A sweet tale, from 5 years old, a documented biography with a manga aesthetic on Teddy Riner, the hero of judo, for older children… Here is our back-to-school children’s comic selection.

“The Friends Club. The Weeping Mountain” (from 5 years old)

Each volume of Friends Club is a pearl of sweetness and intelligence, which warms the hearts of young and old alike, and this new opus is no exception to the rule. There we find the bear Tulip who plays with the snake Crocus and the bird Violette: all three discover their dried-up river and set out to solve this mystery… Within a clear narration and minimalist graphics, Sophie Guerrive says a lot. A look, a line of dialogue, a frown carry a lot of meaning, immediately accessible to very young readers. Its story with its offbeat twists and turns evokes here the themes of ecology, the subjection of nature to the will of man and the importance of mutual aid. And ends, of course, with a good snack! Note that the author is publishing at the same time a new volume in her series Tulip (for older children) and a series of mini cardboard albums for little ones, based around his character Crocus. A delicious and comforting universe like a large spoonful of honey.

s By Sophie Guerrive, 2024 editions, coll. 4048, 56 p., €16. From 5 years old.

“Hajime!” (from 9 years old)

We could have feared that this “official manga on the judo legend” Teddy Riner was just a stupid derivative product or an uninteresting hagiography. Pleasant surprise, the first volume of this trilogy turns out to be as pleasant as it is documented, with a clear objective: to serve as an example to the youngest, by showing them that tenacity, work and a balanced and loving environment are the best assets for success. . We follow young Teddy, 14 years old, already endowed with an extraordinary physique, leaving his Guadeloupe for the Pôle Espoir in Rouen and encountering several difficulties: living independently, busy days between school and the dojo , and above all fierce competition on the tatami. Because this French manga borrows the codes of sports shōnen: Teddy will have to beat tough and even devious opponents, finding within himself the resources to surpass himself. Fights according to the rules of the art, but spiced up by the manga staging, punctuate this warm bio, which proves to be perfectly calibrated for children.

q By Tiers and Topher, based on the story by Teddy Riner, ed. Pika, 208 p., €7.70. From 9 years old.

“Apocalypse College. The Accident” (from 10 years old)

During a school trip, Yann’s class bus suffers an accident and falls into the sea. The few scattered survivors then discover what threw them into the water: monstrous creatures that look like aliens. gigantic. Without means of communication or an adult to help them, Yann and a handful of comrades then go into the land to hide… The title didn’t lie: the new series from the authors of Giants is well placed in the post-apocalyptic genre. Devastation all over the world, creepy monsters on the prowl, teenagers in survival mode, we will also pass over the story facilities that allow these kids to get away with it so well… -, the cocktail is familiar, but works. Because the authors succeed in portraying more complex characters than expected, building a truly disturbing atmosphere, and creating a nice suspense. To see how they will avoid the traps of déjà vu. Response in March for volume 2.

q By Lylian, Paul Drouin and Lorien, ed. Sun, 68 p., €12.50. From 10 years old.

“Ilenter” (from 11 years old)

In the frozen world of Ilenter, the people are divided into clans, the Slayers on one side, who protect the village against wild beasts and fantastical creatures, and the Sowers on the other, who feed the community. And then there are the Dark Ones, who possess the gift of clairvoyance, but who were banished a long time ago. Young Ilia does not want to be satisfied with her status as a sower and aspires to become a killer and live as she sees fit. Could she be the one to shake up the established order? From a classic fantasy starting point, the scenario ofIlenter asserts itself little by little, taking the time to develop the character of its heroine and abandoning a lot of clichés. The story then becomes really pleasant, much less flat than its drawing, effective but too wise. A nice surprise.

q By Anne Loyer, Moon Li and Claudia Razzoli, eds. Jungle, coll. Chimeras, 96 p., €15.95. From 11 years old.