Jules
Chapter 1 – Jules discovers his fear
Every night, Jules turns on all the lights in his room… but he's still afraid of the dark. What if he used his inventive talent to understand and confront this fear?
Reading difficulty
Jules loves inventing and tinkering in his workshop.
But every night, he is afraid of the dark.
When night falls, his heart beats fast. Shadows frighten him, noises make him jump. He turns on all the lamps in his room, but it's never enough.
As soon as he lies down, he gets this strange feeling... Like something is watching him. He stares at the shadow of his chair on the wall. What if it's moving on its own?
A crackling sound. Jules freezes. His heart pounds. He grabs his flashlight and shines it everywhere. Another noise! He leaps back into the room to turn the lights back on.
No more shadows, no more monsters. Just his workshop.
The next day at school, his friends talked about the night.
"I love looking at the stars!" said Tom.
— And I make shadow puppets! adds Zoé.
Jules is surprised. How can they like the night?
In the evening, Jules looks at himself in the mirror.
— I'm an inventor! If there's something that scares me, I have to find a solution!
He sits down at his desk and writes: "MISSION: TO NO LONGER BE AFRAID OF THE DARK!"
He draws a magic lamp that projects stars. Tomorrow, he will build his invention.
The fear of the dark has met its match: Jules, the inventor of courage!
But every night, he is afraid of the dark.
When night falls, his heart beats fast. Shadows frighten him, noises make him jump. He turns on all the lamps in his room, but it's never enough.
As soon as he lies down, he gets this strange feeling... Like something is watching him. He stares at the shadow of his chair on the wall. What if it's moving on its own?
A crackling sound. Jules freezes. His heart pounds. He grabs his flashlight and shines it everywhere. Another noise! He leaps back into the room to turn the lights back on.
No more shadows, no more monsters. Just his workshop.
The next day at school, his friends talked about the night.
"I love looking at the stars!" said Tom.
— And I make shadow puppets! adds Zoé.
Jules is surprised. How can they like the night?
In the evening, Jules looks at himself in the mirror.
— I'm an inventor! If there's something that scares me, I have to find a solution!
He sits down at his desk and writes: "MISSION: TO NO LONGER BE AFRAID OF THE DARK!"
He draws a magic lamp that projects stars. Tomorrow, he will build his invention.
The fear of the dark has met its match: Jules, the inventor of courage!
Jules loves inventing, tinkering, and solving problems. In his workshop, a corner of his room filled with tools and mechanical parts, he's always dreaming up new machines. His brain is buzzing with ideas, and he loves seeing a sketch on paper become a real object he can test.
But every evening, when night falls, everything changes.
He begins to feel uneasy, his heart beats faster. Familiar objects become ominous shadows, the sounds in the house seem strange and threatening.
So, like every evening, he turns on all the lamps in his room. One on his desk, one on the ceiling, a small nightlight near the bed... Even the workshop door remains ajar to let in the light from the hallway.
But that is never enough.
As soon as he lies down, he gets this unpleasant feeling... As if something is watching him.
He pulls his duvet up to his chin and stares at a corner of his room where the shadow of his chair is silhouetted against the wall. What if that shadow moved on its own?
Jules looks away, his imagination running wild. He closes his eyes, tries to think of something else... but the slightest noise makes him jump.
— What was that?
He grabs his flashlight, hidden under his pillow, and shines it towards the ceiling. Nothing. He listens intently...
A cracking sound.
He freezes. His heart pounds in his chest.
Another noise.
Jules can't take it anymore, he jumps up and runs to the light switch to turn the whole room back on.
Light flooded the room. No more shadows, no more invisible monsters, just his workshop... exactly as he had left it.
He sighs, shakes his head and goes back to bed.
— Tomorrow, I'll go and see where those noises are coming from. It's surely nothing.
But he had already made this promise to himself dozens of times... and he had never dared to investigate once night had fallen.
The next morning at school, Jules hears his friends talking.
"I love looking at the stars through the window at night!" said Tom.
— And I make shadow puppets with my flashlight! adds Zoé.
Jules listens to them, perplexed.
"Do you like the night?" he asked hesitantly.
Tom shrugs.
— Why not? Night is like day, but without the light!
Zoé smiled.
— And then, it's the time when we dream! And sometimes, we see the moon shining. I like that.
Jules stares at them, dumbfounded. How can they love the night when he dreads it so much?
"And you, Jules?" asked Tom.
Jules tenses up. He hesitates to tell them the truth.
— Uh... Me? I prefer it when it's daytime, it's more practical for DIY projects!
His friends don't say anything more, but Jules feels strange.
In the evening, Jules looks at himself in the mirror before going to bed.
