THE BOY WHO FOUND HAPPINESS

DE GELUKVINDER (THE BOY WHO FOUND HAPPINESS)
year:

2008

genre:

young adult novel, 336 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

age:

15+
awards:
Glazen Globe 2009 (Best geographical youth book)
Jenny Smelik IBBYprijs 2010 (Best children's/youth book about cultural diversity)
Esel des Monats September 2012 (Germany)
nominated:
Gouden Lijst 2009 (Best book for youth)
Buxtehuder Bulle 2012 (Germany, runner up)
Premi de Literatura Protagoniste Jove 2012/2013 (Spain, Catalan)
Kulturdepartementets Oversettelseprisen 2014 (Norway, for the translation)
foreign editions:
German (Carlsen)
Norwegian (Cappelen Damm)
Spanish (Spain) (SM)
Catalan (Cruïlla)
Spanish (Mexico, SM)

This novel, which is very dear to me, is based on the true life-story of Anoush Elman (17). It was the first book in the Slash-series, a concept I initiated and that was kindly adopted by my publishing house Querido. In this series well-known authors team up with a younger person - to use their stories as the basic idea for their novel (so the books are 'based on a true story'). Because of this procedure these books try to reflect important tendencies or issues from modern society. THE BOY WHO FOUND HAPPINESS is about the young Hamayun, who has to flee with his family out of Afghanistan, after extreme threats by the Taliban. It's also about the difficult and amazing secret travel they made from Kabul to Western Europa ánd it's about being in a refugee shelter for many, many years, waiting til Immigration Offices make their decision - or not. The subject of this book sounds highly political, but Anoush wanted to tell me not just the bad things, but the good parts as well. 'For me it's actually a book about friendship,' he said, 'friendship and being at home.' I'm still in close contact with Anoush and his family, and this has enriched not only my profession, but also my life.

- The Dutch Translation Fund made a special on this book, to be found here.

- The book was also published as a novel for adults.
- The Slash-series consists of 13 more books, by other authors and other young storytellers.

HORROR GIRL

EEN GRIEZELMEISJE (HORROR GIRL)
year:

2006

genre:

picture book, 36 p.

publisher:

De Eenhoorn, Wielsbeke

illustrator:
Isabelle Vandenabeele
age:

8+, grown ups
rights sold:
French (Éditions du Rouergue)
Spanish (Spain) (Barbara Fiore)

Another text that I wrote to already-existing images by Isabelle Vandenabeele. It's her variation of the classical tale about Bluebeard, more suited for grown-ups maybe, or for kids that like to shiver: one day Louise realises that her life has become boring. She used to be a horror-loving girl, who dared anything and who adored bad boys, like Rotten Boy. Louise wants to do something exciting and goes to Shiver Forest. When she is attacked by a wolf, Rotten Boy rescues her. He takes her to his castle and then leaves her alone. He forbids her to open some of the doors, but of course a horror girl never obeys. This way, Louise discovers that Rotten Boy collects women heads. She can leave the castle just in time and sets a trap for Rotten Boy.

SONG FOR A BABY GIRAFFE

LIED VOOR EEN GIRAFJE (SONG FOR A BABY GIRAFFE)
year:

2004

genre:

poetry, gift book, 32 p.

publisher:

De Eenhoorn, Wielsbeke

illustrator:
Sebastiaan Van Doninck
age:

grown ups
awards:
Boekenpluim (for the illustrations)

'Oh tiny giraffe, who isn't yet full grown, do you hear what I am singing ?' An expectant father giraffe sings a tender song for his unborn baby giraffe. He sings about the world and what it looks like, about the food that hangs in the trees, about the baby's mother who has very long, graceful legs, about possible dangers... He also muses on the differences between a mother, who is always near her child, and a father, who keeps in the background. Fit as a gift for expecting fathers and expecting mothers, this book contains one longer poem and very tender pencil drawings.