(2) YA Translated by Y. Maudet. A year after Djelila's brutal murder, Sohane recalls her loving, difficult relationship with her beautiful younger sister. When a gang of boys from their French housing project accuses Djelila of shaming Islam, Sohane is fearful. Djelila laughs them off--then tragedy strikes. Based loosely on a true incident, Sarn's poignant novel is a coming-of-age story about the uniquely powerful bond between sisters. Glos.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2014

(2) 4-6 Translated by Y. Maudet. For years middle grader Anthony believed his father was away on an extended trip. Then he discovers that Dad is in prison for theft. When Dad escapes and goes on the lam, Anthony joins him and is present during a climactic police shootout, from which Dad escapes, leaving Anthony behind. The emotional arc in this spare and solemn French import foils our expectations.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2012

(4) 4-6 Amos Daragon series. Translated by Y. Maudet. Amos Daragon (The Mask Wearer) returns; here a young queen uses voodoo to send Amos on a quest to Braha, the City of the Dead. As before, Amos's brilliance (rarely in evidence but often mentioned) unravels cunning plots and restores balance to the world. The stiff translation and lack of much character complexity are drawbacks, but fantasy-adventure fans may not mind.

Reviewer: Bethany Templeton Klem

(4) 4-6 Amos Daragon series. Translated by Y. Maudet. Gorgons, evil sorcerers, and vicious lords meet their match in twelve-year-old Amos Daragon. Endowed with a magical mask and sharp wits, Amos must lead an army against dark forces. The story expends more energy generating rather thin subplots than developing the crop of characters, but the adventure sequences and array of mythical creatures may appeal to fantasy fans.

Reviewer: Bethany Templeton Klem

(1) YA Translated by Y. Maudet. This beautifully written novel about a young refugee boy, Koumail, and his guardian, Gloria, who, in the mid-1990s, leave their war-torn home in the Caucasus and head for France, is full of harsh yet tender moments. As Koumail grows older, the mystery of his origins and of Gloria's past deepen. Bondoux evokes their journey in prose that is both exquisitely poetic and unsparing.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2011

(4) 4-6 Translated by Y. Maudet. Illustrated by Aurélie Abolivier. Over the course of exchanging letters with a great-grandmother she sees only occasionally, twelve-year-old Annabelle develops a genuine friendship with her. As the letters progress, Annabelle shifts from being borderline rude to displaying compassion when Gran's foot must be amputated. The translation from French is smooth, but Annabelle doesn't always sound like a believable tween. Small drawings appear throughout.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) YA Translated by Y. Maudet. Mélie feels like she had two mothers: "Rosy Mom" in public and "Dark Mom" lurking at home. To cope, Mélie self-prescribes obsessive behaviors. Upon reaching adolescence, she realizes her rituals have failed and she must break her silence. Mélie is sympathetic, but the third-person text feels detached, more a case study than a story.

Reviewer: Lauren Maggio

(4) YA Translated by Y. Maudet. After their parents' death, Mado becomes the ward of her heedless older sister, Patty. When Patty gets pregnant, Mado gains even more responsibilities and learns to accept Patty as she is. The translation from the French is adept if not always idiomatic, and implausible plot points--a whirlwind romance, Patty's utter flakiness, the problem-free home birth--are eased by vividly portrayed emotions.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(2) YA Translated by Y. Maudet. Yann, a ten-year-old boy the size of a two-year-old, leads his six brothers on a journey to the sea, escaping their abusive parents. This story/fable/fairy tale, told in a series of first-person accounts, builds in tension and poignancy as the lives of the seven boys are revealed. A powerful portrait of poverty and sibling solidarity.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2006