LITTLE FOX

VOSJE (LITTLE FOX)
year:
2018

genre:

children's book, 80 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Marije Tolman
age:

6+
awards:
Silver Pencil 2019 (for the illustrations)
Silver Slate 2019 (for the text)
Nominatie Boekenleeuw 2019 (Belgium)
White Raven 2019
Kröte des Monats Februar 2020 (Austria)
Die Besten 7 von März 2020 (Germany)

Nomination Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis 2021 (Germany)
rights sold:
Russian (KompasGuide)
German (Gerstenberg)
French (Albin Michel)
Italian (Il Castoro)
English (USA) (Levine Querido)
Iran (Read My World)

Lithuanian (Nieko Rimto)
Macedonian (Chudna Suma)
Spanish (Argentina) (Adriana Hidalgo/Pípala)
Slovenian (Sanje)
Slovak (IKAR)

Turkish (MEAV)

Chinese (Mainland) (Jieli)

A fox, not more than a few months old, plays and plays in his natural surroundings - but when it jumps of a bunker it falls flat on the ground. From this unconscious state a dream begins. In this dream he relives his whole life - but oh, what is the little boy doing in the book? Is he on his way to save the little fox? 
This book is illuminated by the magical illustrations of Marije Tolman. She used mixed techniques to create a whole new world - in which Little Fox is carried and loved. Her work is a writer's dream.  

 A special on this book by the Dutch Literature Fund, aimed at possible translations, is to be found here.

CHEER-UP BIRD

OPVROLIJKVOGELTJE (CHEER-UP BIRD)

year:

2015

genre:

picture book, 40 p.

publisher:

Lemniscaat, Rotterdam

illustrators:
Ingrid & Dieter Schubert
age:

4+
rights sold:
English (USA) (Lemniscaat)
Chinese (Mainland) (Tomorrow)
German (Fischer Sauerländer)

This picture book is my first with wellknown and renowned artists Ingrid & Dieter Schubert. This collabration was one I have always dreamed off - and now the book is here. It's about a cheer-up bird who takes care of all the amimals' bad moods, by shedding light and bringing hope to everyone. But: what happens at the end of the day when she is exhausted and tired herself? 

- A full English translation is available, as well as a pdf.

I'LL ROOT FOR YOU

IK JUICH VOOR JOU (I'LL ROOT FOR YOU)
year:

2013

genre:

poetry,  48 p.

Publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Wolf Erlbruch

age:
10+
awards:
Golden Poetry Medal 2014 (best book of children's poetry over the last two years)
Vlag en Wimpel 2014 (Honorary mention Best books for children)
rights sold:
English (USA) (Eerdmans)
Spanish (Spain) (Barbara Fiore)

The grandmaster of German illustration, Wolf Erlbruch, made many fantastic images about animals doing sports. My Publisher asked me to write new poems to these illustration. This was a big honour for me. The poems are about losing, winning, about secrets of athletes, and there is a speech in denglish (dutch/english).

- This title was chosen as one of the ten poetry volumes to be promoted in the Dutch Poetry Week 2014 (the other 9 volumes were all for adults)
- German and English translation of the poems available

THE DOG THAT NINO DIDN'T HAVE

HET HONDJE DAT NINO NIET HAD (THE DOG NINO DIDN'T HAVE)
year:

2013

genre:

picture book, 32 p.

publisher:

De Eenhoorn, Wielsbeke

illustrator:
Anton Van Hertbruggen
age:

6+
awards:
Prix Sorcières 2015 (France)
Boekenpauw 2014 (Best illustrations, Belgium, for the illustrator)
Gulden Palet 2014 (Best illustrations, Netherlands, for the illustrator)
Besten 7 August 2015 (Germany)
Silver Medal (Best books of the year, by Society of Illustrators, USA, for the illustrations)
Deutsche Jugendliteratur Preis 2016 (Germany)
rights sold:

