BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
Children & Young adults
Children & Young adults Table of contents
Foreword ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 3 Introduction ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5 Children, Books and a Fire VIVIANE DAMAN ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6
Tell Me, Lobo! CHRISTIANE KREMER & VINCENT BIWER ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 10
12 Bedtime Stories SONJA LUX-BINTNER ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 14
Bim & Anna OLGA REIFF ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 18
Hoo and the Little Ghost RENÉE WEBER �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 20
Literary Prizes ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 24 Foreign Rights ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 25
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
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BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
Children & Young adults
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Foreword
Moreover, most Luxembourgers naturally use different tongues throughout the day, switching back and forth between the three official languages Luxembourgish, German and French, plus English. This social and cultural diversity also shapes contemporary Luxembourg literature because it, too, finds expression in all four languages, represents every genre and displays a great plurality of subjects and forms. Every year, several major literary prizes, e.g. the Prix Batty Weber, the Prix Servais, the Lëtzebuerger Buchpräis and the Concours littéraire national are awarded to Luxembourg’s finest authors. To foster the reputation of Luxembourg’s literature at an international level, the Ministry of Culture set up the Reading Luxembourg programme in 2018. Together with the Agence luxembourgeoise d’action culturelle (ALAC), the programme provides a point of contact for foreign publishers, literary agents and authors. The aim is to establish a wide-ranging international network, to support the country’s presence at book fairs, and to promote the licensing business, in part by subsidising translation costs for foreign publishers. It is very important to me that we increase the exposure of Luxembourg literature and encourage international trade professionals to discover our dynamic and multilingual publishing scene and literature. For a small country, literature in more than one language is both an opportunity and a challenge: an opportunity, because multiple cultural influences enrich the literature; a challenge, because it is not easy for a tiny, multilingual literary industry to prevail in an international market. With this in mind, I am especially proud that our diverse literature will once again be represented at the Frankfurt Book Fair this year. But over and above that, I would like to invite you to discover Luxembourg’s creative publishing industry and explore its cultural diversity.
Sam Tanson Minister for Culture, Luxembourg
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
In Luxembourg, the second-smallest EU member state, people live the European ideal every day. With some 610,000 inhabitants, almost half of them foreigners from more than 170 different nations, and with 190,000 cross-border commuters every day, Luxembourg proves that living as a multicultural community is possible in the smallest of areas.
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BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
Children & Young adults
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Introduction
Pippi Longstocking is called “Pippi Laangstrëmp” in Luxembourgish, Wilhelm Busch’s well-known Max und Moritz are Max a Miz, the Little Prince is De klenge Prënz and Elmer is called Elmar in Luxembourgish. Luxembourg is officially trilingual (Luxembourgish, German and French). As a multicultural country, it is home to people from very diverse origins and with many different native languages. In early childhood care and in preschool, Luxembourgish is the first common target language. The Ministry of Education, Children and Youth has, over the past years, fervently promoted the use of the Luxembourgish language from early childhood on. The government’s current national plan for the promotion of the Luxembourgish language also supports children’s book productions. These measures may be some of the reasons why there are more and more books aimed at very young readers and their parents. The number of children’s books published in our country has increased steadily over the past years and some new publishing houses have even been founded. More and more of these books are translations into Luxembourgish. Mostly, these are successful international titles, some of which are part of famous children’s book series. Simultaneously, there is a longstanding children’s book production in our country. Luxembourgish authors create attractive books, mostly in Luxembourgish. Some of those books are published in a multilingual version or simultaneously in different language versions. Others, like the ones presented in this catalogue, appear exclusively in Luxembourgish. Among the latest publications, this catalogue focuses on five new and important books in Luxembourgish. Four are meant to be read to young readers/listeners, for instance, the one which is presented as a collection of bedtime stories. Another title is meant for more mature readers (from the age of 10) who read on their own and is part of a well-known children’s book series. These books deal with universal subjects: infants in search of their independence; their wish to be able to do something special; children’s fears; attention-seeking behaviour but also friendship and the thirst for adventure. They are surely interesting for a broad international public and well destined to be translated into other languages. ‘Avis aux amateurs!’ Anne-Marie Antony SCRIPT Ministry of Education, Children and Youth SCRIPT publishes the catalogue Lies a fléi – de Katalog1, which presents a selection of children’s books in Luxembourgish every year.
