Adrian and the Tree of Secrets - Softcover

Hubert

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1551525569 ISBN 13: 9781551525563

Publisher: Arsenal Pulp Press, 2014

Synopsis

Adrian isn't very happy these days. He lives in a small town and goes to a Catholic high school. He wears glasses, secretly reads philosophy books, and wishes he had more muscles. He's dogged by a strict mother, bullied by fellow players on the soccer field, and chastised by the school principal, who considers gay rumors about Adrian as a sign that he is "ill." But Jeremy, the coolest kid at school, thinks otherwise; he takes Adrian on scooter trips, where they end up in Jeremy's secret treehouse stealing kisses. Adrian finds himself falling in love, until Jeremy's girlfriend rats them out, sending Jeremy into a tailspin of embarrassment for being different than the rest. What will become of him?

Adrian and the Tree of Secrets is a poignant, beautifully illustrated graphic novel about first love, growing up, and having the courage to be true to yourself.

Hubert studied at the School of Fine Arts in Angers, where he first set his career sights on comics. He has written a number of graphic novels and comic series in French, including one that has been translated into English: Miss Don't Touch Me, Vols. 1 and 2, a graphic novel series set in Paris in the 1930s.

Marie Caillou studied fine arts in Strasbourg, France, and then in 1995 went to Brussels to study animation. She has directed short animated films, including a series entitled Peur(s) du Noir (Fear of the Dark). This is her first book to appear in English.

About this title

About the Author

Hubert: Hubert was born in 1971 in Finistère, France. He has written numerous graphic novels and comic series in French, including one translated into English: Miss Don’t Touch Me, Vols. 1 and 2, a graphic novel series set in Paris in the 1930s.
Marie Caillou : Marie Caillou was born in 1971 in Montbeliard, France. In 2010 she illustrated her first graphic novel with Hubert, La Chair de l’Araignée (Spider’s Flesh), then in 2012, she wrote and illustrated Les Monsters de Mayuko (Mayuko’s Monsters). This is her first book to appear in English.

Reviews

Gr 7 Up—According to a study published in 2011 by Dr. Mark Hatzenbuehller, gay teens who lack the support of their community are five times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. The work's small French town provides an accurate backdrop for the story of a questioning young man in a repressive environment. Marie Caillou's illustrations echo the Art Deco movement. Adrian is bound by the expectations of his mother, the priests and nuns at the Catholic school he attends, and the small town in which he lives until an accident on the rugby field in PE takes him from bullied outcast to secret love interest of the star player, Jeremy. When the two are discovered, Jeremy is quick to distance himself from Adrian. It is possible that something was lost in the translation from the original French to this English version; the end result is a series of episodes that seem to suggest a strong dislike of the Catholic church and its influence, rather than a deeper, more nuanced character exploration that is hinted at in Adrian's conversations about philosophy. An admirable topic, but lacking in execution.—Jodeana Kruse, R. A. Long High School, WA

Edition details

• Publisher: Arsenal Pulp Press
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1551525569
• ISBN 13: 9781551525563
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Caillou Marie
• Number of pages: 128