On a stormy night, little Yann Doutreleau wakes up his six older brothers, all twins. He lets them know that they must flee their home—or risk being killed by their violent father. Without question, the siblings follow Yann into the wet darkness. And so begins their remarkable odyssey toward the ocean—as well as an unforgettable story of brotherhood.

The social worker investigating the Doutreleau family, the truck driver who gives the boys a lift, the police officer who believes they've run away, the baker who gives them bread—each of the many people the seven boys encounter gives a stirring account of what he or she witnesses. The twins themselves add their voices, as do the Doutreleau parents; but not until the end of the journey does little Yann express his reasons for his galvanizing actions.


★ “A well-crafted mystery awaits anyone reading this fabled jigsaw puzzle. It is a memorable novel that readers will find engaging and intellectually satisfying.”—School Library Journal, Starred

★ “Mourlevat enchantingly blends the harshly real and the make-believe.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred


A Mildred L. Batchelder Award Winner
A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
An ALA Notable Book
A Bank Street College of Education Best Book

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WINNER 2007 - Mildred L. Batchelder Award Winner
WINNER 2007 - ALA Notable Children's Book

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Starred review, School Library Journal, January 1, 2007:
"A well-crafted mystery awaits anyone reading this fabled jigsaw puzzle . . . a memorable novel that readers will find engaging and intellectually satisfying."

Starred review, Publishers Weekly, January 1, 2007:
"Mourlevat enchantingly blends the harshly read and the make-believe ... [in this] effectively haunting, fluidly translated tale."


From the Hardcover edition.

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Jean-Claude Mourlevat is a major author of children's fiction in his native France, where his novels have garnered numerous literary awards. The author lives in France.


From the Hardcover edition.

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