Synopsis

Bonjour, Brains, and Bark! STEM meets storybook. Tech meets tail wags. And a little dog learns the biggest lesson of all: how to stay human in a high-tech world. Meet Henri—the Yorkie with a nose for trouble and a mind for tech—in a Parisian romp that makes AI, blockchain, and biotech as fun as a game of fetch!Say bonjour to curiosity, courage, and coding! Meet Henri le Curieux—a spunky Yorkshire Terrier with a heart full of questions and a nose for adventure. Based on a real-life Yorkie in Paris, this charmingly illustrated tale follows Henri and his band of furry friends through the cobbled streets and cafés of the City of Light... until one fateful day, a mysterious package arrives. Inside? Emma—a brilliant, kind-hearted AI robot with secrets of her own. And just like that, Henri’s life changes forever. Suddenly, the world is bigger, brighter, and more puzzling than ever. From machine learning and blockchain to biotechnology and the power of human (and canine!) connection, Henri and Emma embark on a mission to understand what it really means to be smart, to be seen, and to belong. Written by Marine Leboeuf and gorgeously illustrated by Yuli Sam, Henri le Curieux is the first in a groundbreaking new children’s series that makes big ideas beautifully bite-sized. Perfect for curious kids, tech-loving families, and anyone who believes the future is something we build—together. STEM meets storybook. Tech meets tail wags. And a little dog learns the biggest lesson of all: how to stay human in a high-tech world.

About The Author

Once upon a spreadsheet, Marina Bykova was the kind of senior banking executive who could navigate mergers, acquisitions, and market chaos with one hand while translating financial statements in four languages with the other. A graduate of Duke’s Fuqua School of Business with two master’s degrees in economics and finance, she led high-level financial operations for Citigroup in New York, served as CFO for Citibank Russia during both boom years and crises, and played a central role in Sberbank’s expansion across Europe. She founded two companies in Austria. She had titles like “Managing Director” and “Global Strategy Leader.” She wore excellent shoes. And then, somewhere between Zurich and Vienna, something unexpected happened. She moved to France. She became a citizen. And she began writing picture books. Under the nom de plume Marine Leboeuf, Marina is now the author of Henri le Curieux, a critically acclaimed children’s series starring an inquisitive Parisian Yorkie and his unlikely best friend—an AI robot named Emma. Together, they explore what it means to stay curious, kind, and unmistakably human in a world growing more digital by the day. Set in Paris—the global capital of lights and learning—Henri le Curieux is both a love letter to lifelong wonder and a philosophical playground for young minds living in an AI-native world. Marine lives in Paris full-time and writes from a sunlit desk near the Seine. She still balances numbers beautifully, but these days, they’re page counts. With more Henri adventures on the way, she’s just getting started.Yuli Sam (a.k.a. Yulia Samorukova) is a globe-hopping illustrator originally from Russia, now happily nestled in France—where she spends her days bringing curious creatures (and curious Yorkies) to life. For the past five years, she’s been cooking up stories in watercolor, pixels, and dreams—creating children’s books, visual essays, and educational projects that charm both hearts and headmistresses.   Her signature style is a delicious blend of stylized characters, ornamental details, and a color palette as soft as Henri’s ears. Her Ma Mongolie series has been exhibited in France, while her illustrations brighten Russian language textbooks for bilingual children in the UK’s Znanie School—because why shouldn’t conjugation be cute?   Beyond the brush, Yuli’s website is a treasure trove of essays on creativity, freedom, and feeling deeply—all written with the same gentle soul she brings to every page. To her, illustration isn’t about copying the world. It’s about whispering its secret magic into the hearts of the next generation.