BREATH OF THE GIANT

An excellent ages 12-up adventure,  first published in France. Legend says a Giant's breath has the power to bring the dead back to life. Young Iris and and sister Sophia have lost their mother, so they journey into the far north of snow and mountains to bring her back. They can count on magic, but above all, they will have to conquer their fears. Fagus also has lost a loved one and is following the girls with seeming ill intent. A powerful story about obsession, hope and overcoming fear and danger. Breath of the Giant combines Sorcery and Fantasy in a powerful tale from young writer and artist Tom Aureille. First published in France as Le Souffle du Geant in 2021. It has been awarded "Prix Tibet 2021", which awards the best comic book for children at the youth book fair of Troyes (Salon du livre jeunesse de Troyes); it is in the selection of the Pepites of the Youth Book Fair of Montreuil (Salon du livre jeunesse de Montreuil); and is in the selection for the best youth comic book of the renowned Festival D'Angoulême! Here's a review from PUBLISHERS WEEKLY -- Two magically gifted sisters embark on a treacherous journey to bring a loved one back from the dead in this somber-feeling debut graphic novel by French creator Aureille. Following their mother's death, Iris and her younger sister Sophia begin traveling to the Lost Territories of the North. Their destination is the home of the giants, whose breath, legend says, has the power to bring the dead back to life; the siblings plan to wield this power for the chance to see their mother again. Armed with a fragment of a magical Life Stone and a map inherited from their father, the girls face sinister marauders, labyrinthine forests, and soul-sucking creatures disguised as good Samaritans, all while being pursued by a mysterious stranger who also seeks the giants' power. A steadily building, anticipatory atmosphere paired with grandiose landscapes rendered in muted earthen hues and jewel-toned accents make for a fluidly paced, melancholic adventure. Through quiet fireside chats, emotionally charged battle sequences, and flashbacks of their tumultuous childhood, Aureille showcases the sisters' by turns tender and tense relationship, empathetically elevating this high-stakes tale of loss, healing, and grief. Ages 12-up. Bud here: I quite enjoyed this! The story took some unexpected turns (including a seemingly benevolent witch who might be yet another threat to the girls). I liked the mostly realistic look at a long, dangerous journey for two young, naive but very brave girls. It takes place  in a nameless pre-industrial world with subtle magical elements. It reminds me of a Miyazaki's worlds in his films, such as in Nausicaa in the Valley of the Wind. The Giants are very cool...check out our scan here. I'm passing it on to my favorite 10-year-old, I think she'll fall in love with it too. Here are some biographic details direct from Tom: "I studied applied arts in Toulouse, and illustration and comics in Paris. I live in Strasbourg (north east of France). Breath of the Giant is my first comic book, originally written for a friend of mine, but I finally had to draw it because he was to busy. I did some other illustration and comic order work in between. but now I am working on a new graphic novel, science fiction, with a teenage girl experiencing the attack on her high school by a strange vegetable entity. I like to create stories with action, mangaish and franco-belgian inspirations. I want to ally problems that matters to me (perception of death and grieving process with the breath of the giant, ecological, social and educational issues in the story I'm writing now) with fluid and entertaining reading."