MISS UNICORN

MISS EENHOORN (MISS UNICORN)
year:
2019

genre:

children's book, 80 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Floor de Goede
age:

6+


Miss Eenhoorn is a first reading book. The sentences are short, there are plenty of full colour illustrations (on every page) and not too much text. It's the story of 5 'kids' (small horses) who want to take part in the Miss Unicorn Election, but they are not allowed for various reasons (one because she is a zebra, two because they are boys, and two because they are way too small). But with the help of the mother of the main character (the zebra girl) they start protesting... and end up at the election anyway. A unicorn story about chances for everyone, joyful and diverse. 

A special on this book by the Dutch Literature Fund, aimed at possible translations, is to be found here. 
And here you'll find a 1-minute clip about this book.

THE BOY THAT SKATED WITH THE ANIMALS

DE JONGEN DIE MET DE DIEREN SCHAATSTE (THE BOY THAT SKATED WITH THE ANIMALS)
year:
2018

genre:

childrens book, 48 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Sanne te Loo
age:

6+

I have been friends with ex-speedskater Beorn Nijenhuis for years. And his athlete story is perfect for a children's book: growing up as a Canadian kid, skating in winter at his family's own lake, to being one of the speedskaters starting for The Netherlands at the Olympics in Torino, Italy. Sanne te Loo made Beorns story into a wonderfully warmhearted document and Maarten Deckers did the book design. The book has little text, is based on Beorns life story and answers questions like: is the future athlete already part of the 8-year old boy, and vice versa?

JUST THROW THIS BOOK OUT OF THE WINDOW

GOOI DIT BOEK MAAR UIT HET RAAM (JUST THROW THIS BOOK OUT OF THE WINDOW)
year:

2005

genre:

first reader, 58 p.

publisher:

Zwijsen, Tilburg

illustrator:
Anjo Mutsaars
age:

7+

Another upbeat first reader, about a group of children that have reading-difficulties, but they also have... a non-conformist extra teacher.

THE FUN

DE LOL (THE FUN)
year:

2004

genre:

first reader, 32 p.

publisher:

Zwijsen, Tilburg

illustrator:
Martijn van der Linden
age:

6+

At the very easiest reading level, this is a story about two moles that have been together since forever. But the female mole misses 'the fun' and leaves her husband. He runs after her and asks all kinds of animals about their idea of 'fun'.  In the end he finds his wife back. And the fun. Great tongue-in-cheek scraper-boards illustrations by Martijn van der Linden.

PRINCE ZERO

PRINS NUL (PRINCE ZERO)
year:

2004

genre:

first reader, 58 p.

publisher:

Zwijsen, Tilburg

illustrator:
Marc Terstroet
age:

7+

A funny book in easy language about a Mink, a regular guy, that doesn't know he is a prince. Apparently. One day he is taken away from his beloved trees and beloves birds to serve his country. There is one bird who by accident accompanies him: the plain bird called the common linnet. Bird and prince don't think highly of themselves, but in the end they both save the day. 

ZEA WAS HERE

ZOOTJE WAS HIER (ZEA WAS HERE)
year:

2004

genre:

first reader, 64 p.

publisher:

De Eenhoorn, Wielsbeke

illustrator:
Carll Cneut
age:

8+
rights sold:
French (Éditions du Rouergue), Portuguese (Brazil, SM).

Still one of my personal favourites. This was my first chance to work with the great Carll Cneut. He made wonderful colour-illustrations for my first reader (short sentences of no more than eight words) about a boy who tries to help two illegal children. Or: 'Hello, my name is Tepper. The children at school tease me about my lazy eye. I hope that you won't do that. Last summer, I found two black boys in my secret hut. They had fled their country and wanted to stay here. As they were not allowed to stay, they went into hiding. We played together all summer and became close friends. After a while, we were four: Zea the ghost had joined us. Or did we only invent her to deal with difficult situations?'       

- A partial translation in German, by Rolf Erdorf, is available.

PUP AND KIT

PUP EN KIT (PUP AND KIT)
year:

2002

genre:

first reader, 64 p.

publisher:

De Eenhoorn, Wielsbeke

illustrator:
Geert Vervaeke
age:

6+
awards:
IBBY White Raven 2003
rights sold:
Chinese (Petrel Publishing House)

A sweet and funny range of adventures of the little puppy Pup and the little kitten Kit, who are as mischievous as lovely. Written for very very early readers, at the simplest level.