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Daniel Pennac

ダニエル・ペナック

Daniel Pennac

Pen Names: Daniel Pennac（Pen name; birth name Pennacchioni）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1944-12-01 （Casablanca, Morocco）
Nationality
France
Languages
French
Residence History
Casablanca (birth) → France, primarily residence/activities around Paris

Career

Occupations
novelist, children's writer, essayist, teacher
Active Years
1973-

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Au bonheur des ogres

1985 crime fiction

First of the Benjamin Malaussène series; a humorous, urban crime novel centering on the chaotic life of the protagonist and his unconventional family.

familyurban lifehumor
Translations
  • Japanese translation by Shohei Nakajo: 'Au bonheur des ogres'

La fée carabine

1987 crime fiction

A sequel in the Malaussène series mixing social satire with character-driven mystery.

social satireabsurdity of everyday life
Translations
  • Japanese translation by Atsushi Hiraoka: 'La fée carabine'

L'œil du loup

1984 children's literature

A children's book telling a story of connection and understanding between a boy and a wolf through alternating perspectives and evocative illustrations.

empathynaturefriendship
Translations
  • Japanese translation by Hikamiko Suematsu: 'L'œil du loup'

Comme un roman

1992 essay

An essay advocating a permissive, pleasure-centered approach to reading; widely known for presenting 'the rights of the reader'.

reading theoryeducationrights of the reader
Translations
  • Japanese translation: 'Comme un roman'

Chagrin d'école

2007 memoir / essay

Reflections on education and learning, recounting difficulties and rewards from the author's classroom experience.

educationlearningmemory
Translations
  • Japanese translation by Akira Mizubayashi: 'Chagrin d'école'

Le Roman d'Ernest et Célestine

2012 children's literature

A work based on Gabrielle Vincent's Ernest and Célestine characters; depicts tender friendship and interspecies bonds.

friendshipfamilycross-cultural encounter
Adaptations
  • [film] Ernest & Celestine / Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar, Benjamin Renner (2012)
Translations
  • Japanese translation by Kyoko Watanabe: 'Le Roman d'Ernest et Célestine'

Journal d'un corps

2012 novel

A novel written as a diary of the body's changes; offers a reflection on aging, illness and corporeal experience.

the bodyagingmemory

Bibliography

  • Les Enfants de Yalta (1978)
  • Père Noël (1979)
  • Cabot-Caboche (1982)
  • L'œil du loup (1984)
  • Au bonheur des ogres (1985)
  • La fée carabine (1987)
  • La petite marchande de prose (1989)
  • Comme un roman (1992)
  • Chagrin d'école (2007)
  • Journal d'un corps (2012)

Adaptations

  • Ernest & Celestine (2012 animated feature film; based on Gabrielle Vincent's series)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
humorous and ironic narrative voicepolyphonic structure emphasizing ensemble castsa style that moves between child-friendly simplicity and adult satire
Recurring Motifs
family and surrogate familiesurban bustle and lonelinessreading and education

Legacy

A versatile author active across children's literature, crime fiction and essays on education and reading; noted for influence on reading pedagogy via 'the rights of the reader'.

Archives

  • Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) authority record

Quotes

  • The reader has the right not to read, as well as other rights.
    Source: Comme un roman (1992) (1992)

Trivia

  • Birth name Daniel Pennacchioni.
  • Born in Casablanca, Morocco in 1944.
  • Worked as a lycée teacher before becoming a full-time writer after 1995.