— I'm an inventor, aren't I? If something scares me... I have to find a solution!
He turns around and looks at his still-lit room.
— I've already built loads of machines. Why don't I create one that helps me overcome my fear of the dark?
He frowns, raises his chin with determination and heads off to his desk.
On a blank sheet of paper, he wrote in large letters:
"MISSION: TO NO LONGER BE AFRAID OF THE DARK!"
Step 1: Understand why the dark scares me.
Step 2: Find an invention that helps me.
He scratches hishe heads and looks around him.
Is it the silence that frightens him? The strange noises? The shadows?
He needs something to feel safe.
He looks at his desk lamp, then looks up at the ceiling.
— What if...
What if, instead of being afraid of the dark, he could transform it into something beautiful?
He grabs his crayons and starts drawing a magic lamp that projects stars and planets all around his room. A starry sky inside his own world.
His eyelids grew heavy. He yawned, put down his pencil, looked at his sketch one last time...
Tomorrow, he will begin to manufacture his invention.
The fear of the dark has met its match... Jules, the inventor of courage!
But every evening, when night falls, everything changes.
He begins to feel uneasy, his heart beats faster. Familiar objects become ominous shadows, the sounds in the house seem strange and threatening.
So, like every evening, he turns on all the lamps in his room. One on his desk, one on the ceiling, a small nightlight near the bed... Even the workshop door remains ajar to let in the light from the hallway.
But that is never enough.
As soon as he lies down, he gets this unpleasant feeling... As if something is watching him.
He pulls his duvet up to his chin and stares at a corner of his room where the shadow of his chair is silhouetted against the wall. What if that shadow moved on its own?
Jules looks away, his imagination running wild. He closes his eyes, tries to think of something else... but the slightest noise makes him jump.
— What was that?
He grabs his flashlight, hidden under his pillow, and shines it towards the ceiling. Nothing. He listens intently...
A cracking sound.
He freezes. His heart pounds in his chest.
Another noise.
Jules can't take it anymore, he jumps up and runs to the light switch to turn the whole room back on.
Light flooded the room. No more shadows, no more invisible monsters, just his workshop... exactly as he had left it.
He sighs, shakes his head and goes back to bed.
— Tomorrow, I'll go and see where those noises are coming from. It's surely nothing.
But he had already made this promise to himself dozens of times... and he had never dared to investigate once night had fallen.
The next morning at school, Jules hears his friends talking.
"I love looking at the stars through the window at night!" said Tom.
— And I make shadow puppets with my flashlight! adds Zoé.
Jules listens to them, perplexed.
"Do you like the night?" he asked hesitantly.
Tom shrugs.
— Why not? Night is like day, but without the light!
Zoé smiled.
— And then, it's the time when we dream! And sometimes, we see the moon shining. I like that.
Jules stares at them, dumbfounded. How can they love the night when he dreads it so much?
"And you, Jules?" asked Tom.
Jules tenses up. He hesitates to tell them the truth.
— Uh... Me? I prefer it when it's daytime, it's more practical for DIY projects!
His friends don't say anything more, but Jules feels strange.
In the evening, Jules looks at himself in the mirror before going to bed.
— I'm an inventor, aren't I? If something scares me... I have to find a solution!
He turns around and looks at his still-lit room.
— I've already built loads of machines. Why don't I create one that helps me overcome my fear of the dark?
He frowns, raises his chin with determination and heads off to his desk.
On a blank sheet of paper, he wrote in large letters:
"MISSION: TO NO LONGER BE AFRAID OF THE DARK!"
Step 1: Understand why the dark scares me.
Step 2: Find an invention that helps me.
He scratches hishe heads and looks around him.
Is it the silence that frightens him? The strange noises? The shadows?
He needs something to feel safe.
He looks at his desk lamp, then looks up at the ceiling.
— What if...
What if, instead of being afraid of the dark, he could transform it into something beautiful?
He grabs his crayons and starts drawing a magic lamp that projects stars and planets all around his room. A starry sky inside his own world.
His eyelids grew heavy. He yawned, put down his pencil, looked at his sketch one last time...
Tomorrow, he will begin to manufacture his invention.
The fear of the dark has met its match... Jules, the inventor of courage!
Jules loves inventing, tinkering, and solving problems. In his workshop, a corner of his room filled with tools, plans, and mechanical parts, he's always dreaming up incredible new machines. His brain is constantly buzzing with brilliant ideas, and he loves seeing a simple sketch on paper become a real object he can test.
But every evening, when night falls, everything changes.
He begins to feel uneasy, his heart beats faster, and he looks around him suspiciously. Familiar objects become ominous shadows, and the sounds in the house seem strange and threatening.
