Querido Children's Books - Spring 2023

Querido Children’s Books

Bologna 2023

Highlights Fall 2022

Edward van de Vendel & Anoush Elman Mishka

6+/8+

Children’s book

Nominated for the Boon Prize

• a touching story about the love for a pet and about a family’s escape from a war zone

• by multiple award-winner Edward van de Vendel

• with beautiful colour illustrations by Annet Schaap

Rights sold: German (ThienemannEsslinger) and French (L’École des loisirs)

Rights under option: English, Italian, Macedonian

English sample available

Published August 2022

Hardback | 13.5 x 19.5 cm | 152 pages

Bibi Dumon Tak & Annemarie van Haeringen

Today I’m Going to Talk about the Anaconda

• animals giving school talks about other animals

• original, funny – and also true!

• by Bibi Dumon Tak, winner of the Theo Thijssen Prize

• fantastic illustrations by awardwinning artist Annemarie van Haeringen

Benny Lindelauf & Marieke Nelissen

They Had Counted Their Sheep

5+ Picture book

• about a runaway sheep, a brave girl and a wolf who’s hungry enough for two

• by Woutertje Pieterse Prize winner Benny Lindelauf

• with beautiful colour illustrations by Marieke Nelissen

Published November 2022

Hardback | 17 x 24 cm | 56 pages

8+

Non-fiction

Published October 2022

Hardback | 18.5 x 25 cm | 112 pages

QUERIDO CHILDREN’S BOOKS

QUERIDO CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Bart Moeyaert – 40 years a writer

7+ Children’s book

The latest gem by ALMA winner

Bart Moeyaert

There’s a good reason why Morris’s grandma’s dog is called Houdini: the creature is an escape artist. Morris has to go up the mountain near his grandma’s house to look for the dog. But just as he sets off on the journey home, carrying Houdini in his arms, snow starts tumbling from the sky. Up on the mountain, the north wind cuts through him. Then, to make matters worse, Houdini does what she likes to do best – she runs away again. At first, Morris has no idea what to do.

But then someone else emerges from the white expanse – a boy with a big mouth and, at his side, a giant ram.

• a glowing adventure story about a boy, a runaway dog and lots and lots of snow

• with colour illustrations by Sebastiaan Van Doninck

12+ Children’s fiction

Moeyaert’s debut – a success for 40 years

• anniversary edition of Bart Moeyaert’s debut novel

• for readers of 12 and up

• won the Children’s Jury Prize

Translated into German, Japanese, Hungarian and Catalonian

English translation available Rights sold: German (Hanser Verlag), Italian (Sinnos), Swedish (Lilla Piratforlaget), Slovenian (KUD Sodobnost) Rights under option: Spanish (Mexico), Bulgarian, Estonian, Croatian, Latvian, Norwegian, Serbian, Simplified Chinese, Complex Chinese

Published October 2022

Hardback | 17 x 20 cm | 64 pages

Querido Children’s Books

Luciënne van der Leije, rights manager, l.van.der.leije@singeluitgeverijen.nl

Weteringschans 259, 1017 xj Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.queridochildrensbookrights.com

Published February 2023

Paperback | 13.5 x 21.5 cm | 192 pag.

QUERIDO CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Bart Moeyaert Duet with False Notes

Bart Moeyaert & Sebastiaan Van Doninck Morris

Nominated for the Boon Prize

6+/8+ Children’s book

Puck Koper Water Is for Fish

A first story and picture book by a major new talent

Kaat lives on a fishing boat, along with six sailors who are tough but really nice. She’s very happy there, even though she does have one big wish: she wants to learn how to swim. The men think that’s a silly idea. Because water is for fish. But Kaat doesn’t give up that easily.

Puck Koper is one of the most promising young illustrators in the Netherlands. Her debut, Where Is Your

Sister?, won the Opera Prima Bologna Ragazzi Prize 2020 and was shortlisted for the 2020 Klaus Flugge Prize. She has also received a prestigious Fiep Westendorp incentive award.

