An bear leads a peaceful and free life in the heart of the forest until the day the sky ignites and the violence of men intrudes on his world. Injured and burned, he is taken in by Sergiy, a soldier who cares for him and gives him a name: Lubochka. A fragile, almost miraculous bond is formed between man and animal, suspended far from the battles. However, the war never stops.
In partnership with Amnesty International, this beautiful album intelligently tells a nameless war (even though the focus naturally turns to Eastern Europe), embodying not one, but all conflicts that ravage men, animals, and lands. In the midst of chaos, the encounter becomes a glimmer of hope and humanity, with the bear’s gaze prompting questions about a world with bewildering rules.
“It is a human trait, the art of naming things. By losing the scent, instinct, wind, and dew, they invented words,” notes the animal, vividly illustrated by Amandine Piu. Page after page, his tranquil blue surroundings collide with the military greens and fiery yellows of human war, giving way to a warm, colorful expanse, a promise of a possible future.
Sensitive, poetic, and luminous, “Moi, Lubochka” reminds us that children’s literature can accurately and perspective the world’s tragedies. A serious yet hopeful album that talks about war by persistently choosing gentleness.
Why we love it?
- For Amandine Piu’s color work that brings the story to life.
- For Gilles Baum’s talent in addressing war to young children with hope and poetry.
- For the broader reflection on the meaning of existence, connection, and engagement.
- For the certain echo it finds – and unfortunately will continue to find – with current events.
“Moi, Lubochka,” Gilles Baum and Amandine Piu, Les éditions des éléphants, 40 pages, 15 euros. From 4 years old.
[Context Note: The article discusses a children’s book that reflects on the impacts of war through the story of a bear named Lubochka.]
[Fact Check Note: The book is a fictional story inspired by real-world conflicts and aims to convey the universal message about the consequences of war.]
Image: Éditions des éléphants
For the means: “What is war?”
Why do wars exist? Who decides to start them? Are there more wars today than yesterday? Do children sometimes fight? And what role do social networks play in conflicts? In this clear and accessible large documentary album, journalist Ingrid Seithumer answers the many questions that young children may have about history and current events.
With little text, short paragraphs, and large, readable illustrations, each double-page covers the essentials without oversimplifying. The author alternates historical references, recent examples, and more unexpected information, between anecdotes or curious facts. The book also expands the subject by addressing different forms of conflict, online propaganda, the role of civilians and children, national defense, and international law. The variety of supports (maps, timelines, glossary) makes it directly usable in the classroom and at home.
Why we love it?
- For choosing illustrations over photos to be less intimidating for young children.
- For clear explanations of war without romanticizing it while detailing solutions (solidarity, diplomacy, humanitarian aid) towards peace.
- For the diversity of questions addressed, from history to geopolitics, psychology, and even biology.
- For the modern examples given (war in Ukraine, Gaza), which directly resonate with the concerns of today’s children.
“What is war?” Ingrid Seithumer and Marie Mignot, Éditions Nathan, 32 pages, 8.20 euros. From 7 years old.
Image: Nathan
For the means: “At the foot of the mountains”
In an initially peaceful geometric world where triangles, squares, and other parallelograms joyfully coexist, an authoritarian discourse gradually emerges and insidiously spreads the poison of division. Triangles are suddenly blamed for all evils and, day by day, marginalized, monitored, and then persecuted.
At the center of this shift, Kuzma tries to stand tall despite the fear of being erased from the world. Forced to flee by her mother, who promises to find her “at the foot of the mountains,” the little girl strives to survive alone, invoking her imagination as an escape from the cruel reality.
Adapted from a play written in 2020 by Gwendoline Gauthier and Sarah Hebborn, “At the foot of the mountains” is a unique editorial object, halfway between a large album and an illustrated novel. The Brussels-based publisher Versant Sud confirms their taste for demanding and graphically bold proposals, where text and drawings take all liberties to support the originality of the narrative.
Behind this very free form, the fable is sharply focused. The authors directly address the mechanisms of fascism and discrimination. The descent to the worst is shown unflinchingly and with great intelligence, questioning, under the guise of fantasy, the responsibility of each individual, whether an actor, accomplice, or mere spectator. A remarkable success.
Why we love it?
- For Fanny Dreyer’s striking illustrations, made of cutouts, symbols, and rich mountainous frescoes.
- For the constant balance between the collapse of a world and the power of imagination to resist it.
- For the universality of the narrative, which allows for the discussion of oppression mechanisms recurring throughout world history.
- For extending the experience with a beautiful 52-minute audio fiction to listen to on the Belgian platform Radiola via a QR code in the book.
“At the foot of the mountains,” Gwendoline Gauthier, Sarah Hebborn, and Fanny Dreyer, Editions Versant Sud, 128 pages, 20 euros. From 8 years old.
