Translation by Stanley Péan
Illustrations by Mance Lanctôt
Youth story, from 8 years old

Célimène, an orphan, lives with her younger brother Mo. The daughter of peasants, she knows all the secrets of rivers, plants and animals. Life goes on until Zaken arrives and asks her to marry him. She then leaves her native village to follow her husband. Célimène experiences many adventures there, and also a few surprises. In addition, Zaken has a mysterious relationship with Liya, a phenomenal anaconda. To survive, Célimène learns to fight and invent hope. She thus discovers what exile is: changing countries, changing skin without disappearing.

Born in Port-au-Prince, Edwidge Danticat joined her parents in Brooklyn (New York) at the age of 12. Considered one of the great Haitian voices, Edwidge Danticat has had a brilliant career as a novelist. Among other things, she received the US National Book Critics Circle Grand Prize for her book Adieu mon frère.