MARK JANSSEN FALL 2021 Mark Janssen graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Maastricht in 1997 and has worked as a full-time children’s book illustrator ever since. Mark has worked on no more than five hundred publications for Dutch, Belgian and Chinese publishers. Many of his picture books have already found their way abroad and have been translated into almost twenty languages. Since 2016, he has been creating his own picture books, including the featured book for the Dutch Children’s Book Week 2021. With his eye for detail and surprising use of colors, Mark has found a unique way to get into the world of children and stimulate their fantasy.
6 YEARS AND UP
AYDIN, THE TRUE STORY OF A BELUGA WHALE Olaf Koens and Mark Janssen A read-aloud book about the true story of a beluga whale from Turkey Sometimes a memory can follow you for life. A little boy becomes fascinated with whales after seeing a white beluga whale named Aydin on the news. Will he ever see a whale himself in the Dutch sea? Years later, when the boy is all grown up, he comes face to face with a beluga whale on one of his many trips. His childhood memories of Aydin come flooding back: whatever happened to the white beluga? He searches for the truth behind the legend. The Turkish village where Aydin was last spotted is still under the spell of the mythical white whale. Everyone, from Kemal the fisherman to the mayor to a mysterious professor, has something to say about the almost magical and very true story of Aydin the beluga whale. — Writer and journalist Olaf Koens takes the reader along on his quest for the mysterious beluga whale — Photographs of the real beluga whale at the end of the book
Olaf Koens is a writer and journalist. He lives in Istanbul and travels across the Middle East as a correspondent for RTL News. He reports on revolutions and wars. He was named journalist of the year in 2015 for his reporting work. Aydin is his first children’s book. English sample available
Hardcover, Colour illustrations, 25 x 16.5 cm, 64 pages
7 YEARS AND UP
SNOW WHITE Daan Rem merts de Vries and Mark Janssen A second read-aloud book from a successful duo
‘Luister, Sneeuwwitje. Luister goed. De koningin heeft me opgedragen om je… te vermoorden.’ ‘Wat?’ Rien knikte. ‘Ik begrijp niet dat ik dat echt wilde doen… Maar ik doe het niet! Je bent zo’n lief kind… Een beetje simpel misschien, maar zo goeiig… Dat boeketje dat je me nog wilde… Goed! Je moet ervandoor gaan. Het bos in. Je moet hier nooit meer terugkomen.’ ‘Maar waarom… waarom wil de koningin dat ik eh…’ ‘Weet ik veel! Vrouwen, begrijp je wel? Ik begrijp er geen bal van, dat is wel duidelijk intussen. Met hun eeuwige gezwets over glazen muiltjes of de laatste hit van de een of andere minstreel… Maar de koningin haat je dus gewoon! Ze haat je als de pest! Het lijkt wel of ze bang voor je is…’ ‘Maar dan kan ik haar toch gewoon gaan zeggen dat dat helemaal niet hoeft?’ ‘Moet je niet doen! Echt niet! Weet je wat ze wilde? Dat ik haar jouw hart kwam brengen! En niet met jou eromheen, snap je wel?! Alleen maar je hart!’ 8
‘Alleen mijn hart? Maar… dat heb ik toch nodig? Zonder hart klop ik niet meer.’ Rien knikte. ‘Precies. Alleen je hart. Dat is toch…’ Rien tikte tegen zijn voorhoofd. ‘Ga nou maar!’ vervolgde hij. ‘Maak dat je wegkomt! Als je maar lang genoeg loopt kom je wel bij een huis of een dorp. Weet ik veel. Maar blijf niet hier. Niet in de buurt van… van die heks.’ ‘Een heks…?’ Verward deed Sneeuwwitje een paar stappen vooruit. Het bos leek opeens heel woest en ondoordringbaar, helemaal niet meer zonnig en mooi. Angstig keek ze achterom. Daar stond Rien nog steeds naar haar te kijken. ‘Rien. Ik heb er eens over nagedacht en ik vind eigenlijk dat –’ ‘Ga!’ riep Rien plotseling hard. En weer vertrok zijn gezicht alsof iets hem pijn deed. ‘Het spijt me! Maar gá nou alsjeblieft! Ik vertel dat rotwijf wel dat ik je hebt doodgemaakt!’ ‘Maar dat is een leugen…’ begon Sneeuwwitje. 9
She is kind and gentle, but also foolish and naive. She lives in her father’s big castle where she has only two friends, the cook and a wandering cat, Charles the Cheeky. Her father, King Alfred the Eighth, has been remarried to Zilla Tarantel—a big, icy woman who spends most of her time in the red tower. Since he got married, the king has been in a mysterious state of stupor. One day, Zilla overhears a conversation between Snow White and the cook, and from then on, the new queen does everything she can to get rid of the king’s daughter for good. Snow White flees into the forest. Deep in the trees, she stumbles upon the house of the seven dwarfs, where she can hide out for a little while. Slowly, she discovers that she can decide for herself who or what she wants to be... It’s in that little house that she transforms from a naïve princess into the great Snow White. Finally, she feels strong enough to go and rescue her father from the false queen’s grip... The dark, well-known fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm retold by master storyteller Daan Remmerts de Vries, with enchanting illustrations by the beloved illustrator Mark Janssen.
Daan Remmerts de Vries has written more than fifty children’s books. He is the winner of two Golden Pencil awards, five Silver Pencil awards and several Flag and Pennants. In 2021, he received the prestigious Theo Thijssen Prize for his entire oeuvre. English sample available Hardcover, 18 X 25.4 CM, 96 PAGES, Published in January 2022
7 YEARS AND UP
THE JUNGLE BOOK Rudyard Kipling, Daan Rem merts de Vries & Mark Janssen Even as a toddler, Mowgli had to flee from the foul, people-hating tiger Shere Kahn. He was rescued in the nick of time by two wolves, who protected and raised him. However, the tiger had not forgotten about him; there is always the threat of that striped enemy. Fortunately, Mowgli is assisted by two wonderful friends: the thoughtful black panther Baghera and the goodnatured bear Baloo. They teach him the laws of the jungle, with which he gradually understands that you have to watch out for monkeys, that you have to be polite to elephants and that it is useful to speak the language of the snakes. Ultimately, the question arises: is Mowgli an animal or actually a human…? Daan Remmerts de Vries retold the original stories. With beautiful, atmospheric illustrations by Mark Janssen
The press about Jungle Book “A must-read!” ✶✶✶✶
– pjotr van lenteren
– nrc
“Add to that: the lively, rich use of language by Remmerts de Vries (...) and the beautiful drawings, you have an excellent book to read aloud with children.” – trouw
Fiction, 18 X 25,4 CM, 128 PAGES
7 YEARS AND UP
THE WONDEROUS STORY OF THE LITTLE PRINCE Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Tiny Fisscher & Mark Janssen For the first time the complete text has been rewritten specifically for children The little prince lives on a tiny planet when, one day, he decides to travel. He visits seven smaller and bigger planets. The seventh planet he visits is planet Earth. There, in middle of the desert, the little prince meets a pilot and tells him all about his tiny planet. About the flower he cared for, that he misses dearly, about the marvelous people he has met, and about a fox who taught him many wise lessons. For eight days, the little prince and the pilot are together, but then they run out of water. If they don’t want to die of thirst, they will have to find a well. But do they have enough time?
Rights: German rights sold to S. Fischer Verlage English sample available Hardcover, 17,5 X 25 CM,96 PAGES