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A poetic celebration of a being’s first discoveries as he awakens to the world, beautifully realized in gouache by Morgane de Cadier.

Through the eyes of a character on the verge of existence, every element of nature – trees, sky, birds – becomes a wonder to be explored, and every sensation, from the freshness of grass to the exhilaration of running, is filled with the intensity of beginnings. This text, imbued with poetry and sensitivity, invites us to reconnect with the innocence and curiosity of our first steps.

This enchanting tale plunges the reader into a sensory and emotional adventure, ideal for children and adults alike, looking for a gentle way to reflect on the passage of time. First Day awakens in everyone a taste for discovery, and reminds us of the beauty of every first time. A work to give and share, to reconnect with the essential: wonder.

Morgane de Cadier’s first collaboration with Grasset-Jeunesse, vibrant and joyful, poetic and luminous!

Publication: March 2025

Morgane de Cadier

After training in academic drawing at the Ecole Emile Cohl (Lyon), Morgane de Cadier turned to her first passion: storytelling. Working mainly in gouache, she draws much of her inspiration from her plein air notebooks, the style of which can be seen in her paintings. As author, she has published several books with HongFei Cultures (several picture books in collaboration with Florian Pigé), one of chich (Shhh! / Chut!) has received the prestigious Les Incos Award.

Outraged, rebellious, free – that was Gisèle Halimi from her earliest childhood! Represented here by a strikingly modern heroine, this ball of energy and willpower takes us on a journey with her, through a dozen sketches, each divided into three pages, to tackle the themes of injustice, choice, consent, knowledge, studies, the female condition…

Backed by modern, lively graphics and narration, this comic book, which combines the skills and talents of Sandrine Bonini and Annick Cojean, is a must-have for everyone!

A comic book version for 8/10 year-olds, in the spirit of Pénélope Bagieu’s famous Culottées!

A universal theme, an engaging and powerful heroine; stories inspired by the life of Gisèle Halimi that will speak to today’s pre-teens.

WHO IS GISÈLE HALIMI?

French-Tunisian, Gisèle Halimi was a lawyer, feminist activist and politician. Throughout her life, she fought for women’s rights. She is the author of numerous books, including La Cause des femmes (Grasset, 1974), Avocate irrespectueuse (Plon, 2002), La Kahina (Plon, 2006) and Une farouche liberté (with Annick Cojean, Grasset, 2020).

Rights sold: Greek language

SANDRINE BONINI (author)

A graduate of the Arts décoratifs de Paris, Sandrine Bonini has worked in animated film before writing or illustrating picture books, novels and comics.

ANNICK COJEAN (illustrator)

A leading reporter at Le Monde and winner of the Prix Albert Londres, Annick Cojean is the author of several books published by Grasset, including, with Gisèle Halimi, Une farouche liberté (2020) – huge successes translated abroad and available in Livre de poche in a pocket book format.

A new edition of Gabrielle Vincent’s magical and tender Christmas tale for children, a gem of gentleness and emotion.

On a white December 24th, Magali sees a tiny Santa Claus arrive, empty-handed. Surprised and touched, she decides to give him a present…

All Gabrielle Vincent’s sensitivity, humor and tenderness come to the fore in this wonderful encounter between a lonely Santa and a little girl with a big heart.

Mon petit Père Noël was first published by Grasset-Jeunesse in 1994.

Rights sold: Italian and world English languages

GABRIELLE VINCENT (author-illustrator)

Gabrielle Vincent is the children’s literature pseudonym of Monique Martin, born in Brussels in 1928. As a painter, she initially worked in black and white until the 1960s (ink, charcoal, pencil, etc.), then turned to color and explored new techniques such as watercolor, pastel and oil color.

A world-famous avant-garde children’s illustrator, notably for Ernest et Célestine series (published by Casterman), she received numerous awards for her work, which continues to touch our hearts. She died in September 2000, leaving behind nearly 10,000 works produced over 50 years.

An epic album to chase away boredom and overflowing emotions!

Sometimes we’re overwhelmed by emotions that are too much for us to handle… It’s time to let them out and free ourselves! On a rainy Sunday, when boredom is meowing at the top of its voice, a young girl finds herself confronted with a catastrophe: a stupid tomcat lurking in the hollow of her throat and determined to stay. To chase off this feline invader, she deploys stratagems with tenacity and vivacity, turning a dreary day into a busy whirlwind and leaving her with memories as crazy as a kitten in a Pandora’s box. This picture book reminds attention-seeking feline children that even the dullest boredom can be overcome by their imagination… With the added bonus of a honeyed sweet or a glass of milk!

