By Patrick Modiano (author) , Jean-Jacques Sempe (illustrator)
Paperback In Stock £7.99 £7.19
View All Editions (2)
One of our Books of the Year 2015
From her apartment block in New York, Catherine Certitude thinks back to her childhood and growing up with her father in Paris. The life she describes is uneventful: adult conversations half-understood; dance school; her Papa’s shop and his slightly shady business deals. Nonetheless it’s full of character, humour and a singular charm.
“Life, it’s just you and me,” says her father, and at special moments the two of them take off their glasses, sharing a blurry and softer world. Years later, Catherine’s memories are vivid, the world of the 10th arrondissement where a little girl walked with her father, crystal clear. Sempé’s ink and watercolour illustrations enchant too.
A classic French story from Nobel Prize-winner Patrick Modiano and celebrated illustrator Jean-Jacques Sempé. Beautifully illustrated, this is a love letter to Paris, ballet and childhood for fans of The Little Prince, Le Petit Nicholas and Madeline. Catherine lives with her gentle father, Georges Certitude, who runs a shipping business in Paris with a failed poet named Casterade.
Read the full description
Father and daughter share the simple pleasures of daily life: sitting in the church square, walking to school, going to her ballet class every Thursday afternoon. But just why did Georges change his name to Certitude? What kind of trouble with the law did Casterade rescue him from?
And why did Catherine's ballerina mother leave to return to New York? Translated by William Rodarmor
'This lovely book suggests the delicacy and strength of an eggshell.' Publishers Weekly
'The stylish watercolour illustrations are lively, conveying the warmth and the quiet wit of the text.' School Library Journal
'What particularly engages is the way Modiano captures memories of childhood: fragmented, misunderstood, but glowing in the crucible of recollection' Booklist
Patrick Modiano is a celebrated French novelist, author of numerous books for adults and children. His work has been translated into over 30 languages. Notable awards include the Grand Prix du Roman de l'Academie Francaise, the Prix Goncourt and the Austrian State Prize for European Literature. In 2014 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature 'for the art of memory with which he has evoked the most ungraspable human destinies.'
the best books for 9-12 year olds · the best books for teenagers
The Swiss Family Robinson
Tales from Shakespeare
Charles Lamb and 1 more
Return to Wonderland
Louisa May Alcott and 1 more
Little Women & Good Wives
A classic French story from Nobel Prize-winner Patrick Modiano and celebrated illustrator Jean-Jacques Sempé. Beautifully illustrated, this is a love letter to Paris, ballet and childhood for fans of The Little Prince, Le Petit Nicholas and Madeline.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Catherine Certitude and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Catherine Certitude features in the following genres: Classic Literature, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Recommendations, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Featured Books for 9+ readers
Paperback, Hardback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
Catherine Certitude was written by Patrick Modiano and published by Andersen Press an imprint of Andersen Press Ltd
Catherine Certitude has 70 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
©PTC International Ltd T/A LoveReading is registered in England. Company number: 10193437. VAT number: 270 4538 09. Registered address: 157 Shooters Hill, London, SE18 3HP. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer
The National Year of Reading starts here. Join thousands of families and schools supporting reading for pleasure across the UK.