The Great Friend

On a rainy day, a woman that Lili has never seen before arrives at their house. Her dad introduces her as Mika, “his best friend.” Little by little, Mika takes up more space in their lives, and Lili doesn’t understand why. Their routines are turned upside down! How can they become a family this way, after spending so much time just the two of them? And what kind of relationship build with Mika, whom she has yet to get to know?

Strong points: 
◊ An important and increasingly common topic: blended families and the role of the stepmother/father.
◊ Emma Bertin’s illustrations are colorful and cheerful; they sensitively bring to life this family.
◊ The first-person narrative is spot-on, further grounding the story in the child’s perspective.

Author & Illustrator

Adèle Tariel (author & illustrator)
Born in 1979 in Angers, Adèle Tariel devoured books and magazines since she is little – even hiding them under her comforter so she could read them again after bedtime. Today, she is a children’s journalist and the author of some thirty books (for children and teens). She has already published “La Vie Rêvée de M. Maniac .” (2019, illustrated by Jérôme Peyrat, now out of print) with L’Étagère du bas. She lives in Paris area.

Emma Bertin (illustrator)
Emma Bertin is an artist based in Marseille who thrives in the field of illustration. She regularly engages with the music scene by creating festival posters and painted stage sets. She also participates in “drawn concerts,” where she sketches live to classical music pieces. Passionate about children’s literature, she has had the opportunity to illustrate two anthology books: “Le voyage de Noah.” (Éditions du Conservatoire, 2021) and “La France à vélo. Les régions autrement, en pédalant.” (Albin Michel, 2026).