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Read and Fly – the Catalogue is named after the anthology of Luxembourgish texts for cycles 3 & 4 of the elementary education system in Luxembourg.
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
Dear children’s book enthusiasts,
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Children & Young adults
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Children, Books and a Fire
2019
VIVIANE DAMAN
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
On the occasion of the inauguration of the local library, the school children write and illustrate stories that are being published in a book. Everyone may loan this book from the new library. Till a fire breaks out…
For children aged 7 to 10 Genre Children’s book
Price 16 €
Publication date 2018
Format 13,5 x 21,5 cm Number of pages 48
ISBN 978-99959-37-64-5
Rights available World
Language Luxembourgish Original title: Kanner, Bicher an e Feier
Foreign rights contact Stefanie Drews Agency stefanie.drews@orange.fr
Publishing house contact details Éditions Phi 14, rue d’Ehlerange L-4439 Soleuvre Luxembourg +352 691 43 03 83 administration@editionsphi.lu www.phi.lu
VIVIANE DAMAN Children, Books and a Fire
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
© Private
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Viviane Daman has attended primary school in Niederkorn, then the Lycée de Jeunes Filles in Esch-sur-Alzette for seven years, and has completed a cycle of studies in biochemistry in Strasbourg. She spent the following 15 years as “Chargée de Direction” at the primary school in Pétange. From 2003 to 2013, she ran a bookshop in Esch-surAlzette. She is also a mother of two adult children and lives with dog and cat in Pétange. She has contributed 8 books to the series Kanner… at Éditions Phi.
Children & Young adults
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Kanner, Bicher an e Feier
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
VIVIANE DAMAN
Den nächste Mueren hu si nawell vill Krämpes fir aus dem Bett ze kommen. Si hunn nëmmen e puer Stonne geschlof, a si sinn nach vill midd. De Steve an de Pol louche genee wéi hir Kolleegen an der Nuecht op der Fënster, mä och si hunn net däerfen eraus a wëssen dofir net méi wéi hir Frënn. „Wa mir eis ganz vill tommelen, da kënne mir laanscht d’Bibliothéik goen an trotzdeem matzäiten an der Schoul sinn“, mengt de Steve. Zesumme lafe si bei d’Bibliothéik an dann an de Park eran, riicht op d’Kellerdier duer. Mä si kommen net bis dohinner. E wäiss-rout Bändchen ass iwwert de Wee gespaant, soudass een net virukënnt. Si gesinn awer, dass do, wou de Kartrong louch, de ganze Buedem an d’Mauer schwaarz sinn. A wou virdrun eng Fënster war, sinn elo Brieder. E Mann kënnt bei d’Kanner : „Wat maacht dir dann hei ?“ freet hien. „Mir komme kucken, wou et gebrannt huet. D’Sarah hat gëschter de Kartrong hei gesinn, a mir wollte wëssen, ob dee verbrannt ass.“ „A sou. Ech si Polizist, an ech passen op, datt kee Spure verwëscht, ier mir alles opgeholl hunn.“ Hie kuckt op d’Sarah : „Hues du da soss näischt Opfälleges gesinn ? Kee Mënsch bei dem Kartrong ?“ „Neen, hei waren nëmmen zwou Madammen, déi laanschtgaange sinn, an um 7 Auer sinn ech och heemgaangen.“ „Firwat sinn dann elo Brieder virun der Fënster ?“, freet de Pol. „D’Fënster ass vun der Hëtzt vum Feier futtigaangen an dat huet esou vill Kaméidi gemaach, datt d’Leit, déi nobäi wunnen, erwächt sinn an eis geruff hunn. Wéi dunn den Damp an d’Haus eragaangen ass, gouf och de Feieralarm ausgeléist.“
VIVIANE DAMAN Children, Books and a Fire
Children, Books and a Fire
