gottmer children's books fall 2015

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Children’sBooks

FALL 2015

When you see this icon, the book is also available as an app.

When you see this icon, the book is nominated or the book has won a prize.

WHO WE AREGottmer Publishing Group was established in 1938 by printer Jan Hendrik Gottmer. More than 75 years later we have grown into a dynamic, versatile and modern concern with a well-established and distinguished publisher’s list.

WHAT WE DOWe publish a broad spectrum under a variety of imprints: • Gottmer – children’s and juvenile books• Becht – cookery & crafts• Altamira – body, mind & spirit• Dominicus – travel guides• Hollandia – nautical booksYou may find a selection of our wide-ranging list on our website.

GOTTMER CHILDREN’S BOOKSMelanie Lasance, publisher Gottmer Children’s BooksMarieke Spaans, commissioning editor picture booksCarine van Wijk, commissioning editor fiction & non-fictionJanneke Blankevoort, commissioning editor fiction & non-fiction

CONTENTS

PICTURE BOOKS 4MUSIC BOOKS 18FIRST READERS 20CHILDREN’S FICTION 22NON-FICTION 30POETRY 34TEEN 36

4 5

Tummy TomJet Boeke

Meet Tummy Tom, the Netherlands’ favourite mischievous tomcat, who loves to eat and spend time with his cat friends. In this Rights Guide you will find a selection from our versatile Tummy Tom collection. Though creating your own Tummy Tom books from the array of stories, both of differing lengths, is also an option. Please do feel free to contact us for our special Tummy Tom-catalogue and more information on (co-)production possibilities.

Rights to Tummy Tom books have been sold to China, Korea, Israel and Japan.

Tummy Tom’s Read-Along Book A fun picture book designed for reading aloud together, with small pictures in-between the text for recognizing and learning news words. Contains 5 stories, alternated with word playing games.

Picture book 24.5 x 24.5 cm, 32 pagesAges 3 and up | €9,95

Tummy TomCat CircusPicture book containing one long story about Tummy Tom and his cat friends joining a cat circus.

Ask for Tummy Tom’s other ‘one-story’ picture books!

Picture book24.5 x 24.5 cm, 24 pagesAges 3 and up | €9,95

Tummy Tom’s Most Beautiful StoriesA fan-favourite picture book, containing 4 beloved Tummy Tom stories selected by author Jet Boeke. With 3 happy animal sound buttons on the glittery cover.

Picture book 24.5 x 24.5 cm, 96 pagesAges 3 and up | €15,95

picture books / series

4 5

Tracy TroubleJaap Robben (txt) & Benjamin Leroy (ill.)

• The launch of a new picture book series by a successful children’s book duo

• Text by popular Dutch children’s book author and novelist Jaap Robben

• Funny and playful drawings by Flemish illustrator Benjamin Leroy

Meet Tracy Trouble, a quirky kid with an endless amount of energy and quite a vivid imagination. Her faithful dog Hound, her best buddy, is often the victim of the zany games she thinks up. Tracy Trouble is a new series of pre-school books by the popular Flemish- Dutch children’s book duo Benjamin Leroy and Jaap Robben. A lively little girl who will steal your heart!

Cased board books 20 x 22 cm, 32 pages Ages 3 and up | €12,95

Tracy Trouble and the ScissorsTracy finds a pair of scissors in a drawer. Well, you could say it finds her! The pair of scissors needs help because it has a hunger for cutting. But in no time, the pair of scissors is out of control and cutting up a storm...

Tracy Trouble and the Funky FingerTracy and Hound have a new game to play: ‘Try to guess the smell’. Tracy puts on the blindfold and Hound let’s her smell all sorts of delicious things. But when it’s Tracy’s turn, the first thing Hound gets is a funky finger under his nose... ‘Why, oh why, does my finger smell so badly?’

TO BE PUBLISHED FEBRUARY

2016


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Farmer FreddieTed van Lieshout (txt) & Philip Hopman (ill.)

• Highly successful series: over 100.000 copies sold!

• Fun rhyming text by 2014 HCA-Award nominee Ted van Lieshout

• The first 3 books have all been awarded a prize!

Is there any child that wouldn’t want to be Farmer Freddie? He has his own farm with loads of animals and a nice red tractor he can drive around on all day. This appealing little farmer has quickly become the protagonist of a popular series, with many fans and an impressive number of prizes won.

Farmer Freddie and the Lawn MowerIn the sixth book of this popular series, Farmer Freddie is constantly repairing the lawn mower because it keeps breaking down. And each time Freddie tinkers with the mower it’s more supersonic than before. Even the director of the machine factory wants to have one!

Picture books24 x 24 cm, 32 pagesAges 3 and up | €12,95Rights sold: Germany and Denmark

ALSO AVAILABLE:


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ALSO AVAILABLE:

Little Captain KiddMarjet Huiberts (txt) & Sieb Posthuma (ill.)

• Popular pirate-series: 3 picture books and 1 bathtub book

• Each picture book contains 5 stories• Illustrated by internationally renowned

illustrator Sieb Posthuma

Ship ahoy! Welcome aboard Little Captain Kidd’s pirate ship. These cheerful rhyming read aloud stories depict the pirate life in all its joyful (and sometimes less joyful) moments. Golden Paintbrush-winner Sieb Posthuma excels in his humorous, cartoonesque illustrations of violent waves, feasting pirates and an endearing little hero with rosy cheeks.