Awards:

⭐ BRAW Amazing Bookshelf, Bologna Book Fair 2025

A mischievous and philosophical album that’ll make you think! This story begins like an enchanting tale on the edge of the realms, where a little fairy lives, somewhat… distracted. Alas, alas, alas! Feeling forgotten by all, she steals the moon, Saturn, the sun… and even Venus! What better way to spice up her life and have some fun! Abracadabra, with a few swipes of the magic wand, men on Earth find themselves in quite a mess: how can they live without dreams, science, wisdom and love? This new book by Maxime Derouen, at times close to a comic strip and full of essential philosophy, reminds us of the importance of preserving the necessary foundations of our humanity and maintaining harmony in our lives, in harmony with what surrounds us.

A powerful book that evokes intense, powerful emotions.

In this big format picture book, where the wind of freedom blows from childhood and wild life, we follow the intense friendship that has always linked a little girl and a tiger. And when life separates them, they’ll never stop looking for each other, hoping to find each other again and never leave each other again…

Their story is one of birth, of life, of the search for oneself despite social dictates, of identity and of the precious love that nothing can break…

Reviews:

“Animals are like us, even the most ferocious. Here, we follow a tiger and a child in the wild. They are inseparable. A strong friendship binds them for life, and although one day they are separated, it’s only to be reunited again. The world of the jungle is remarkably illustrated by Sande Thommen: paint, cut-outs and collage provide a magnificent palette of colors, full of life and delicate chiselled details. A delightful read for the eyes. OM”

-Nouvelles du livre jeunesse (TRIM/MARS 2025 — N°243)

AGNÈS DOMERGUE (author) is a professional musician. She teaches viola at conservatories and plays chamber music. In her book projects, she develops her favorite themes, often close to nature and animals. For Grasset-Jeunesse, she wrote the texts for La Balade de Koïshi and L’herbier philosophe, illustrated by Cécile Hudrisier.

SANDE TOMMEN (illustrator) lives in Paris. After graduating in 2010 from the École Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Strasbourg, he spent many years in Asia, nourishing his drawings with Far Eastern influences.

In 2023, following the recognition of his trans-identity, he changed his first name from Sandrine to Sande. He has illustrated numerous albums, notably published by Actes Sud Junior. Here, for the first time since his first two albums (La Fleur du Mandarin and La Sœur du soleil, Actes Sud Jeunesse), he re-explores the encounter between painting and collage.

A picture book full of twists and turns unfolds at a frenetic pace, led by the lovable Olbi!

Starting in a vast forest, within a small corner, exists Olbi’s entire little world. Everything was peaceful until chaos ensued for three reasons:

1 – Mr. Rico’s daughter’s birthday

2 – Mr. Rico’s forest stroll plan

and 3 Olbi’s sudden urge to sing

On that day, Olbi became Mr. Rico’s adorable pet.

Spanning 64 pages, including endpapers, Olbi embarks on wild adventures, exploring the world, making choices, and yearning for freedom. Through existential inquiries where absurdity adorns the everyday, this whimsical and thrilling album captivates with no dull moments or wasted space!

ESTELLE BILLON-SPAGNOL (author & illustrator) grew up surrounded by vineyards, books and pencils. After studying criminal law, she started working. At the age of 30, she decided it was time for a change… Today, she is an author and illustrator based in Paris, and publishes notably with Talents Hauts and Sarbacane. She has published several picture books with Grasset-jeunesse, including Le grand catalog imaginaire de vrais enfants extraordinaires (The great imaginary catalog of real extraordinary children), Piouh, petit habitant du grand bois (Piouh, a tiny inhabitant in the great woods) and Crocky, féroce visiteur du grand bois (Crocky, a fierce visitor to the great woods).

A big format new edition of a stunning graphic poetry book by Jean Cocteau!

Raising children isn’t easy for Madame Lalune and Monsieur Lesoleil: when one sleeps, the other works – and vice versa. But child-rearing shouldn’t be entrusted to just anyone, as they soon find out in this highly graphic and whimsical album. With its inventive use of typography, layout, and color, A funny household is as visually captivating as it is delightful.

This new big format edition, faithful to the original 1948 edition published by Paul Morihien, marks the 60th anniversary of Cocteau’s passing. It is part of a commemorative initiative by Éditions Grasset, which is also honoring his legacy through the publication of the Cocteau Library – Red Notebooks series.

