Fall down 8 times, get up 9

Eugène, the boxing champion of France, arrives at the front in March 1915. There, a bullet hits him straight in the face. When the young man, nicknamed “Angel Face”, wakes up  from the brink of death, he is now a “broken face.” After months of rehabilitation, he recovers. Once the war is over, he decides to resume boxing. “The bullet that didn’t kill him may have made him stronger”: now known as “Iron Jaw,” he bulks up, competes frequently, sometimes loses but often wins. Until June 2, 1923, in New York, where his impressive opponent struggles to get up. Eugène Criqui is the world champion!

SPIRIT OF THE BOOK

Following The Chess Player, Frédéric Marais once again draws inspiration from a real character and trajectory to tell a powerful story and evoke the barely believable springs that lie deep within each of us. If Eugène returned to the ring “to everyone’s surprise,” he knew perfectly well what he had to accomplish, especially in a life slipping away from him. A superb lesson of dignity, full of modesty and elegance.

What the BCBF Jury said:
Graphically striking from its title and cover, is full of cultivated graphic references and demonstrates the power of composition across the double spreads, adding surprising layouts and memorable perspectives. The reduced palette, emitting contrast between deep dark and luminous tones, reflects the story’s essential elements, where struggle and light coexist. Bold, expressive and meticulously designed, the book transforms visual language into an emotionally resonant narrative.

Awards and selections:

⭐Bologna Ragazzi Awards 2026: Special mention in the fiction category

Publication: April 2024

Illustration technique: mixed technique

Key words: boxing, champion, Eugène Criqui, war, resilience, sport

Author & Illustrator 

Frédéric Marais, a student of the painter Vera Braun-Lengyel, studied art history and graphic arts at the École Penninghen and the ECV (School of Visual Communication). He worked as an art director at an advertising agency before devoting himself entirely to his career as an author and illustrator of children’s literature. With his characteristic restraint in writing and the brilliance he brings to his illustrations, Frédéric Marais enjoys exploring reality through the stories of exemplary lives, as seen in his picture books. He received the Sorcière Award in 2016 for his picture book Yasuke (published by Les Fourmis Rouges).