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On the following morning, they experience considerable difficulty getting out of bed. They have slept only a few hours and are still quite tired. Just like their colleagues, Steve and Paul have spent the night at the window, but they too were not allowed outside and so don’t know any more than their friends. “If we really hurry, we may go past the library and still make it to school on time”, reckons Steve. Together they run toward the library and then into the park, heading straight for the cellar door. Yet they don’t reach it. A white-red ribbon has been stretched across the path, so that one can’t get any farther. They see, however, that, where the carton was lying, all of the ground and wall are black. And where there previously was a window, there now are boards. A man approaches the children: “What are you doing here?”, he asks. “We come take a look at where it was burning. Sarah has seen this carton here yesterday, and we wanted to know whether it has burned.” “I see. I am a policeman, and I am making sure no one erases any traces before we haven’t recorded it all.” He looks at Sarah: “Have you seen nothing else out of the ordinary? No person next to the carton?” “No, here were just two ladies, passing by, and at 7 o’clock I went home too.” “Why are now boards across the window?”, asks Paul. “The window has busted due to the heat of the fire and this has caused such a racket that the people who live nearby have woken up and called us. Once the smoke has entered the house, the fire alarm has also been activated.”
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
VIVIANE DAMAN
Children & Young adults
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Tell Me, Lobo!
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
CHRISTIANE KREMER & VINCENT BIWER
“Why is the sky not always blue?” “How many pieces of chocolate are in the chocolate spread?” […] Lobo is a curious little boy and wants to know everything. He asks a lot of questions at home, in school or when with his friends. But everyone is so busy and has no time for answers. So Lobo decides to stop talking and only speaks to his cat Pucki. And it seems that nobody notices his mutism. One day Lobo meets his new neighbour Lola and her dog Micky and suddenly everything changes. Tell me, Lobo is a book about talking and the importance of communicating. A story for children to be talked about!
For children aged 5 to 8 Genre Children’s book
Price 20 €
Publication date 2018
Format 29 x 22,5 cm Number of pages 32
ISBN 978-99959-39-92-2
Rights available World
Language Luxembourgish Original title: So mol, Lobo !
Foreign rights contact Stefanie Drews Agency stefanie.drews@orange.fr
Publishing house contact details Kremart Edition s.à r.l. 5, rue François Faber L-1509 Luxembourg Luxembourg +352 621 71 09 29 kontakt@kremart.lu www.kremart.lu
© RTL/Christian Wilmes
CHRISTIANE KREMER & VINCENT BIWER Tell Me, Lobo!
Christiane Kremer works as a journalist and speaker for RTL in Luxembourg and currently heads its cultural department for radio, TV and the New Media. She also authors children’s books, theatre plays and short stories. In 2013, she co-founded the Publishing House Kremart Edition.
Vincent Biwer has a Master’s Degree in “Bande Dessinée” from the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Liège. He works as an independent artist and digital illustrator in Concept Art. So mol, Lobo! is his first publication for children.
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
© Private
2019
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Children & Young adults
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So mol, Lobo !
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
CHRISTIANE KREMER & VINCENT BIWER
„Mamma, firwat ass de Schaum an der Bidde wäiss ? Wéi kënnt d’Zännseef an d’Tüb ? Wéi vill Stécker Schockela sinn am Schockelasbotter ? Firwat mécht d’Kaffismaschinn sou vill Kaméidi ? Pappa, wéi séier fiert däin Auto ? Firwat ass den Himmel haut net blo ? …” De Lobo huet ëmmer Froen. „Du kanns engem Lächer an de Bauch froen“, seet säi Papp. „Lobo, elo net, so mir dat méi spéit“, seet seng Mamma. „Wann déi grouss Leit schwätzen, mussen déi Kleng roueg sinn“, mengt de Bopa. „Lobo, wann s de eppes soe wëlls, muss du de Fanger weisen“, erkläert d’Joffer an der Schoul. „Kënnt Dir och e bëssi méi lues dobausse sinn, Kanner ?“, rifft d’Nopesch. „Lobo, wat sees de, ech verstinn dech net“, freet d’Boma. „Lobo, ech hunn elo keng Zäit, dir nozelauschteren. Ech chatte mat menger Frëndin“, äntwert seng Schwëster. Chatten, dat ass schwätzen ouni Stëmm.
