SOFIE TRAVELS TO ISRAEL

There are four books in the series I make with illustrator and comic artist Floor de Goede and photo-comic-makers Ype+Willem - all of these four books are about little Sofie, who is extremely fond of animals and in particular about penguins.
After SOFIE AND THE PENGUINS (2010), there was SOFIE AND THE FLYING BOY (2012), SOFIE AND THE LITTLE POLAR BEAR (2013) and SOFIE AND THE DOLPHINS (2014). Next year we will publish a fifth book. All books (for kids aged 6-10) are issued by publishing house Querido, Amsterdam.

This year the first SOFIE-book came out in Italy (Il Castoro, SOFIA E I PINGUINI). The rights were also sold to Estonia (for all four of the books, Päike ja Pilv) and we just got to know that Sofie will travel to Israel! Publishing house Rimomim bought the rights. We are extremely happy because of this fact. Thanks, Rimomim!

For possible other countries: don't forget you can apply for a grant for the translation of these books!

COMING UP: A NEW COLLABORATION

This is from their book MY HERO.

Since years I've loved their work: Ingrid and Dieter Schuberts picture books are witty, accessible, artful, classical (since 1980!), and yet always fresh and new. And now they agreed to work on a book by the three of us.

This new picture book, with my text and their pictures, will be published somewhere in 2015 - too early to tell much more, but let me announce just this: I'm extremely proud!

The book will be published by the publishing house of Lemniscaat.

DOEI! IS HERE

Marije Tolman (see her website) is one of Hollands leading illustrator. I am quite grateful that I got the chance to work with her for this book: DOEI! (SEE YA!). Out now!

It's a story about flying dreams, about happiness, and how to pass it on. The bookdesign is by Herman Houbrechts and Querido is the publisher.
Marije gave the simple story an impressive universe - colourful and cheerful, heartfelt and sweet. Hopefully this picture book will be the beginning of many more, and hopefully the book will be brought to other countries as well.

For those of you who are interested: a full English translation is available, as well as a pdf. Mail me at e.vendel@upcmail.nl. 

BRUNO IN DUTCH

The happiness of a translator: besides writing my own books, I get to translate books that I adore. This is certainly the case with this ravishing book: BRUNO WORDT EEN SUPERHELD - Bruno becomes a superhero, written by Norwegian writer Håkon Øvreås. (Original title: BRUNE). It got a number of awards in Scandinavia, and rightfully so. The illustrations, by Øyvind Torseter, are fantastic as well. In Holland the book was issued by Querido, and hopefully it will find its way to a lot of young readers.

FRENCH RADIO ABOUT NINO

Last Sunday, the picture book I made with illustrator Anton Van Hertbruggen, LE CHIEN QUE NINO N'AVAIT PAS, was mentioned on French national radio.
It's the French translation of HET HONDJE DAT NINO NIET HAD (THE DOG THAT NINO DIDN'T HAVE), originally published at De Eenhoorn in Belgium.
This book got the top awards for illustration, both in Belgium and The Netherlands, and the rights were sold to Denmark, Germany, France, China and the United States.
The French edition was issued by Didier Jeunesse.

If you speak French you could listen to the first two minutes of the emission, here. Or read the text through the same link.

AUDIOBOOK AND MENTION

This fall my very first audiobook ever came out. In Germany. At Audiolino LENA UND DAS GEHEIMNIS DER BLAUEN HIRSCHE was issued. Anne Moll is the actrice who reads the story. It's the German translation of DERTIEN RENNENDE HERTJES (THIRTEEN RUNNING DEER), my book with illustrator Mattias De Leeuw and translator Rolf Erdorf.
In the meantime the paper version of the book (published by Gerstenberg) was awarded with the title 'Buch des Monats November 2014' (Book of the Month), by the Institut für Jugendliteratur in Austria!


The book can be ordered here and the audiobook here.

THIRTEEN RUNNING DEER ON GERMAN TV

QUERGELESEN is a nice German tv-program, in which host Marc Langebeck, highlights a few new books for children. In this weekend's episode one of these books was the German translation (by Rolf Erdorf) of the book I made with illustrator Mattias De Leeuw: DERTIEN RENNENDE HERTJES (THIRTEEN RUNNING DEER). In German the book is called LENA UND DAS GEHEIMNIS DER BLAUEN HIRSCHE. It was published by Gerstenberg.
Wanna see it? Check this link and look for the November show. (2014).
The item about the Running Deer starts at 05:32.

GERMAN RADIO ABOUT THE SECOND SAM-BOOK

Yesterday, Deutschlandfunk (German cultural radio) spoke about animals in childrens books. One of the books that was used is EIN WINTER MIT SAM, the second book I wrote about the Great Pyrrhenese dog Sam - a true story. It was translated into German by Rolf Erdorf, at publishing house Carlsen, and illustrated by Philip Hopman.

To be read here , and to be listened here: (Samstag, 25. Oktober 2014, Deutschlandfunk, from 16:05 uur, and then from the 7th minute).

CINEKID INTERNATIONAL JURY

Charlotte Appelgren, Malena Janson, me, Erwin Houtenbrink, Eva Jakobsen.

Every year Amsterdam hosts one of the biggest Childrens Film Festivals: Cinekid. This year I had the huge honour to be a member of the International Jury.

Together with Erwin Houtenbrink, Charlotte Appelgren, Malena Janson and Eva Jakobsen I got to see fifteen movies, and pick the winner.
As our number one movie we chose the Dutch movie LIFE ACCORDING TO NINO, a wonderful film about a broken family, about dealing with grief in a brave and optimistic way and about... talking rabbits. The wonderful Argentinian movie NATURAL SCIENCES got a Special Mention.
The four days in Amsterdam were awesome, and the Cinekid Festival is simply amazing. Thanks for this opportunity.