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Noteworthy Books on the Family

French Titles - continued

Denotes that the book is either a translation or is available in translation.

Le Gros problème du petit Marcus

Gilles Gauthier
Illustrations: Pierre-André Derome
Montreal: Éditions de la courte échelle, 1992
62 p. ISBN 2890211789
Ages 8 to 10.

Marcus has a big problem that he cannot talk about with anyone. He never discusses his family, and even Jenny, his best friend, has never been invited to his house. At school, Marcus agrees to play the clown in a play in order to impress his father. His performance is wonderful, but his father doesn't come because he has drunk too much as usual. Marcus is broken-hearted. A few days later, Marcus is not at school and the children learn that he has a broken arm as a result of a car accident caused by his father, who was impaired at the time. The accident convinces his father to seek help for his problem.

The illustrations by Pierre-André Derome complement the story very well.

Courtesy of: Éditions de la Courte Échelle

Je t'aime, je te hais...

Marie-Francine Hébert
Montreal: Éditions de la courte échelle, 1991
157 p. ISBN 2890211479
Ages 12 and up.

Léa Tremble, a teenager, falls in love for the first time with the handsomest man at school, Bruno Yves. Paradoxically, Émile, her father, and Suzanne, her mother, who used to seem so close, have drifted apart. In a household scene which Léa observes, powerless, her father confesses his infidelity to her mother. The word divorce is mentioned, and Suzanne rushes out of the house.

The antagonistic relationship between the father and the daughter is well depicted. Léa, who as a child had a habit of calling her father her "big darling Dad" is now faced with a father who has fallen in her eyes, whose schoolmaster playacting no longer makes everything right, and who, disappointed with himself, can also cry.

The parents' break-up leads to instability and a re-examination of what had been considered permanent and taken for granted. We experience the uneasiness and incomprehension between Léa and her father. While the parents' divorce seems inevitable, Léa's renewed relationship with her father and reconciliation with Bruno leave the reader on a hopeful note.

Courtesy of: Éditions de la Courte Échelle

Maman va t'acheter un moqueur

Jean Little
Translation: Paule Daveluy
Montreal: Éditions Pierre Tisseyre, 1986
260 p. ISBN 2890513092
Ages 10 to 14.

The theme of this very beautiful book is the acceptance of the death of a loved one, and the effect of the loss on a very warm and closely knit family. Jérémie Talbot, who is 12 years old, spends the summer with his sister at the family cottage, where they are joined by their parents. He is deeply shaken when he discovers that his father, Adrien, who has recently been released from the hospital, is dying of cancer. The family tries bravely to face this overwhelming situation, and the time they spend together becomes much more precious. After Adrien's death, the members of the family begin to put their lives back together. The translation is excellent.

Courtesy of: Éditions Pierre Tisseyre 1986

Marélie de la mer

Linda Brousseau
Saint-Laurent, Quebec: Éditions Pierre Tisseyre, 1993
90 p. ISBN 2890515109
Ages 9 and up.

Marélie is an orphan and moves from one foster family to another. She yearns to have a mother of her own like all the other children. As a way of satisfying this need, Marélie invents a different mother for herself every night. One day, in a new home on the other side of the world, her real mother comes into her life. This marks the beginning of a troubling and emotional time for Marélie.

Courtesy of: Éditions Pierre Tisseyre 1993

Moi aussi, je divorce

Brigitte Rivet
Illustrations: Marie-Lisa Beaulac
Iberville, Quebec: Coïncidence/Jeunesse, 1991
55 p. ISBN 2890524264
Ages 7 to 10.

Frédérique has to choose between Mom and Dad. It isn't easy, especially since they are fighting for custody of their only daughter! She comes up with the solution to "their" problem: she won't go with either one.

Frédérique tells us the story of how she leaves and goes to stay with her great-aunt Gertrude, who has a strange illness and does some very odd things.

Courtesy of: Coïncidence/Jeunesse