“Humor is what saves us!” : the designer of Tom-Tom and Nana, Bernadette Després, died at the age of 83

Tom-Tom and Nana is in mourning. Bayard Editions announced this Wednesday, November 20, the disappearance, “with immense sadness” by Bernadette Afterwardsdesigner and co-creator of Les deux garnés in 1977, whose adventures have become a true phenomenon of children's literature.

Many children – and adults – subscribed for several generations to the magazine I like to read which recounted, from its first monthly issue published in January 1977 – the adventures of Tom-Tom and Nanathe two mischievous children of the Dubouchon family, owners of the establishment A la bonne quatre. An adventure which ended in 2009, when Jacqueline Cohen, co-author of Tom-Tom and Nanaput an end to a saga of more than thirty years, of which more than 15 millions d’albums have passed around the world.

“I always wanted to make people laugh”

Awarded in Angoulême in 2019 for all of her work, she confided to The Cross : “Drawing and my husband saved me.” “Children's books now want to deliver a political message. It never interested me. I always wanted to make people laugh.” she confided.

The one who put “in images and with humor texts relating to the daily life of children and families” earned the Bayard house “an unprecedented list of winners in children's editions” with in particulart 34 volumes in edition and more than 3,000 original plates published as an episode in the monthly magazine J'aime lire, with an adaptation into an animated television series.

Raised to the rank of the Legion of Honor

Born in Paris in March 1941, Bernadette Després began her career as an illustrator for the Bayard Jeunesse newspapers. Subsequently, she worked with many other publishers. In 1976, Bayard Jeunesse asked the illustrator and Jacqueline Cochen to create a monthly comic strip which would officially become Tom-Tom and Nana in 1990. She also illustrated Lulu for the magazine Astrapi and is the author of numerous books for young people.

Recognized for her talent, she won the Fauve d'Honneur at the Angoulême International Comics Festival in 2019 for all of her work. In 2021, she was elevated to the rank of Knight of the Legion of Honor.