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Ma vallée
C'est une vallée immense, dont les habitants s'appellent les Touim's. Suivez bien la carte. Vous pourrez regarder pousser les Arbres-à-bateaux. Si vous aimez les labyrinthes, rendez-vous dans la Forêt de l'Enfant Perdu. Rencontrez aussi Soyotte et Smargoule...
38 pages, Hardcover
First published November 18, 1998
2 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
About the author
Claude Ponti
160 books57 followersClaude Ponti is a prolific author, painter, and illustrator, known for his humorous explorations of the nonsense world of dreams. His first picture book, Adele’s Album, was created to amuse his young daughter; he has since authored more than sixty children’s books. On a personal note, Claude says: "I’m left-handed; I prefer cats to dogs (they don’t lick people); and I’m not a vegetarian because I can’t stand the cry of the lettuce or the carrot wrenched from the earth." He also fondly remembers climbing trees as a young boy, looking for the best spot to sit and read a book. Claude Ponti currently divides his time between the French countryside (where there are many birds, such as pheasants) and Paris (where there are pigeons).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
April 21, 2017
I’ve written a lot about the state of translated children’s books in America lately. It is what it is. Generally speaking, Americans can be a bit cagey when it comes to literature for kids from other countries. Either we’re weirded out by the art, or the storyline doesn’t meet our expectations. It’s so peculiar. So odd. So . . . outlandish! So the fact that Archipelago Books deemed 2017 the year to debut their new imprint Elsewhere Editions (“devoted to translating imaginative works of children’s literature from all corners of the world”) . . . well, it was unexpected, let’s say that. Still, I’m a sucker for a book that upends my expectations (to say nothing of the expectations of my patrons). And brother, if you want a book that doesn’t do anything you expect it to, My Valley by Charles Ponti has got your number. Imagine the sweeping vistas of Maxfield Parrish coupled with a world so snug and cozy a hobbit would be jealous and you’ve got yourself a book that outright refuses to cater to our preconceived notions of what a picture book should be. Lush and lovely, cuddly and warm, this is one uncanny valley you may never wish to leave.
Imagine a marmot with agency. That’s essentially what you get when you look at a Twims. Small lightly furred creatures with boatloads of curiosity and family members, our narrator is Poochie-Blue. He lives in a deep valley, covered in vegetation and some very interesting locations. With multiple family members and even more places to explore, we are led on a tour of eclectic graveyards, trees that hear your secrets, odd islands, opinionated topiary, and far far more. Rendered with magnificent images on every page, Ponti gifts readers with a world unlike any they’ve ever seen before (or are likely to see again).
Originally Ma Vallee was published in 1998. Later, in 2006, its creator Claude Ponti would win the Prix Sorcieres Special for lifetime achievement. So, naturally, I was curious. Is this the first Ponti book to hit American shores or was there something before? I had not counted on the intrepidness of Françoise Mouly. The celebrated Art Director of The New Yorker (and brain behind TOON Books) tapped Ponti early on to create some easy titles for kids. That’s why we’ve seen him do books like Chick and Chickie Play All Day and this year’s Adele in Sand Land. Small publisher David R. Godine tried bringing us Ponti's DeZert Isle back in 2003 but that’s as far as a translated Ponti text has gotten in the U.S. What’s so interesting about Elsewhere Editions choosing to publish this book at this time is that it didn’t try to make it easy. Coming in at a massive 11” X 15”, My Valley promises to be a bane to picture book shelves everywhere. It simply will not fit everywhere. And, after looking closely at the images in this book, you wouldn’t want it to.
I cannot hope but to wonder what medium Claude Ponti was working in when he created this book. My first instinct is to say watercolors, and maybe that’s right, but rarely have I seen watercolors this finely detailed. Ponti’s work on this book resembles, in many ways, the world of some of the great graphic novelists of our time. The characters themselves, the Twims, are simply drawn. With their round little bellies and generally circular features they stand in contrast to the sweeping vistas Ponti has placed around them. The landscapes in this book are nothing short of breathtaking. There are fog-soaked days where the cliffs appear to be blue and a point where the sea and the horizon meet in pure splendor. And it isn’t just the valley itself. I particularly enjoyed watching how Ponti would light one scene or another. Look at the full-page image of a distant storm approaching the valley. The artist here has struck just the right balance between the oppressive darkness lurking in the bodies of the clouds and the otherworldly lighter outlines at the clouds’ edges. Ponti will even allow himself the indulgence of doing images in an Impressionistic style by saying the art is by a Twims painter. Sneaky.
