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Nobody’s Boy (Sans Famille), is a novel by the French author Hector Malot (1830 – 1907). It was originally published in 1878, and contains two volumes – both telling of the exploits of a little boy named Rémi (an orphan sold to a street musician at the age of eight), and his search for his family. Malot was an immensely skilled author, penning over seventy books in his lifetime, as well as training as a lawyer and working as a dramatic critic. Although Sans Famile has since gained fame as a children’s book, it was not originally intended as such.The story of Nobody’s Boy is accompanied by the heart-warming colour illustrations of Johhny Gruelle (1880 – 1938). Gruelle was an American artist, cartoonist, illustrator and children’s author – best known as the creator of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy. His most famous illustrated works include Grimm’s Fairy Tales (1914), All About the Little Small Red Hen (1917), and of course, the Raggedy Ann series. Presented alongside the text, his illustrations further refine and elucidate Malot’s masterful storytelling.

Nobody's Boy (Sans Famille) - Illustrated by John B. Gruelle