Tote Maus für Papas Leben has been selected for the Kalbacher Klapperschlange (rattlesnake) 2010. Children from the borough of Kalbach (in the city of Frankfurt) and internet-participants from other regions will read the books on the list and choose the 2010 winner.
Une petite chance, the French translation of A small Chance, has won the Prix de jeunes lecteurs de Gironde 2009, a prize awarded by a jury of young readers. Some 1800 children voted in an election held in association with forty public libraries. In each category the winner was chosen from a preselected short-list.
Mother Number Zero has been nominated by the Flemish jury for Children’s Books and Young Adult Literature. The selection was made by grown-ups. The books will now be read by 4 to 16-year-olds, who are to choose the prize-winners in May 2010. Mother Number Zero was nominated in the category 10-12 yrs.
From May 14 to 16 I am attending the Europäische Kinder- und Jugendbuchmesse (European Children’s Book Fair) in Saarbrücken. The motto is ‘Books build bridges’ and this year’s theme is ‘ganz philosophisch’ (’ever so philosophical’). The elaborate programme features readings by authors from various European countries and a wide range of activities.
On Friday 15 I will read from Tote Maus für Papas Leben.
More information here.
Interview in the Saarbrücker Zeitung here.
Moeder nummer nul (Mother number Zero) had been selected for De Jonge Jury (The Young Jury). Dutch secondary school students up to the age of fifteen may choose any children’s book first published in 2008. The five most popular titles are nominated for the Young Jury Prize. The winning author is offered the prize with some ceremony on Young Jury Day. Although in principle all books published in 2008 qualify, the jury offers a list of fifteen suggestions, including Moeder nummer nul.
The book is read both in the upper forms of primary schools and by secondary school students – much to my delight. Books don’t fit in clear-cut age categories.
The Norwegian translation of Een kleine kans (A small chance) has been published.
Ein liten sjanse – Oslo: Det Norske Samlaget, 2009. Transl: Lars S. Vikør
Tote Maus für Papas Leben has been nominated for the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis.
The Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis is awarded annually by a Jury of literature specialists and critics in four categories: picture book, children’s book, young adult book and non-fiction. In addition an independent young adult jury gives its own award. The prizewinners will be announced on October 16th during the Frankfurt Book Fair.
Further information here.
The French translation of Oversteken (Crossing over) has been published.
La Traversée – Parijs: Seuil, 2009. Transl: Emmanuèle Sandron
Moeder nummer nul (Mother number zero) is one of thirteen nominees on this year’s Golden Owl Juvenile Literature Prize longlist.
The Austrian Centre for Youth Literature selects a children’s book every month. January’s pick of the month was Tote Maus für Papas Leben, as A Small Chance is called in German.
More here.
The Association of German Bookstores organises a yearly story-reading competition. There are qualifying rounds for yeargroups, schools, towns and several regional preliminaries. The winners will appear in the Grand Final. Recently about 7500 winners at school-level tried to make it to the next round. They read aloud a passage from a book of their own choice, as well as an excerpt from Tote Maus für Papas Leben, as the German translation of A Small Chance is called. All participants received a copy of the book. Click here and here.
From January 11 -25 I will be staying in the Gunnarshús in Reykjavík, the home of the Writers Union of Iceland.
Tote Maus für Papas Leben has won a ‘Luchs’. The Luchs is a monthly prize awarded by Zeit magazine and Radio Bremen to a children’s book published in Germany. In December all winners are nominated for the Luchs des Jahres (Luchs of the Year). Further information here.
A new book has been published: Mother number zero
Fezjo is an adopted child who knows nothing about his own mother – mother number zero, as he calls her. He isn’t all that interested in her. Until he meets a girl that is. She is curious to know everything. Why did Fezjo’s mother part with him? Does he have his flair for drawing from her? Does his real mother happen to be a famous artist?
That’s all very well, but Fezjo has his doubts. His mother might be a terrible woman, for all he knows. A baglady, or a stranger on the train. There’s only one way to make sure: Fezjo sets out in search of the answers to all those questions.
