEUNES DE L’IMPRIMERIE TRANSCONTINENTAL 2001 - 2002
Fifteen-year-old Iana thinks her life is too complicated. She is always asking questions about the Egyptian mother she never knew - her mother died when she was very young. Iana’s father, a history teacher, moves in with his new girlfriend, Iana’s English teacher. She has a 17-year-old son, Simon, who is always teasing Iana. Things get worse when Iana finds out that she’s going to be a big sister. Living in a blended family is demanding. Une famille et demie is a realistic story that will captivate young people. The characters are well developed, and their feelings and reactions are thoughtfully described. AC PALMARÈS COMMUNICATION-JEUNESSE DES LIVRES PRÉFÉRÉS DES JEUNES DE L’IMPRIMERIE TRANSCONTINENTAL 2002 - 2003
Two sisters, Isabelle and Marianne, have very different personalities. Isabelle is reserved and is an eternal sentimentalist at heart; the flamboyant Marianne collects conquests - until she takes a fancy to Samuel, the most handsome boy in the school. Isabelle starts receiving anonymous letters from a secret admirer. She thinks that the author of these letters is none other than Samuel. The relationship between Isabelle and Marianne is tense until one day a disaster occurs: Samuel drowns. Marianne is inconsolable. Isabelle tries to hide her distress but cannot. When Isabelle confides in Marc-André, she realizes that she is head over heels in love with him. Isabelle is confused. She receives another letter, but this time it is signed. Marianne admits to her sister that she is the secret admirer. She wrote the letters so that Isabelle would fall in love and realize how much of a dreamer and a romantic she is. Young readers will like Les Naufrages d’Isabelle. The story is realistic, and the characters are engaging. The author writes of first love - a real treat for romantics. AC
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This graphic of a star indicates an award-winning book with multiculturalism as its theme.