CHRISTIANE KREMER & VINCENT BIWER Tell Me, Lobo!
Tell Me, Lobo!
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BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
CHRISTIANE KREMER & VINCENT BIWER
“Mum, why is the foam in the tub white? How does the toothpaste get into the tube? How many pieces of chocolate are in the chocolate spread? Why does the coffee machine make so much noise? Dad, how fast does your car go? Why is the sky not blue today? …” Lobo constantly has questions. “You can really bombard one with questions”, says his dad. “Lobo, not now, tell me that later”, says his mom. “When the grown-ups talk, the little ones have to stay quiet”, deems his grandpa. “Lobo, when you want to say something, you have to put your hand up”, explains the schoolmistress. “Can you also be a bit quieter out there, children?”, shouts the neighbour. “Lobo, what are you saying, I cannot understand you”, asks grandma. “Lobo, I haven’t got the time to listen to you just now. I’m chatting with my friend”, answers his sister. Chatting is speaking without a voice.
Children & Young adults
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12 Bedtime Stories
2019
SONJA LUX-BINTNER
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
What is better than a journey with children into the realm of fantasy, where magic still exists, and everything is still possible? Here you find 12 different stories to read to small and less small children and to reread time and again.
For children aged 3 to 7 Genre Children’s book
Price 16 €
Publication date 2018
Format 24,5 x 24,5 cm Number of pages 48
ISBN 978-99959-37-67-6
Rights available World
Language Luxembourgish Original title: 12 Gutt-Nuecht-Geschichten
Foreign rights contact Stefanie Drews Agency stefanie.drews@orange.fr
Publishing house contact details Éditions Phi 14, rue d’Ehlerange L-4439 Soleuvre Luxembourg +352 691 43 03 83 administration@editionsphi.lu www.phi.lu
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BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
© Private
SONJA LUX-BINTNER 12 Bedtime Stories
Born in 1972, Sonja Lux-Bintner has worked in the medical sector. She presently writes books and lives with her family, dog, turtle and rabbit near the Esch-sur-Sûre reservoir. Author of Bis zur Freiheit (2003), Äppeltäsch (2013), Schwaarze Schockela (2014), De Pierche muss wuessen (2015), Melusina, der Uelzecht hiert Kand (CD, released in 2016) and Pickinicki (2017).
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12 Gutt-Nuecht-Geschichten
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
SONJA LUX-BINTNER
Et ass e sonnegen Dag. De Villche Singsang sëtzt ganz uewen op engem Äppelbam a rifft mat senger schéinster Stëmm : „Juditt, juditt, juditt ! Wie baut mat mir en Nascht ? Juditt, juditt, juditt ! Lauschtert, ech hunn déi schéinste Stëmm ! Juditt. Juditt !” Deen aneren Dag ass d’Sonn verstoppt hannert décke Wolleken. Et ass zimlech frësch. De Wand bléist an d’Äscht vum Äppelbam an dës kraachen a quiitschen. De Singsang sëtzt uewen um Äppelbam a schuddert sech. Hie mécht de Schniewel op, fir säi Lidd ze päifen. Mä, aus sengem Schniewel kënnt just e klengt Piipsen. Hien huet den Hals wéi an en ass ganz hees ! „Ju ditt, ju ditt, ju … ju … ju Hatschi !” De Singsang huet de Schnapp erwëscht. „Gesondheet !”, rifft eng onbekannte Stëmm vun ënnen erop. De Singsang kuckt verschnappt erof an erbléckst eng kleng Schnuff, déi ënnert engem Koup Blieder erausluusst. De Singsang flitt erof a kuckt iwwerrascht op dat Déier, dat elo ganz aus dem Koup Blieder klëmmt. „So mer mol. Wat bass du fir e komescht Déier ?”, piipst de Singsang mat senger heeser Stëmm. „No wat gesinn ech dann aus ?”, freet dat klengt Déier an et gaapst. „Du gesäis aus, wéi eng Maus mat Picken um Réck.” „Eng Maus ?” D’Déier muss laachen a rëselt de Kapp. „Bass du ee Kaktus mat klenge Been ?” „Neen, du Fiederclown ! Ech si bestëmmt kee Kaktus.” „Bass de da vläicht, … eng Kämmbiischt