THE BAMBOO GIRL

HET BAMBOEMEISJE (THE BAMBOO GIRL)
year:
2021

genre:

children's book, graphic novel, 260 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Mattias De Leeuw

age:

9+

rights sold:

Italian (Sinnos)

awards:

White Raven 2021

Mattias De Leeuw and I based this story on the oldest folk tale form Japan (The Bamboo Cutter), but we made a very free interpretation. A mysterious girl is born between the bamboo an old couple is living off. She grows up to be the most beautiful young woman and soon she attracts all kinds of suitors, including princes and noblemen. But she has eyes for nobody. Why is that? What is her secret? Mattias created a wonderful and rich graphic novel out, with full colour images on each and everyone of the 260 pages.  

THERE WAS A TINCAN IN THE GRASS

ER LAG EEN TROMMELTJE IN HET GRAS (THERE WAS A TINCAN IN THE GRASS)

year:

2020

genre:

picture book, 32 p.

publisher:

Querido
illustrator:
Sanne te Loo

age:

5+

awards:

Silver Slate 2021

 

This story is about time. A young boy finds a tincan at a flee market, loses it in his way home, and then we go back in time... To see that the tincan once belonged to Lina, who used it to store a personal treasure when she was small. But then she forgot about it and years later, after her death, her daughters selll the tincan... to the young boy. From that point in the story we go forward: what happens when it's the boy's turn to grow old? Sanne te Loo beautifully illustrated this journey through the decades, and she reveils to the viewer what Lina's treasure was... The book ends with a treasure map that leads the children once again through the years and provides them with the last missing links...

THE EUROVISION SONG CONTEST (with Jelmer Soes and Dave Boomkens)

HET EUROVISIE SONGFESTIVAL (THE EUROVISION SONG CONTEST, together with Jelmer Soes and Dave Boomkens)
year:
2020 
genre:

non-fiction, 240 p.

publisher:

Querido
illustrator:
several (photographs)

age:

9+ and adults

2020 marks the year that I got to be one of the founders of  www.eurostory.nl, an online magazine that combines literature, stories and the Eurovision Song Contest. Apart from that, the Netherlands won the contest in 2019, with Duncan Laurence, which means the festival will be held in Rotterdam - my home town (although now the festival got postponed by a year because of covid-19).

From these facts a question rose: to write an encyclopedia-like book about the Eurovision Song Contest. I wrote this together with my Eurostory-colleagues Jelmer Soes and Dave Boomkens: a quite voluminous book in which all years, all songs and all stories found their place.
For every edition (the festival celebrates 65 years!) there's a piece about the winner, about the Dutch contestant, about the 'funniest lyrical line' that was sung that year, there's a list with all names and points, and there are extra stories that were worth being told. Besides that there are many beautiful pictures, some of them were never printed before. And there's a preface by our Eurovision commentator Cornald Maas!

The book is suited for both adults and children, and was beautifully designed by Roald Triebels.

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.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU TRIP OVER A HIPPO

WAT JE MOET DOEN ALS JE OVER EEN NIJLPAARD STRUIKELT (WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU TRIP OVER A HIPPO)
year:
2019 
genre:

poetry, 64 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Martijn van der Linden
age:

9+
awards:
Silver Slate 2020
Silver Pencil 2020
White Raven 2020
Golden Poetry Medal 2020
Honorary mention Big Poetry Award 2020
The poem 'What to do when you worry about a friendship' was awarded with a Poetry Star 2020

These 25-poems go under the title of What to do when you trip over a hippo and they also have a second title: Poems that are of use ('Gedichten waar je wat aan hebt'). The title of every poem starts with 'What to do when...'  and several 'questions' are being 'answered': What to do when you don't know what to draw? What to do when you are waiting for a train? What to do when you don't like your name? 
Martijn van der Linden, my brilliant campanion for our Vote for the okapi-book, now delivers 25 large and stunning illustrations in full colour. And I must say, it's one of those books that I'm kinda sad about because it's ready and published - it was such a joy making it! 
Thanks also to Steef Liefting, who did the book design. 

A special on this book by the Dutch Literature Fund, aimed at possible translations, is to be found here. 
There are also some poems translated into English by David Colmer. Ask for them at my mail: e.vendel@chello.nl.    
And here you'll find a 1-minute clip about this book.

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.

SOFIE AND THE ELEPHANTS

SOFIE EN DE OLIFANTEN (SOFIE AND THE ELEPHANTS)
year:
2018

genre:

childrens book, with comic- and non-fiction-elements, 144 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Floor de Goede (illustrations and comics)
Ype+Willem (photo-comics)
age:

8+

In this sixth book about Sofie we again combine several elements (text, illustrations on every page, comics, photo-comics, short non-fiction pieces and extra's at the end of the book). Sofies parents are abroad for work, so Sofie stays at her grandparent's house. But they have another guest as well: a grumpy old zookeeper who doesn't know what to do with himself, after his retirement. But then he starts telling the story about two baby elephants. Sofie and her best friends Timmie and Billie are mesmerized. And there is even a surprise at the end. A big surprise...

