Fanny Britt and Isabelle Arsenault are back with a new graphic novel, this time featuring Truffle, younger brother, best friend, aspiring rockstar …
Meet Truffle in three linked stories:
In “Truffle the Rockstar,” Truffle wants to form a band with his best friends Flo and Riad. They can already picture themselves on stage, wowing the crowd with epic songs. They still have to learn how to play instruments … but that’s just a minor detail!
Ever since Truffle asked Nina to be his girlfriend, they have been shy around each other. In “Truffle Loves Nina,” Truffle asks his parents, his friend Riad, his big brother, Louis, and the man who works at the library, for advice on how to let his heart do the talking.
In “Truffle Tackles Existence,” Truffle attends his great-grandmother’s funeral, which gets him thinking about the world around him. Are grandparents young once, too? Does Rocket, the dog that his family had to give up, still think about him sometimes? Do people stop loving each other if they don’t see each other anymore?
Fans of Louis Undercover will be delighted that Truffle — Louis’s funny, music-loving little brother — now has his own book!
Key Text Features
comic
comic strips
illustrations
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.9
Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.5
Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.7
Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).
Fanny Britt and Isabelle Arsenault are back with a new graphic novel, this time featuring Truffle, younger brother, best friend, aspiring rockstar …
Meet Truffle in three linked stories:
In “Truffle the Rockstar,” Truffle wants to form a band with his best friends Flo and Riad. They can already picture themselves on stage, wowing the crowd with epic songs. They still have to learn how to play instruments … but that’s just a minor detail!
Ever since Truffle asked Nina to be his girlfriend, they have been shy around each other. In “Truffle Loves Nina,” Truffle asks his parents, his friend Riad, his big brother, Louis, and the man who works at the library, for advice on how to let his heart do the talking.
In “Truffle Tackles Existence,” Truffle attends his great-grandmother’s funeral, which gets him thinking about the world around him. Are grandparents young once, too? Does Rocket, the dog that his family had to give up, still think about him sometimes? Do people stop loving each other if they don’t see each other anymore?
Fans of Louis Undercover will be delighted that Truffle — Louis’s funny, music-loving little brother — now has his own book!
Key Text Features
comic
comic strips
illustrations
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.9
Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.5
Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.7
Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Aug 2, 2022 |
| Specifications | 114 pages | 7.25 in x 7.25 in |
| Keywords | music; younger brother; family and family relationships; being independent; crush; first love; rock & roll; divorce; siblings; best friends; figures of speech; multigenerational; death and bereavement; graphic style; new experiences; overcoming anxiety; short stories; |
| Written By |
FANNY BRITT is a playwright, novelist and translator. She collaborated with Isabelle Arsenault on two previous graphic novels: Jane, the Fox and Me, which won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Children’s Illustration (French) and the Joe Shuster Award for Best Writer and for Best Artist, and Louis Undercover. Her other award-winning works include the play Bienvaillance and her first novel, Les maisons (published in English as Hunting Houses). Fanny lives in Montreal, Quebec, with her husband and two sons. |
| Illustrated by |
ISABELLE ARSENAULT is an internationally renowned children’s book illustrator. Her award-winning books include Jane, the Fox and Me and Louis Undercover by Fanny Britt, Spork and Virginia Wolf by Kyo Maclear, Cloth Lullaby by Amy Novesky (BolognaRagazzi Award) and Colette’s Lost Pet, which marked her debut as an author. She has won the Governor General’s Award for Children’s Literature three times, and three of her picture books have been named as New York Times Best Illustrated Books of the Year. Isabelle lives in Montreal, Quebec, with her family. |
| Written By |
|
FANNY BRITT is a playwright, novelist and translator. She collaborated with Isabelle Arsenault on two previous graphic novels: Jane, the Fox and Me, which won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Children’s Illustration (French) and the Joe Shuster Award for Best Writer and for Best Artist, and Louis Undercover. Her other award-winning works include the play Bienvaillance and her first novel, Les maisons (published in English as Hunting Houses). Fanny lives in Montreal, Quebec, with her husband and two sons. |
| Illustrated by |
|
ISABELLE ARSENAULT is an internationally renowned children’s book illustrator. Her award-winning books include Jane, the Fox and Me and Louis Undercover by Fanny Britt, Spork and Virginia Wolf by Kyo Maclear, Cloth Lullaby by Amy Novesky (BolognaRagazzi Award) and Colette’s Lost Pet, which marked her debut as an author. She has won the Governor General’s Award for Children’s Literature three times, and three of her picture books have been named as New York Times Best Illustrated Books of the Year. Isabelle lives in Montreal, Quebec, with her family. |
| Audience | ages 7 to 10 / grades 2 to 5 |
| Key Text Features | comic; comic strips; illustrations |
| Common Core |
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.7
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.9 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.5 |
Forever Truffle is a joyful ode to love ... Bittersweet and nuanced.
” —New York Times[The] stories ... are nicely textured, mixing humor and pathos with accessible pop-culture references.
” —Wall Street JournalThe vignettes ... achieve a steady balance in both their depiction of childlike innocence and their pop culture–inflected wit.
” —Publishers WeeklyA charming, engrossing trio of tales.
” —School Library JournalThe stories provide many good talking points about life and the pictures are glorious, inviting exploration.
” —Children's Literature Comprehensive DatabaseForever Truffle may be a book for children; however, it will delight readers of all ages with its quiet, but playful, illustrations and inquisitive characters ... Another welcomed and memorable contribution to Canadian children's literature from Britt and Arsenault that shouldn't be missed.
” —Canadian Children's Book NewsVisually interesting.
” —CM: Canadian Review of MaterialsThe standout book of the season.
” —Montreal Review of BooksThe collaboration between Fanny Britt and Isabelle Arsenault ... has always been a powerful but subtle one of compelling stories of authenticity, told in words and pictures that depict children as they live. The complexity of their lives and their understandings are evident though not belaboured. Forever Truffle will forever be such a story.
” —CanLit for Little Canadians BlogThe stories provide many good talking points about life and the pictures are glorious, inviting exploration.
” —Children's Literature Comprehensive Database