SAM IN THE US

Last week my first book about the dog Sam came out in the United States. In Dutch it's called TOEN KWAM SAM and in the version that Eerdmans' Publishing House issued it's named A DOG LIKE SAM. It was beautifully translated by David Colmer, and of course the original illustrations by Philip Hopman are included.
Next year also the second volume about the dog will be published!

The book came out in Holland in 2011 and was awarded with the Zilveren Griffel (Silver Slate) one year later. Further editions are the French, the German, the Estonian and the South-African one, where it was published in all the official eleven languages of the country.
Rights can be seen here, and the Dutch Literary Fund is giving out grants for the translation of this book (and others).

PREMIERE IN BERLIN

Friday afternoon, the 4th of November: that's the date for the premiere of  LENA UND DAS GEHEIMNIS DER BLAUEN HIRSCHE, a children's musical play in the Deutsche Oper in Berlin. It's music theatre, performed by a puppeteer, a singer and two musicians.
The play was written by Annechien Koerselman, and Händels music is being used, as well as new compositions by Sebastian Hanusa.

The play is based on the German version of my book DERTIEN RENNENDE HERTJES (THIRTEEN RUNNING DEER). I made this book with illustrator Mattias De Leeuw and it was published by De Eenhoorn in Flanders, Belgium. The German version was translated by Rolf Erdorf and issued by Gerstenberg.

Interested in going? Look at this website for information: the Deutsche Oper.

GERMAN LITERATURE AWARD

It was an incredible afternoon, last Friday. The German Literature Awards were given out, and after having been already very, very happy with a nomination in the picture-book-category, we were absolutely thrilled to hear the titel of our book being announced as the winner.

'We' is the team behind DER HUND, DEN NINO NICHT HATTE, the German  translation of THE DOG THAT NINO DIDN'T HAVE (HET HONDJE DAT NINO NIET HAD). Translater Rolf Erdorf, myself and mostly the illustrator: Anton Van Hertbruggen.
Previously he was rewarded with major prizes in Belgium, The Netherlands, France and the USA, all for this book.

The book is published in Germany by Bohem Press (Annabel Lammers and her team), and international rights were also sold to USA, Denmark, France, Brazil, China, Korea and Russia.
For the rights to other languagues, please contact the original publisher De Eenhoorn, at this page. Or write directly to sarah.claeys@eenhoorn.be.
The Flemish Literature Fund could help by providing a translation grant.   

VISITING FRANKFURT & JUGENDLITERATURPREIS

'This is what we share' is the theme that sums up all the activities Holland and Flanders organise at the Bookfair in Frankfurt this year. 'We' are Guest of Honor, and over seventy writers and illustrators are invited. I will be attending the fair from Thursday the 20th of October til Sunday the 23rd.
There will be many talks & interviews & book signings. The talks mostly will be about my latest youth book; KREBSMEISTERSCHAFT FÜR ANFÄNGER (THE CANCER CHAMPIONSHIP FOR JUNIORS, written with Roy Looman, translated by Rolf Erdorf and issued by Carlsen Verlag).

One event is extra thrilling: this Friday the winners of the German Literature Prize will be named. Illustrator Anton Van Hertbruggen and me are nominated for our picture book THE DOG THAT NINO DIDN'T HAVE. (Published by Bohem Press, translated by Rolf Erdorf) Many other wonderful picture books are nominated, so we won't win the award, but still: exciting!

ESTONIA AND THE OKAPI

Last year our non-fiction book STEM OP DE OKAPI (VOTE FOR THE OKAPI) came out in Holland and now it travels to Estonia. The book was richely illustrated by the great Martijn van der Linden and contains a warm plea for this shy but majestic animal. There are many, many drawings, there are interviews, poems, historical parts, lyrical descriptions, there is an Okapi Museum - and Martijn and I received the Woutertje Pieterse Award (best book of the year, experts' choice) for it, as well as a Zilveren Griffel (for the text) and an Honorary Mention (for the illustrations).
Publishing house Päike ja Pilv will issue the book in Estonia. Before they did my two books about the dog Sam. As those two, VOTE FOR THE OKAPI will be translated by Kerti Tergem.
Rights for the book can be negotiated here, and translation grants can be requested here.

NEW BOOK OUT!

There it is - the newest picture book that I got to write the text for. It's the stunning debut of Suzan T'Hooft: HET IS RAAK! which translates as BULLSEYE!
It's about those two shy bears - who are in love, but they don't dare to admit that. They have groups of friends around them that try to make them get closer to each other, but that plan doesn't turn out too good.
BULLSEYE! is a visually overwhelming picturebook, a true grand entrance in the children's books world by a very promising illustrator.
It was published by De Eenhoorn and rights can be seen here. 

INTERVIEW AT THE BERLIN LITERATURE FESTIVAL

Last year I was in Berlin, during the Literaturfestival Berlin - and it turned out to be one of the best weeks of the year. I love this festival and the people that work so hard to make it an awesome event.
During the festival Birte Hendricks talked to some writers about their job (the series is called 'Voices' and other interviews feature illustrators and authors like Patrick Ness, Jon Klassen and Kaatje Vermeire). These interviews came online just now. You'll find mine below.
Thanks, Birte. Good - and tough - questions...