Little Nicholas

In class, the teacher asks the students to write about what they want to be when they grow up. Each friend has a clear plan, while Nicholas remains unsure and wary of change. The assignment sets the theme for the rest of the story as they navigate aspirations and expectations.

A new student, Joachim, joins the class with news of a baby brother. He resents feeling sidelined, and he suspects his family’s attention will shift as a result. He also notices his father’s unusually affectionate behavior toward his mother.

The next morning Nicholas sees his parents’ affectionate exchange and fears they plan to have another baby. His world feels unsettled as he imagines life changing around him. The idea of a new sibling begins to loom large.

Nicholas shares his suspicions with his friends, who quickly notice Joachim’s sudden absence from school. The group starts to piece together the strange changes around them. They wonder if a baby might be the cause of it all.

Nicholas overhears his parents discussing inviting Mr. Moucheboume and his wife to dinner and misreads it as an impending baby announcement. His imagination runs wild as he fixates on this possible change.

When his father suggests a weekend trip to the woods, Nicholas fears they intend to abandon him for the baby. The worry gnaws at him as the family prepares to leave. He clings to the idea of staying with them.

The journey to the woods ends with Nicholas refusing to get out of the car, and his parents pushing the vehicle back home as the day devolves into a heated argument. The tension highlights his insecurity and desire for reassurance.

Nicholas’s friends band together to form a secret club that brainstorms ways to make his parents proud. They even plan to tidy the house while the grown-ups are away, hoping to win their approval through action.

The tidy-up plan spirals into a bigger mess, leaving the house in disarray. Nicholas ends up grounded for the night, confronting the reality that good intentions aren’t enough. The setback deepens his frustration with his situation.

Feeling defeated, Nicholas runs away from home but quickly regrets it and returns. He begins to understand that his parents’ love and attention are meaningful, even if he doesn’t feel seen at the moment.

The kids hatch a plan to hire a gangster to help with kidnapping, but they learn that Blind Jack is on the loose. Instead, Nicholas contacts someone who operates out of a garage, paying 500 francs for help to strip the “body” down.

They manage to make money by selling a supposed formula for superhuman strength, earning 530 francs. The ruse shows their willingness to bend the rules to secure a positive outcome for Nicholas.

To aid the scheme, they attempt to steal Geoffrey’s father’s car, only to bump into Joachim on the street; he has chickenpox and is with his little brother. The moment makes Nicholas rethink the plan, reminding him of the value of brotherhood.

Nicholas chooses not to go through with the kidnapping. He returns home already excited by the idea of having a brother, though his parents remain perplexed by his change of heart. The family begins to reconnect in a hopeful way.

Later, Nicholas learns his mother is indeed pregnant and gives birth to a girl. He feels mixed emotions at first but learns to laugh again and recalls the teacher’s assignment: his purpose is to make people laugh.