Brindille

The tiny and fragile Pavlina has a hard time earning the respect of the members of her family – all male! They call her “Brindille” (Twig). The rule at home is that whoever loses a wrestling match has to do a chore, so Brindille ends up doing nearly all of them. But enough is enough: leaving her piano behind, Brindille takes up boxing. She is determined, and earns the respect and the admiration of her family. Her father and brothers show their well-hidden love for her, each in his own special way. Later she goes back to her piano lesson. This is a magnificent picture book, which is sensitive, subtle feminism and full of tenderness. The layout of the pages is dazzling, alternating between thumbnails, full spreads, and figurative drop caps. Rémi Courgeon's illustrations are magnificently highlighted in this beautifully composed large format (with, as a bonus, a poster in the back of the jacket). This book was selected for the IBBY Honour List 2014.