Translation Funding: Canada Council for the Arts

Review: In this humorous picture book, Ratatin (perhaps Rubadub, or Wrinkle Toes in English!) has a  passion for taking baths which causes serious problems for the other villagers. They urgently need to find a solution before the water shortage he has created has devastating consequences! 

Ratatin has the feel of a graphic novel, and being aimed at 3+, it’s particularly appealing with the growing trend for graphic novels for the very young. Illustrator Felipe Arriagada-Nunez’s Chilean roots and the Simpsons show from his childhood both influence his bright cartoonish, naive style. 

In addition to the colourful artwork and humorous story, this picture book focuses on compelling universal environmental issues such as the shortage of water and the importance of not wasting natural resources, along with the idea of communities working together to find solutions to these problems. This picture book is well suited for school reading lists and indeed, the Canadian publisher la courte échelle has provided educational sheets on its website for use in the classroom. Ratatin is also a refreshingly inclusive picture book with a diverse representation of  neighbours living in Ratatin’s community. These qualities make Ratatin an ideal title for translation  across international borders. 

Ratain was shortlisted for the Prix Jeunesse des Libraires 2023 (0-5 year olds). 

Author bio:  Mélina Schoenborn lives and works in Montréal. She studied art history and visual arts at the  Université de Montréal, and as well as writing for children, she has established a career as a sculptor. Her first picture book, Bob le Bobo, won the Prix Jeunesse des Libraires du Québec in 2021. 

Illustrator bio: Felipe Arriagada-Nunez was born and grew up in Montréal. He has collaborated with local artists  such as Montréal rapper FouKi and was recently contracted to design the new Nike dunk low Montréal bagel sneaker box on which he shows off Montréal and its people.

Jusqu’à ce que ça fasse bang

Translation Funding: Canada Council for the Arts

Review: This gripping and gritty YA novel is told from the perspective of Maélia, a young woman who fell head-over-heels for her boyfriend Oli and is caught up in the heady excitement of first love. Oli returns her affection with a thrilling intensity. But after Maélia moves away from home to attend the college program of her dreams, her conversations and visits with Oli begin to take on confusing and even frightening overtones as Oli’s jealousy and possessive nature become increasingly apparent. Along the way, Maélia meets someone new – a gentle, non-binary soul who helps her to understand that love needn’t always hurt. Told as one long letter from Maélia to Oli, the story gives readers insight into the nature of toxic relationships and gaslighting, and ultimately, the courage it takes to break free from the cycle of intimate partner violence. 

This book pulls no punches when it comes to descriptions of important and relevant issues for young adults, including sex, alcohol use, domestic violence, and gender issues. It is intended for a mature YA audience. Notably, it was a finalist for the City of Montreal’s youth book award, organized by the city’s network of public libraries.

Author bio: Born in Quebec, Canada, in 1993, Alexandra Larochelle was introduced to the arts at a very young age. Since writing her first novel at the age of nine for a school project, she has gone on to author more than 20 books, three of which have been made into films. Her books have been nominated for several Canadian and Quebec literary awards. To date, nearly 100,000 copies of her novels have been sold in Quebec. A bilingual spokesperson for numerous social and cultural organizations, she is actively involved in her community.