“Diary of my body”, with Clémentine du Pontavice

Diary of my body by Clémentine du Pontavice with the participation of Ghada Hatem-Gantzer, editions L’école des loisirs, collection Neuf, is to be read from 9 years old (January 2022).

This diary is that of Nour. She tells throughout a week what worries her in her pre-adolescent life and what she shares with her best friends, on the transformations that happen to them.

The pages of the novel alternate with those of Nour’s diary. We see the drawings of Clémentine du Pontavice in black and white, very fine and highlighted with fluorescent, to give a funny touch. This does not prevent them from being explicit. These drawings help to play down and understand all the upheavals linked to this particular moment in life.

Clémentine du Pontavice, when she writes and draws, likes to explore the intimate. In this novel, she tackles in a simple and direct way all the questions related to the arrival of puberty. For the author, this subject unfortunately still remains a taboo subject.

What is remarkable in this book is that she manages to describe several personalities of young girls, and to ensure that none of them can enter this change with fears or misunderstandings. This is reinforced by the participation of Ghada Hatem-Gantzer, gynecologist and founder of La Maison des femmes, who also intervenes in schools to talk about sexuality.

At the end of the book, the specialist answers all the questions raised in this story, from a more “medical” point of view. The two had previously collaborated together on a book for ages 12 and up, titled Sex and love in real life (First editions, 2020).

Diary of my body is to put on the bedside table of all pre-adolescent girls who dare to ask their questions about puberty openly, and even more so, to those who don’t!

Clémentine du Pontavice is a designer and author. She is committed to the women’s cause and regularly intervenes to animate workshops in schools and also at La Maison des Femmes.

The League of Super Feministscomic strip published by La Ville Brûle by Mirion Malle (January 2019).

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