Joseph's Belly selected for the Lire Élire 2026 literary prize

The book Le Ventre de Joseph, written by Marie Desplechin and illustrated by Michaël Cailloux, published by Éditions Thierry Magnier, has been selected for the literary prize Read and choose 2026.

This unique album has received further recognition, and here is the presentation sent to participating libraries:

“Dear reader,

I am writing to you today to present Le ventre de Joseph, a children's book by Marie Desplechin and Michaël Cailloux, published by Thierry Magnier, and chosen for the Orange Selection – The Adventurers.

I am writing to you because this album is a true little gem.

Firstly, through its epistolary form, so vibrant: we are immersed in a correspondence between Joseph, his mother, a botanist abbot, and the castle's maid. Four voices, four sensibilities, which compose a story that is at once funny, tender, and full of surprises.

With his subtle humor, Marie Desplechin This book weaves a family adventure where botany, family secrets, and the quest for freedom intertwine. Joseph, an 18th-century boy, suffers from inexplicable stomach pains. Worried, his mother writes to a botanist monk, an old acquaintance: this is the beginning of an intimate, funny, and profoundly human adventure. I won't say any more… this book holds some wonderful surprises.

Graphically, the illustrations of Michaël CaillouxTeeming with plants, insects, and naturalistic motifs, they are reminiscent of old botanical illustrations. Warm colors, minute details, luxuriant patterns… We enter a world that teems, breathes, and seems almost to leap off the page.

Before closing this letter, one last suggestion: to extend the reading, suggest that the children write their own letter to an imaginary friend with an unexpected remedy for an invented illness and illustrate it with leaves, roots or wings.

I'll let you discover it. Le ventre de Joseph like opening a long-awaited letter.