© Hartwig Klappert
Edward van de Vendel [ Netherlands ]
Edward van de Vendel, born in Leerdam in the Netherlands in 1964, studied Education before working as a teacher and school director at a primary school. He became a full-time writer in 2001.
Five years earlier, he had already published his debut, »Betrap me« (1996, tr.: Catch Me), a collection of children’s poetry. With more than 70 picture books, poetry collections, novels, and nonfiction books, he is not only one of the most productive, but also one of the most versatile authors of children’s and young people’s books in the Netherlands. Atmospherically dense and exhibiting a high level of empathy, van de Vendel’s texts depict children’s world of experience and the process of growing up. His youth novel »De dagen van de bluegrassliefde« (2001, tr. The days of bluegrass love) describes an encounter between two 18-year-olds at an American summer camp. Love blossoms between Oliver and Tycho amid the sound of country music and the expanse of the football field. Impressive sequels to this story came with »Ons derde lichaam« (2006, tr.: Our third body) and the verse collection »Chatbox – De gedichten van Tycho Zeling« (2006, tr. Chatbox – the poems of Tycho Zeling). Elmer and Sosha are the young protagonists of the award-winning children’s love story »Wat ik vergat« (2001, tr. What I forgot). With sensitivity and humor, Van de Vendel plumbs the emotional confusion caused by the onset of puberty. The verse collections »Superguppie« (2003, Eng. »Superguppy«, 2008), »Superguppie krijgt kleintjes« (2005, tr. Superguppy has babies), »De groeten van Superguppie« (2005, tr. Greetings from Superguppy), and »Hoera voor Superguppie!« (2010, tr. Hurray for Superguppy!) feature a small child, rendered as a clever dog by illustrator Fleur van der Weel, philosophizing about supermarket trolleys, eating jelly, and the wrinkles on Grandma’s cheeks. In the highly praised »De gelukvinder« (2008, tr. The boy who found happiness), van de Vendel tells the story of Hamayun, who flees Afghanistan with his family on a months-long odyssey, finally arriving in the Netherlands, where they apply for asylum and battle bureaucracy for recognition. His most recent publications in English are »The Dog that Nino Didn’t Have« (2015), a sensitive story with illustrations by Anton van Hertbruggen about a boy who invents a dog as an imaginary friend, and »The Cheer-up Bird« (2015), a collaboration with the renowned picture book makers Ingrid and Dieter Schubert.
Van de Vendel’s work has won three Gouden Zoens, six Zilveren Griffels, and the Woutertje Pieterse Prijs. He lives in Rotterdam.
Bibliography
Die Tage der Bluegrassliebe, 2008
Der Glücksfinder, 2011
Ein Hund wie Sam & Der Winter mit Sam, 2013 & 2014
Lena und das Geheimnis der blauen Hirsche, 2014
Der Hund, den Nino nicht hatte, 2015