Published February 2023 Hardback | 17 x 23 cm | 96 pages

• a story and pictures to fall in love with

• by an award-winning young artist

• to read aloud (6+) or to read independently (8+)

English sample available

Yvonne Jagtenberg Hopper’s House

Famous

Yvonne Jagtenberg pays tribute to her favourite artists. And she does so in an original way: by taking a look inside their homes. What were their lives like? Who did they live there with? What did they love? And which works of art did they make there?

Come and look inside the houses of Morandi, Van Gogh and many more great artists.

QUERIDO CHILDREN’S BOOKS

‘An exciting and thought-provoking world to explore’ – de Volkskrant ‘An original and distinctive publication bursting with personal commitment and the need to create.’ – pluizuit.be

Published September 2022

Hardback | 24 x 28 cm | 56 pages

QUERIDO CHILDREN’S

• a book full of art and joy, with plenty of pictures to admire

• by a two-time winner of the Gouden Penseel

• a playful introduction to the author’s twenty favourite artists, from Hopper to Van Gogh

• inspiring for readers young and old

English translation available

BOOKS

Querido

artists – a glimpse behind the scenes

Picture book

Annelies Beck & Hanneke Siemensma

Thinking Thoughts

A philosophical picture book about thoughts

How do thoughts work, and is it possible to steer them? Can you make them disappear or hold on to them? These are questions that Noor wonders about.

Thoughts are necessary, annoying and wonderful things. Hanneke Siemensma shows how heavy and light thinking can be in her atmospheric illustrations that accompany Annelies Beck’s heartwarming philosophical train of thought.

10+ Poetry

Edward van de Vendel & Martijn van der Linden Happy and Joyful

Playful and sparkling poetry to make you feel happy

The cats Hannes and Hassan, the donkeys, the tortoises, the mother pig with her piglets, the dwarf rabbit and the goldfish, the birds: they all live happily on the farm. The more predictable their days are, the happier they feel.

Sometimes, though, their quiet existence is shaken up and they have no choice but to get used to something new. But happiness often turns out to be very close by!

English translation available

Published November 2022

Hardback | 20 x 26 cm | 40 pages

• perfect for reading aloud and philosophising about together

• the first children’s book by a wellknown Flemish journalist

• charming and atmospheric illustrations

Rights sold: German (Bohem Press)

more than 20,000 copies sold

In this collection of touching, funny and sometimes serious poems, awardwinning author Edward van de Vendel and Gouden Penseel-winner Martijn van der Linden show that happiness can be found in very different places.

Publication May 2023

Hardback | 19.5 x 26.5 cm | 112 pages

Querido Children’s Books

Luciënne van der Leije, rights manager, l.van.der.leije@singeluitgeverijen.nl

Weteringschans 259, 1017 xj Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.queridochildrensbookrights.com

• brand-new poetry with stunning illustrations

• for everyone of ten and up and far beyond

• the follow-up to the award-winning collection Wat je moet doen als je over een nijlpaard struikelt

QUERIDO CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Children’s book

Dwight van van de Vijver Doni

and the Power of the Blue Feather

9+ Children’s book

Evelien De Vlieger When Raaf Turned Left

Children’s book

Tjibbe Veldkamp

The Boy Who Loved the World

From Africa to a plantation in Suriname

One terrible day, Doni is ambushed in the forest by warriors from an enemy tribe. The next thing he knows, he’s sailing across the ocean on a huge ship. The journey is a nightmare, and when Doni arrives in Suriname, he is sold into slavery and ends up on a plantation without anyone he knows.

Doni makes friends at the plantation, but he still wants to return to his family. The medicine man in his village taught him that a blue feather can give him special powers. He’s going to need those powers to escape and find his way back home.

• a gripping story about an enslaved boy, for young readers

• set in Africa and South America in the days of slavery

• colour illustrations by Floor van het Nederend

‘This tale has verve and momentum and, besides the adventure and the dreadful facts that underlie these stories, there’s also attention for friendships and the warmth of family and friends.’

