The English SUPER GUPPY is out now

In 2003 Superguppie was published, by Querido, in The Netherlands and Flanders, and now, sixteen years later, it's out in the United Kingdom! It was translated for The Emma Press as Super Guppy - by the great David Colmer, who translated two other poetry volumes of mine into English as well.

Of course the illustrations are still by Fleur van der Weel, who gave my short poems a continuous sparkle. Superguppie was also translated into French and German.


The book could be ordered here (The Netherlands) and here (UK) or here (USA etc).

LITTLE FOX is awarded - twice!

Halfway the month of June of every year the most important Dutch children's books prizes are announced. In several category's books are awarded as the best children's books of the year.

This year illustrator Marije Tolman and me were both awarded for our book Little Fox (Vosje). Marije got a Silver Pencil for her images and I got a Silver Slate for the text. We are humbled by the idea that both the jury's saw our book as one of the most outstanding. We are also very happy with all the colleagues that we are sharing this honour with.

Little Fox is the story of the first months of a baby fox, who dreams up his past and is uncertain of his future. The book was published by Querido, Amsterdam and is sold to Russia, France, Germany and Italy, with new countries to be announced soon. Rights can be negociated here.

LITLLE FOX goes to Italy

The book that Marije Tolman and me made, about the first months of a tiny fox cub, Vosje ('Little Fox') was recently sold to Italy. The publishing house of Il Castoro will issue the Italian translation. Thanks very much, I am looking forward to this version. And quite happy to have a second book with this fine company, after Sofia e i pinguini.

Vosje was previously sold to Russia (KompasGuide), German (Gerstenberg) and French (Albin Michel). Other rights can be negociated at the original publishing house in The Netherlands, at Querido (Luciënne van der Leije).

Vasco will travel to Spain

Alain Verster and I made two picture books about the sweetest pig in the wolrd: Vasco, who loves to play football just as much as his best friend, the boy Matteo.
Those books were: Vasco the soccer pig and Vasco and the green monster. Both books were originally published by De Eenhoorn in Belgium.

The first book was already sold to China and Brazil and now the Barcelona-based company of Thule Ediciones bought the Spanish rights. Thank you very much - and we are looking forward to the Spanish edition!

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!

LITTLE FOX off to Russia

The book that Marije Tolman (a wizard of an artist!) and I made, and that was published at Querido, Amsterdam a few months ago: Vosje ('Little Fox') is making some waves abroad. Several countries are interested, and we are very grateful for that fact.
More is to be revealed soon, but today we heard that Vosje's first trip is confirmed: it will be published in Russia. The publishing house of KompasGuide bought the rights. Thank you very much!

Thanks also to Querido's foreign right's manager, Luciënne van der Leije, who can be reached here.

I'LL ROOT FOR YOU to Spain

Enjoyable news: my poetry volume I'll root for you (original Dutch title: Ik juich voor jou) will be published in Spanish. The publishing house of Barbara Fiore bought the rights of this collection of poems about animals and sports that I wrote to the magnificent illustrations by Wolf Erlbruch.

The book was originally issued by Querido, Amsterdam and was published in the United States (this summer) by Eerdmans, wonderfully translated by David Colmer. It received the bi-annual Golden Poetry Medal for the best children's poetry book in The Netherlands and Flanders.
Now I'm really happy this book will see the Spanish light as well!

To other publishers: a full English ánd German translation of all poems is available at Querido - please mail Luciënne van der Leije.