Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com
Lou Bertignac is horrified about the thought of having to give a presentation in class. She is two years younger than the rest of her class, having skipped two grades. And that 2-year difference is glaringly obvious to Lou. She is tiny compared to everyone else, and the popular girls, Axelle and Lea, are pretty. And Lucas, at the back of the class, is totally self-assured, even when their teacher is admonishing him.
Lou chooses the topic of homelessness for her presentation. Her teacher, Mr. Marin, is excited by the topic and offers to supply her with articles and statistics. Lou tells him that she's going to interview some of the homeless in the city for an inside view. This is how she comes to meet No(lwenn).
She spots No at the train station. Lou likes to people watch, and the station is one of her favorite places to do this. After tentative steps, Lou convinces No to join her at a local café, and the two begin to talk. No is very hesitant at first, and refuses to talk about herself, only those on the street with her. As time goes by, No starts to wait for Lou to arrive.
When Lou's project is over, No disappears. Lou is haunted by the desperation in No's face, and decides to do something about it. Lou asks her family if No can move in with them, but her family has issues of their own. Her mother lost a young baby and has never been the same since. Her father has been juggling a job and home responsibilities. But surprisingly, they agree to allow No into their home.
Once No arrives, Lou learns firsthand how living on the street can affect someone to the core. Even with the acceptance of Lou's family, and the aid provided by Lucas, No has trouble trying to embrace a life she's unfamiliar with. No's own mother didn't love her and No has let positive chances slip through her fingers. No's struggles are a harsh awakening for Lou, but throughout, Lou tries to save No.
NO AND ME was originally released in 2007 in French. It was translated to English in 2009 and we are now finally able to enjoy this wonderful story. If you did not know that it was originally published in French, you'd have no idea that English wasn't the original language. The story translates beautifully and is written in such a way that No and Lou could be in any city. Though it takes place in Paris, the story is applicable to any large city that has a homeless population.
If this story opens your eyes to just one homeless person, I think it has done its job well. After all, as Lou ponders in the book, if everyone helped just one of the homeless, think of what a better place the world would be.
