On the roof of his apartment building, Célestin escapes the silence that has engulfed his parents. He is sometimes visited by his big brother Célin, who has become a sky explorer. From her flat, Lotte observes him. Between them, a friendship blossoms against a backdrop of pre-adolescent awkwardness, and a shared desire to escape a daily life that has lost, too soon, the innocence of childhood. When Célin places a hummingbird in Célestin’s hands, a period of waiting begins for him and Lotte. The tiny bird’s eyes remain closed – it’s in torpor and needs time. But Lotte learns that she is leaving for New Zealand. Things might need to speed up…
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- Switzerland Children’s Book Prize 2023
