Bibliography: Mourlevat, Jean-Claude. 2006. The Pull of the Ocean. New York, NY: Delacorte Press. ISBN 9780385733489.Plot Summary: This is the story of Yann Doutreleau and his six brothers. Yann is the youngest of the brothers and the only one who does not have a twin. He is quite small and only communicates with gestures. One night he overhears his parents talk about their plan of killing "all seven of them". He quickly gathers all of his brothers, and they begin their journey to a safe place. They have many mishaps and adventures on their way toward the ocean.
Critical Analysis (Including Cultural Markers): The Pull of the Ocean is a social fable. It is Jean-Claude Mourlevat’s modern reinterpretation of Tom Thumb. The story begins through the eyes of a social worker, Nathalie Josse, who is taking Yann back home after he forgot his book bag for school She leaves the farm feeling very uncomfortable after being treated badly by the mother and witnessing the family environment. Natalie fears she is the last one who sees Yann alive. And thus begins the mystery of Yann’s story.
Each chapter is told through the eyes of different characters- Yann’s parents, brothers, and strangers they come in contact with along the way. The main focus always remains Yann, who is definitely the leader of the group despite his size. The setting takes place in France, with Bordeaux, France being the final destination for the boys’ journey. They are trying to get to the Atlantic Ocean.
The reader is quickly drawn into the lives of these characters and will actually be cheering for the boys’ as they make their way to the ocean. The humorous, dangerous, scary, and enlightening adventures will keep the reader on their toes not wanting the story to end.
Review Excerpt(s):
Mildred L. Batchelder Award (2007)
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 Booklist
Unlike his six older brothers--three sets of twins--who are all tall for their age, 10-year-old Yann is a miniature, no more than two feet tall. However, despite his diminutive stature, his youth, and the fact that he is mute, he is the cleverest of the lot and their unquestioned leader. When he wakes his brothers one dark and stormy night and convinces them that they must leave their parents' farm, they follow him unquestioningly. Sound familiar? It should; it's a retelling of "Tom Thumb." In addition to giving his version a contemporary setting, French author Mourlevat tells the story from multiple points of view. He also invests it with some symbolic weight--Yann can be viewed as a Christ figure. The ending leaves readers a bit at sea, but the story is intriguing, and the relationship among the brothers is heartwarming. -Michael Cart
Connections:
Classroom Activities-
Read Tom Thumb and then compare/contrast the stories using a Venn diagram.
Write your own account of their adventures. Pretend you were one of the witnesses. What did you see? How did you help them?
Write a continuation of the story. Where did Yann end up and what is he doing? What happened to his brothers once they got home?
Other Batchelder Award Winning Books-
2010 A Faraway Island, written by Annika Thor, translated from the Swedish by Linda Schenck. ISBN 0385736177
2009 Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit, written by Nahoko Uehashi, translated from the Japanese by Cathy Hirano. ISBN 9780545005432
2008 Brave Story, written by Miyuki Miyabe and translated from the Japanese by Alexander O. Smith. ISBN 9781421527734
2006 An Innocent Soldier written by Josef Holub and translated from the German by Michael Hofmann. ISBN 9780439627719
2005 The Shadows of Ghadames by Joëlle Stolz, translated from the French by Catherine Temerson. ISBN 9780440419495
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