Author of the reader's diary

Elena Sergeevna Kostina

Electronic reading diary

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About the author of the book

Anna Gavalda (French: Anna Gavalda)

Anna Gavalda is a popular French writer. Her short stories and novels about simple and at the same time complex concepts, such as love, tenderness, death, conquered not only France, but the whole world. Her books have been translated into 36 languages, and in March 2007, Claude Berry’s film based on the novel “Simply Together” was released in France, which attracted 2 million viewers in a month.

Born December 9, 1970 in Boulogne-Bélancourt (France). After her parents' divorce, she lived in a boarding school from the age of fourteen. She studied at the Sorbonne, worked as a cashier and waitress, and studied journalism.

Although Anna Gavalda claims that she did not intend to become a writer, she wrote from the age of 17, participated in small literary competitions and won from time to time. So, in 1992 she won the national competition for the best love letter. In 1998, she won the Blood in the Inkwell Prize for her novella Aristote and won two other literary competitions. In 1999, Anna Gavalda’s book “I would like someone to wait for me somewhere...” was published, which was awarded the RTL Grand Prix in 2000.

The book was translated into more than 30 languages ​​and was a stunning success, despite the fact that it presented the reader with a short story genre that is so unfashionable today. In 2002, Gavalda’s first novel, “I Loved Him,” was published. But all this was just a prelude to the real success that Anna Gavalda’s book “Simply Together” brought in 2004, which eclipsed even “The Da Vinci Code” in France. The novel has been translated into 36 languages, and in France they have already begun filming a feature film based on this book with Charlotte Gainsbourg in the title role.

Anna Gavalda lives in the southeast of Paris, writes every day for three hours and has two children.

About the book

Storytelling

Year of book publication: 2002

Anna Gavalda’s book “35 kilos of hope” has won the love of readers all over the world for many years now. This, in general, small work has been translated into more than 30 languages ​​of the world, and in the list of books by Anna Gavalda it is one of the most recognizable. And this is no small achievement. After all, the writer is on a par with being one of the most successful contemporary French writers.

The plot of the book “35 kilos of hope” briefly

In Anna Gavalda's book “35 kilos of hope” you can read about the events unfolding around the thirteen-year-old boy Gregoire. At thirteen years old, he is in sixth grade. He has already repeated his second year twice. First in the second, and then in the sixth grade. And this is not because he is retarded or the demands at school are too high. He just really doesn't like school. No matter how hard he tries to study, everything the teachers say goes in one ear and out of the other. The doctors, where his parents dragged him around at first, called it absent-minded attention. But Gregoire knows that this is not so.

The only consolation from the numerous scandals in the family that his “successes” invariably caused was “Leoland”. This is how the main character of the book “35 kilos of hope” by Gavalda and his grandfather, Leon, nicknamed his grandfather’s workshop. Here they could completely devote themselves to their favorite pastime - repairing and inventing new mechanisms. And when the grandmother, following the example of her parents, began to grumble, she and her grandfather ran away to this workshop, where they could not only occupy their hands, but also talk. And so it happened that the grandfather became the only person in the family who understood Gregoire.

But all this was before the age of twelve. And then he was simply kicked out of school. Moreover, they kicked me out for poor performance in physical education. Yes, yes, specifically in physical education. Gregoire's 35 kilos could not boast of a powerful form or special agility. That is why during lessons the boy decided to make his classmates laugh. And when he honestly tried to jump over the horse, they didn’t believe him and kicked him out of school. Now a new stage of life awaits him in a new school and without the kind words of his grandfather.

As for the reviews of Anna Gavalda’s book “35 kilos of hope”, they are almost unanimous - the book is worthy of your attention. After all, despite the fact that it has an ordinary plot, like , it raises serious topics. At the same time, the language of the narrative is quite simple and beautiful, and the plot, although it cannot be called exciting, does not allow you to abandon the book in the middle of the journey. Perhaps this is why Gavalda’s book “35 kilos of hope” is recommended to everyone, both teenagers and their parents. Perhaps she will be the one who will help you find a common language with your family.

The book “35 kilos of hope” on the Top books website

Anna Gavalda’s very short book “35 kilos of hope” is so popular to read that this is not the first time it has found its way into our magazine. At the same time, interest in her does not diminish, and we will certainly see her in our next ones.

Grégoire Dubosc, a thirteen-year-old boy, hates school. The guy's problem is that he is completely unable to study. The absent-minded boy is twice retained for his second year in the sixth grade, and in the end is expelled altogether. The doctor explains Gregoire's peculiarity by saying that he has a problem with concentrating, and the teachers complain that young Dubosc has not a head, but a sieve. However, Gregoire himself admits that everything they try to teach him at school is like Chinese literacy for him.

Despite the distraction

The young man has golden hands and loves making various crafts. His parents, of course, know that the boy is a talented inventor, but they still continue to put pressure on Gregoire for his poor academic performance. Due to problems at school, scandals constantly arise in the Dubosc family, and attempts to do homework end in tears from the mother and beatings from the father.

The boy's salvation is walks and conversations with grandfather Leon. Gregoire's deep feelings about constant quarrels in the family are dispelled by his grandfather. He explains to the boy that parents quarrel rather because of problems with each other, and

Gregoire's poor performance is just a reason for another quarrel. Grandfather Leon is a friend and support for the young man, only thanks to his grandfather the boy was able to survive all the trials that befell him - bullying at school, expulsion, family quarrels, studying at a municipal institution.

