Off the Beaten Track

"Paul, aged 10, who lives with his aunt, sets out on an expedition to the mountains with his parents' old friend, Bruce. Having reappeared after three years of silence, Bruce is eager to keep the promise he made to Paul many years ago to take him on a three-day mountain trek. Paul, whose parents' absence is never explained, longs for Bruce's friendship and wants badly to prove himself. But his is also timid and unsure and Bruce who is better at doing than explaining doesn't make it any easier. A dramatic event gives Paul the chance to find his inner strength, and to show himself and everyone else what he is capable of. And he has earned a trip to the Rockies next year. A breath-taking mountain adventure, set in the French alps, told in the form of a graphic novel with just a few words by Maylis de Kerangal and beautiful, dramatic screen prints by Tom Haugomat. This is a powerful book for boys on the cusp of adolescence."--