The Author & Illustrator

Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), the famous poet, painter, and author of Les Enfants terribles and Les Parents terribles, was also a pioneer of graphic poetry. A funny household stands as a brilliant example of his innovative spirit in the genre.

Sumeya, who is 5, has just arrived with her mother at the Women’s Palace in Paris. She discovers the story of Blanche Peyron, who founded this immense refuge in the last century: a woman of convictions and fights, free and rebellious, mingle the emotion and the desires of this little girl of today… Adapted from the bestseller Les Victorieuses, this new opus by Laetitia Colombani and Clémence Pollet is in line with their magnificent adaptation La tresse ou le voyage de Lalita (The braid or Lalita’s Journey).
A luminous story of solidarity and sorority, mutual aid and hope.

Rights sold: Japan, Turkey

The Author

Laetitia Colombani is a screenwriter, director and actress who also writes for the theatre. The success of her novel The Kite (Le Cerf-volant) follows in the footsteps of The braid (La tresse), which has sold over 2 million copies in France.

The Illustrator

A graduate of the École Estienne, Clémence Pollet continued her training at the Arts Décoratifs in Strasbourg and at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna, Italy. Alongside illustration, she also practises various engraving techniques, including etching, aquatint and linocut.

A brilliant adaptation of The Kite (Le Cerf-volant) by Laetitia Colombani.

In South India, we meet Lalita, who continues her fight to go to school. And we discover the Red Brigades, women who fight and support each other… and who will also fight for their own education and that of the women in their village. A magnificent story of perseverance, hope and sisterhood, in this adaptation of the sequel to the novel The braid (La tresse) and the picture book The braid or Lalita’s journey (La tresse ou le voyage de Lalita).

Key Points

This new children’s book by Laetitia Colombani and Clémence Pollet follows on from their magnificent adaptation The braid or Lalita’s journey (La tresse ou le voyage de Lalita), which has already become a classic to share with the family or at school (43,000 copies sold since November 2018).

This publication accompanies the cinema release of the film The braid (La tresse), in cinemas on 29 November 2023.

The Author

The Illustrator

As she does every morning, Smita untangles her daughter Lalita’s hair. She has never cut it – in India, women keep their hair from birth for a long time, sometimes all their lives. She divides the hair into three strands, which she intertwines to make a braid. But today is not a day like any other. Today Lalita starts school.

This beautiful, luminous graphic album tells the story of little Lalita and her mother Smita’s journey across India, both born Dalits. It’s a wonderful story of life, rebellion, belief and hope, magnificently illustrated, that opens the way to reflection on social differences, the status of women and access to education.

This album is a sensitive look at the situation of women and girls in India, particularly those from low castes. It is also a way of underlining the crucial need to fight against the discrimination that prevents thousands of people from living with dignity.

Rights sold: Denmark, Italy, Japan, Poland, Spain, Turkey

⭐ Adapted from the bestseller novel La Tresse (more than 1,000,000 copies sold in France)

⭐ A movie based on this book was released in 2023

The Author

The Illustrator

A great and beautiful album for contemplating, philosophizing, dreaming… meeting and reconnecting!
“When each of us gives voice to the feelings we experience, the eyes of the other become small mirrors that shimmer like the sun after the rain.”
In this expansive album, infused with gentleness and poetry, we encounter the characters from the books Wonders and After the Waves. The exploration of life and the world continues, both within oneself and through others, until reaching the ability to truly listen, understand, and share.

Author
Born in France and of Taiwanese origin, Sandrine Kao has been an author and illustrator of children’s books since 2008. She writes and illustrates picture books (Émerveillements, Après les vagues, Grasset-Jeunesse, 2019 and 2022), comic strips (Le Fil, Nathan, 2023), and also writes novels for young people and teenagers (Comme un oiseau dans les nuages, Syros, 2022) after studying book publishing, illustration (École supérieure d’art d’Épinal) and children’s literature. Asian culture deeply nourishes her work, both visually and in the themes she tackles. In her works, she tries to give everyday life a gentle, poetic facet, to open a door to the other and to elsewhere.

A big, beautiful album for looking, philosophizing, dreaming, believing in yourself… and finding yourself!

Sometimes, we go on adventures. We explore, we discover unknown places. Sometimes, we go through storms, and we have to stay hidden, huddled, warm and strong. Sometimes, too, we get lost. But fortunately, we find each other again. And we savor the pleasure of being together again, and savoring the important moments that make life beautiful…

In this large, gentle and poetic album, the characters discovered in Wonders (Émerveillements) set off on an adventure. The discovery of life and the world continues, without ever forgetting the importance of dreaming and believing in one’s dreams.

