Marie-Aude Murail
A young-adult writer, Marie-Aude Murail says that she has a teenage heart. A state of mind that she has sought to maintain throughout her life.
Updated on 17/07/2019
2 min
Marie-Aude Murail published her first novel (for adults) in 1985, but it was with It’s better to be blue (“C’est mieux d’être bleu”), a text for children published the same year, that she found her voice and, above all, her audience. Already, as a literature student, her thesis Poor Robinson, or why and how classic novels are adapted for children (“Pauvre Robinson, ou pourquoi et comment on adapte les romans classiques au public enfantin”) referred to this branch of literature.
Although she admits that the profession of children’s author is sometimes less taken seriously ("it's not great literature"), this Le Havre author continues to write in this genre and has published dozens of texts, short stories, articles and novels, including her most famous, Oh Boy!, which was released in 2000.
Marie-Aude Murail is an unusual writer who rejects codes and constraints. According to her, “if we trap a kid in childhood, he’ll get bored.” In her texts she also addresses topics which may be painful and or difficult to explain to children such as prostitution, migrants, homosexuality, etc.
To her, you can tell a child anything with the right words. The right words are a manner of self-expression, of escaping darkness and fear. In 2008, Marie-Aude Murail published the reading textbook Bulle!, co-authored with Patricia Bucheton and intended for CP [kindergarten] students to help them master language and share their emotions. Because, according to the author, "not having the right words leads to violence".
Marie-Aude Murail’s success reaches beyond the borders of France and often leads her to travel abroad, as in 2003 when she visited Damascus. Of this trip, she wrote in her journal: “In front of an entire Franco-Syrian assembly, I said that I had Jewish blood in my veins, that my brother had learned Arabic and that life was definitely complicated. “
A life nonetheless crowned with the success of her novel Oh Boy!, which has been adapted for the stage: A play created in the Paris area, in Champigny-sur-Marne, which then played on Broadway in 2017. In 2004, she was awarded the title of Knight of the Légion d’Honneur for services rendered to literature and education, before being made an Officer in 2017 for “French influence through culture”.
- 1985
1985
After two novels, Marie-Aude Murail publishes her first children’s text, It's better to be blue.
- 2000
2000
Her novel Oh Boy! is published by Ecole des Loisirs. The book receives nearly 30 awards.
- 2010
2010
Marie-Aude Murail publishes Bulle!, a method for learning to read co-authored by Patricia Bucheton.
- 2017
2017
Marie-Aude Murail is made an Officer of the Legion of Honour, with the title "French influence through culture".
Marie-Aude Murail regularly travels to meet her international audience with the support of the Institut français. In 2015 she visited Hungary, for the 50th birthday of L’École des Loisirs.