Franse uitgave

Chinese (mainland) (Petrel Publishing House)
Danish (Turbine)
French (Didier Jeunesse)
English (USA) (Eerdmans)
German (Coppenrath Verlag - Bohem Press)
Portuguese (Brazil) (Pulo do Gato)
Korean (Jiyangsa)
Russian (Samokat)
Ukrainian (Bobrovnikova L.A.)
Turkish (Final Kültür Sanat Yayınları)
Macedonian (Ars Lamina)
Spanish (Argentina) (Limonero)
Slovenian (Sodobnost)

Nino is the proud owner of an imaginary little dog. When he goes to the forest, the little dog he doesn’t have mimics a squirrel. When he goes to the lake, the little dog jumps fearlessly into the deep. But sometimes the little dog acts so silly, that it stands out. One day Nino doesn’t have the little dog anymore. Instead he has gotten a real little dog. This little dog doesn’t dare to climb trees. But that’s not so bad, because Nino has many imaginary animals... This is the first book of young illustrator Anton Van Hertbruggen, and immediately he won the biggest prize there is to be won in Flanders... And afterwards he repeated that trick in The Netherlands, France, USA and in Germany!

- Proof translation in English is available

SAM IN WINTER

DE RAADSELS VAN SAM (SAM IN WINTER)

year:

2012

genre:

children's book, 144 p.

Publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Philip Hopman

age:
8+
awards:
Honor Book  Paterson Prize for Young People (USA)
rights sold:
German (Carlsen)
Estonian (Päike ja Pilv)
English (USA) (Eerdmans)
French (L'école des loisirs)
Czech (Petrkov)

This second story about the beautiful dog Sam is, just as SAM SHOWED UP, based on a real dog, a real story, and real dog-owners: my brother's family in Canada. In this book the dog disappears and 9-year old Kix sets off in search of him. The book is just as dear to me as the first one. The beautiful black and white illustrations were once again made by Philip Hopman, whose pencil masters all animals and all children.

- The Dutch Translation Fund made a special on both the books about Sam - here.
- This book can be read separately, or as the follow-up book of SAM SHOWED UP.

A DOG LIKE SAM

TOEN KWAM SAM (A DOG LIKE SAM)

year:

2011

genre:

children's book, 128 p.

Publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Philip Hopman

age:

US cover

8+
awards:
Zilveren Griffel 2012 (Silver Slate Award, best books for children)
List of best books, chosen by Estonian child care (Estonia)
Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People 2017 (USA)
rights sold:
German (Carlsen)
French (L'école des loisirs)
Estonian (Päike ja Pilv)
English (USA) (Eerdmans)
Czech (Petrkov)
Afrikaans (Protea Boekhuis), and the other ten languages of South-Africa: Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu and African English (South African Department of Arts and Culture).

Estonian cover

This story is based on the real events that occurred when I was visiting my brother's family in Canada. This beautiful dog appeared - and it decided to stay. But it had a heartwrenching history, that urged my nephew Kix (the young main character in the book) to act, because no-one else but him could save Sam... The book is very dear to me. It got great response, together with the second volume (SAMS MYSTERIES), which belongs to this first book as a twin story. The beautiful black and white illustrations were made by Philip Hopman, whose pencil masters all animals and all children.



German cover

- The Dutch Translation Fund made a special on this book - here.
- A full professional translation in English by David Colmer is available.
- In 2012 the folllow-up to this book came out: SAMS MYSTERIES.
- The South-African Department of Arts and Culture chose this book to be translated in all eleven official languages of South-Africa and spread amongst school children in the entire country.

FOR YOU AND NO ONE ELSE

VOOR JOU, VOOR WIE ANDERS? (FOR YOU AND NO ONE ELSE)
year:

2008

genre:

picture book, 32 p.

publisher:

Lemniscaat, Rotterdam (rights at the author)
illustrator:

Martijn van der Linden
age:

6+
rights sold:
Italian (Lemniscaat/Il Castello), English (USA) (Lemniscaat/Boyds Mills Press)

A small picture book in black and white (and one colour) about Deer and Sparkle Deer, about their friendship-since-long, until the day that Sparkle Deer is more and more interested in female deer. Is their friendship betrayed? Or do they find a new way to be friends?