Rights sold: Catalan, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish languages

⭐ Awards and selections:

Bologna Ragazzi Award 2024 Special Mention in the comic book category

What the BRAW jury said:

“Kawaii characters dance through a floating world landscape as poetic language sensitively describes the bittersweet emotional experiences of the self-encountering the other and the family discovering the world. The oversized album makes full and dynamic use of the canvas of the page to render a rich and immersive environment through which delicate emotions can safely echo.”

Author
After studying book publishing, Sandrine Kao, of Taiwanese origin, turned to children’s writing and illustration. She is a graduate of the École Supérieure d’Art d’Épinal. For Grasset-Jeunesse, she illustrated the 7+ paperback Des Crêpes à l’eau, written by Sandrine Beau, and the novel Les Animaux de l’arche, written by Kochka (8+).

A gem for watching, philosophizing and marvelling… Essential and irresistible!
We often ask ourselves questions without having the answers. We wonder why this seed won’t germinate, why others are able to do it, but not us. But from these little thoughts, ideas are always born… A little character evolves through several little cases, like many life-moments, where he looks up, questions himself, grows up, and bounces back. Thanks to a clever layout and an exquisite text, this album with Asian influences is a delightful stroll through childhood and more. A gentle nugget where the mind wanders, wonders and marvels, a superb stroll through childhood, whose reflections will not only touch the little ones…

Rights sold: Catalan, Korean, Polish, Spanish languages

A new, big-format Amos for the little ones, graphic and immersive!

Each morning, Amos sips fruity tea, stretches, and hums to start the day. “Pom, pom, pom…” Washing his snout, his eyes are a bit more open than when he woke up. Now in great shape, hunger stirs with gurgles in his belly, whispering “Apple! Apple!” Dominating the page in his world, Amos begins his day mind- fully. From apple to apple… This fresh and graphic picture book invites little ones to savor life’s riches and find their place by con- templating the world.

Author & Illustrator

Anne Cortey (author) studied art history. After working in children’s bookshops and then in publishing, she now publishes picture books and novels, notably with L’École des Loisirs. She is the author of several books published by Grasset-Jeunesse, including Aujourd’hui, Amos (Today, Amos) illustrated by Janik Coat, Les petits jours (Little Days) de Kimi & Shiro illustrated by Anaïs Massini, and Les Ébouriffés (The Disheveled) illustrated by Thomas Baas.

Janik Coat is an illustrator and graphic designer who studied graphic design at the Beaux-Arts in Nantes. Her work has been published by leading houses such as Albin Michel, MeMo, and Sarbacane.

A day at children’s level in this playful, colorful, seek-and-find book!

Home, bus, school, canteen… a child’s day is often a jungle! A colorful jungle, full of life, where every moment is an adventure!

Alice de Nussy (author) is a graphic designer and art director, mainly for children. Spending her life in front of a computer, happily reflecting on other people’s books, inspired her to take up the pen and write her own. She has published Ma sœur est une brute épaisse, La Malédiction des flamants roses (Grasset- Jeunesse) and Carrécédaire (Seuil Jeunesse).

Estelle Billon-Spagnol (illustrator) grew up surrounded by vineyards, books and pencils. After studying criminal law, she started working. At the age of 30, she decided it was time for a change… Today, she is an author and illustrator based in Paris, and publishes notably with the publishers Talents Hauts and Sarbacane.

A cuddly album with poetic text and luminous colors created entirely with collage.

“The world is immense and very high, too. I pull myself up on my toes. Above me is the window. On the other side, there’s the universe…” The world is immense, especially when you’re very small… From inside to outside, from curiosity to discovery, from absence to presence, from home to cocoon, this cuddly book with its poetic text and bright colors is a delight for both the eyes and the heart.

Marion Cocklico (illustrator) is an illustrator for the press and children’s publishing. In her books, mainly for toddlers (published by Fleurus, Gallimard, Tourbillon and Milan), she plays with shapes, materials and collages. In The World is Immense, she mixes cut-outs, paint and bold colors with great sensitivity.

A journey full of surprises through a wonderful leporello book!

