Three more translations

It's always mail that writers love to read: those in which the rights manager of your publishing company tells us that there will be another foreign edition of one of your books.
At the end of December illustrator Anton Van Hertbruggen and me heard that there will be a Slovenian edition of our book The dog that Nino didn't have (Het hondje dat Nino niet had, originally issued by De Eenhoorn). It will be published by Sodobnost. Thanks so much, we're happy!

The book that Marije Tolman and me made, Little Fox, found several publishers in Germany (4) and France (3) interested. After the book already was being sold to Russia, we are now happy to announce that the French edition will be published by Albin Michel and the German by Gerstenberg. We are so looking forward to seeing these new editions, thanks, publishers, and thanks Luciënne van der Leije, Querido's foreign rights manager, for this cheerful news!

NEW BOOK IN GERMANY

This month a new youth book of mine came out in German. Publishing house Carlsen Verlag issued KREBSMEISTERSCHAFT FÜR ANFÄNGER, the German thranslation (by the great translator Rolf Erdorf), which is based on the true life story of Roy Looman (now 21, in the story he is fifteen years old). The original title, published by Querido in Amsterdam is HET KANKERKAMPIOENSCHAP VOOR JUNIOREN.

Roy told me his life story in over fourty sessions. 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.

PRINCE HAYO ALREADY SOLD TO GERMANY

The book is not out yet - it will be soon, in March. But by now (February) the rights are already sold to Germany. To the publishing house of Gerstenberg. I'm talking about THE COUNTING BOOK OF PRINCE HAYO THE HAPPY - a big and colourful picturebook ánd a counting book, all in one. Made by the dazzling Mattias De Leeuw (pictures), the text is by me.

We worked together on two books before: THIRTEEN RUNNING DEER, that was sold to Germany, China, Taiwan and South-Korea, and received a nomination for the German Literature Award 2015.
We also made a poetry-picture book about happy sounds: MY HAPPY BOOK OF SOUNDS.

As for PRINCE HAYO: for the coming bookfair of Bologna this book is available at both the original publisher (De Eenhoorn) and the Flemish Literature Fund.

You can take a look at a few pages of the book here.

SAM WILL SHOW UP IN THE US

Today a press statement was released by my publisher, Querido in Amsterdam, announcing that the World-English Rights for both my books SAM SHOWED UP and SAMS MYSTERIES have been sold to Eerdmans Publishing Company in the Uinited States. The first book will come out this fall and is translated by David Colmer, awarded translator. The books will, just as in all international versions so far, contain the beautiful illustrations by Philip Hopman.

The first and second book came out in Germany (Carlsen) and Estonia (Päike ja Pilv) and the first book was issued in all eleven official languagues in South-Africa (ten editions by the Department of Arts and Culture, one by Protea Boekhuis). The French translation will be published soon, by L'école des loisirs.

For other languages: rights can be informed here, and The Dutch Literary Fund could provide a grant.