A Pirate Party for Little Captain Kidd Aboard Little Kidd’s pirate ship almost every night there’s a party. Lost a tooth? Learnt how to read? Survived a fierce storm? Break out the rum! But when it’s Little Captain Kidd’s birthday, the pirates truly go all out.

Picture books29.7 x 22.7 cm, 48 pagesAges 4 and up | €14,95Rights sold: China, Denmark, Sweden and Vietnam


8 9

Sir Francis’ Horse to the RescueIn the third book in the series, Sir Francis has to face his biggest fear yet: he has to slay a dragon! Luckily, he isn’t alone: when he gets into real danger, his horse comes galloping to his rescue.

Sir Francis Makes New FriendsSix new adventures in which Sir Francis the Fearful has to take on the world. Enormous giants, scary ghosts, rough dwarfs… But these ‘enemies’ aren’t as bad as they seem!

Sir Francis the FearfulSir Francis the Fearful is no hero at all. Apart from dragons he also fears witches, mighty lords, knights… even fair maidens! But fortunately the world isn’t as scary as Sir Francis thinks.

Sir Francis the FearfulMarjet Huiberts (txt) & Philip Hopman (ill.)

• Endearing series about a not so brave knight

• Each book contains 6 stories • Lovely, elaborate drawings of

medieval scenes by Philip Hopman

In this exciting picture book series, the easily frightened Sir Francis gets into adventures – some a bit scary, but most not so much – that will leave kids at the edge of their seats. The attractive illustrations by Phillip Hopman bring the captivating knight’s world full of dragons, tournaments and fair maidens to life.

Picture books 26 x 26 cm, 56 pagesAges 4 and up | €14,95


8 9

Winifred Is Not Going InWinifred takes swimming lessons and is ready for the next step: swimming in Pool Two. Stubborn as she is, she refuses to go in. But then something happens that makes her decide to dive into the water…

Winifred Does Not Want a Baby BrotherMummy has thrilling news for Winifred. A little baby is coming to live with them, a brother or… ‘No brothers allowed!’ Winifred shouts. But Winifred forgets how cute and adorable little babies are!

Winifred Wants to Be a ParadeWinifred really wants to be a parade, but mummy tells her that she can’t be, all on her own. Then Winifred takes off on her scooter and show mummy that she definitely can be!

WinifredLida Dijkstra (txt) & Noëlle Smit (ill.)

• Cheerful, upbeat series about a stubborn little mouse

• Simple rhyming text, cute and colourful illustrations

• Recognizable situations: being bored, an addition to the family, swimming lessons

Picture books26 x 26 cm, 32 pagesAges 3 and up | €13,95Rights sold: Germany, Korea and Japan

Winifred Wants a Christmas TreeIn this special Christmas mini-edition (13.5 x 13.5 cm / 24 pages), Winifred finds the perfect Christmas tree in the forest. But on her way home, she keeps giving branches of it to needy animals and her tree gets thinner and thinner. Finally, not much of her super-tree is left! Fortunately, unexpected help comes her way.


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Hello Sir, Do You Have a Dog?Marjet Huiberts (txt) & Iris Deppe (ill.)

Mick is allowed to have a pet and he has his heart set on a dog. Unfortunately the local pet shop is out of dogs. So Mickey has to choose something else, but picking the perfect pet is harder than it looks. When he finally leaves the shop he doesn’t have a dog on his leash, but another animal that he’s thrilled about.

Picture book 23 x 29 cm, 40 pagesAges 3 and up | €13,95

A New Kid on the Farm!Marjet Huiberts (txt) & Iris Deppe (ill.)

• Dutch Picture Book of the Year 2016! • Heartwarming story about the birth of a

baby goat• Fresh pastel illustrations by talented

newcomer Iris Deppe

There’s a new baby on the children’s farm. But before Mick finds the newborn goat, he ends up visiting all the farm’s animals, who each express their happiness about the birth of the new kid in their own unique way.

This cheerful picture book has proven to be a big hit with both toddlers and their parents, with over 6,000 copies sold already. And there’s lots more to come: handpicked by a profession-al jury as Dutch Picture Book of the Year, this book will be the center of attention during the National Read Aloud Days in January 2016!

Picture book29 x 23 cm, 32 pagesAges 3 and up | €13,95

Picture Book of the Year 2016


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Never Tickle a CrocodileA tough bandit gives his three children one last piece of advice on his dying bed: whatever you do, never, ever tickle a crocodile! But will they follow his advice?

Vlag & Wimpel Silver Pencil 2015

Good KnightLong ago, in the Middle Ages, all knights had beards. Except for Knight Roderick... who was never invited to slay dragons. But he knows a better way to get to a fair lady’s heart!

Silver Pencil 2014

Honourable Mention Woutertje Pieterse-Prize 2014

Rights sold: Simplified Chinese

Good Knight /Never Tickle a CrocodileBette Westera (txt) & Thé Tjong-Khing (ill.)

• Fun new fairy tales with a wink• Exciting themes: knights and robbers• Humorous illustrations by

master-illustrator Thé Tjong-Khing

Picture books27.5 x 25 cm, 32 pagesAges 4 and up | €13,95

‘Thé Tjong-Khing’s illustrations, with their witty details, are remarkable. The quirky text by Bette Westera could just as easily have been written by Annie M.G. Schmidt or Roald Dahl.’ – Dutch Foundation For Literature


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Whose Hat Is That?Joukje Akveld (txt) & Thé Tjong-Khing (ill.)

