The Livrodrome as “an act of cultural resistance” – Liberation

2023-07-13 19:54:08

Report in Chalon-sur-Saône where the Partir en Livre literary park stopped off, before continuing its circuit.

It makes no sense. The summer holidays have begun and yet a class is being held outdoors in Chalon-sur-Saône (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté). No ringtone but a mistress for the time of the “typewriter” activity, one of the sixteen offered by the Livrodrome, an itinerant literary amusement park, then announced in Lyon on July 18 and in Marseille on July 21. Delphine Pessin, author, welcomes this Tuesday, July 11 a dozen children from the leisure center of the Lucie-Aubrac school (Givry) and deciphers with them the mechanisms of writing her novel, Extra (Didier Jeunesse).

Homework ? Describe an alien. Clémence, 11 years old, with the face of an overexcited angel, invents it with neologisms. His eats “old Twingo” and has “transparent and funky” skin. Understand “gelatinous like a blobfish”. “This morning, I was not awake. The words jostled in my head before landing on paper,” she laughs. “They shape their universe and deconstruct their school readings to create their own,” says Delphine Pessin. Clémence cares little for conventions like her favorite heroine, Mortelle Adèle, at the top of the poster for this ninth edition of Partir en Livre, a national event for children’s books carried by the National Book Center (CNL) until July 23.

The illustrator Diane Le Feyer seems to be inspired by this revolt, the one we encounter in adolescence and in books. Deadly Adele, a red-haired girl dressed in a purple skirt and a green V-neck sweater is standing on a book – like a pirate. We do not know in which direction she is pointing her finger, probably that of the countries crossed by her friends in full reading. And during a festival, children’s books leave their shelves and go where you least expect them. Under a green tent pitched at the foot of an oak tree in Square Chabas, for example.

Prescription: read a novel

In front it reads: “Literary ordinance cabinet”. There is no stethoscope or white coat at the entrance but two camping chairs, one for the doctor, the other for the patient. The novelist Annelise Heurtier faces Alexandre, 14, all dressed in gray. The prescription falls: a novel by Jean-Claude Mourlevat and one by Clémentine Beauvais to read this summer. “There are no side effects except laughing and learning,” she chants. Not very excited, Alexandre. Behind his monosyllabic answers, we learn that he loves manga. But the challenge of the Livrodrome, in addition to getting 11-18 year olds to read, “is to take young people to a field that is not theirs” underlines Gauthier Morax, designer and director of this literary park. This is also the wish of Pascal Perrault, director general of the CNL: “We must go out to meet young people to create new passions in them and show them the diversity of the cultural offer.” “Open a window for them” summarizes Gilles Platret, LR mayor of Chalon-sur-Saône. But the challenge is not simple: one young person in five does not read according to the latest CNL reading study.

Although reading is a solitary activity, during this fourth edition of the Livrodrome, solitude is rare. The 500 visitors transform it into a sporting activity, friendly or fun. And that even in the stifling heat of the early afternoon. The meeting is given in the shade for the parents, in deck chairs, a book in their hands with a soundtrack created for the occasion in their ears.

The children, on the other hand, throw themselves under the dodger to participate as a team in the Olympiads – specific to this sixth stage city – or in the Grand quiz on a common reading. “Without the game, I would never have read this work. If I want to become a writer, I have to remember that,” asserts Agathe, 8 years old. But what motivates Clémence is not the subject of this historical comic book whose protagonist is the resistant Léocadie but the gift: “a read check” worth 12 euros – the CNL distributed 500 during this event. “I’m going to be able to buy the Harry Potter sequel, magic is my thing right now.” Such enthusiasm no doubt signs the success of this bet. Gilles Platret highlights the importance of this amusement park, a few days after the vandalization of a municipal library, “hosting the Livrodrome for the first time is an act of cultural resistance”.