So, like every evening, he turns on all the lamps in his room. One on his desk, one on the ceiling, a small nightlight near the bed... Even the workshop door remains ajar to let in a sliver of light from the corridor.
But that is never enough.
As soon as he lies down, he gets this unpleasant sensation... As if something is watching him.
He pulls his duvet up to under his chin and stares at a corner of his room where the shadow of his chair is silhouetted against the wall.
What if... this shadow moved all by itself?
Jules looks away, his imagination running wild. He closes his eyes, tries to think of something else... but the slightest noise makes him jump.
— What was that?
He grabs his flashlight, hidden under his pillow, and shines it towards the ceiling. Nothing. He listens intently...
A cracking sound.
He freezes. His heart pounds in his chest.
Another noise.
Jules can't take it anymore, he jumps up and runs to the main switch to turn the whole room back on.
Light flooded the room. No more shadows, no more invisible monsters, just his workshop... exactly as he had left it.
He sighs, shakes his head and goes back to bed.
— Tomorrow, I'll go and see where those noises are coming from. It's surely nothing.
But he had already made that same promise to himself dozens of times... and he had never dared to investigate once night had fallen.
The next day, at school, Jules hears his friends talking in the playground.
"I love looking at the stars through the window at night!" said Tom, miming binoculars with his hands.
"And I make shadow puppets with my flashlight!" adds her friend Zoé, laughing. "I can even make a rabbit and a bird!"
Jules listens to them, perplexed. He approaches them, his hands in his pockets.
"Do you like the night?" he asks, a little hesitantly.
Tom shrugs as if it were obvious.
— Why not? Night is like day, but without the light! It's just different.
Zoé, for her part, smiled gently.
— And then, it's the time when we dream! And sometimes, we see the moon shining very brightly. I like that. It's calm, it's beautiful.
Jules stares at them, dumbfounded. How can they love the night when he dreads it so much? For him, the night is the enemy. A terrifying time when everything becomes hostile.
"And you, Jules?" Tom asked, looking him in the eyes.
Jules tenses up. He hesitates to tell them the truth, but he doesn't want to be laughed at. He doesn't want to look like a baby.
— Uh... Me? He's making an excuse. I prefer it when it's daylight, it's more practical for tinkering! You can see what you're doing better!
His friends say nothing more, but Jules feels strange. He feels like he's lied. Or rather, like he hasn't dared to tell the truth.
The eveningHaving arrived, Jules observes himself in the mirror before going to bed. He looks straight into his eyes, as if he wants to give himself courage.
"I'm an inventor, aren't I?" he said to himself, pointing at himself. "If something scares me... I have to find a solution!"
He turns around and looks at his room, still lit by all the lamps.
— I've already built loads of incredible machines. An automatic ball launcher, a robot that organizes my things, a miniature catapult... Why don't I create one that helps me overcome my fear of the dark?
He frowns, raises his chin with determination, and heads to his desk. He pushes aside a few stray bolts, places a blank sheet of paper in front of him, and grabs a black marker.
On the sheet of paper, he wrote in large letters:
"MISSION: TO NO LONGER BE AFRAID OF THE DARK!"
Below, he notes:
Step 1: Understand why the dark scares me.
Step 2: Find an invention that helps me.
He scratches his head and looks around, his eyes squinting, in total thinking mode.
Is it the silence that frightens him?
Strange noises?
The shadows?
Or just the fact of not seeing anything?
He thinks. He recalls Zoé's words: "At night, it's calm, it's beautiful."
Calm... beautiful... Why doesn't he see it that way?
He needs something to feel safe. Something that transforms the night into a pleasant moment.
He looks at his desk lamp, then raises his eyes to the white ceiling of his room.
— What if...
What if, instead of being afraid of the dark, he could transform it into something beautiful? Something that makes him want to observe it, to contemplate it?
He grabs his colored pencils and starts drawing a magic lamp. A special lamp that projects stars, planets, and comets all around his room. A starry sky inside his own world. A universe all his own.
He sketches small rotating lenses, a silent motor, and LEDs of different colors. He notes on the side: "Soft light, not harsh." He adds: "Maybe even with music?"
His eyelids are starting to feel heavy. He yawns, puts down his pencil, looks at his sketch one last time with a small, satisfied smile...
Tomorrow, he will begin to build his invention. Tomorrow, he will face his fear with his tools, his mind, and his courage.
He goes to bed, the sheet of paper still lying on his desk. That night, even though the lamps are still on, Jules feels a little different. A little stronger.
Because he has a plan.
Because he has a mission.
The fear of the dark has met its match... Jules, the inventor of courage!
But every evening, when night falls, everything changes.