mat Been ?” D’Déier äntwert net an et rullt sech an eng Bull. „A ! Ech weess et ! Du bass e Ball mat Picken, dee schwätze kann.” „Oder eng Käscht, déi vum Bam gefall ass a lieweg gezaubert gouf. Oh, hëllef mer dach ! So mer, wien s de bass !” Dat pickegt Déier stellt sech nees op seng véier Patten, streckt houfreg seng Picke spatz d’Luucht aus an et stellt sech vir : „Ech sinn de Kéisécker, och nach Igel genannt ! Ech hunn de ganze Wanter geschlof a sinn de Mueren eréischt erwächt. Elo brauch ech eng gutt Taass Mëllech. Elo wou s de schonn hei bass, kriss d’och eng mat.” Dat léisst de Singsang sech an deem kale Wierder net zweemol soen.
SONJA LUX-BINTNER 12 Bedtime Stories
12 Bedtime Stories
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It is a sunny day. Bird Singsang is perched at the very top of an apple tree and calls out in his best voice: “Juditt, juditt, juditt! Who is going to build a nest with me? Juditt, juditt, juditt! Listen, my voice is second to none! Juditt. Juditt!” The following day the sun is hidden behind thick clouds. It is fairly chilly. The wind blows through the branches of the apple tree and they creak and squeak. Singsang sits atop the apple tree and shudders. He opens his beak to pipe his song. But, out of his beak comes merely a faint peeping. His throat is sore and his voice quite hoarse! “Ju ditt, ju ditt, ju … ju … ju Hatschi!” Singsang has caught a cold. “Bless you!”, shouts an unfamiliar voice from below. Sniffling, Singsang looks down and catches a glimpse of a tiny snout that protrudes from a pile of leaves. Singsang flies down and eyes with amazement the animal which now emerges fully from the leaves. “Tell me, what strange animal are you?”, pipes Singsang in his nasal voice. “Well, what do I look like?”, asks the tiny animal and yawns. “You look like a mouse, with spikes on its back.” “A mouse?” The animal can’t help laughing and shakes its head. “Are you a cactus with tiny legs?” “No, you feathery clown! I am certainly no cactus.” “Are you perhaps, … a hairbrush with legs?” The animal does not answer and rolls up into a ball. “Ah! I know! You are a ball with spikes that can talk.” “Or a chestnut, which dropped from its tree and has magically come alive. Oh, do help me! Tell me who you are!” The spiky animal gets back on its four paws, proudly extends its spines straight into the air and presents itself: “I am Snufflebrush, also called hedgehog! I have been sleeping all winter long and only woke up this morning. Now I need a decent cup of milk. Since you are already here, you can have one too.” In this cold weather, Singsang does not need to be told twice.
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
SONJA LUX-BINTNER
Children & Young adults
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Bim & Anna
2019
OLGA REIFF
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
Little Bim is big already – and can do many things on his own. In kindergarten, Bim likes to play with his friend Anna. But as soon as she wants to help him, Bim gets angry. He doesn’t need any help, he can do it all on his own. Some things would be a lot easier and more fun, but to understand that, Bim must first become really bored.
For children aged 2 to 6 Genre Children’s book
Price 15 €
Publication date 2018
Format 24 x 20 cm Number of pages 36
ISBN 978-99959-42-27-4
Rights available World
Language Luxembourgish Original title: Bim & Anna
Foreign rights contact Stefanie Drews Agency stefanie.drews@orange.fr
Publishing house contact details Éditions Guy Binsfeld 14, place du Parc L-2313 Luxembourg Luxembourg +352 49 68 68 - 1 editions@binsfeld.lu www.editionsguybinsfeld.lu
© René Marschal
OLGA REIFF Bim & Anna
Olga Reiff was born in Innsbruck where she also studied translation. Today, words alone are no longer enough for her, so she also illustrates, preferably children’s books. She finds inspiration for her stories and drawings in her colourful family life and nature.
