The Pull of the Ocean

Author:  Jean-Claude Mourlevat

Title:  The Pull of the Ocean

Illustrator:  None (Jacket Illustrations 2006 John Hendrix)

Genre:  Fiction Chapter Book

Subgenre:  Adventure

Theme:  Brotherhood & Different points of view

Primary & Secondary Characters: Yann Doutreleau, Nathalie Josse (social worker), Martha Doutreleau (mother), Louis Doutreleau (father), Fabien Doutreleau (14 year old twin), Remy Doutreleau (14 year old twin), Daniel Saz (truck driver), Jean-Michel Heyckens (writer), Agathe Merle (74 year old lady), Victor Doutreleau (11 year old twin), Max Doutreleau (11 year old twin), Michele Moulin (baker), Pierre Doutreleau (13 year old twin), Paul Doutreleau( 13 year old twin), Dominique Elcheverry (police officer), Pascal Josse (Nathalie's husband and mechanic), Colette Faure (retired man), Valerie Massamba (young student on the train), Genard Famangean (shop keeper), Emile Ducrocg (grocer),and Thierry Viard (unemployed & house watcher).

Awards:  The Batchelder Award

Date of Publication:  Text Copyright 1999 & Translation Copyright 2006

Publishing Company:  Delacorte Press (an imprint of Random House Children's Books)

Brief Summary:  This book is based on Charles Perrault's "Tom Thumb."  Seven brothers, three sets of twins and then the youngest Yann flee their parents house.  The youngest Yann is a mute and unusually small for his age but is very wise beyond his years. This book is set in modern day France.

Use in the Classroom:  This book will be a good book to get boys interested in reading.  Also there are many points of view in the book.  It is like a jigsaw puzzle on trying to figured out what happened.