a children’s book that breaks stereotypes

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“It’s a personal project, I had a hard time letting go of it…” slips Charlotte Mevel. The author and illustrator, based in Uzel (Côtes-d’Armor), recognized in the world of children’s literaturedecided to manage his latest work from A to Z, His Majesty Izor.

An online campaign on Ulule

Charlotte Mevel self-publishes this book, and launched a collection campaign on Ulule. “I have set a minimum of 150 pre-sales, the campaign ends on December 15, 2024 to be able to deliver them before Christmas,” she explains Monday November 25, 2024.

She also relies on her local Breton network, between booksellers and salons, “to keep control of this book, have as few intermediaries as possible and be in contact with my readers and their parents. »

Hunting for clichés with a gang leader

So what is this mysterious book? “It’s a story written with my son, inspired by his little sister,” she confides.

My daughter was playing at being the king, and her brother was telling her she couldn’t, because she was a girl.

She continues: “I am interested in these children freed from all stereotypical codes before school. Society has formed things in such a way… We restrict ourselves when we could be much freer. »

Charlotte Mevel has been carrying this book for 3 years, on which she is working among other projects published in publishing houses. “This long-term project has always been in the background. »

The first name

His Majesty Izor traces the adventures of a little girl, “she is a gang leader, who leads her troops. Often, little girls are in the background, or accompanying the hero…”

Even the heroine’s first name comes from the life of Charlotte Mevel: “It’s that of my daughter, it’s Isore with S. It’s an old first name from the Middle Ages, which was already mixed in the ‘era. We find it in old tales…” So it was written.

Texts adapted to dys disorders

This colorful book is intended for ages 3 to 7. The author has adapted to this young audience by limiting herself in the texts. “There are few, but they are understandable even if you don’t know how to read. »

There are texts in capital letters, like at school when children learn to decipher words. With typos and colors adapted to dys disorders.

But older children can still read this book: “My 9-year-old son often reads it to his little sister…”

A picture book about vegetables

Between 2021 and 2023, she published La Rousseur singled out (encouragement prize from the prestigious Belgian Raymond-Leblanc competition) and adapted into a comic book Juliette Pommerolwell-known heroine among pre-teens in France.

Charlotte Mevel is also leading two other projects at the same time as the publication of His Majesty Izor.

I always have lots of projects, I’m at a loss between doing and proposing.

She continues: “I am working on a picture book about vegetables, with flaps that lift. » She takes from her pouch, a model, in which we can already make out the vegetables, the market gardener in a corner, animals and insects playing with shapes…

A picture book thought up after a residency in schools in the Corlay region, proposed by Loudéac Communauté last year.

A 4-handed book

A work produced as a duo is planned for spring 2025, and will be published by Éditions Goater (Rennes). A four-handed book with the Brest author Anne-Gaëlle Morizur, with whom she established links through literary salons.

“I illustrate her story, that of a little girl who accompanies her father to the cemetery every Wednesday. This allows us to approach the subject of death and how to approach it. »

The boards are shimmering, full of curls, “the little girl has a ghost friend…”

Charlotte Mevel is already preparing to meet her readers in 2025, for her various publications, at trade fairs, in bookstores. She will be present at the Uzel Christmas market, this Sunday 1^is December 2024.

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