Judging from some of the online reviews of this book I’ve seen, Americans seem utterly flummoxed by its lack of plot. Many cannot conceive why you would read a book if not to find a tidy beginning, middle, and end. The thought that a kid might want to plunge headlong into a world just to be there doesn’t compute with our preconceived expectations. And certainly, there will be certain types of kids out there just as baffled as the adults. Where’s the bad guy? Well, there’s a Sleeping Monster, but no one knows if it’s good or bad (it hasn’t woken up yet) and there’s a sad giant, but he’s hardly a threat. No, this is an immersive book more than anything else. You go to it when you want to be fully enveloped in a world that is not your own.
That world, for what it’s worth, is meticulously rendered with a great deal of forethought. Like Jill Barklem’s Brambly Hedge series, Ponti isn’t afraid to show vast cutaways of dwellings, meticulously labeling everything that can be found inside. In this he also reminds me of Peter Cross’s work on books like Trouble for Trumpets. Both Barklem and Cross are British artists, by the way, indicating that Americans are somehow less obsessive when it comes to our own drawn worlds. Sometimes I feel like we, as readers, are afraid to linger. Kids, on the other hand, are professional lingerers. Beset by boredom from every side, they can place a picture book on the floor and simply lose themselves in the art and style. They don’t get a chance all that often, but when a book like My Valley comes along, surely it’s too good an opportunity to pass up.
I would be amiss in not mentioning the work of translator Alyson Waters. An adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia University’s School of the Arts Writing Program, Ms. Waters has worked primarily on translated adult works in French over the years. A cursory glance through her resume does not yield a lot of books for kids. I find this interesting since the choices she made in this book could not have been easy ones. Take our introduction at the beginning to our hero and his family. First off, there are the names. Some probably were the same in both French and English (names like Smarghoula or Sipoye) but others definitely had to be given their own American touch. So you’ll get names like “Sowhatty” and “Nothin’-Doin’”. And I know it sounds crazy but when I read these and also read the fact that our hero (Poochie-Blue) referred to his parents as plain old Mom and Dad, I knew Ms. Waters was probably American-born. I wonder how difficult this particular translation was, too. It is devoid of rhymes and poems, which must have proved a blessing, but by the same token there are times when the book seems particularly challenging. One such example is a map of the valley where every creek, forest, grove, marsh, quarry, etc. is meticulously rendered and translated for our prying eyes. Tiny names abound and they're all in English now. Well done there.
Usually when I critique a book written for children I place the section that talks about the book’s writing at the beginning of the review. Today I’m putting it near the end. Partly this is because the true star of the show, and I think Mr. Ponti would agree, is the art. But there was a great deal I liked about the book’s storytelling as well. Told entirely in the first person, Poochie-Blue is giving us the insider’s tour. But there are tiny little details to each vignette of the story that makes it just that much more real. Take, for example, the tale of the sad giant who wants so badly to see into the Twims' house tree. Poochie-Blue and his sister decided to simply take everything in the house and show it to him. “For three days and three nights and one morning we showed him.” I just love that tiny little “and one morning”. It gives the story a bit of a kick. You even get some character development along the way. For example, our hero gives us an explanation about the Theater of Hissy Fits, where you can work out your issues with other Twims without causing them any pain. Mad at his brother Tornik-Orge for breaking his puppet, Poochie-Blue constructs an elaborate monster mask/marionette, as well as a likeness of Tornik-Orge. Let us just say that things do not go especially well for the likeness.
Above all else, My Valley is a visual experience. The sheer size of the pages encourage children to feel as though they could just tip forward and fall into the world before them. I haven’t had this kind of a feeling reading a book for younger readers since I saw the full-size edition copy of a collection of Little Nemo comics. I don’t see a lot of books like this one. Which is to say, stories for a range of ages that serve the sole purpose of transporting you somewhere new. If it’s rising action, plots, and character arcs you’re into, seek ye elsewhere. If, however, you want something a little different but also awe-inspiring, you couldn’t do better than this. A jaw-dropper make comfortable for the younger set. Worth discovering.
For ages 5-10.
Imagine a marmot with agency. That’s essentially what you get when you look at a Twims. Small lightly furred creatures with boatloads of curiosity and family members, our narrator is Poochie-Blue. He lives in a deep valley, covered in vegetation and some very interesting locations. With multiple family members and even more places to explore, we are led on a tour of eclectic graveyards, trees that hear your secrets, odd islands, opinionated topiary, and far far more. Rendered with magnificent images on every page, Ponti gifts readers with a world unlike any they’ve ever seen before (or are likely to see again).
