As the eldest child in a large family, Pauline struggles to find her niche, and she longs for peace and quiet — a charming story in graphic-novel style.

Pauline lives with her mother, father, little brother and sister, and there’s a new baby on the way. Her friends tell her she’s lucky to be the eldest — she’s the one who gets new clothes and can stay up late — but Pauline isn’t so sure. In her busy, crowded, noisy house, she never knows what she’s supposed to do. One minute she’s told to help her little sister, and the next to leave her alone! It seems like she’s never in the right place at the right time, and her brother seems determined to prevent her from reading in peace.

So Pauline finds a secret hideaway, and in this quiet place, surrounded by her precious belongings, she can read her favorite books, make up stories and imagine being as free as a bird. But most of all, she dreams of sailing off to France where her grandmother lives, and one day she decides to do just that …

Funny and touching, this story highlights the importance of finding our place, while gently exploring feelings about solitude, freedom, independence and the comforts of home.

Key Text Features

comic

comic strips

dialogue

illustrations

lyrics

panels

song lyrics

speech bubbles

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3
Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.7
Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.2
Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.

ANOUK MAHIOUT is an author and TV screenwriter living in Montreal, Quebec. She obtained a master's degree in literature in 2002 (Université du Québec à Montréal), then turned to television, where she worked as a producer and screenwriter for various broadcasts. In 2020, after a year of studying humorous writing (École nationale de l’humour), she created the Pauline series. Pauline, une petite place pour moi, the French edition of A Place for Pauline, won the Prix des libraires du Québec in 2021. She is now working on the animated version.

Anouk Mahiout's profile page

MARJOLAINE PERRETEN studied design and multimedia at ERACOM (École romande d’arts et communication) in Lausanne, Switzerland, and taught herself animation. She has worked for various production companies and studied directing at La Poudrière in Bourg-lès-Valence, France. She founded an animation film festival in Savigny, Switzerland, and currently works as a director, illustrator and multimedia designer. She lives in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.

Marjolaine Perreten's profile page

• Winner, Prix des libraires du Québec

There's enough humor, love, and resolution here to pull in readers of any age.

Kirkus Reviews

The importance of space for a child to be by herself to appreciate the value of family life is given a refreshing spin in this cozy yet expansive journey into the protagonist's life.

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

Cozy setting details such as family photos and comfy, rounded forms make [Pauline's] home feel like a loving one in Perreten's busy paneled cartoon-style ink drawings … but it's her mother's undivided attention that truly entices Pauline to feel that she's in the right place.

Horn Book

A fresh take on fitting in, finding your place, and searching for somewhere peaceful to read, dream, and imagine … This is a touching, heartwarming story for all ages.

Miramichi Reader

A sweet, funny take on finding your own space.

School Library Journal