Jaap Robben

Jaap Robben (b. 1984) is a writer, poet and theatre director. Since 2000 he has written poems and short stories for both children and grown-ups and has published four collections of stories: Twee vliegen (Two Flies, 2004), De nacht krekelt (The Night is Full of Crickets, 2007), Zullen we een bos beginnen? (Shall we Start a Wood?, 2008, shortlisted for the Gouden Uil for Children’s Literature), De Zuurtjes (The Sourballs) and Als iemand ooit mijn botjes vindt (If Anyone Finds My Bones, 2012). Birk is his first novel for adults.

Birk

(De Geus, 2014, 255 pages)

Jaap Robben is well-known as a poet, children’s author and theatre director. This, his first novel, is set on a remote island between Norway and Scotland. Only one family lives there – the nine-year-old Mikael and his father and mother, plus a solitary neighbour. The mail arrives every week by boat. One day fate strikes: Mikael’s father drowns after saving his son from the sea.

Author

Jaap Robben

Birk

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