– Edward van de Vendel

Published September 2022

Hardback | 13.5 x 21.5 cm | 188 pages

QUERIDO CHILDREN’S BOOKS

An exciting one-day adventure

Monday is the worst day of the week. And that’s certainly true this Monday. Raaf is ten and Benni the bully is making his life difficult. And his mum’s not around either. Raaf’s dad is no good to him, so he decides not to go straight home that day. As he wanders through the town, he meets all kinds of people who aren’t at home, for all sorts of reasons. They want to help Raaf to find his way home. Meanwhile, it’s getting later and later, and Raaf seems to be further away from home than ever.

• a completely original story about going away and coming home

• an exciting and funny road trip for young readers

• with appealing illustrations by Karst-Janneke Rogaar

‘Simply brilliant [...] a story for children, with a certain sense of detachment, which gently convinces the reader of what seems impossible: being alone and yet connected, vulnerable and yet fearless.’ – de Volkskrant

Published November 2022

Hardback | 13.5 x 21.5 cm | 96 pages

A magical-realistic story that is as surprising as life itself

Breath is a ‘possible child’. At the moment his parents meet, a spark jumps between them, and he comes to life in the form of a spirit. Most possible children will never be born, but there’s something special about Breath. When it looks as if his possible parents are going to lose contact after their first meeting, Breath receives an advance on life. He is given a short amount of time to bring his parents back together and to safeguard his own life. With disarming naivety, he sets off to do just that. Because he knows one thing for certain: he wants to live!

• a story with a classic atmosphere and yet completely original

• cinematic, exciting and moving

• with atmospheric black-and-white illustrations by Mark Janssen

German rights under option

Publication September 2023

Hardback | 13.5 x 21.5 cm | 192 pages

QUERIDO CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Children’s book

Henry Lloyd Juniper, the Singing Unicorn

Non-fiction

Bas Haring

Artificial Intelligence Isn’t Scary

Young Adult

Marita de Sterck Firm Hand

What happens when a character from a fairy tale ends up in the modern world?

Not only can Juniper the unicorn talk, he’s also learned to sing! He really likes the sound of his own voice. Sadly, the other inhabitants of Mazewood aren’t as keen on his songs. When Juniper realises this, he decides to leave for a place where he will be appreciated. Via a mysterious maze, he unexpectedly ends up in our world, where he soon gets noticed. Before he knows it, he’s world famous! Juniper loves all the attention. But fame comes at a price…

Henry Lloyd (the pseudonym of Daan Remmerts de Vries, winner of the Theo Thijssen Prize) has written a sparkling, captivating story about an irresistible unicorn and what it means to be famous.

• a riveting and funny story

• about the price of fame and the way humans view animals

• by the winner of the 2021 Theo Thijssen Prize

Published February 2023

Hardback | 13.5 x 21.5 cm | 304 pages

Will computers ever be smarter than humans?

Artificial intelligence makes our lives a lot easier. But what do those clever computers have in store for us? Will algorithms decide our lives in the future? How would it feel if devices became smarter than humans one day? And are those machines truly intelligent?

Bas Haring has a PhD in artificial intelligence and is a professor in the public understanding of science. In this book, he explains in clear language what exactly artificial intelligence is, and he encourages readers to think about the opportunities – and the threats –of computers that are capable of doing more and more.

• for everyone who wants to know more about smart computers, algorithms and robots

• suitable for readers of around 11 and up

• Haring’s debut won the Gouden Uil for children’s literature and the Eureka Prize for popular scientific literature

Published October 2022

Hardback | 15 x 19 cm | 224 pages

A beautiful portrait of a young woman and her terrified dog

Mira, a journalist in her early twenties, adopts Turbo, a hunting dog who is struggling with extreme anxiety issues. She wants to track down the brutal hunter who abused her dog. When she gets to write about animals for a newspaper, she takes the opportunity to interview hunters as well. Then she comes face to face with an infamous hunter who flouts rules and regulations – and she summons up the courage to face her own wounds.

• by award-winning author Marita de Sterck

• about strength, vulnerability and the love for animals

‘The unique combination of very distinctive themes with authentic language and style gives Marita de Sterck an exceptional place within the literary landscape.’ – tzum.info

Published October 2022

Paperback | 13.5 x 21.5 cm | 144 pag.