THE DOVE THAT COULDN'T DIVE

DE DUIF DIE NIET KON DUIKEN (THE DOVE THAT COULDN'T DIVE)
year:

2011

genre:

picture book, 32 p.

publisher:

De Eenhoorn, Wielsbeke

illustrator:
Alain Verster
age:

6+
awards:
Die besten 7 Februar 2012 (Germany)
Kinder- und Jugenbuchliste SR Sommer 2012 (Germany)
LesePeter August 2012 (Germany)
Prijs Best Vormgegeven Boeken (Kind) 2012 (for the bookdesign)
rights sold:
German (Gerstenberg)
Norwegian (Cappelen Damm)
Chinese (Taiwan) (Reader Publishing)
Chinese (mainland) (Petrel Publishing House)
Danish (Turbine)
Italian (Comma 22)



Danish cover

This is the first picture book young illustrator Alain Verster and me made together. He also graduated from art school with this project. I wrote the tekst for him after having seen a big illustration with pigeons. This is the story: it's graduation day for the young doves. They have to show that they can dive down to the ground and pick up some crumbs. The father and mother pigeons are watching. Telemark is waiting for his turn in fright. He has never made a successful dive and he is sure he will fail the test... Or maybe not?

- Proof translations in English, French, Maltese, Finnish, Slovene and Estonian available.         

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.

ONE MILLION BUTTERFLIES

EEN MILJOEN VLINDERS (ONE MILLION BUTTERFLIES)
year:

2007

genre:

picture book, 32 p.

publisher:

De Eenhoorn, Wielsbeke

illustrator:
Carll Cneut
age:

6+
awards:
Zilveren Griffel 2008 (Best books for children)
Plantin-Moretusprize for the bookdesign
rights sold:
Danish (Lamberths Forlag)
German (Boje)
French (Pastel)
Italian (Adelphi)
Portuguese (Portugal) (Kual)
Portuguese (Brazil) (Cosac Naify)
Slovenian (Narava)
Spanish (Spain) (Barbara Fiore)
Norwegian (Cappelen Damm)
Chinese (Taiwan) (Reader Publishing)
Chinese (mainland) (Petrel Publishing House)
Georgian (Bakur Sulakauri)
Romanian (Signatura)
Ukrainian (Nebo Art Publishing)
South-African (Protea Boekhuis)

The big picture book I got to make with Carll Cneut! My most wide-spread book, up til this date, thanks to the great illustrations. The story: Nelius first sees them in the middle of the night: the butterflies. They fly around his head, one million of them. His parents tell him that it is time to start on his journey. Nelius follows the butterflies and meets many animals. Some of them are too young, but others are old enough to know what the butterflies mean. The butterflies guide him to the love of his life!

- A proof-translation in English is available.
- The book was also issued with a cd with the story, read by the famous Flemish actor Roel Vanderstukken.