Daniel Pennac

Daniel Pennac, born Daniel Pennacchioni on 1 December 1944 in Casablanca, French Morocco, is a French novelist and comic book writer. The son of a colonial army officer and a self-taught reader, his itinerant childhood across Africa, Southeast Asia, and France fostered a deep love of literature. After studying in Nice, he became a teacher before turning to writing. He is best known for his humorous, imaginative "La Saga Malaussène" series, featuring the professional scapegoat Benjamin Malaussène and his family in Paris's Belleville district. Pennac's work ranges from the playful to the scholarly, as seen in his essay *Comme un roman*. In comics, his most notable collaboration was with artist Jacques Tardi on *Débauche*, a graphic novel addressing unemployment. He also contributed to the *Lucky Luke* series. Pennac received the prestigious Prix Renaudot in 2007 for his essay *Chagrin d'école*. His legacy lies in his ability to blend wit, social commentary, and a deep affection for storytelling across both prose and sequential art.