“I CAN DO IT ON MY OWN!” „ECH KANN ET ELENG!“
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
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Children & Young adults
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Hoo and the Little Ghost
2019
RENÉE WEBER
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
In the dark of the night, everyone in the forest is asleep. No, not everyone. Hoo, the eagle owl, slowly wakes up. The eagle owl’s hooting annoys its neighbours, who are tired and just want to sleep. So the eagle owl decides to fly away and head for the nearby castle. At the castle, Hoo meets a little, scared ghost. The ghost asks Hoo, if they could fly together through the night. All the ghost had seen so far of this world, was the dark castle and a rusty knight’s armour. Thanks to its new friend, the little ghost discovers the beauty of the night. At the end, in the eye of a frightening situation, the little ghost, no longer scared, uses its unique ability to save the day. It is a story about friendship, empathy and tolerance.
For children aged 3 to 9 Genre Children’s book
Price 17,90 €
Publication date 2018
Format 21 x 21 cm Number of pages 32
ISBN 978-2-87967-229-8
Rights available World
Language Luxembourgish Original title: Den Hu an dat klengt Gespenst
Foreign rights contact Stefanie Drews Agency stefanie.drews@orange.fr
Publishing house contact details Op der Lay 2A, Z.A.R.E. Ilot Est L-4385 Ehlerange Luxembourg info@opderlay.lu www.opderlay.lu
© Op der Lay / Robert Steffen
RENÉE WEBER Hoo and the Little Ghost
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
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Renée Weber (*1960) is an illustrator and children’s book writer from Luxembourg. Before she started writing her own books, she did illustrations for covers and works like, amongst others, Guy Rewenig’s Muschkilusch and Zebra Tscherri. In 1996, she started to write and illustrate her first children’s book, D’Ann Spann an de Rolfi Raup. To this day, she has published 9 children’s books. In 2009, her book Dem klenge Felix seng grouss Rees won the Lëtzebuerger Buchpräis.
Children & Young adults
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Den Hu an dat klengt Gespenst
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
RENÉE WEBER
Do am Bam sëtzt en. Dat ass den Hu. En Uhu. Normalerweis schléift den Hu am Dag an owes, wann et ufänkt, däischter ze ginn, erwächt hien. Haut allerdéngs kann hien net schlofen, et ass vill ze vill Kaméidi. D’Villercher fléie ronderëm hien a ginn him schrecklech op d’Nerven. „Den Hu ass eng Schlofmutz“, ruffe si. „Komm, fléi mat eis, du verpass jo dat Bescht vum Dag.“ Mä den Hu gaapst just a mécht seng Aen erëm zou. Et ass däischter ginn am Bësch an all d’Déier schlofen. All ? Neen ! Den Hu ass elo grad mol waakreg ginn. Hie streckt sech a rifft ganz haart : „HUHUUUUU !“ „AUAAA“, rifft hien. Eppes Haardes huet hien um Kapp getraff. An elo nach eemol. „AUTSCH !“ Hie kuckt no uewen, do sëtzt d’Kaweechelchen Zipp a werft mat Nëss op hien. „Aua, Zipp, dat deet wéi !“, rifft den Hu, „hal dach op domat.“ „Dann hal du op, Kaméidi ze maachen“, iergert sech den Zipp, „ech muss dee ganzen Dag schwéier schaffen a géif elo gär schlofen.“ „’t ass scho gutt“, seet sech den Hu, „da fléien ech alt nach en Tour iwwert de Bësch.“ Den Hu mécht seng grouss Flilleken auserneen a klëmmt ëmmer méi heich erop an den Himmel. Ouni e Geräisch ze maachen, schwiewt hien iwwert dem Bësch. Wäit ënnert him ass en alt Schlass, do flitt hien elo hin. Am Schlass ukomm, setzt den Hu sech op d’Fënster a kuckt mat senge schaarfen Aen, deenen näischt entgeet, ronderëm sech. Hien huet direkt gesinn, datt do hannert deem raschtege Ritter e klengt Gespenst sech verstoppt huet. „Wie bass du dann ?“, freet op eemol dat klengt Gespenst mat enger ganz piipseger Stëmm. „Ech heeschen Hu“, seet den Hu, „a wéi heeschs du ?“ „Ech hu keen Numm, ech sinn einfach e klengt Gespenst“, seet dat klengt Gespenst.