Originally Ma Vallee was published in 1998. Later, in 2006, its creator Claude Ponti would win the Prix Sorcieres Special for lifetime achievement. So, naturally, I was curious. Is this the first Ponti book to hit American shores or was there something before? I had not counted on the intrepidness of Françoise Mouly. The celebrated Art Director of The New Yorker (and brain behind TOON Books) tapped Ponti early on to create some easy titles for kids. That’s why we’ve seen him do books like Chick and Chickie Play All Day and this year’s Adele in Sand Land. Small publisher David R. Godine tried bringing us Ponti's DeZert Isle back in 2003 but that’s as far as a translated Ponti text has gotten in the U.S. What’s so interesting about Elsewhere Editions choosing to publish this book at this time is that it didn’t try to make it easy. Coming in at a massive 11” X 15”, My Valley promises to be a bane to picture book shelves everywhere. It simply will not fit everywhere. And, after looking closely at the images in this book, you wouldn’t want it to.
I cannot hope but to wonder what medium Claude Ponti was working in when he created this book. My first instinct is to say watercolors, and maybe that’s right, but rarely have I seen watercolors this finely detailed. Ponti’s work on this book resembles, in many ways, the world of some of the great graphic novelists of our time. The characters themselves, the Twims, are simply drawn. With their round little bellies and generally circular features they stand in contrast to the sweeping vistas Ponti has placed around them. The landscapes in this book are nothing short of breathtaking. There are fog-soaked days where the cliffs appear to be blue and a point where the sea and the horizon meet in pure splendor. And it isn’t just the valley itself. I particularly enjoyed watching how Ponti would light one scene or another. Look at the full-page image of a distant storm approaching the valley. The artist here has struck just the right balance between the oppressive darkness lurking in the bodies of the clouds and the otherworldly lighter outlines at the clouds’ edges. Ponti will even allow himself the indulgence of doing images in an Impressionistic style by saying the art is by a Twims painter. Sneaky.
Judging from some of the online reviews of this book I’ve seen, Americans seem utterly flummoxed by its lack of plot. Many cannot conceive why you would read a book if not to find a tidy beginning, middle, and end. The thought that a kid might want to plunge headlong into a world just to be there doesn’t compute with our preconceived expectations. And certainly, there will be certain types of kids out there just as baffled as the adults. Where’s the bad guy? Well, there’s a Sleeping Monster, but no one knows if it’s good or bad (it hasn’t woken up yet) and there’s a sad giant, but he’s hardly a threat. No, this is an immersive book more than anything else. You go to it when you want to be fully enveloped in a world that is not your own.
That world, for what it’s worth, is meticulously rendered with a great deal of forethought. Like Jill Barklem’s Brambly Hedge series, Ponti isn’t afraid to show vast cutaways of dwellings, meticulously labeling everything that can be found inside. In this he also reminds me of Peter Cross’s work on books like Trouble for Trumpets. Both Barklem and Cross are British artists, by the way, indicating that Americans are somehow less obsessive when it comes to our own drawn worlds. Sometimes I feel like we, as readers, are afraid to linger. Kids, on the other hand, are professional lingerers. Beset by boredom from every side, they can place a picture book on the floor and simply lose themselves in the art and style. They don’t get a chance all that often, but when a book like My Valley comes along, surely it’s too good an opportunity to pass up.
I would be amiss in not mentioning the work of translator Alyson Waters. An adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia University’s School of the Arts Writing Program, Ms. Waters has worked primarily on translated adult works in French over the years. A cursory glance through her resume does not yield a lot of books for kids. I find this interesting since the choices she made in this book could not have been easy ones. Take our introduction at the beginning to our hero and his family. First off, there are the names. Some probably were the same in both French and English (names like Smarghoula or Sipoye) but others definitely had to be given their own American touch. So you’ll get names like “Sowhatty” and “Nothin’-Doin’”. And I know it sounds crazy but when I read these and also read the fact that our hero (Poochie-Blue) referred to his parents as plain old Mom and Dad, I knew Ms. Waters was probably American-born. I wonder how difficult this particular translation was, too. It is devoid of rhymes and poems, which must have proved a blessing, but by the same token there are times when the book seems particularly challenging. One such example is a map of the valley where every creek, forest, grove, marsh, quarry, etc. is meticulously rendered and translated for our prying eyes. Tiny names abound and they're all in English now. Well done there.
