Moeder nummer nul (Mother number zero) is one of thirteen nominees on this year’s Golden Owl Juvenile Literature Prize longlist.
March 3, 2009
March 2, 2009
BOOK OF THE MONTH
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.
February 12, 2009
STORY-READING COMPETITION
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.
January 13, 2009
REYKJAVÍK
From January 11 -25 I will be staying in the Gunnarshús in Reykjavík, the home of the Writers Union of Iceland.
November 24, 2008
LUCHS
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.
November 23, 2008
MOTHER NUMBER ZERO
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.
November 13, 2008
RADIO
For a discussion of A Small Chance on German radio (SWR2) tune in to Wörterwerkstatt next Saturday 15 November, 4.05 p.m.
Tote Maus für Papas Leben, as the German translation is called, fits the theme of the broadcast, Schwere Zeiten (hard times).
Another German radio program: here
Juliane Spatz is leading the conversation.
October 10, 2008
BUCHMESSE
From October 15 to 18 I will be in Germany to attend the Frankfurter Buchmesse. On Wednesday night 15 October a stage-adaptation of Tote Maus für Papas Leben (the German translation of A Small Chance) will be shown in the Frankfurt Theaterhaus. After the play I will be interviewed on stage. On Friday 17 at 4 p.m. I’ll put in an appearance at the stand of Bloomsbury, my German publisher.
September 10, 2008
TOTE MAUS FÜR PAPAS LEBEN
The German translation of Een kleine kans (A small chance) has been published.
Tote Maus für Papas Leben – Berlin: Bloomsbury, 2008. Transl: Meike Blatnik
May 29, 2008
Crossing over has been selected for inclusion in Children’s books from Holland – spring 2008, published by The Foundation for the Production and Translation of Dutch Literature. The brochure is also available online. Click here to read the information about Crossing over.
March 14, 2008
MAJHNA MOZNOST
The Slovenian translation of Een kleine kans (A small chance) has been published.
Majhna možnost – Dob pri Domžalah: Miš, 2007. Transl: Katjuša Ručigaj
February 24, 2008
UNE PETITE CHANCE
The French translation of Een kleine kans (A small chance) has been published.
Une petite chance – Paris: Seuil, 2008. Transl: Emmanuèlle Sandron
February 3, 2008
GOLDEN OWL 2008
Oversteken (Crossing over) is one of twelve nominees on this year’s Golden Owl Juvenile Literature Prize longlist.
January 28, 2008
THEATER
The Frankfurt Theaterhaus will put on a German stage adaptation of A small chance, called Tote Maus für Papas Leben
The first performance is on February 8. Stage-director Rob Vriens has based himself on his own Dutch stage adaptation of A small chance, which he then translated into German. I went to see the Dutch version at the time and I was thrilled. Throughout Kiek is played by several actresses at the same time. Through this ploy her emotional world gains an extra dimension and her confusion manifests itself even more clearly.
