Xabi Molia
Élise Peyrache illustrator

Je suis une ville

January 16, 2026
Children’s Book
32 pages
280 × 280 mm
16 €
9791040122388
979-1-0401-2238-8
Ages 6 to 9—Large square format
																Xabi Molia, Je suis une ville
																Xabi Molia, Je suis une ville

A spectacular album exploring imaginary cities, each more astonishing than the last.

Xabi Molia and Elise Peyrache take children on an extraordinary journey to discover twelve imaginary cities.
There is the abandoned city where wild animals reign, the city full of monsters that are not scary, the underwater city where mermaids dance, the city divided by a great impassable wall through which the “Vert clair” (Light Green) and the “Vert foncé” (Dark Green), eternal enemies, spy on each other, the crooked city with leaning houses and streets that never run straight, the city we seek but never reach.
Each one is worth a visit, each one has lots of stories to tell.
Élise Peyrache’s illustrations, with their delicate lines reminiscent of Sempé, bring these dreamlike worlds to life. Children will love immersing themselves in her images, full of details and surprises.

the authors

Xabi Molia was born in the Basque Country in 1977. His first novel, Fourbi, was published by Gallimard while he was still a student. After earning a doctorate in film history, he taught at university until 2012, before devoting himself entirely to his dual career as writer and filmmaker. Author of three feature-length fiction films and two documentaries (co-directed with his sister Agnès), he has published seven novels, including Les Premiers, une histoire des super-héros français and Des jours sauvages. In August 2024, Le Seuil published La Vie ou presque.

A young illustrator, Élise Peyrache draws inspiration from artists such as Sempé, Benjamin Chaud, and François Place. She works mainly with Indian ink and watercolors, producing results that are poetic and delicate. Her first album, Nos maisons, published by Saltimbanque Editions, was very well received. She lives in Bordeaux.

January 16, 2026
Children’s Book
32 pages
280 × 280 mm
16 €
9791040122388
979-1-0401-2238-8
Ages 6 to 9—Large square format