During the summer of 2024, I've been contacted for a new project by RDA (Rural Development Association), a longtime client and partner with whom I had collaborated several times in Abkhazia (you can see some examples here and here).
This time the idea wasn't to create comics or to animate a workshop for teenagers, but to write and illustrate a series of proper children's books addressing social topics and values — something I had been wanting to do for a long time but didn't dare to propose.
The only requirements from the client were that the stories take place in different cities and villages of Abkhazia and introduce a recurring group of children. Some illustrations should also have outlines only so the children could color them themselves, and each book should end with several games related to the story. However, for the story plots themselves and the characters, the client gave me complete carte blanche, for which I couldn't be more grateful.
I wrote the stories in French first, then translated them into Russian. The RDA team kindly proofread the texts and offered precious suggestions to make the stories genuinely suitable for the local audience.
The series is named "The Little Abkhazian Adventurers" and consists of 4 books, so far:
"The mysterious blond woman of the canteen"
"The Birthday Gift"
"The Young Girl and the Captain"
"The Festival"
Here below are the cover, some pages and the plot (in English) of each book.
"The mysterious blond woman of the canteen"
This morning is the first day of school for Inal, Ilona, Agdur, and Timur in the village of Achguara.
At first glance, it's an ordinary start to the school year: as always, Inal doesn't want to go back to a school that isn’t adapted for him and his wheelchair, and, just like every year, some of his friends won’t be able to attend school at all.
But this year, Inal will discover that his school has changed.
And there's also a strange woman in the cafeteria with long bangs and dark glasses, who constantly watches Inal and his friends. Agdur is sure she's hiding some secret. And perhaps he's right...
This school year might turn out to be completely unlike any of the previous ones...
"The Birthday Gift"
Inara has a big problem. Tomorrow is her mother's birthday, and she still hasn't found a gift.
Fortunately, Lolita, Astamur, Diana, Salimat, and Agdur, her loyal friends, are ready to help. And each of them has an idea about which store might have THE most original gift. And it doesn't matter that these stores are located in different districts of Sukhumi.
Thus begins a long adventure through the city streets, at the end of which the six friends might find far more surprises than they expected.
"The Young Girl and the Captain"
Until now, Inara hadn't liked anything about this move. Leaving the old house, abandoning friends, risking losing or breaking her precious art supplies, going to a new school and putting up with new classmates who would surely talk about her behind her back. And this endless rain only made everything worse!
And then, just one movement of a curtain was enough to change everything.
A curtain that moves in an abandoned house located right across from her window – now that's really interesting!
"The Festival"
When Mariam signed up for the crafts festival in Sukhumi to show her bracelets and necklaces, she thought she would go there alone, peacefully. She didn't expect to take half the village with her. But here's the thing: Mariam has a sister, Lana. And Lana has ideas. Lots of ideas... And one of Lana's ideas will turn Mariam's project into an adventure that will go beyond just the two sisters and soon involve their entire village!
Special thanks to:
Vincent Dontot
Nato Meskhia
All the team of RDA
Gulzhan Boribekova