Usually when I critique a book written for children I place the section that talks about the book’s writing at the beginning of the review. Today I’m putting it near the end. Partly this is because the true star of the show, and I think Mr. Ponti would agree, is the art. But there was a great deal I liked about the book’s storytelling as well. Told entirely in the first person, Poochie-Blue is giving us the insider’s tour. But there are tiny little details to each vignette of the story that makes it just that much more real. Take, for example, the tale of the sad giant who wants so badly to see into the Twims' house tree. Poochie-Blue and his sister decided to simply take everything in the house and show it to him. “For three days and three nights and one morning we showed him.” I just love that tiny little “and one morning”. It gives the story a bit of a kick. You even get some character development along the way. For example, our hero gives us an explanation about the Theater of Hissy Fits, where you can work out your issues with other Twims without causing them any pain. Mad at his brother Tornik-Orge for breaking his puppet, Poochie-Blue constructs an elaborate monster mask/marionette, as well as a likeness of Tornik-Orge. Let us just say that things do not go especially well for the likeness.
Above all else, My Valley is a visual experience. The sheer size of the pages encourage children to feel as though they could just tip forward and fall into the world before them. I haven’t had this kind of a feeling reading a book for younger readers since I saw the full-size edition copy of a collection of Little Nemo comics. I don’t see a lot of books like this one. Which is to say, stories for a range of ages that serve the sole purpose of transporting you somewhere new. If it’s rising action, plots, and character arcs you’re into, seek ye elsewhere. If, however, you want something a little different but also awe-inspiring, you couldn’t do better than this. A jaw-dropper make comfortable for the younger set. Worth discovering.
For ages 5-10.
January 21, 2017
Poochie-Blue is a "twim" and lives with his family in the House Tree on the Blue Cliffs. Along the book Poochie-Blue shows the reader the valley, his house and family, and many fantastic stories about the place. There is not really a plot. Nothing is really going on. The text is that description. Some ideas are very funny, my favorite being "the magic puddle", which is actually a door you can go in and then come out through any of the other of the puddles. The magic puddle looks just like the rest, and you have to find it.
In any case, the best thing about this book are the illustrations, full of details, cute, with an air that reminds me of my childhood and how picture books were illustrated then.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In any case, the best thing about this book are the illustrations, full of details, cute, with an air that reminds me of my childhood and how picture books were illustrated then.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 30, 2019
This is a strange little book. It's not so much a story as an exercise in world-building. To me, it almost seemed like a companion book to a TV show or a book series, something that explains the world and characters and background of the setting. There's a map, a detailed diagram of the Twims' tree home, and plenty of little stories about things that happened in the world.
It's definitely a book that needs to be read in a fairly large format; I had to zoom in all the way on the library app on my laptop screen; even at 3.5x zoom, I still had trouble reading some of the stuff on the map.
I just don't know what to make of this. The little stories themselves are really short and don't have much plot; they're more anecdotes than stories, really. The pictures are cute, and if you like detailed maps and drawings, you might like the illustrations. But I'm struggling to find the point of this. Other than as a companion to another body of work, I'm not sure it really works.
It's definitely a book that needs to be read in a fairly large format; I had to zoom in all the way on the library app on my laptop screen; even at 3.5x zoom, I still had trouble reading some of the stuff on the map.
I just don't know what to make of this. The little stories themselves are really short and don't have much plot; they're more anecdotes than stories, really. The pictures are cute, and if you like detailed maps and drawings, you might like the illustrations. But I'm struggling to find the point of this. Other than as a companion to another body of work, I'm not sure it really works.
February 10, 2020
A young Twims child, Poochie-Blue, introduces the reader to his beautiful valley home in this magnificently inventive picture-book fantasy. From his own family's home in The House Tree to the spooky but somehow cute Forest of Lost Children, from the story of The Children Who Fell from the Sky to the tale of The Very Sad Giant, the wonderful world of the Twims is chronicled in great textual and visual detail. The passing of the seasons, the beauties of the natural world, the gentle and loving society of the little Twims, all are set out by Poochie-Blue.
Originally published in France as Ma vallée, and just recently translated into English by Alyson Waters, My Valley is one of the debut titles from Elsewhere Editions, the new children's imprint of the Brooklyn-based Archipelago Books, intended to bring "visionary picture-books from around the world" to the American market. How glad I am that I have discovered Elsewhere Editions, and the work of Claude Ponti! I found this book utterly charming, and think that I would have adored its little-world-in-miniature as a girl. The artwork is beautiful, and the story endlessly inventive. There are many news names - of both characters and places - to contend with in this book, but fortunately there is a map that will allow the reader to situate each new mini-chapter of the story. I'd love to know if Ponti wrote more about the Twims, or if this was a one-off. Either way, it was a pleasure to peruse. Recommended to anyone looking for entertaining works of fantasy for the older picture-book set, or for those interested in children's books in translation. For my part, I will be looking for more book from Elsewhere Editions...