- The other volumes are called:
SOFIE EN DE PINGUÏNS (2010)
SOFIE EN HET VLIEGENDE JONGETJE (2012)
SOFIE EN HET IJSBEERTJE (2013)
SOFIE EN DE DOLFIJNEN (2014)
SOFIE EN HET GEHEIME PAARD (2015).

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?

THE BIG AND FORBIDDEN ATTIC

DE GROTE VERBODEN ZOLDER (THE BIG AND FORBIDDEN ATTIC)
year:
2017

genre:

children's book, 200 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

age:

10+

Eddy is almost ten. He lives alone with his parents. One day a mysterious girl walks into his life: she's gonna stay for a few weeks, Eddy isn't told why (some problems with her family?). The girl is beautiful but very silent. Until, one night, she comes knocking at Eddy's bedroom door. She takes him to the entrance of the Big Forbidden Attic. And... as soon as she starts talking, Eddy sees what she is telling him... wonderous creatures, thrilling stories. These nights will change his life. But... no one believed they really happened. Maybe you do? 

A TRAIN FULL OF ZOMBIES

DE ZOMBIETREIN (A TRAIN FULL OF ZOMBIES)
year:
2017

genre:

poetry, 48 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Floor de Goede
age:

8+
awards:
Zilveren Griffel (Silver Slate) 2018
Nominated for the Golden Poetry Medal, 2018
The poem 'De zee is een schilder' was awarded with a Poetry Star 2018

This is the third volume of 'comic poems': it's not an ordinary book of poetry, it's not a comic, but I wrote 22 poems and Floor made two-page-comics out of them.

- A first book full of 'comic-poetry' came out in 2008 and was called GRANDPA SHOWS HIS TOES. This book was awarded with the 'Zilveren Griffel', the Silver Slate, the offical 'best books of the year'. The second volume was made two years later and got an honoray mention for that same prize, and was awarded with the 'best comic book for youth': DRAGONS WITH PLUGS (2010).

WE ARE TIGERS!

WIJ ZIJN TIJGERS! (WE ARE TIGERS!) 
year:
2016

genre:

picture book, 40 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrators:
Ingrid & Dieter Schubert
age:

4+
rights sold:
German (Fischer Sauerländer)
Danish (Turbine)

This picture book is my second with wellknown and renowned artists Ingrid & Dieter Schubert. It's about three small animals boasting about being big and tough: 'Inside we are tigers! No, we are supertigers!' But then a real tiger comes along...

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

I WAS WITH THE DINOSAURS

IK BEN BIJ DE DINOSAURUSSEN GEWEEST (I WAS WITH THE DINOSAURS) 
year:

2016

genre:

picture book, 40 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Floor de Goede 

age:

5+
awards:
Vlag en Wimpel 2017 (Honorary mention Best books for children)
rights sold: 
Danish (Turbine Forlag)

A young boy knows which book he wants to have: the one with the dinosaurs. As soon as he start reading he is in their world. He discovers well-known but also lesser known dinosaurs. But then dinner is ready. And then his family members don't seem to believe he has visited the dinosaur's world. Until...
This stunning picture book by Floor de Goede (we made the SOFIE-series together and three volumes of comic poems) shows what imagination can do. Kids will lose themselves in wide, colourful spreads of dinosaurs, and they also will have been with the dinosaurs, while reading this book.    

SOFIE AND THE SECRET HORSE

SOFIE EN HET GEHEIME PAARD (SOFIE AND THE SECRET HORSE)
year:

2015

genre:

childrens book, with comic- and non-fiction-elements, 144 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Floor de Goede (illustrations and comics)
Ype+Willem (photo-comics)
age:

8+

THE CANCERCHAMPIONSHIP FOR JUNIORS

HET KANKERKAMPIOENSCHAP VOOR JUNIOREN (THE CANCERCHAMPIONSHIP FOR JUNIORS)

year:

2015

genre:

youth novel, 220 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

age:

12+
awards:
Die Besten Sieben, Dezember 2016 (Germany) 
rights sold:
German (Carlsen)

This direct and moving book was written in close cooperation with Roy Looman (20). In over fourty sessions he told me his life-story. He got cancer when he was 15 years old, at a time where he was mainly playing soccer with his friends, working in a supermarket, going to school, having fun, trying to kiss as many girls as he could. The impact it had on his life and on his mind is in the book - and the story is told in a very direct, strong way. It moves from heartfelt to extremely funny (Roy has a great sense of humour), from the start of the disease to the end, and even after that - and we get to know everything, including pretty private episodes. It's amazing what Roy dared to tell, but it's part of his mission: make people aware of what cancer can do to a young mind, in a negative ánd in a positive way. I'm very proud that Roy let me use his voice for this swinging, fast-paced, but yet elaborate novel. It's certainly not a sad book, and this is proven by the first line: 'This must be the sickest game I have ever played. But I can't stand losing, so let me tell you upfront: I'm not going to die.'
 