Grandma and Colette, Love at first sight, The joggers, The children’s revolution, Greetings on a bad day, Ode to distraction…

Six stories focusing on individuality in the city, identity and gender, to be reconstructed with cut-out cards to be placed on the pages of a double-sided leporello: the graphic elements thus isolated in the illustration are accompanied by a text to be discovered. It’s a fun and original way to wander around the city, following its multi-faceted inhabitants as they play a treasure hunt.

a box with leporello of 6 pages recto verso

when closed: 14,8 x 21 cm, when open: 88,8 x 21 cm

+ 18 cards with die-cuts recto/verso

printed with 3 pantones

Author-Ilustrator

Pauline Ferrand, a graduate of ESAL (Épinal) and children’s workshop animator, works for children’s publishing, micro-publishing and the cultural press. Since 2021, she has been interested in visual didactics, the book object and children’s place in reading. Inspired by silk-screen printing, her colorful and contrasting poscas and felt-tip universe blends fine lines and bold shapes around urban or natural themes. Encountered in 2022 during a trip to the Bologna Book Fair organized by the Charte des auteurs et illustrateurs jeunesse, Pauline’s magnificent fold-out book tackles themes dear to her heart with energy and poetry.

Reviews

« Unidentifiable Book Object. Since I’m only an adult, it took me a while to figure out how to read this book! There are no pages to leaf through or turn, just cards with holes written on both sides, and a 6-page mini leporello with no text but so full of drawings that they overlap. You have to read the instructions carefully! You don’t understand anything but it’s actually quite simple. And then you piece together 6 lovely, finely illustrated stories. It’s a wonderful thing, where the reader is summoned to act in order to read.

It’s a real reader’s job, and a rewarding one at that. And a job well done by the creator, so well thought-out, so well done. The stories? They’re about people in the city, all of them unique. They’re also about gender and love. Bravo! CCS »

-Nouvelles du livre jeunesse (TRIM/MARS 2025 — N°243)

A clever, colorful, and mischievous journey into emotions and self-discovery — perfect for little hearts.

Sometimes we’re quiet. Sometimes we’re impatient. Other times, we’re angry — or maybe free, wild, wise, joyful… But always, we are filled with a wealth of emotions that swirl within us, meet, and help shape who we are.

This book offers a gentle way to explore the variety of feelings we all experience — feelings that can sometimes overwhelm us, yet never fully define us. Learning to recognize, name, and welcome our emotions — and to understand that they don’t dictate our entire identity — is key to accepting ourselves and others.

On every page, through a playful game of shadow-guessing, a new side of the child’s personality is revealed — until all the pieces come together to show the whole of who they are.

The Author-Illustrator

Maxime Derouen lives in Bordeaux. Trained as a philosopher, he spent years crafting words before trading his pen for shapes and images. In his stories, he loves to stage the animal world with tenderness and humor. He works in a shared studio, surrounded by fellow illustrators, always seeking in his books a way to bridge dreams and thought.

His art for children — spontaneous and full of color — follows in the tradition of Mario Ramos. With Grasset Jeunesse, he has published C’était pour de faux !, Le livre des secrets de mon dinosaure préféré, et Un trésor lourd à porter.

Welcome to the world of the adorable Piouh!

Piouh is a little inhabitant of the big woods. He lives in a pretty field, loves yellow and has two friends for life (Coxi, who fills his life with challenges, and Guernoule, who makes his life crazy). As his moods, moments and dreams unfold, we discover the adorable world of this brave, strong-willed little Piouh!

Warning: ADORABLE book!

As we discover his home, his friends and his tastes, Piouh offers us a lovely lesson in life… A real treat!

Rights sold: Chinese, Estonian, Spainish

The Author & Illustrator
Estelle Billon-Spagnol grew up surrounded by vineyards, books and pencils. After studying criminal law, she started working. At the age of 30, she decided it was time for a change… Today, she is an author and illustrator based in Paris, and has published the Jacotte series with Helium, La déclaration du droits des filles and La déclaration du droits des garçons with Talents Hauts. She also writes novels for Sarbacane, in the Pépix series.

Since all children are extraordinary, they surely deserve a grand imaginary catalogue dedicated to them!

Enzo, 7 and 2/3 years old, 17 kilos of kiwi-flavored energy, never sleeps (NEVER), no bed needed.
Arthur, 8 years old, prone to headaches that always strike at just the right time (random example: right before school).
Iris and Molaire, just under 6 years old each, take them together or not at all.
Chiara, around 7 years old, around 117 cm, around 20 kilos, around a thousand wishes granted.
Charlotte, 9 years old, passionate about anything — as long as it can be bought.
Maxence, 8 years old, blossoms best in the warmth of his own room — please consult him before signing him up for any activity.