• New preschool series based on the question: who or what belongs here?

• The drawings for each part will be created by a different well-known Dutch illustrator

Left a top hat, right four characters: an athlete, a woman in a beach dress, a snowman and Santa Claus. Whose hat is that? Once the choice is made, a funny drawing on the next page provides the answer: of course it’s the snowman’s top hat! Whose Hat Is That? is the first part of a new children’s series conceived and developed by Joukje Akveld. Thé Tjong-Khing illustrated this first book: a collection of beautiful costumes (with matching headgear or not).

Cased board book17 x 17 cm, 34 pagesAges 2 and up | €8,95

The Storyteller’s Most Wonderful TalesThé Tjong-Khing (txt & ill.)

• Gorgeous read aloud book with fairy tale classics• Lavishly illustrated in full colour by Thé Tjong-Khing • Thé’s greatest masterpiece as a storyteller and

illustrator

Widely acknowledged as a brilliant illustrator, Thé Tjong-Khing has won many prestigious awards for his work, including three Golden Slate Brushes, the Woutertje Pieterse Prize (for best literary work for children) and the Max Velthuijs Award for his com-plete works. With these fairy tale books, now Thé has fulfilled one of his long-time desires: to make these splendid stories accessible for small children.

Hardcover with bookmarker ribbon19.5 x 23.5 cm, 296 pagesAges 4 and up | €24,95

picture books

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Sleeping BeautiesHenriette Boerendans (txt & ill.)

• Beautiful non-fiction picture book about animals getting a good night’s rest

• Illustrated with colourful, attractive woodcuts

• With information about sleeping rituals in the animal kingdom

Nature is full of surprises. Things you basically take for granted. Henriette Boerendans takes a close-up look at one such aspect of the animal kingdom: the different ways animals sleep. Some sleep alone; some sleep together. One rests in a hammock, another in a cosy hole in the ground. A wonderful book for looking at together, over and over again, and then com-fortably crawling under the covers.

Picture books about animals are the spe-cialty of the Dutch woodcut artist Henriette Boerendans, whose illustrations have been extensively exhibited in the Netherlands and abroad. Her book Nul is een raar getal (Zero is a Strange Number) was included in the IBBY Honour List in 2014. In 2015 Boerendans was nominated for the International Award for Illustration.

Picture book24.5 x 24.5 cm, 36 pagesAges 4 and up | €14,95

picture books

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Ape, Bear, ZebraHenriette Boerendans (txt & ill.)

With this lovely alphabet book children will be able to recognize different letters and animals. Also with extra information about each animal, for instance: why are flamingos pink and what does a bear do in the winter?

Picture book21.5 x 26.5 cm, 64 pagesAges 5 and up | €14,95Rights sold: France

Zero is a Strange NumberHenriette Boerendans (txt & ill.)

Henriette Boerendans’ beautiful woodcut illustrations prove that a simple counting book can be very special. In this book children learn to count along with the number of animal babies that are born.

Vlag & Wimpel Silver Paintbrush 2014

IBBY Honour List 2014

Picture book20.5 x 26.5 cm, 32 pagesAges 3 and up | €14,95 Rights sold: Switzerland (German)

Reading Raven and RoeHenriette Boerendans (txt & ill.)

A bat, a fox, a rat, a pig and a cat – what do they all have in common? In this book first readers can read the names of the animals written in large, clear letters next to the pictures. More advanced readers will find additional information in the smaller print.

Picture book24 x 20.5 cm, 64 pagesAges 5 and up | €14,95

Henriette Boerendans is

nominated for the International Award

for Illustration 2015!

newcover

picture books / backlist highlights

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The Year of the BadgerNicole de Cock (txt & ill.) & Debbie Saul (typesetting)

Only a handful of illustrators succeed in depicting nature in a realistic way without being boring and too educational; Nicole de Cock is one of them. For this book she chose to work with the very special scratchboard technique, resulting in intricate drawings of a badger in all four seasons.

Picture book24.5 x 22 cm, 32 pages Ages 4 and up | €13,95Rights sold: France

Swift’s TravelsNicole de Cock (txt & ill.)

For over ten years Nicole kept a watchful eye out for ‘her’ swift Fleck, who returned to his trusted nest underneath her roof each and every year. In this story, she describes in word and image a random summer in Fleck and his family’s life, from the moment of their first chirp to their return flight to Africa.

Picture book24.5 x 22 cm, 32 pagesAges 4 and up | €13,95Rights sold: France

Scram and ScrewyNicole de Cock (txt & ill.)

A lovely, moving book with but a few words necessary to tell the story of the friendship between Scram the donkey and Screwy the mouse. On occasion their friendship feels rather one-sided, but this book teaches the old saying: ‘Sometimes it is better to give than to receive’.

Picture book22.5 x 22.5 cm, 32 pages Ages 3 and up | €13,95Rights sold: Canada, Korea and China

picture bookspicture books / backlist highlights

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I Want a Whale!Bette Westera (txt) & Loes Riphagen (ill.)

Tim knows exactly what he wants for his birthday: a pet. After all, all his friends have one: a llama, a dinosaur, an octopus… But c’mon, do they really?

