Him, They All Mocked

If he cannot be loved, he will be respected

A story freely inspired by the youth of Bertrand du Guesclin.

A moving and inspiring medieval tale.

Spirit of the Book

In his unmistakable style, Frédéric Marais draws young readers into an unexpected subject: the troubled childhood of a hero from medieval history.

Through our empathy with the character, we are moved by his inner wounds. Yet, as so often in his work, Frédéric Marais reminds us with conviction of the capacity for resilience that remains possible in those who fall.

Synopsis

A despised child curls up on the straw. His aristocratic family does not love him and keeps him far away from their lavish home. Abandoned, he has only nature for company, and it reveals to him the mystery of transformation: a chrysalis becoming a butterfly, a snake shedding its skin.

Alone, he forges his character and begins to see his destiny: if he cannot be loved, he will be respected.

A knights’ tournament is to be held in his region. Could this be his chance? When he puts on a suit of armour, everyone mocks him. But soon his bravery silences the crowd, and his victories over seasoned knights bring cheers of admiration.

His name was Bertrand du Guesclin, and he would go on to become Constable of France.

What we love about the book:

◊ The power of Frédéric Marais’s storytelling and his incisive visual style;

◊ the treatment of a difficult subject — child abuse — through the exemplary figure of a hero from medieval history;

◊ the determination and resilience of a real historical figure whose inner life the author explores;

◊ the book’s message, which echoes Bertrand du Guesclin’s motto: “Courage gives what beauty denies.”

Publication date: 16 October 2026

Author & Illustrator

A student of the painter Vera Braun-Lengyel, Frédéric Marais studied art history and graphic arts at the Penninghen school and the École de Communication Visuelle.

After initially working as an art director at an advertising agency, he now devotes himself entirely to writing and illustrating children’s books. With the restraint for which his writing is known and the striking power of his images, he enjoys exploring reality through the lives of remarkable individuals, as seen in his previous books published by HongFei, Le Pousseur de bois and Tomber 8 fois, se relever 9.

In 2016, he received the Prix Sorcières for his picture book Yasuke (Fourmis rouges).