In this grand imaginary catalogue, Estelle Billon-Spagnol offers us funny, tender, and wonderfully true portraits of real, extraordinary children. A delightful burst of imagination and life, this is a joyful tribute to childhood and all its richness—meant for little ones as well as grown-up kids!

The Author & Illustrator
Estelle Billon-Spagnol grew up surrounded by vineyards, books, and pencils. After studying criminal law, she began her career. At the age of 30, she decided it was time to take a different path… Today, she is a writer and illustrator based in Paris, publishing notably by Talents Hauts and Sarbacane.

Welcome back to the world of the adorable Piouh… and the ferocious Crocky!

After meeting the lovable Piouh, the little resident of the Great Woods, we joyfully reunite with our favorite trio: Piouh, Coxy, and Gernoule.

Faced with the fear of the unknown, they must overcome their doubts to bring happiness back to the forest.

A rich, whimsical, tender, and funny tale… in short — just as delightful as Piouh himself!

Usually, Piouh isn’t afraid of anything. But when he is scared — it’s as if he’s afraid of everything. And of course, above all — Piouh is afraid of Crocky! Because, according to legend, Crocky loves to fill his inner cave with his favorite delicacy: a stew made from plump little yellow birds, served in farting frog sauce with a side of crispy ladybug wings… So when a Crocky enters the Great Woods — it’s pure panic.

Will Papipiouh’s super secret № 27 save the day? And what if, deep down, Piouh and Crocky aren’t so different after all? What if Crocky’s arrival is actually a blessing for the creatures of the forest?

Rights sold: simplified Chinese, Polish languages

Author & Illustrator
Estelle Billon-Spagnol grew up surrounded by vineyards, books and pencils. After studying criminal law, she started working. At the age of 30, she decided it was time for a change… Today, she is an author and illustrator based in Paris, and has published the Jacotte series with Helium, La déclaration du droits des filles and La déclaration du droits des garçons with Talents Hauts. She also writes novels for Sarbacane, in the Pépix series.

Feet in the wet grass, the disheveled discover in the early morning everything a menagerie in the sky. A frame approaches… Throughout the poetic text of Anne Cortey which pays homage to nature, magic of a children’s day at the edge of a lake follows the shape of the book: Thomas Baas plays with the format, the layout page, the turnaround to give life to charming mischievous characters immediate. This is the big upheaval!

The Author
Anne Cortey studied art history. She worked in children’s bookshops, then freelanced in children’s publishing, and now publishes albums with Albin Michel and Sarbacane, and novels with L’École des Loisirs.

The Illustrator
Illustrator and poster designer Thomas Baas is a graduate of the Arts décoratifs de Strasbourg (Claude Lapointe studio). He has published numerous books, notably with Actes-Sud, Gallimard, Albin-Michel and Sarbacane. His work is as elegant as it is intelligent and tender, appealing to young and old alike.

A Magical and Moving Journey into the Heart of the Human Experience

Jonas, a mechanical shark and former star of a blockbuster film, now lives a quiet retirement in MonsterLand — a theme park that brings together the most iconic monsters in cinema history.
But in the digital age, Jonas is nothing more than an old, rusting robot who no longer sends shivers down anyone’s spine.

When the director of MonsterLand announces his plan to send the shark to the scrapyard, the park’s monsters rally to save their friend — by returning him to the ocean…

Thus begins a new chapter in Jonas’s life.

Despite the heartbreak of parting, Jonas dares to hope he might finally experience the joys of wild, free living.
But his robotic nature makes it impossible to adapt to this new environment…

Told in short chapters, this illustrated novel for older readers is a playful nod to Jaws, and is as gripping as it is moving.
A cast of offbeat, even caricatured characters — both animal and mechanical — come together in a tender and witty modern fable.

Rights sold: simplified Chinese, German, Italian, Korean

The Author & Illustrator

Bertrand Santini is now a major name in children’s literature. At Grasset, he has published Le Yark, Hugo de la Nuit, L’étrange réveillon, Miss Pook et les enfants de la lune, and Comment j’ai raté ma vie. He is also the author and illustrator of the bestselling Journal of Gurty series (Sarbacane). Once again, he succeeds in drawing readers into a world rich in imagination, rhythm, humor, and emotional depth.

Paul Mager has graduated the Georges Méliès School of Film and Animation. Since 2003, he has contributed character and background design to numerous projects, including A Monster in Paris (Europacorp), Despicable Me, and Minions (Universal Studios).