Picture book25.7 x 25.7 cm, 32 pages, ages 4 and up | €13,95

Mr Cat’s TailTjalling Houkema (concept & ill.)

A very unusual picture book that needs no words of explanation. In the story, the red and white tail of the cat plays a wondrous role – will it ever end?

Picture book 29.7 x 22.7 cm, 48 pages, ages 3 and up | €13,95

DawdleRian Visser (txt) & Noëlle Smit (ill.)

Dawdle loves dallying and dreaming. His mother constantly tells him to hurry up, but then one day all his lingering helps him save his friend!

Picture book27 x 23 cm, 32 pages, ages 3 and up | €13,95Rights sold: Germany and Japan

Feodor Has Seven SistersMarjet Huiberts (txt) & Sieb Posthuma (ill.)

Feodor has seven sisters. Seven big, fat, noisy sisters. And being their younger brother isn’t always an easy job, but on his birthday it’s a blast!


Vlag & Wimpel Silver Paintbrush 2011

Silver Paintbrush 2007

picture bookspicture books / backlist highlights

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That OneMirte Stut & Geurt van Donkelaar

A toddler’s first photo book, divided into 14 fun categories, such as ‘that is dirty’, ‘that is thin’ and ‘that is round’. Perfect for children to learn how to refer to the world around them.

Board book with coloured edges23.2 x 28.8 cm, 32 pages, ages 18 months and up | €14,95

There Once Was a Prince and He Wanted a PrincessMartine Bijl (txt) & Noëlle Smit (ill.)

In seven traditional fairy tales set to rhyme, Dutch television host and musical translator Martine Bijl takes young readers on a rollercoaster of humour and drama. With witty and enchanting drawings by Noëlle Smit.

Picture book26 x 26 cm, 56 pages, ages 4 and up | €14,95

The Very Best, Most Marvellous and Greatest Grandfathers of the WorldJan Paul Schutten (txt) & Kees de Boer (ill.)

Dirk is staying with his grandfathers. They make him a bicycle to ride to school on and boast about their own adventures on the way to school in the good old days.


A Big Day AheadArnoud Wiersta (ill.) In this eye-catching, textless picture book, the hero of the story is excited about a special event that’s about to happen. But when he sets out to finally meet his loved one, nothing goes as planned…

Picture book24.5 x 30 cm, 36 pages, ages 5 and up | €14,95Rights sold: South Arfica

picture books / backlist highlights

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music books

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Classical Music for KidsIn this beautiful series, the stories and illustrations combine perfectly with the classical music of famous composers. Each book is illustrated by a top-notch illustrator, whose talent is recognized all over the world. The music on the CDs is performed by the world’s best orchestras and conducted by equally famous conductors. Thus making classical music accessible for children in a magnificent way.

Swan Lake – TchaikovskyIllustrated by Noëlle SmitExhibitions of Paintings – Moussorgsky Illustrated by Philip HopmanPeter and the Wolf – ProkofievIllustrated by Sieb PosthumaCinderella – ProkofievIllustrated by Martijn van der LindenThe Firebird – Stravinsky Illustrated by Annemarie van HaeringenCarnaval of the Animals – Saint-SaënsIllustrated by Thé Tjong-Khing

ALSO AVAILABLE:Carmen - BizetIllustrated by Thé Tjong-KhingDon Giovanni - MozartIllustrated by Thé Tjong-KhingThe Magic Flute - MozartIllustrated by Thé Tjong-Khing

Picture books with CD23 x 23 cm, 32 pages, Ages 5 and up | €16,95

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music books

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If You See a CrocodilePetra Koeleman (concept), Ageeth de Haan (singing) & Geertje Aalders (ill.)

• Picture book with CD containing 25 of the most beloved English children’s songs

• Extraordinary and colourful paper-cut illustrations

In this handy picture book with cd, children can read and sing along to 25 of the most popular English children’s songs. A fun way of getting to know and appreciate these traditional rhymes, and for little non-native English speakers the perfect way of getting familiarized with the English language! The songs on the CD are sung by the jazzy Dutch singer Ageeth de Haan, well-known for her children’s songs and performances.

Picture book with CD14 x 14 cm, 64 pages Ages 2 and up | €9,95 For a sample of the songs,scan this QR code

Angels We Have Heard on High 16 Delightful Christmas CarolsNoëlle Smit (ill.)

• Picture book including a 16-song CD filled with Christmas cheer

• Heart-warming images by popular picture book illustrator Noëlle Smit

For this picture book with CD, Noëlle Smit has specially illustrated 16 Christmas Carols: traditional as well as popular songs from Silent Night to Jingle Bells. And while this book contains several Christmas classics from the Netherlands, the cheerful illustrations portray familiar holiday scenes from around the world – a wealth of bells, stars, garlands, shepherds, angels, snowmen, Christmas trees and more. Making the drawings very suited for your own classic Christmas medleys, no matter the language.

Picture book with CD24.5 x 24.5 cm, 40 pagesAges 3 and up | €14,95

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first readers

Blitz! On Planet 10In the second book in the series, a strange creature lands on Blitz’s planet, Planet 0. His UFO is broken and he needs to find a way back to his own planet. Blitz tries come up with a plan to help him, but this is no simple task!

