In June 2016, Alma Classics published my translation of Belle and Sébastien: The Child of the Mountains by Cécile Aubry. Readers of a certain age will remember the 1960s television series. Readers of my age will think, erroneously, of a Glaswegian pop band.
In France, Belle and Sébastien is very well known. Mine is the first ever translation of the book into English.
The son of a Gypsy woman, Sébastien is found as a newborn baby in the Alps and brought up by Guillaume and his grandchildren Angelina and Jean. Born on the same day, Belle is a beautiful white Pyrenean Mountain Dog who has been neglected and passed on from owner to owner, until one day she escapes from a kennel. When Sébastien saves the runaway Belle from the wrath of the villagers, the boy and the dog form a lifelong friendship and embark on exciting adventures in the mountains.
First published in 1965 to coincide with the internationally successful television series of the same name, Belle and Sébastien is a heart-warming story of camaraderie, adventure and freedom.
Alma make beautiful editions of classic books. This one is no exception. It features original illustrations by Helen Stephens.
You can order your copy here.