Written by Lília
Here at the ABC we have many customers asking for kids books in translation from the original Dutch, especially by expats with smaller kids that just moved in and grandparents wanting to take their culture back to English language grandchildren living abroad. We thought it would be a good idea to put some of those titles together so that you can have a reference place to start from.
In this post we’re only presenting the translated works for smaller children up to around 6 years old. If you get interested in reading other Dutch authors in translation, we will have future posts with some of the titles we have around for older kids and grown ups. So take a seat and enjoy!
Annie M.G. Schmidt is one of the most iconic authors for Dutch kids, with her wonderful short stories about Jip and Janneke, neighbor children that play together in different ways. Written in the 1950s it presents many concepts of that era, but it’s a wonderful introduction to the way things used to be and how they’ve changed since then.
She also wrote Scrumple: Dirty, stories where Scrumple and her little dog Splotch always get very dirty and need a bath; and Tow-Truck Pluk, about a boy driving a little red tow truck, looking for a home.
There are also two nice books about the Netherlands based around the characters of Jip and Janneke: A Year in Holland with Jip and Janneke and Jip and Janneke: Two Kids from the Holland.
Max Velthuijs and Toon Tellegen are both well-known children’s book authors in the Netherlands. The first book I actually read on my own in Dutch was Frog in Winter, and it’s wonderful to be able to actually advise parents and grandparents about these books. But not all well-known Dutch authors’ books were written by Dutch authors. The Cow Who Fell in the Canal was actually written by Phyllis Krasilovsky, an American writer, but it’s such a picture perfect nostalgic take on the Netherlands that it’s still one of our bestsellers for small children.
And last but not least one of the most widely known Dutch authors is Dick Bruna with his series about cute little rabbit Miffy, and all her adventures. Below you will find a selection of his titles translated into English, but we generally have more in the stores or, if we don’t have them in stock, we will probably be able to order.
