Can you tell us about your background and how you became an author and illustrator? 

I first obtained a literary baccalaureate before enrolling in applied arts schools, eventually joining the École des Arts Décoratifs de Strasbourg, from which I graduated in 2006. I trained in the "narrative illustration" section but was also interested in graphic design and scenography. 

Since 2008, I have been working as an author and illustrator. What truly appealed to me was the ability to work independently and initiate my own projects, without relying on a commissioner or client. While drawing and writing remain at the core of my work, over the years, I have realized that books have other lives—through exhibitions, stage adaptations, performances, illustrated concerts, and workshops with the public. 

As someone who enjoys exploring different creative fields, my profession has become highly diverse, ranging from illustration to cultural mediation, which is incredibly fulfilling for me. 

The European Children's Illustration Festival Picture Me took place from September 10 to 28 in Wellington, New Zealand. You were invited to participate and present your work. How did this project come about? 

This project was initiated by Gecko Press, the publisher that translates my books into English, originally published by Les Fourmis Rouges in France. They decided to organize this festival by inviting authors from their European catalogue. 

The project was also supported by the Goethe-Institut, the Institut français in Paris, the Alliance Française of Wellington, the French Embassy and the Polish Embassy. It took nearly a year of preparation before we could travel to New Zealand. 

The idea was to engage with different audiences—including schoolchildren, art students, and fine arts students, as well as the general public in bookstores, to discuss our creative processes and exchange ideas about our work. 

On-site, you were accompanied by illustrator Antje Damm (Germany) and illustrator Piotr Socha (Poland). What were the highlights of the festival and your experience in New Zealand? Do you have any anecdotes to share? 

We lived together in Wellington with Antje and Piotr, sharing both group and individual exchanges with the audience. The sessions where we were together left the biggest impression on me because it was fascinating to compare our creative approaches, making the discussions much more engaging.

It was also quite unique to live together in a shared space, experiencing the excitement of being at the other end of the world as a group.

In terms of audience interactions, I found it unsettling yet moving to feel so close to people who live so far away. I had imagined I was traveling to the ends of the Earth, yet the feedback on my books was very similar to what I receive in France.

For example, regarding my books Une maman, c’est comme une maison and La petite sœur est un diplodocus—which are quite personal stories—I found myself having deep, intimate conversations with people about their parenting experiences, family life, and relationships with their children.

It was touching, especially considering we had only met ten minutes earlier. I realized that what I thought was a deeply personal experience was, in fact, universal.

Did you feel the European dimension of this project even in New Zealand?

With Piotr and Antje, we felt like we came from the same part of the world, especially since, in children's literature, we often attend the same events in Europe, such as the Montreuil, Bologna, or Stuttgart book fairs.

Being there, the experience was as much an artistic adventure as a linguistic one. It was my first time working abroad in a language that wasn’t my own, and that was quite different. Talking about your work in another language means thinking about it differently—it requires simplification and a focus on the essential.

It was also fascinating to be with other Europeans while discovering a new country through our books and profession.

We noticed similarities in how the publishing industry operates in Europe, but we also observed a key difference: in Europe, many books originate from our own countries, whereas in New Zealand, although there are locally created and published books, the editorial market is highly international and English-speaking, with strong connections to the United States.

One of the most memorable moments was creating a large collaborative mural on the glass façade of the Te Whare Toi gallery in Wellington. We had to agree on a shared vision, make compromises, step back individually in favor of a collective creation. As artists, we are often used to working alone, so this collaborative experience was rare and enriching. It’s important for me to step out of my comfort zone from time to time. 

The festival was organized in partnership with Gecko Press, the leading distributor of European children's books in New Zealand. How are your books, A Mother Is a House and My Baby Sister Is a Diplodocus, received on the other side of the world?

In France, I usually read my books aloud to the audience, but in New Zealand, I realized that children could read them better than I could in English!

At first, I started reading them myself, but I quickly handed my books over to the children, letting them read to the class or the audience. This gave me more distance, allowing me to observe how the book was received and how the young readers interpreted the story.

I noticed that people didn’t always laugh at the same moments, and the reading rhythm wasn’t the same. It was fascinating to see how different readers—children or adults—could experience multiple layers of meaning in the same book.

Have you been able to develop new contacts and create new opportunities? Can we expect more translations of your books in the coming months? 

I had the chance to meet my New Zealand editors, whom I had only exchanged with briefly before but had never met in person. It was important, on a human level, to connect in real life.

Grande! has just been released in France and will soon be translated into Italian, though there are no official plans for additional translations yet. However, my pop-up books published by La Martinière continue their international journey with:

• Combel Editorial for Spain and all Spanish-speaking countries
• Abrams Books for the United States and all English-speaking countries
• Franco Cosimo Panini in Italy

New translations and additional titles in the collection are coming soon. In parallel, the pop-up book series is expanding with a new set dedicated to the seasons:

• The first volume, Été pop, will be released in summer 2025, followed by Automne pop, Hiver pop, and Printemps pop. 

For the French-speaking market, you have continued your series of pop-up picture books with La Martinière and published Grande!, a new autobiographical album with Les Fourmis Rouges. Are you already working on other projects? 

I am continuing my work as an author and illustrator of children's books, which remains at the core of my practice. My books are always the starting point for my work.

However, I also aspire to broaden my creative practice, exploring collective projects like the mural we created in Wellington, as well as stage performances in collaboration with dancers, actors, and musicians.

Working abroad has changed the way I think about my work. I found it incredibly enriching to create in another language, and this new perspective has made me want to return to English-speaking countries, take part in more international residencies, and possibly create multilingual picture books.

Additionally, I am currently working on a new book, set to be published by Les Fourmis Rouges. It’s called Pavel et Mousse, and it is a fictional story.