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‘We need the literature of other countries to expand our
horizons and stimulate our ideas. Without it, we are not only
diminished, we are starved’
(The Times, Magnus Linklater 29/06/05)
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Fattypuffs and Thinifers
by Andre Maurois
Age Range: 9-11
From France comes this hilariously nonsensical account of an underground land
divided into two countries – Fattypuffs and Thinifers, representing the place where
fat and slim people live. The two have been at war with each other for many years,
but the situation changes with the arrival of two brothers, Edmund the lump and
Terry the thin, who from the ‘surface’ or real world interfere in their world. André
Maurois has used these two opposites to show readers the absurdity of war and
the advantage of living in peace and harmony with one another. The story offers
endless possibilities for discussion in the classroom around the subject of politics
and international conflicts, but most of all it will be enjoyed for its ingenious plot
and zany characterisation.
Fritz Wegner’s line illustrations play an indispensable part in bringing this story alive. The book was first published in the UK in 1941 and it has been out of print for many years but thankfully Jane Nissen Books has republished it so that a new audience of readers can enjoy it. The translation is superb and it reads fluently and with ease. Although a classic in its own right, the story is not well-known among contemporary readers and therefore it has been included in this section rather than just being mentioned earlier on in the article on classics.
(Outside In: Children’s Books in Translation, Milet, 2005)