Daniel Pennac is one of those writers whose pen and touch is unmistakable. Born in Casablanca, Morocco, in 1944, this writer grew up in Africa and South Asia, before getting later a Master of Arts in Nice.
He likes to say "I was born there out of curiosity he has a better reason to be born.?" And this phrase sums up this adventurous spirit and love of freedom - it also makes me want to continue my discovery the universe of Daniel Pennac.
In "THE EYE OF THE WOLF", the reader gets to know two things, both born in a desert - one of ice and the other sand - an Alaskan wolf and a small African, who without say a word, will tell the story of their lives, just by the look, the eye in the eye ... The eyes say so much ...
Thus, the life of the wolf will scroll as a film, in his eye, a wild and difficult life under the cold sun of Alaska, a life haunted by incessant stalking of Man.
As for the eye of the child, he will give to see the wolf life of a boy born in the sandy desert, and who knew all the Africas (the "yellow" full of desert, the "gray" populated by prickly, and finally the "green" and forests).
These two people meet in a zoo, called the "Other World", they enter immediately in collusion, both universes so close but opposed by their respective experiences, and both exiled from their homeland.
A tender and deep history, full of poetry and color, in which you travel a lot and where we go from one surprise to the rhythm of ups and downs experienced by the wolf and the extraordinary little boy named Africa - a model humanity, faith in man (and animals), and has the gift of transforming the world or extract the very substance.
A fabulous invitation to travel and friendship, an invitation to listen to the other, to dive into his eyes, to discover another culture. A message also tells us that whatever our skin color and our culture, we all have things in common and we all have so much to learn from others.
Moreover, this short novel is a source of infinite reflection, since it touches on many subjects such as ecology, exile, the extermination of an ethnic group, species, injustice and suffering it engenders war, but also friendship, tolerance, mutual aid, and many more. A great opportunity to stimulate debate and reflection among children.
A rich and exciting book for young readers from 9 years old, but also for smaller 7 years and more, as auditors. For the scripture of Daniel Pennac is also a delight for setting voice. Moreover, this text lends itself perfectly, since it is a story - or rather, two parallel narratives embedded (the memory of the wolf and that of the child) in the conductor tale (meet these two creatures in the zoo).
A story that now reads as well as it can be told, sometimes serious and moving, sometimes joyful and funny, just like life.