Originally published in France as Ma vallée, and just recently translated into English by Alyson Waters, My Valley is one of the debut titles from Elsewhere Editions, the new children's imprint of the Brooklyn-based Archipelago Books, intended to bring "visionary picture-books from around the world" to the American market. How glad I am that I have discovered Elsewhere Editions, and the work of Claude Ponti! I found this book utterly charming, and think that I would have adored its little-world-in-miniature as a girl. The artwork is beautiful, and the story endlessly inventive. There are many news names - of both characters and places - to contend with in this book, but fortunately there is a map that will allow the reader to situate each new mini-chapter of the story. I'd love to know if Ponti wrote more about the Twims, or if this was a one-off. Either way, it was a pleasure to peruse. Recommended to anyone looking for entertaining works of fantasy for the older picture-book set, or for those interested in children's books in translation. For my part, I will be looking for more book from Elsewhere Editions...
January 19, 2017
A gorgeous and whimsical children's book that held my restless 21-month old son under its spell, page after page. The illustrations are strange, wonderful, spellbinding. The book is gigantic, adding to the feeling of literally falling into its world. A real beauty and a new imprint by Archipelago Books that will enchant young readers and collectors.
December 27, 2018
Wonderful illustrations and a very imaginative concept and characters, but the stories were a bit flat.
December 18, 2016
I received a copy of this title from the publisher via Netgalley.
Ten Second Synopsis:
A whimsical journey into a fantasy woodland world.
It's not a bad book by any means, just one in which I could not find a point of purchase from which to engage with the story.
I have a rather sketchy relationship with books translated from the French, admittedly. This book is aimed at around about the 6 to 10 age group, with large pictures surrounded by short paragraphs of text. There is no coherent overall story, per se, but rather a collection of related passages that take place within a magical, ethereal, woodlandish world. The Valley is populated by Twims, little furry creatures that pass the time in various unlikely and whimsical ways, as well as giants and other fantastical creatures. As there was no linear storyline in the book, I found it hard to stay interested in what was going on because it was episodic in nature, with new characters being introduced only to disappear when others arrive.
The illustrations didn't do a lot for me, but they were undoubtedly the highlight of the book regardless. The images take centre stage, covering page spreads or appearing beside blocks of text to give a bit of life to the story.
I'd have to say that this book just wasn't my cup of tea - but that's not to say it won't be a hit with a mini-fleshling of your acquaintance, provided they have a good imagination and find joy in whimsical and original fantasy worlds.
Ten Second Synopsis:
A whimsical journey into a fantasy woodland world.
It's not a bad book by any means, just one in which I could not find a point of purchase from which to engage with the story.
I have a rather sketchy relationship with books translated from the French, admittedly. This book is aimed at around about the 6 to 10 age group, with large pictures surrounded by short paragraphs of text. There is no coherent overall story, per se, but rather a collection of related passages that take place within a magical, ethereal, woodlandish world. The Valley is populated by Twims, little furry creatures that pass the time in various unlikely and whimsical ways, as well as giants and other fantastical creatures. As there was no linear storyline in the book, I found it hard to stay interested in what was going on because it was episodic in nature, with new characters being introduced only to disappear when others arrive.
The illustrations didn't do a lot for me, but they were undoubtedly the highlight of the book regardless. The images take centre stage, covering page spreads or appearing beside blocks of text to give a bit of life to the story.
I'd have to say that this book just wasn't my cup of tea - but that's not to say it won't be a hit with a mini-fleshling of your acquaintance, provided they have a good imagination and find joy in whimsical and original fantasy worlds.
January 1, 2018
Eh, not my bag. The art's beautiful and I love the huge trim size -- it feels really SUBSTANTIAL -- but I didn't care a whit about the story and wasn't sucked in by the art, as much as I admired it intellectually. In general, I tend not to care much about animal protagonists (this is just me!) (though hm, I'm fine with animals when they're REALLY REALLY HUMAN and soulful and engaged in an emotional struggle against their own flaws...like the Hobans' Frances). And I found the whole narrative not-gripping, with too many characters and too diffuse a plot and too much WOW LOOK HOW DETERMINEDLY FANTASTICAL I AM. Determined twee. Feh.
Truthfully, it reminded me of the Hobbit. Junior version. Training-wheels version. I'm not a big Tolkien fan, either. Don't @ me.
Truthfully, it reminded me of the Hobbit. Junior version. Training-wheels version. I'm not a big Tolkien fan, either. Don't @ me.
