From the 14th until the 24th of Mai I will stay in Marseille. I have been invited by the literary festival called ‘Oh, les beaux jours’. I will write a text inspired by the residence and this text will be performed at openingnight. The invitation is part of ‘Les phares du Nord’ an initiative of the Letterenfonds to promote Dutch and Flamish literature in France. I’m very curious of the citylife. And of the festival of course…
And again Tortot has been selected. This time by the prestigious International Youth Library in Munich. The library selected 200 of the best children’s books from all over the world. The books will be presented on the bookfairs of Bologna and Frankfurt. And they also made a beautiful booklet with all the titles involved. Hooray!
Tortot has been nominated in Belgium. ‘The little Cervantes’ is the prize for youth literature by the city of Gent. A jury of youngsters (12-14 years) will choose it’s winner on May 8th 2018. I have been nominated two times before: Nine Open Arms and it’s sequel were both in the race. Maybe this time we’ll win?
In November ‘Tortot, the cold fish who lost his world and found his heart’ will be in bookshops all through the UK. It is published with bravoure by Pushkin Children’s books and Laura Watkinson made a magical translation:
‘Hack, hack, hack, chop the foe in the pot!
Whack, whack, whack, let’s cook him nice and hot!
Tortot has again been nominated! This time in Belgium for the Children-and Youthjury Flanders’. Eight books have been nominated in the readers agegroup 14-16 years. Fellownominee Gerda van Erkel will also enter the competition, with her book ‘When Mountains cry’ together with six other nominees. Readers will read the book between september 2017 and april 2018…