He begins to feel uneasy, his heart beats faster, and he looks around him suspiciously. Familiar objects become ominous shadows, and the sounds in the house seem strange and threatening.
So, like every evening, he turns on all the lamps in his room. One on his desk, one on the ceiling, a small nightlight near the bed... Even the workshop door remains ajar to let in a sliver of light from the corridor.
But that is never enough.
As soon as he lies down, he gets this unpleasant sensation... As if something is watching him.
He pulls his duvet up to under his chin and stares at a corner of his room where the shadow of his chair is silhouetted against the wall.
What if... this shadow moved all by itself?
Jules looks away, his imagination running wild. He closes his eyes, tries to think of something else... but the slightest noise makes him jump.
— What was that?
He grabs his flashlight, hidden under his pillow, and shines it towards the ceiling. Nothing. He listens intently...
A cracking sound.
He freezes. His heart pounds in his chest.
Another noise.
Jules can't take it anymore, he jumps up and runs to the main switch to turn the whole room back on.
Light flooded the room. No more shadows, no more invisible monsters, just his workshop... exactly as he had left it.
He sighs, shakes his head and goes back to bed.
— Tomorrow, I'll go and see where those noises are coming from. It's surely nothing.
But he had already made that same promise to himself dozens of times... and he had never dared to investigate once night had fallen.
The next day, at school, Jules hears his friends talking in the playground.
"I love looking at the stars through the window at night!" said Tom, miming binoculars with his hands.
"And I make shadow puppets with my flashlight!" adds her friend Zoé, laughing. "I can even make a rabbit and a bird!"
Jules listens to them, perplexed. He approaches them, his hands in his pockets.
"Do you like the night?" he asks, a little hesitantly.
Tom shrugs as if it were obvious.
— Why not? Night is like day, but without the light! It's just different.
Zoé, for her part, smiled gently.
— And then, it's the time when we dream! And sometimes, we see the moon shining very brightly. I like that. It's calm, it's beautiful.
Jules stares at them, dumbfounded. How can they love the night when he dreads it so much? For him, the night is the enemy. A terrifying time when everything becomes hostile.
"And you, Jules?" Tom asked, looking him in the eyes.
Jules tenses up. He hesitates to tell them the truth, but he doesn't want to be laughed at. He doesn't want to look like a baby.
— Uh... Me? He's making an excuse. I prefer it when it's daylight, it's more practical for tinkering! You can see what you're doing better!
His friends say nothing more, but Jules feels strange. He feels like he's lied. Or rather, like he hasn't dared to tell the truth.
The eveningHaving arrived, Jules observes himself in the mirror before going to bed. He looks straight into his eyes, as if he wants to give himself courage.
"I'm an inventor, aren't I?" he said to himself, pointing at himself. "If something scares me... I have to find a solution!"
He turns around and looks at his room, still lit by all the lamps.
— I've already built loads of incredible machines. An automatic ball launcher, a robot that organizes my things, a miniature catapult... Why don't I create one that helps me overcome my fear of the dark?
He frowns, raises his chin with determination, and heads to his desk. He pushes aside a few stray bolts, places a blank sheet of paper in front of him, and grabs a black marker.
On the sheet of paper, he wrote in large letters:
"MISSION: TO NO LONGER BE AFRAID OF THE DARK!"
Below, he notes:
Step 1: Understand why the dark scares me.
Step 2: Find an invention that helps me.
He scratches his head and looks around, his eyes squinting, in total thinking mode.
Is it the silence that frightens him?
Strange noises?
The shadows?
Or just the fact of not seeing anything?
He thinks. He recalls Zoé's words: "At night, it's calm, it's beautiful."
Calm... beautiful... Why doesn't he see it that way?
He needs something to feel safe. Something that transforms the night into a pleasant moment.
He looks at his desk lamp, then raises his eyes to the white ceiling of his room.
— What if...
What if, instead of being afraid of the dark, he could transform it into something beautiful? Something that makes him want to observe it, to contemplate it?
He grabs his colored pencils and starts drawing a magic lamp. A special lamp that projects stars, planets, and comets all around his room. A starry sky inside his own world. A universe all his own.
He sketches small rotating lenses, a silent motor, and LEDs of different colors. He notes on the side: "Soft light, not harsh." He adds: "Maybe even with music?"
His eyelids are starting to feel heavy. He yawns, puts down his pencil, looks at his sketch one last time with a small, satisfied smile...
Tomorrow, he will begin to build his invention. Tomorrow, he will face his fear with his tools, his mind, and his courage.
He goes to bed, the sheet of paper still lying on his desk. That night, even though the lamps are still on, Jules feels a little different. A little stronger.
Because he has a plan.
Because he has a mission.
The fear of the dark has met its match... Jules, the inventor of courage!