A stunning graphic novel from the award-winning creators of Jane, the Fox and Me.In this powerful new graphic novel from Fanny Britt and Isabelle Arsenault, we meet Louis, a young boy who shuttles between his alcoholic dad and his worried mom, and who, with the help of his best friend, tries to summon up the courage to speak to his true love, Billie.Louis's dad cries -- Louis knows this because he spies on him. His dad misses the happy times when their family was together, just as Louis does. But as it is, he and his little brother, Truffle, have to travel back and forth between their dad's country house and their mom's city apartment, where she tries to hide her own tears.Thankfully, Louis has Truffle for company. Truffle loves James Brown lyrics, and when he isn't singing, he's asking endless questions. Louis also has his friend Boris, with whom he spots ghost cop cars and spies on the "silent queen," the love of his life, Billie.When Louis and Truffle go to their dad's for two weeks during the summer, their father seems to have stopped drinking. And when Truffle has a close call from a bee sting, their mother turns up and the reunited foursome spend several wonderful days in New York -- until they reach the end of the road, again.A beautifully illustrated, true-to-life portrayal of just how complex family relationships can be, seen through the eyes of a wise, sensitive boy who manages to find his own way forward.Key Text Featuresspeech bubblesCorrelates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.4Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
Isabelle Arsenault es una ilustradora y autora canadiense reconocida internacionalmente por sus libros infantiles. Nació en Quebec, Canadá, y estudió diseño gráfico en la Université du Québec à Montréal. Después de completar sus estudios, comenzó a trabajar como ilustradora para periódicos, revistas y otras publicaciones antes de dedicarse principalmente a los libros para niños.
Su estilo artístico se caracteriza por el uso de acuarelas, lápices, collage y otras técnicas que crean imágenes delicadas, expresivas y llenas de imaginación. Sus ilustraciones suelen combinar colores suaves con detalles que transmiten emociones y permiten que los lectores interpreten las historias de diferentes maneras.
Arsenault ha ilustrado numerosos libros infantiles y también ha escrito algunas de sus propias obras. Entre sus trabajos más conocidos se encuentran Virginia Wolf, Spork, Fourchon y Colette's Lost Pet. Su libro Virginia Wolf, escrito por Kyo Maclear, recibió importantes reconocimientos y destacó por la sensibilidad de sus ilustraciones.
A lo largo de su carrera, Isabelle Arsenault ha recibido varios premios y nominaciones por su trabajo. Su estilo único y su capacidad para expresar sentimientos mediante imágenes la han convertido en una figura destacada de la ilustración infantil contemporánea.