Blitz!Blitz is a small green alien living all alone on Planet 0. He doesn’t mind being by himself, until a tiny bird lands on his planet. They become fast friends, but then the bird decides to return to Earth. Blitz misses him so much he builds a rocket ship and flies to earth to find a new friend. But will he ever find someone like his little friend again?

Blitz!Rian Visser (txt) & Lars Deltrap (ill.)

• Fun series for beginning readers • Lovable main character, exciting

outer-space theme• Printed in a special typeface designed

for dyslexic readers

Hardcover, full-colour illustrations14.5 x 25.5 cm, 152 pagesAges 7 and up | €12,95

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first readers

Early Readers• Reading ‘briefcases’ containing a

assortment of books with an increasing reading level

• Together with a workbook to playfully practice writing

• The perfect gift for beginning readers

Reading cases with 4-5 booklets20.7 x 15 x 4 cmAges 5 and up | €16,95

Go, Sparrow!Rian Visser (txt) & Alex Wolf (ill.)

In this briefcase full of cheerful books with a sporty theme, Sparrow and her cool friend Mouse sail, ski, kick around a football, and go figure skating together.

Crunch and PunchHarmen van Straaten (txt & ill.)

Crunch and Punch love fixing and building things. Only, their dad’s tool shed is off limits to them. That is until dad goes out for the day.

ALSO AVAILABLE:

Ziggy and Giga Under Attack!Oirik

• Part one of a super new series• Witty story about the friendship

between a boy and an alien• Dynamically illustrated: lots of

action and laughs!

When Ziggy befriends Giga, a super-cool creature from outer space, his life changes overnight. At first he manages to hide him in his tree house, but before long Giga is discovered. And that’s not even the biggest problem... An exciting adventure – filled with aliens, laser guns, chickens (both alive and roasted), and some seriously slimy stuff – is the outcome!

Oirik (pen name of Erik Nieuwenhuis) has worked as a graphic designer on various promotional campaigns, usually focused on youth, culture, education and the promotion of reading. Ziggy and Giga Under Attack! is his first children’s book.

Hardcover, black-and-white illustrations13 x 19 cm, 152 pagesAges 8 and up | €12,95

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children’s fiction & series

Stories from the Witches Den Femke Dekker (txt) & Marieke Nelissen (ill.)

• Humorous new series about witches• Exciting tales, simple story lines, hours

of reading pleasure• Wonderfully received by the target

audience

The witches den is a scary house with creaking stairs and squeaking doors, where weird things always happen. That’s no surprise, given its four residents – Sybil, Lydia, Stella and Luna – are not only witches, but nuttier than fruitcakes!Both Femke Dekker and Marieke Nelissen have written many educational books for chil-dren. Stories from the Witches Den is their first collaboration. The contagious humour con-veyed by the mix of their words and images helps children discover the magic of reading.

Book 1: A Witch’s TailIn this first part Sybil brews a soup that’s a bit too spicy, so things go differently than planned. What’s a witch supposed to do with a cat’s head and tail?

Book 2: Bubble TroublePart 2 is all about spacey Luna, who cooks up a cauldron of a very magical, bubbly brew. Luna floats spellbound through the house and stumbles across lots of peculiar things!(To be published in November)


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The Ted van Lieshout LibraryTed van Lieshout (txt) & Sylvia Weve (ill.)

Ted van Lieshout has won just about every award available to children’s books authors. Last spring he was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the jury praising his outstanding multi-faceted oeuvre, the perfect dialogue between word and image and his original and expressive writing style. The stories in this series are accompanied by beautiful and funny illustrations by Golden Paintbrush-winner Sylvia Weve.

Hardcover, full-colour illustrations14.5 x 22.5 cm, ca. 60 pagesAges 6 and up | €10,95Rights sold: Turkey

NoiseboxNoisebox is a very loud girl. Her mother thinks she needs to turn down the volume, but Noisebox is determined to be heard!

The Sweetest Boy in the WorldGrown-ups think Thyme is the sweetest boy in the world. But is he really?

Mike Has a SecretMike is an introspective boy who tends to take the word of grown-ups too literally – with all its consequences.

Dotty and Her Lemonade MotherDotty refuses to take a bath. But when she finally does get cleaned up, she shrinks and disappears down the drain pipe!

I Am a Hero An adventurous book about a son and his father, with the son ultimately being the far more heroic of the two. Rights sold: Spain, Germany

Vlag & Wimpel Silver Pencil 1991

I Am a MagicianThe second book about the same son and father. This time the son inherits a magic box used to saw people in half…

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children’s fiction & serieschildren’s fiction & series

The Black Egg / The Red Egg Han van der Vegt (txt) & Loes Riphagen (ill.)

Three sisters – Sam, Sis and Lot – lose both their home and parents in a single blow, through the bungling of a local politician. The shady mayor finds them a comfy new home, a big red egg, which turns our to be a spaceship! In the second book in the series, the sisters start offering guided tours of the moon. But they are sabotaged by competing twin brothers, who turn up with a giant black egg of their own…

The Ice-Cream FactoryLinda Groeneveld (txt & ill.)

Beachcomber Andrei Zozokof makes such a success of selling ice-cream that his business expands until he has a chain of factories all over the world. Everyone is full of admiration for his amazing career – everyone, that is, except for his daughter.