RENÉE WEBER Hoo and the Little Ghost
Hoo and the Little Ghost
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There in the tree he is sitting. That is Hoo. An eagle owl. Hoo normally sleeps during the day and in the evening, when night starts falling, he wakes up. Today, though, he cannot sleep, there is way too much noise. The birds fly around him and terribly annoy him. “Hoo is a sleepyhead”, they shout. “Come on, fly with us, you miss out on the best part of the day.” But Hoo just yawns and shuts his eyes again. It has turned dark in the forest and all the animals are asleep. All? No! Hoo has only just now woken up. He stretches and shouts really hard: “HOO-HOOOOO!” “OW”, he exclaims. Something hard has struck him on the head. And now once again. “OUCH!” He looks up, there sits squirrel Zipp throwing nuts at him. “Ouch, Zipp, that hurts!”, calls Hoo, “quit doing that.” “Then you quit making noise”, complains Zipp, “I have to work hard all day long and want to sleep now.” “All right already”, Hoo tells himself, “then I’ll fly another loop over the forest.” Hoo opens his mighty wings and climbs ever higher into the sky. Without making a sound, he hovers above the forest. Way below him there is an old castle, that is where he flies to now. Once arrived at the castle, Hoo sits on the window and looks around with his keen eyes that don’t miss a thing. He has noticed straight away that behind that rusty knight a small ghost is hiding. “Who are you”, asks the small ghost suddenly in a very squeaky voice. “My name is Hoo”, says Hoo, “and what is your name?” “I don’t have a name, I am simply a small ghost”, says the small ghost.
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
RENÉE WEBER
Children & Young adults
Literary Prizes
BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
24
Prix Batty Weber Since 1987, the Batty Weber National Literature Prize has been awarded every three years by the Ministry of Culture to a Luxembourgish writer for their collected works. Illustrious Luxembourgish writers, such as Edmond Dune, Roger Manderscheid, Anise Koltz and Jean Portante are among its recipients. Past winners of the Batty Weber prize are listed on the website of the Dictionary of Luxembourgish Authors. For more information: www.autorenlexikon.lu Prix Servais Since 1992, the Servais Prize for literature has been awarded by the Servais Foundation to the most significant Luxembourgish work published over the past year, regardless of its language. Former winners of the Servais prize are listed on the website of the Dictionary of Luxembourgish Authors. For more information: www.autorenlexikon.lu Lëtzebuerger Buchpräis The Luxembourg Publishers’ Association (Lëtzebuerger Bicherediteuren) has awarded the Luxembourg book award (Lëtzebuerger Buchpräis) every year since 2006 on the occasion of the Book Days in Walferdange (Walfer Bicherdeeg). The best Luxembourgish books in the three categories Literature, Non-fiction as well as Children’s Books and Literature for Young Adults are selected by a panel of experts. A special prize for Design/Graphic, and a prize “Coup de coeur” may be awarded additionally. An audience prize is granted following the votes cast online by readers across all categories. European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL) The European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL), which is co-financed by the Creative Europe programme of the European Commission, aims to highlight the excellence of Europe’s contemporary literature in the field of fiction and to encourage greater interest in non-national literary works. Since its creation in 2009, 108 emerging authors from all over Europe have been awarded the Prize. In 2018, the EUPL celebrated its 10th anniversary with a special short fiction competition on the topic of Europe. For more information: www.euprizeliterature.eu
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BOOKS FROM LUXEMBOURG
2019
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