June 18, 2025
Reading this story felt like giving a warm hug to my inner child. What a wonderful blend of Tove Jansson's Moomins, Beatrix Potter's adorable innocence and Roald Dahl's whimsy, coupled with cute yet artistic illustrations. I would love to get my hands on a physical copy of this cozy and sweet book!
Thanks to Netglley and Archipelago Books (Elsewhere Editions) for providing me ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Thanks to Netglley and Archipelago Books (Elsewhere Editions) for providing me ARC in exchange for an honest review!
September 7, 2018
What a curious book. There's no story or plot, really, it's just a look into the life of an imaginary creature called a Twims. I don't know what the point is (or if there is one at all) but I'm pretty sure I had books like this as a kid, where they were just exercises in imagination. It reminded me a little of "The Minpins" by Roald Dahl.
March 10, 2022
Another pretty strange read - I just don't think I got what they were trying to do. Great illustrations though.
December 16, 2016
This is an absolutely beautiful book; the prose (cleverly translated by Alyson Waters) and illustrations combine to create a beguiling world in which to totally immerse yourself.
The English translation in print is due to be published in March 2017, I'm definitely going to wait to buy that for a birthday gift (8 year old grandson) rather than the digital version. I'm almost exclusively digital now but this is a book that needs to be held for long and short periods while a child's imagination soars.
[Fans of Tove Jansson's Moomins will love this and other books by Ponti, although sadly not many are translated into English yet.]
(I was lucky to receive an advance review copy of this book from Archipelago Books/Elsewhere Editions in exchange for an unbiased review.)
The English translation in print is due to be published in March 2017, I'm definitely going to wait to buy that for a birthday gift (8 year old grandson) rather than the digital version. I'm almost exclusively digital now but this is a book that needs to be held for long and short periods while a child's imagination soars.
[Fans of Tove Jansson's Moomins will love this and other books by Ponti, although sadly not many are translated into English yet.]
(I was lucky to receive an advance review copy of this book from Archipelago Books/Elsewhere Editions in exchange for an unbiased review.)
October 3, 2016
Cute story, little wild and weirdy Twims, gorgeous illustrations.
January 9, 2025
Readers are introduced to an enchanting realm teeming with the Twims, tiny, anthropomorphic lemming-like beings. Narrated by Poochie-Blue, the story takes us on a tour through their idyllic seaside valley, from the hollow cliffside House Tree to the Forest of Lost Children, the Theater of Hissy Fits, and beyond. Each location is more imaginative than the last, filled with characters with names like Sowhatty and Nothin’-Doin’, adding a layer of humor and curiosity.
Ponti's illustrations are nothing short of breathtaking, alternating between panoramic landscapes and detailed vignettes of Twim life. The book's size only amplifies the immersive experience, allowing readers to feel as if they could step into the world depicted on each page. The translation by Alyson Waters captures the playful and inventive language of the original, making the narrative as delightful to read as it is to look at.
This picture book delves into tales of mystery and adventure, from the mysterious disappearance of the Goochnies to children falling from the sky and a Sad Giant's visit. Ponti creates a narrative that feels like a child's dream come to life, where the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and the everyday is imbued with magic.
A mix of comical vignettes and broad vistas illustrates an account of the lives and misadventures of a clan of tiny Twims. The book challenges its readers with its complexity while inviting them to linger over its intricate details. Like Poochie-Blue, visitors to the valley will be in no hurry to leave, captivated by the endless possibilities for exploration and story.
My Valley is a celebration of imagination, a testament to the power of detailed illustrations, and a joyful nod to the storytelling tradition where the world is as big as one's imagination.
Ponti's illustrations are nothing short of breathtaking, alternating between panoramic landscapes and detailed vignettes of Twim life. The book's size only amplifies the immersive experience, allowing readers to feel as if they could step into the world depicted on each page. The translation by Alyson Waters captures the playful and inventive language of the original, making the narrative as delightful to read as it is to look at.
This picture book delves into tales of mystery and adventure, from the mysterious disappearance of the Goochnies to children falling from the sky and a Sad Giant's visit. Ponti creates a narrative that feels like a child's dream come to life, where the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and the everyday is imbued with magic.
A mix of comical vignettes and broad vistas illustrates an account of the lives and misadventures of a clan of tiny Twims. The book challenges its readers with its complexity while inviting them to linger over its intricate details. Like Poochie-Blue, visitors to the valley will be in no hurry to leave, captivated by the endless possibilities for exploration and story.