Hardcover, black-and-white illustrations15.5 x 23 cm, 101 pagesAges 7 and up | €12,95

Some More Tea, Elephant?Linda Groeneveld (txt & ill.)

A little princess is longing for a puppy. Then to everybody’s big amazement not a dog, but an elephant is delivered to her on the palace steps. But elephants don’t behave like puppies…

Hardcover, black-and-white illustrations14.5 x 22.5 cm, 160 pagesAges 7 and up | €14,95Rights sold: Germany and France

Hardcover, black-and-white illustrations13.5 x 21 cm, 208 / 238 pagesAges 9 and up | €14,95

Flemish Children’s Jury Prize 2012

Dutch Children’s Jury Selection 2015

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children’s fiction & serieschildren’s fiction & series

JackrabbitBette Westera (txt) & Sylvia Weve (ill.)

• Funny, well-written collection of animal tales

• From the winners of the Woutertje Pieterse Prize 2014

• Great bedtime stories

Jackrabbit is happy to spend the day playing wild games with the other forest animals. Tag for example, or racing to see who can run the fastest. But there are also times when everybody is too busy to play: Blackbird has to build a nest, Heron wants to catch a fish. Only Snail has time – but playing tag with Snail is a bit boring...

Jackrabbit is a cheerful collection of read-aloud stories from the award-winning Dutch author Bette Westera. The collection features illustrations by Gouden Penseel (Golden Paintbrush-winner) Sylvia Weve. Westera and Weve were awarded the Woutertje Pieterse Prize 2014 for their collaborative poetry collec-tion Doodgewoon (Dead Normal).

Hardcover, full-colour illustrations 17 x 17 cm, 64 pagesAges 6 and up | €16,95

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Alice in WonderlandLewis Carroll (txt) & Floor Rieder (ill.)

• Celebrate 150 years of Alice in Wonderland!

• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass combined in 1 luxurious edition

• Mesmerizingly illustrated by The Mystery’s of Life’s Floor Rieder

This year the world celebrated the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s deeply beloved Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Gottmer too commemorated this joyous occasion by publishing a very special new edition of this classic book and its sequel, Through the Looking-Glass, with brand-new illustrations by Floor Rieder – well known for her magnif-icent work on the award winning non-fiction book The Mystery of Life. With her distinctive, elaborate and contemporary drawings, Rieder successfully creates a witty and timeless Alice you fall in love with instantly.

Hardcover, full-colour illustrations15 x 19 cm, 384 pagesAges 6 and up | €24,95Rights sold: Germany‘Rieder’s illustrations are of an impressive

combination of qualities. They are elegant, funny, refreshing, and informative – all together a rare combination in children’s book illustrations.’ - jury report golden paintbrush 2014

Most Beautiful Dutch Book Cover 2014

Best Dutch Book Design 2014


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non-fiction

Lessons in Laughing & Farting Sunna Borghuis (txt) & Harmen van Straaten (ill.)

• Big read-aloud book about the ‘Gang of Four’• 30 amusing stories fully in line with modern

family life• Lots of comical full-colour drawings

accompanying the text

A great big read-aloud book chockfull of stories about the ‘Gang of Four’: the twins Maya and Jude, their younger brother Chase and their nutty father. Chase has to give a talk at school, but he’s having trouble coming up with a good topic. But then his dad gets one of his ingenious ideas: isn’t passing gas as good a topic as any?


A Bizarre PartyBette Westera (txt) & Alex de Wolf (ill.)

• Exciting story about a birthday party gone wrong

• Written by two-time Silver Pencil winner Bette Westera

Job’s birthday is coming and his grandparents (all four of them!) are busy organizing a party for him. Going to an amusement park would be a big waste of money – so wouldn’t an old-fashioned treasure hunt be just as much fun? Definitely! That is until it gets dark, and Job and his friends don’t return home…

Hardcover, black-and-white illustrations14.5 x 22.5 cm, 128 pagesAges 8 and up | €12,95


Flemish Children’s Jury Selection 2015

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non-fiction

The Time-Out HotelLisa Boersen (txt) & Lars Deltrap (ill.)

The four main characters of this book all have two things in common: they’re embarrassed about something stupid they’ve done in the past and for some mysterious reason they’ve all ended up in this strange time-out hotel.


Flemish Children’s Jury Prize 2013

The Voice SlurperLisa Boersen (txt) & Lars Deltrap (ill.)

Mika receives a package from her Auntie To, who has lived in the jungle for years. It appears to be some sort of straw that slurps up voices. Of course they try it out, but then everything goes wrong… Time to take a trip to the jungle to unravel the mystery of the voice slurper.



‘Annie M.G. Schmidt and Roald Dahl are still firmly enthroned, but Boersen’s chipping away at the foundation is thoroughly enjoyable.’ – vrij nederland

newcover

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non-fiction

The Mystery of LifeJan Paul Schutten (txt) & Floor Rieder (ill.)

• Outstanding non-fiction book on life and evolution

• Gorgeous, intricate drawings to illustrate the humorous and light-hearted texts

• Acclaimed by critics, loved by children

In this splendid book, successful Dutch author Jan Paul Schutten shares what he’s discovered about life’s mysteries and evolution. What is ‘life’ exactly? How did it come to exist? Why do all living things die? These are just some of the big questions Schutten lucidly addresses in his book, assisted by Floor Rieder’s fantastic illustrations – which sometimes clarify and sometimes add humour to the text.


