In a Bundle

Alice is eight, and after her dad left, she lives alone with her mom. Movie nights, dinners on the carpet, heart-to-heart talks - just Alice and her mom. Their idyll is allowed to be interrupted only by mom's best friend Georges, or Monjo. After her dad left, Alice particularly missed having such a kind, caring, and understanding adult around. At the climbing club, Monjo guides Alice to victories and awards. He takes her to competitions and sets her as an example for other students. He also teaches her to give each other goosebumps... Alice is fifteen, and every time she goes to bed and closes her eyes, blue sports mats fall on her, and she hears a faint call for help nearby. Alice keeps a big secret that she cannot tell anyone about. Alice splits in two and watches what is happening from the outside. And she can do nothing. The haunting novel by French writer Claire Castillon, "In a Bundle", sounds like a quiet cry for help and gives a voice to children who were not heard in time. This book draws attention to the problem of sexualized violence against children, helps to start a conversation about the traumatic experience endured, and provides support and assistance.