- This book is promoted by the Dutch Literary Fund, so foreign publishers could apply for translation and production grants here.

VOTE FOR THE OKAPI

STEM OP DE OKAPI (VOTE FOR THE OKAPI)
year:

2015

genre:

non-fiction, 160 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

age:

8+
awards:
Woutertje Pieterse Prijs 2016 (Best book of the year)
Zilveren Griffel 2016 (Best books)
Vlag en Wimpel van de Penseeljury 2016 (Honorary mention for the illustrations)
Tower of Babel Honour Diploma 2018 (Estonia, best book in translation)
rights sold:
Estonian (Päike ja Pilv)


For years it has been my favourite animal: the okapi. This animal that is shy and majestic at the same time, that was discovered only 100 years ago (in Congo), and that bears zebrastripes as well as horns - since it's the only actual familymember of the giraffe.
In this fullcolour book, that illustrator Martijn van der Linden and me have been working on for years, we present 88 reasons to take the okapi as your new preferred animal. The book has nine chapters, and each chapter is different. In the first one we describe the okapi from head to toe, in another one we follow an okapi-zookeeper for some (dramatic) years, there are chapters with just okapi-illustrations, there is one with 4 okapi-poems, there is the okapi museum, in which we collect okapi-pictures (made by many leading illustrators, especially for this book).
It's a book full of passion, it's a book that provides you with everything that there is to know about the okapi, it's funny and light, it's serious and informative, we hope we have convinced you at the end to keep an eye on the shy and majestic animals ánd people around us...

- This book is promoted by the Dutch Literary Fund, so foreign publishers could apply for translation and production grants here.
   

OLIVER

OLIVER (OLIVER)
year:

2015

genre:

young adult novel, 220 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

age:

15+
awards:
Gouden Lijst 2016 (Golden Frame, Best book for younth)

OLIVER is a novel about the sixteen-year old Norwegian boy Oliver Kjelsberg, two years before he will meet the Dutch Tycho Zeling - so, two years before the events descibed in my novel THE DAYS OF BLUEGRASSLOVE. 
OLIVER has great parents, it's summer holiday, he is progressing in his biggest hobby: playing football (he's a goalkeeper), and he has a best friend, Bendik, who is also his nephew. Oliver is not a talker, but does he need to be? 
Well, in this book, all of a sudden his parent's marriage collapses, and within a day some more things happen that make the world seem a whole lot different than Oliver and Bendik always had believed. How do these two boys cope with the scope of events that they are forced to face?

- This book is meant to be read separately. But it could also be seen as a prequel to THE DAYS OF BLUEGRASSLOVE and, in a way, as a sequel to OUR THIRD BODY.
THE DAYS OF BLUEGRASSLOVE slightly deals with 'love',  OUR THIRD BODY with 'friendships' and OLIVER with 'family'. But that's just an indication.

- Together with this book an updated version of the 15-year old THE DAYS OF BLUEGRASSLOVE was released.

AJAX YEARBOOK FOR CHILDREN 2014/2015

AJAX KINDERJAARBOEK 2014/2015 (AJAX YEARBOOK FOR CHILDREN 2014/2015)
year:

2014

genre:

non-fiction, 80 p.

Publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Louis van de Vuurst (photographs)
age:

10+

SUPERGUPPY IS EVERYTHING

SUPERGUPPIE IS ALLES (SUPERGUPPY IS EVERYTHING)
year:

2014

genre:

poetry, 240 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Fleur van der Weel
age:

6+

SOFIE AND THE DOLPHINS

SOFIE EN DE DOLFIJNEN (SOFIE AND THE DOLPHINS)
year:

2014

genre:

childrens book, with comic- and non-fiction-elements, 144 p.

publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Floor de Goede (illustrations and comics)
Ype+Willem (photo-comics)
age:

8andup

AJAX YEARBOOK FOR CHILDREN 2013/2014

AJAX KINDERJAARBOEK 2013/2014 (AJAX YEARBOOK FOR CHILDREN 2013/2014)
year:

2013

genre:

non-fiction, 80 p.

Publisher:

Querido, Amsterdam

illustrator:
Louis van de Vuurst (photographs)
age:

10+

From this season on I write the official Ajax Yearbook for Children. I look back to the season that was and look forward to the season that is coming. For this edition player Daley Blind wrote the preface. I interviewed many others, like for instance Siem de Jong, Viktor Fischer, Lucas Andersen, Nicolai Boilesen, Mickey van der Hart, Daphne Koster and Danny Hoesen.
There are portraits of all the other players, there are lists and reviews, there is information about the trainers et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. The numerous fullcolour pictures are by Ajax photographer Louis van de Vuurst.