A new book series aimed at children, “La Classe Fantastique” (The Fantastic Class), launched on February 25, 2026, with a focus on inclusivity and celebrating neurodiversity. The series, written by Emmanuelle Cosso and illustrated by Camouche, is designed to be accessible to children with dyslexia, featuring specific typographic choices and page layouts to aid readability.
Cosso, motivated by her own feelings of being an outsider and witnessing bright students being marginalized by the traditional education system, conceived of the series to validate the experiences of neuroatypical children. “The starting point of the project was really to value difference, to tell them ‘you are going to struggle a bit, it’s going to be harder for you than for others, you’re going to have to hang in there, but don’t worry, since everything will be alright and you will bring a lot to the world,’” Cosso explained.
The first installment, “Le mystère Aliocha” (The Mystery of Aliocha), introduces Greg, a young narrator who dreams of becoming a pilot despite being dyslexic. The story centers around a new student, Aliocha, whose unusual appearance and behavior spark Greg’s curiosity, leading him to investigate. The series avoids explicitly naming specific learning difficulties, instead portraying the challenges children face through Greg’s observations. For example, the book depicts a classmate, Scarlett, struggling with a geometry exercise and falling asleep from exhaustion, without offering a formal diagnosis of dyspraxia.
The books are not intended solely for children with neurodevelopmental differences. Cosso emphasized the importance of creating an inclusive environment where all children can witness themselves represented. “Our project is aimed at everyone, not just children with neuroatypical disorders. The point is to avoid labeling and to speak to students facing these difficulties as much as to those who interact with them,” she said. “That’s why we didn’t want to create a special class that would only group together children who are different.”
The creation of “La Classe Fantastique” involved close collaboration with specialists. Cosso worked with a speech therapist specializing in learning disabilities to refine the text and ensure it aligned with the reading patterns and challenges faced by dyslexic children. This collaboration extended to the physical design of the books, with attention paid to font choices, sentence length, and page layout to minimize visual stress and improve comprehension. Phrases are short, with careful line breaks, and no sentences span two pages.
Cosso hopes the series will encourage children who struggle with reading to embrace books and continue exploring literature. Each book concludes with a glimpse into the future, showing the characters as adults pursuing their passions – Scarlett becoming a veterinarian, Aliocha utilizing his unique talents professionally, and Greg overcoming his dyslexia to become a writer – offering a message of hope and possibility.
