The novel «Terrible Children» (1929) — one of the most considerable works of the French poet, writer, playwright, the continuity writer and the artist, a member of the French academy Jean Cocteau (1889–1963). The novel narrates about life of teenagers, about their friendship, love and about the tragedy which broke out within the walls of a children's room. The children’s room — full "personage" of the novel. Allocated with a magic power, it is that ship, on which heroes departure every night for new impressions; a sanctuary where there are a priestess, an altar of love and sacred victims.
In 1934 Cocteau draws with a feather, and in 1935 lets out sixty drawings to «Terrible Children» in an album. Together with the text of the novel they are published in the present edition for the first time. Also for the first time Cocteau's two prefaces are published in Russian.