When the time has come to think about his future, Gregoire decides to go to university, where he will have the opportunity to work with his hands, make crafts, and invent. There is such an educational institution - Grandshan University, however, in order to enter there, you need good academic performance. In desperation, Dubosc writes a letter to the director of the university asking him to accept him. Surprisingly, the director answers positively, only if Gregoire passes the entrance exam.

However, the young man cannot rejoice at such comforting news, because his beloved grandfather ends up in the hospital. Gregoire comes to the exam with disheveled feelings, but thanks to his grandfather’s faith, he passes the exam and enters a place where his talent as an inventor will be valued above his academic performance.

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Among the readers of our library, the books of the French writer Anna Gavalda are very popular. Anna's great-grandmother was a native of St. Petersburg. After her parents' divorce, Anna lived in a boarding school, then received an education at the Sorbonne. In 1992, she won the national competition for the best love letter. A. Gavalda’s writing career began with participation in the competition.

She has many worthy works, but I found her novel for young people especially interesting: “35 kilos of hope.” The book is small in format and number of pages, so I was surprised that the genre of this work is a novel. I will share my impressions about this book.

The book is narrated from the perspective of a teenager who finds himself in a difficult life situation, and from the first pages the reader is immersed in the world of a child.
The main character is a 13 year old boy named Gregoire. He has an excellent imagination, thanks to which he comes up with and sometimes even makes interesting objects: a machine for peeling bananas, an ironing board so that he can iron while sitting, special shoes for walking in the mountains...
But the boy hates school and suffers greatly because of it.

There are many such children in modern life. The school system is tough: if children are given unsatisfactory grades in their academic performance, the child loses the chance to receive a secondary education. A. Gavalda gives readers the opportunity to look at such a child from the other side: with love, kindness and understanding. The book touches the reader's heartstrings, because there is nothing worse than childhood depression, and nothing more important than love and hope.

Gregoire's relationship with his parents is complicated. They, like all mothers and fathers, want their child to be educated and successful in life, but so far this is not working out.
This is how the writer describes the boy’s feelings and behavior during another quarrel with his parents. “When they yell, I mentally cover my ears and try to think only about what I’m making at the moment, for example: a Star Wars spaceship from Lego Systems, or a toothpaste squeezing machine, or a giant wooden pyramid designer "Kampas", but you never know. And then the torture of lessons begins. If my mother helps me, it always ends with her crying. If it’s a father, I cry.”
I feel sorry for the boy.

Well, yes, he studies poorly. But he is very, very kind and loves his grandfather Leon very much. He believes that his grandfather is the only person who loves and understands him. At a time when his grandfather was sick, the boy constantly took care of him, thought about him and empathized with him. A. Gavalda raises, in my opinion, a very pressing problem of our time: the attitude of children towards the older generation.

Gregoire's parents are busy at work, they want quick results, and his grandfather understands from his height that time and patience are required. He supports the boy, believes in him, and Gregoire finds a way out of the impasse.

Through the newspaper, the boy finds a school where he can study well and get a profession. The school has its own workshops. Gregoire sends a letter to the school principal, having first destroyed eleven drafts. “I would really like to study at your school, but I know that this is impossible because my academic performance is very poor.
I saw in an advertisement for your school that you have metalworking and carpentry workshops, a computer science classroom, greenhouses, and all that.
I think that grades are not the most important thing in life. Therefore, it is more important to know what you want in life.
I want to study with you, because I will be at my best in Grandchamp, that’s what I think. I’m not very well-fed, I have 35 kilos of hope.
Best wishes,
Gregoire Dubosc.
P.S. No. 1: This is the first time in my life I’m asking to go to school, I don’t understand what’s wrong with me, I’m probably sick.
P.S. No. 2: I am sending you drawings of a banana peeling machine that I made myself when I was seven years old.”

Gregoire puts so much hope into this letter, and his dream comes true. A wonderful, kind book with a happy ending that will not leave either children or adults indifferent. I recommend it to you for family reading.

“35 kilos of hope” is a poetic parable by Anna Gavaldi about the main thing: the choice of life path, the power of love and devotion. About family. That dreams can and should come true. You just have to really want it. And try really hard.

Grégoire Dubosc, a thirteen-year-old boy, hates school. The guy's problem is that he is completely unable to study. The absent-minded boy is twice retained for his second year in the sixth grade, and in the end is expelled altogether. The doctor explains Gregoire's peculiarity by saying that he has a problem with concentrating, and the teachers complain that young Dubosc has not a head, but a sieve. However, Gregoire himself admits that everything they try to teach him at school is like Chinese literacy for him.

Despite his absent-mindedness, the young man has golden hands and loves making various crafts. His parents, of course, know that the boy is a talented inventor, but they still continue to put pressure on Gregoire for his poor academic performance. Due to problems at school, scandals constantly arise in the Dubosc family, and attempts to do homework end in tears from the mother and beatings from the father.

The boy's salvation is walks and conversations with grandfather Leon. Gregoire's deep feelings about constant quarrels in the family are dispelled by his grandfather. He explains to the boy that parents quarrel rather because of problems with each other, and Gregoire’s poor academic performance is just a reason for another quarrel. Grandfather Leon is a friend and support for the young man, only thanks to his grandfather the boy was able to survive all the trials that befell him - bullying at school, expulsion, family quarrels, studying at a municipal institution.

When the time has come to think about his future, Gregoire decides to go to university, where he will have the opportunity to work with his hands, make crafts, and invent. There is such an educational institution - Grandshan University, however, in order to enter there, you need good academic performance. In desperation, Dubosc writes a letter to the director of the university asking him to accept him. Surprisingly, the director answers positively, only if Gregoire passes the entrance exam.