Nienke van Hichtum-prize 2013

(best children’s book ages 13 and up)

Golden Tulip 2014 (best non-fiction book)

Golden Pencil 2014

Golden Paintbrush 2014

Hardcover19.5 x 25.5 cm, 160 pagesAges 10 and up | €24,95

Rights sold: English World, German, Polish, French, Norwegian, Rusian, Simplified Chinese and Spanish World

‘The ultimate non-fiction book for children.’ – dutch foundation for literature

‘A brilliant book, in every way.’ – jury report golden pencil 2014

The White Ravens l 2014

Internationale Jugendbibliothek

NOMINATED FOR

THE JUGENDLITERATURPREIS

2015

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non-fiction

The Marvel of You Jan Paul Schutten (txt) & Floor Rieder (ill.)

• The successor of the acclaimed Het raadsel van alles wat leeft (The Mystery of Life)

• Theme: the human body• Fits perfectly with the trend of high-quality

non-fiction for kids

After the novel The Mystery of Life, which extensively explores evolution, there is now The Marvel of You, which examines the human body. It describes what a cell looks like on the inside: that a normal cell is even more spectacular than the Star Wars’ Death Star. It explains how to tell if someone is in love with you, why you get angry more quickly when it’s warm outside, and why chewing gum makes you smart. All of this – and much, much, more...

The Marvel of You contains an amazing amount of information and is written in the same humorous tone as the author’s first book. And of course this fun book also features the splendid illustrations of Golden Paintbrush winner Floor Rieder.

Hardcover, full-colour illustrations 19.5 x 22.5 cm, 160 pages Ages 10 and up | €24,95(To be published in November)

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non-fiction

Hey There, Earth Dweller!Dive Into The World Under Your FeetMarc ter Horst (txt) & Wendy Panders (ill.)

• non-fiction book about planet earth • Explicit and fun to read info on mountains,

volcanoes, oceans, climate change, etc. • With a mix of funny and informative

illustrations and photographs

This book informs the reader in a very original and clear way about the planet we live on. What are those squids doing way up in the mountains? Why is everybody worried about climate change? What do volcanoes actually have to do with the kitchen counter? Author Marc ter Horst takes us voyage of discovery from the centre of the earth to the top of the atmosphere, from the rain forests at the equator to the snow plains at the poles, and from earth’s origins to its inescapable demise.

Hardcover, full-colour illustrations23 x 23 cm, 128 pagesAges 8 and up | €17,95Rights sold: Germany, France, Russia and Korea

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non-fiction

From Big Bang to RobotEverything Has a BeginningMarc ter Horst (txt) & Eliane Gerrits (ill.)

• Accessible non-fiction book about the origins of all kind of things

• No less than 38 beginnings, such as the universe, language... and you!

• Perfect for inquisitive kids, especially those who never stop asking questions

Where does language come from? How was the first robot invented? Who came up with clothing? Children want to know everything and at times they embarrass their parents with their relentless questions. Featuring one ‘beginning’ per double-page spread, From Big Bang to Robot is the perfect book for children with a healthy thirst for knowledge: lots of wonderful information about lots of wonderful topics.

Marc ter Horst, who has proven with his successful Hé aardbewoner! (Hey There, Earth Dweller!) that he’s not afraid of tackling diffi-cult topics, explains the origin of all kinds of things in clear language, whether he’s talking about the universe or the first pets. The funny illustrations by Eliane Gerrits perfectly compli-ment the book’s playful atmosphere.

Hardcover, full-colour illustrations 23 x 23 cm, 92 pages Ages 8 and up | €14,95

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poetry

Dead NormalBette Westera (txt) & Sylvia Weve (ill.)

• Exceptional poetry book on death and all that relates to it

• Simple but insightful text – funny and moving all at once

• Unique book design: several pages varying in width for extraordinary composition effect

• Named one of the best Dutch books of 2014 by 5 literary critics

There’s one central theme in this magnificent new read-aloud poetry book: death. Together the author and illustrator tackle this subject, which not only children find difficult to com-prehend. How badly you can miss someone who is no longer around? Why do young people die as well? Where does someone go after they’ve died? All of this and much more is covered. But most of all, Westera’s narrative poems and Weve’s beautiful illustrations con-vey in simple terms that ‘death is but another part of life’.

Hardcover, full-colour illustrations26 x 23 cm, 112 pages Ages 9 and up | €25,95


Woutertje Pieterse Prize 2015

Silver Pencil 2015


‘Westera’s poetry reads incredibly smoothly. It is socially aware, clever, touching, funny and often even more linguistic than Annie M.G. Schmidt’s. (...) Golden Paintbrush winner Sylvia Weve surpasses herself with her gorgeous illustrations.’ - de volkskrant

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poetry / backlist highlights

Step Aside, I Am Not Your Grandmother! Bette Westera (txt) & Sylvia Weve (ill.)

A book of narrative poems about fifteen elderly people, who – and children tend to forget this – were once young as well and have a lifetime of experience behind them. This book is exceptional in its kind: it is the first book for children that focuses on elderly people, but not in the typical grandparent role.


Wire-O with flaps, full-colour illustrations23 x 29 cm, 60 pagesAges 7 and up | €19,95

Floating on a CloudBette Westera (txt) & Sylvia Weve (ill.)