CHATBOX

CHATBOX
year:

2006

genre:

poetry, young adult, 48 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

age:

15+
rights sold:
English (USA) (A midsummer night's press) (selection of the poems, together with a selection of poems of my book QUOTATION MARKS)

As I wrote the novel OUR THIRD BODY, something extraordinary happened: I started writing poetry with somebody else's hand - with Tycho Zelings hand, the 19 years old main character of that novel. A separate volume was published, containing his/mine poems about the angers and joys of young people living in a big city, and, most of all, poems about love and the fire that goes with it.

- Some of the poems are available in German, translated by Rolf Erdorf.

SUPER GUPPY

SUPERGUPPIE (SUPER GUPPY)
year:

2003

genre:

poetry, 64 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Fleur van der Weel
age:

6+
awards:
Woutertje Pietersprijs 2004 (best children's book)
Zilveren Griffel 2004 (best books for children)
Vlag en Wimpel 2004 (for the illustrations)
Die Besten Sieben Dezember 2008 (Germany)
Buch des Monats November 2008 (Germany)
Recommended pick voor National Poetry Day 2020 (United Kingdom)
rights sold:
French (Éditions Être)
German (Boje)
English (UK) (The Emma Press)

For this first volume of children's poetry for a younger age (four more volumes would follow) I made 51 short poems, always with a quite practical, normal-day title and subject, then trying to give it a poetical or funny swing. The fantastic playful illustrations by Fleur van der Weel make all the poems coherent. This was and is my number one bestselling book in Holland, nicely helped by the prestigious Woutertje Pieterse Award.

- Follow-up volumes were
SUPERGUPPIE KRIJGT KLEINTJES (2005),
DE GROETEN VAN SUPERGUPPIE (2008),
HOERA VOOR SUPERGUPPIE! (2010)
and the big collection of all the volumes (& new poems as well) SUPERGUPPIE IS ALLES (2014).
- The Dutch Translation Fund made a special on this book, to be found here.
- In 2005 I made a cd with composer and producer Edwin Schimscheimer. The poems were turned into lyrics and Edwin made songs out of it, which were sung by a terrific bunch of famous Dutch artists (under the title SUPERGUPPIE ZINGT, Superguppy sings).

QUOTATION MARKS

AANHALINGSTEKENS (QUOTATION MARKS)
year:

2000

genre:

poetry, 48 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

age:

15+
rights sold:
English (USA) (A midsummer night's press) (selection of the poems, together with a selection of poems of my book CHATBOX)

This third volume of poetry contained poems about love, about sensuality, as well as a sequence about sports and one where I wrote poems to six famous classical paintings (also depicted in the book). The wonderful bookdesign was done by Barbara van Dongen Torman.

THE DAYS OF BLUEGRASSLOVE

Cover of the third edition

DE DAGEN VAN DE BLUEGRASSLIEFDE (THE DAYS OF BLUEGRASSLOVE)
year:

1999

genre:

young adult novel, 148 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

age:

15+
awards:
Gouden Zoen 2000 (Golden Kiss Award, best book for youth)
foreign editions:
German (Carlsen)
Latvian (Liels un Mazs)
English (USA, Levine Querido)

Cover of the second edition

My first young adult novel, and still in print! It's an intense lovestory - between Tycho (18) from Holland and Oliver (18) from Norway. They meet in a youth camp in the USA and fall in love. The book is all about experiencing your first life-changing love-affair (in this case: between two boys), and trying to find your way in this new reality.

Second German cover

- The Dutch Translation Fund made a special on this book - here.
- A proof translation in English is available.
- There were two German editions. First it was published under the title SPRING WENN DU DICH TRAUST, later it was re-issued as DIE TAGE DER BLUEGRASSLIEBE.
- In 2006 I wrote a folllow-up to this book, ONS DERDE LICHAAM (OUR THIRD BODY), and in 2015 a prequel was published, OLIVER.