My Valley is a celebration of imagination, a testament to the power of detailed illustrations, and a joyful nod to the storytelling tradition where the world is as big as one's imagination.
November 10, 2022
Je discutais avec le libraire jeunesse: on se demandait ce qu’on cherchait chacun dans un bon album jeunesse. Pour lui c’était une symbiose entre le texte et l’image; pour moi, c’est vraiment des images qui sont de plus en plus complexes et intéressantes quand on prend le temps de les regarder, et donc qui nous invitent à y investir du temps, à y revenir.
Ma vallée de Claude Ponti répondait parfaitement à ce standard, avec ces grandes illustrations dans lesquelles je pouvait me perdre pendant cinq minutes.
Quel bel univers, rempli de bonnes idées (car c’est vraiment ça qui fait le livre, une énumération de caractéristiques ou de moments uniques dans l’univers du livre).
Le livre nous fait régulièrement revenir sur nos pas, pour revoir un élément apparu plus tôt (parfois les derniers mots d’une page mentionnent quelque chose qui est dessiné au début de la page, et on doit revenir en arrière).
J’ai particulièrement aimé les grandes cartes de la vallée et de l’arbre-maison, sur lesquelles j’ai passé beaucoup de temps (c’est exactement le genre de pages sur lesquelles j’aurais obsédé en tant qu’enfant). J’y suis revenu à répétition pour y voir l’emplacement d’un élément géographique où se déroule une anecdote.
Avec ces cartes détaillées et ces tours de pensée (les parapluies qui poussent vite pendant la pluie, une flaque d’eau qui mène à toutes les autres aléatoirement, etc…), Ponti manifeste ici une ingéniosité et une créativité que j’aurais adoré plus jeune, et que je peux encore fortement apprécier à mon âge.
Ma vallée de Claude Ponti répondait parfaitement à ce standard, avec ces grandes illustrations dans lesquelles je pouvait me perdre pendant cinq minutes.
Quel bel univers, rempli de bonnes idées (car c’est vraiment ça qui fait le livre, une énumération de caractéristiques ou de moments uniques dans l’univers du livre).
Le livre nous fait régulièrement revenir sur nos pas, pour revoir un élément apparu plus tôt (parfois les derniers mots d’une page mentionnent quelque chose qui est dessiné au début de la page, et on doit revenir en arrière).
J’ai particulièrement aimé les grandes cartes de la vallée et de l’arbre-maison, sur lesquelles j’ai passé beaucoup de temps (c’est exactement le genre de pages sur lesquelles j’aurais obsédé en tant qu’enfant). J’y suis revenu à répétition pour y voir l’emplacement d’un élément géographique où se déroule une anecdote.
Avec ces cartes détaillées et ces tours de pensée (les parapluies qui poussent vite pendant la pluie, une flaque d’eau qui mène à toutes les autres aléatoirement, etc…), Ponti manifeste ici une ingéniosité et une créativité que j’aurais adoré plus jeune, et que je peux encore fortement apprécier à mon âge.
October 7, 2021
Another fine, fine book from Elsewhere Editions. This is the kind of classic oversized printing of very detailed illustrations that my kids just pour over and will probably carry in their minds for the rest of their lives. Again, as with Juan Hormiga, the most impressive aspect of this book is how it's story and structure imply whole worlds beyond their pages. Worlds, and a span of time usually reserved for much longer books. The reading of this during story time is definitely second to the time spent talking about the way food is stored in the Twims' tree house, how fun it would be to have a trapeze room of our own, or imagining why they called one particular forest the "Crazy Hand Forest." What could possibly have happened for it to be named that?
Some of the two page spreads in this book are simply breathtaking. I mean I audibly gasped the first time we read this. If you have children in your life I highly recommend this one.
Some of the two page spreads in this book are simply breathtaking. I mean I audibly gasped the first time we read this. If you have children in your life I highly recommend this one.
July 18, 2017
Whenever you see "Translated from..." on the front of a picture book, you know things are going to get weird. This book lives up to that expectation. A strange story/encyclopedia/collection of short stories about Twims, an imaginary species of creatures that look weasel-ish. There's no order to the stories, and they're all fairly strange. The endings are usually abrupt and nonsensical, but the illustrations are great. It reminds me of a more esoteric version of David the Gnome. Kids will probably like this, as it's heavy on imagination and leaves much open-ended, but I imagine most parents won't.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 14, 2020This book seems to have been written by a child’s very vivid imagination. While the book is narrated by a young twim, there is no narrative arc, but instead features short stories of various twimsand their curious and unusual lives in the valley.Children will pore over the beautifully imaginative landscapes, discover the detailed twimdwelling complete with a Theatre of Hissy Fits for angry twimsto work out their feelings. They’ll also seeplaces like, Surprise Island, where a new gift can be found every day. Too much unexpected greatness to mention; my favorite French import to date. A must read for imaginative, cuddly children.
