Le Scarabée et l’océan

Nour is 11 years old, entering 6th grade and arrives from a country where masculine and feminine no longer exist. Sixty years ago, Ustrilie even adopted a "gender-neutral grammar reform".

Nour is Tala's child. Tala works for Unesco and has just been transferred to France. As she enters the school, Nour discovers that humans are divided into two teams, "girls" and "boys". Nour finds it hard to adapt, and triggers laughter from the others without understanding why. Fortunately, Nour is able to talk to her imaginary friend, a beetle, and meets Eli, whom everyone insists on calling Eliott: the two children form a deep friendship in which they can confide their secrets.