Back in 2016, I was walking my dog Odie down the street in New York City when I thought, We have some pretty great adventures. Maybe one day I’ll write a book about them.
Around that same time, I began teaching private French lessons — something that quickly became a deep passion of mine. Over the years, I went on to teach so many students—from four years old to 82—helping them not just learn the language, but fall in love with French. So many people encouraged me to write a book to teach French, but for a long time, it felt just out of reach.
Eventually, I told myself to stop waiting and simply begin. Writing Coucou, Odie became a way to bring together the things I care most about: storytelling, language, and those quiet moments I get to share with my children when we read together.
I was fortunate to get to work with Lee Watson, who helped shape the vision, and illustrator Nathan Yoder, who illustrated and brought color and depth to my words, both English and French.
This book is a piece of me — my language, my heritage, my love for teaching, and my belief in the power of stories to create connection.
And yes, Odie was a real dog, and I miss him very much.
— Jérémie Carlson