March 13, 2017
This imaginative picture book tells the story of the Twims, a type of creature that lives in a specific valley. One Twims narrates the book, explaining life in the valley. He lives in a House Tree up on the cliffs. He has many siblings, a mother and a father and two sets of grandparents. He plays games in the woods, watches all sorts of weather arrive, including once children falling from a house picked up by a hurricane. Twims use theater to get over feeling angry, have a cemetery with grave markers that speak to the interests of the Twims buried there, and enjoy the changes of each season.
First published in France, this book has a gorgeous otherworldly feel to it. It balances the wonder of these little creatures with the small details of their lives. It strongly reminded me of my childhood love for the Gnomes book by Wil Huygen. This new book touches those same emotions, the exploration of something small and clever, the beauty of a simple life and the magic inherent in it as well.
Ponti’s illustrations are lovely. He intersperses the image on the cover of the book throughout the book, focusing on the valley as it changes through different kinds of seasons and weather. The valley almost becomes so familiar that readers will identify with it themselves as each type of event makes it all the more spectacular. There are also the small details of the Twims’ lives, the floors of the House Tree, playing outside, and stories of events that had happened.
This unique picture book invites readers to imagine along with the author and delight in a new creature. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
First published in France, this book has a gorgeous otherworldly feel to it. It balances the wonder of these little creatures with the small details of their lives. It strongly reminded me of my childhood love for the Gnomes book by Wil Huygen. This new book touches those same emotions, the exploration of something small and clever, the beauty of a simple life and the magic inherent in it as well.
Ponti’s illustrations are lovely. He intersperses the image on the cover of the book throughout the book, focusing on the valley as it changes through different kinds of seasons and weather. The valley almost becomes so familiar that readers will identify with it themselves as each type of event makes it all the more spectacular. There are also the small details of the Twims’ lives, the floors of the House Tree, playing outside, and stories of events that had happened.
This unique picture book invites readers to imagine along with the author and delight in a new creature. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
November 25, 2017
An original picture book done in chapters, describing life in "My Valley."
Fun language, with unexpected phrases such as "House Tree" instead of Tree House; unexpected characters, such as the Children Who Fell From the Sky; and interesting places in the valley, such as the Theater of Hissy Fits.
Detailed illustrations are barely contained on hugely oversized pages.
Youngsters could create stories describing their own Valley of life.
Fun language, with unexpected phrases such as "House Tree" instead of Tree House; unexpected characters, such as the Children Who Fell From the Sky; and interesting places in the valley, such as the Theater of Hissy Fits.
Detailed illustrations are barely contained on hugely oversized pages.
Youngsters could create stories describing their own Valley of life.
January 11, 2018
The pictures really are pretty - the one showing a cutaway view of the tree the Twims family lives in would have rocked my 8-year-old world - but this was just entirely too trippy for me. I had trouble following the jumpiness of the little stories, & there was waaaay too little explanation & exposition for my taste. Most of the other reviewers seem really to have liked it though...
September 19, 2018
This book was fine, but I don't want to read it again. I think children's books should make the reader want to read it again. Not my favorite. My kids enjoyed it more than I did, but I am still giving it a 2 star rating.
December 20, 2023
An informational book about creatures called "Twims." There are a lot of pictures of the same valley. You get to learn a lot about the culture of these fictional creatures. I think I may have enjoyed it more if there were also books that tell stories about these creatures.
February 9, 2026
merci la fac de me faire redécouvrir cette pépite, j'avais jamais vraiment pris le temps de relire des albums de Ponti et c'est juste trop bien, les illustrations sont encore plus belles que dans mes souvenirs !!
November 30, 2016
A completely inconsequential pile of oddness. Yes, the artwork is fine, but the text is just fractured sections of script, narrative-free details of the most bizarre kind. Frustrating.
May 14, 2017
This library book checkout became a request to "please I need a copy for me to keep".
June 1, 2017
Disappointingly twee.
June 10, 2017
This large format picture book has colorful detailed illustrations of exotic creatures in a magical land and a text describing the everyday lives of the creatures. Ages 4-8
December 20, 2018
Poetic, philosophical and utterly original in its world building - unlike anything you or your child has seen! A must have for any library.
February 4, 2018
This is a very quirky picture book. Not for everyone, but I have a feeling that some children will really engage with it.
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