The Holiday of a Wobbly Girl

Spending supposedly boring holidays in the countryside with people who are very different from your usual group of friends can help you discover the best of yourself. A tender feel-good novel with endearing characters.

 

Penelope lives alone with her mother in a big city. She is a young sensible girl, emotional, whose ironic look at the world is negative at times, but never lacking humour with regards to herself. Her mother holds down several small jobs in order to make ends meet, and so Penelope is going to have to spend the two months of summer holidays with her aunt and uncle somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Her last visit didn’t go very well: a stubborn boy, coarse and devoid of sensitivity, and a girl that dreams of being a beautician and is only interested in clothes, make-up and boys…

 

This stay is going to be a rite of passage for Penelope. She will live her first love story and make the acquaintance of a singular lady, who lives alone in an isolated house (the Diamond Factory) and who makes jewellery. These meetings will transform Penelope. She will discover another lifestyle, alternative possibilities. The kind, watchful eye of this adult will reveal Penelope to herself.

 

Her story of love will change her view of boys. She will also learn to discover her cousins, beyond the futility of the girl and the coarseness of the boy.

 

IN THE MEDIA:

 

"This novel is written with a truly refreshing simplicity. Its tone feels strikingly authentic, particularly in its sensitive depiction of disability (...). It’s an absolute success — offering a thoughtful exploration of love, friendship, self-confidence, and above all, the importance of finding inspiring figures who look like us, and who help us grow." - France info radio, Grand bien vous fasse, recommended by Maxime Massole (Chantelivre Paris Bookshop)

 

 

"Thanks to this narrator—so well depicted, endearing, and occasionally exasperating—Laure Monloubou manages to bring a distinctive charm to what could have been just another holiday story. The language is lively, the dialogues sharp, and Robin’s bold line illustrations add a delightful touch of humour. (...) A perfect summer novel to see the glass half full!" - Télérama

 

"Combining fresh humour with sensitivity, the author tackles themes of identity, self-acceptance, friendship, and family. At once playful and introspective, this book helps the pre-teen reader better understand physical difference and their own self-image." - Psychologies