A beautifully designed book with 47 animal stories set to rhyme and decorated with colourful illustrations. The stories are a humorous mix of biology and language, with enough depth to suit both children and adults.

Hardcover with ribbon bookmarkerFull-colour illustrations20.5 x 32.5 cm, 100 pagesAges 8 and up | €22,95

High in a Blossoming Linden Tree, a Podgy Rooster SatMaria van Donkelaar/Martine van Rooijen (txt) & Sieb Posthuma (ill.)

Maria van Donkelaar and Martine van Rooijen collected 75 of the most beautiful animal fables from around the world and made their own rhyming versions. Sieb Posthuma’s illustrations portray the human characteristics of animals in a sublime and humorous way. The result is a splendid book for reading aloud.



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teen

Hit Hard Margje Woodrow

When Jessie gets hit by a train after a night out, it seems like she wanted to commit suicide. Her best friend Sam simply can’t imagine Jessie would do such a thing – even when Jessie herself admits to it. What do you do when nobody believes you?

Hardcover13.5 x 21 cm, 208 pagesAges 13 and up | €12,95

Exam ScamMargje Woodrow

Kiki gets caught up in a lively stolen exam scam at her school. But when her best friend and her boyfriend end up being victimized, Kiki decides it’s time for the fraud to be exposed

Paperback13.5 x 20.5 cm, 152 pagesAges 13 and up | €12,95

HangoverMargje Woodrow

• Exciting YA thriller about a party with disastrous results• Compelling chicklit, dark and edgy

When the family she regularly baby-sits for goes on holiday, sixteen year old Teddy looks after their place for two weeks. Her hockey club friend Chloe convinces her to throw a big party. The next day, dreadful news reaches the hungover teens: Chloe’s lifeless body has been found. Who was out to get Chloe, and why? It gradually becomes clear that the hockey friends can’t trust anyone – not even each other.

Hardcover13.5 x 21 cm, 208 pages Ages 13 and up | €12,95

‘Once you start reading, you can’t put Margje Woodrow’s books down.’ - THEBOOKGIRL.NL

Shortlist Crimezone Best YA Thriller of the Year 2014

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teenteen

Barbed WireDerk Visser

Pearl lives in a normal neighbourhood in a big city, but other than that, there isn’t much ‘normality’ in her life. Her father’s pub is on the verge of bankruptcy and her older sister is always depressed. Yet, they still find a way to love and support each other... but then a dramatic event threatens to change all that.

Hardcover13.5 x 21 cm, 208 pagesAges 14 and up | €13,95

Cotton CandyDerk Visser

• Gripping story about a family in trouble• Father’s struggle with PTSD; daughter’s determination

to keep up her spirits

Ezra thought it would be great. Her father was going to earn a lot more money in the war and then they would move to a house with a big garden. But that dream is short-lived. When her father returns home, he can no longer handle life. But Ezra isn’t going to give up just like that. With a surprisingly admirable resilience she makes her way in the world, but of course her biggest wish is that everything goes back to the way it was...

Hardcover13.5 x 20.5 cm, 128 pagesAges 10 and up | €13,95

‘You can’t get enough of Visser’s dialogue... Read the guy.’ – DE VOLKSKRANT

BlossomDerk Visser

Whether at school or at home, Blossom is never shy about expressing her opinions. She does everything she can to get her divorced parents back together. And when she finds out she has a brain tumour, Blos-som doesn’t give up.

Hardcover 13.5 x 20.5 cm, 160 pagesAges 10 and up | €13,95

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teen / backlist hightlights

BrothersTed van Lieshout

This modern classic is a semi-autobiographical story about losing a brother. Lucas finds an old diary that belonged to his brother and begins reading it. The diary confronts Lucas with himself. How is it that Lucas’ brother knew things about him before he even knew them about himself?!

Hardcover14.5 x 22.5 cm, 160 pages Ages 14 and up | €14,95Rights sold: Germany, UK, France, Denmark, Estonia, Norway, Italy, Korea

BlueLiesbeth Mende

• Touching story about the pain and will-power of a teenager struggling with OCD

• Children’s book debut of published author and playwright Liesbeth Mende

• Striking blue edged book design

When her mother is distracted by her new lover and her best friend Tanya gets a boyfriend as well, no one close to her seems to care about 13-year-old Nikki any more. In an attempt to take control over her life again, Nikki’s behaviour is more and more determined by compulsory thoughts and obsessions. She’s certain, for instance, that she and her geography teacher are meant for each other. And that as long as she wears only blue clothing, everything will be O.K.

Paperback13.5 x 21 cm, 160 pagesAges 12 and up | €13,95

“Blue is a pleasant read from the first to the very last page: Liesbeth Mende’s plea to take teenagers’ feelings seriously is full of imagination and the abilty to put things into perspective.” - de standaard

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:Ingrid van der Mooren, Foreign Rights [email protected] +31 (0) 23 54 116 09

GOTTMER PUBLISHING GROUPPostal adress: P.O. Box 317, NL 2000 AH Haarlem, The NetherlandsVisiting adress: Zijlweg 308, 2015 CN Haarlem, The Netherlands

GOTTMER PUBLISHING GROUPPhone +31 (0) 23 51 111 90Fax +31 (0) 23 51 744 04www.gottmer.nl

gottmer children's books fall 2015

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