35 Kilos of Hope (35 Kilos d'Espoir)

"35 Kilos of Hope" by Anna Gavalda is a heartwarming story about a boy who struggles to fit into our school system, which all too rarely nurtures individual talents. But if there is just one person who believes in you, then everyone has a chance to find their own path in life. Translated by Ursula Schregel Edited by Petra Wüllenweber "I hate school. Nothing in the world is worse," declares 13-year-old David with fervor. Reading and math are difficult for him. Homework is torture. The psychologist diagnoses him as unable to concentrate. His parents argue because of him, but also because their love has been buried in the daily grind. Only with his grandfather Léon does David feel understood. His grandfather’s workshop is paradise for the boy. There he can tinker and build and constantly invent new gadgets, because he’s exceptionally good at that. Unfortunately, that doesn’t earn him good grades in school. To make himself popular with his classmates, he plays the class clown. Some teachers don’t find that funny at all. David fails his grade for the second time and gets expelled from school. His parents want to send him to boarding school, but who would take someone like him? When he comes across a boarding school with a technical focus, his ambition is sparked. It would be worth the effort to get in. Spurred on by his grandfather, who urges him, “Take control of your life!”, he does everything he can to get into this school. He wants to finally make use of his strengths and no longer let his weaknesses get him down. "35 Kilos of Hope" by Anna Gavalda is a heartwarming story about a boy who can’t cope with our school system, which far too rarely fosters individual talents. But if there is just one person who believes in you, then there is a chance for everyone to find their own path in life.