• Age: 4 to 8
• Grade: p to 3

When Zéphie enters her house, her nose buried in a book that asks very curious questions, she is surprised to discover a very small bear holding a hammer between its paws. Nounours is determined to make a heart for himself because, according to rumour, bears are cruel and nasty.
Zéphie decides to help him and leads him around the village of Bouctouche in search of a heart. Perhaps an apple core ("coeur de pomme", apple heart) would do the trick? Or an ace of hearts?

Originally from Deux-Montagnes, Québec, Caroline Bélisle now lives and creates in Moncton, New Brunswick. A graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada's playwriting program, Caroline is also an actor. She has written several plays, including Les remugles ou La danse nuptiale est une langue morte in 2020 (Gratien-Gélinas award). She is also the recipient of the Éloize 2022 award for artist of the year in theatre.

For the past 10 years, she has welcomed families to the Pays de la Sagouine with various characters, including Zéphie. Nounours au coeur de l'Île-aux-Puces is her first illustrated album.

Caroline Bélisle's profile page

Originally from France, Johanna Lezziero now lives near the Bay of Fundy. Passionate about drawing and the animal world, she spent 10 years in the world of children's fashion as a textile designer.

She designed the magnificent illustrations of La boite aux belles choses (2020) (finalist for the Prix littéraires des enseignants.e.s de français du Québec [Literary prizes for teachers of French]) and Léo les chaussettes (2023).

Johanna Lezziero's profile page