The Gouden Lijst, a Dutch prize for youth literature for ages 12 to 15, is awarded to Benny Lindelauf for Hoe Tortot zijn vissenhart verloor. Ludwig Volbeda provided the tale about war and friendship with beautiful illustrations. An English and German translation are to be expected at Pushkin Press and Jacoby & Stuart.
The Gouden Lijst for a youth novel in Dutch translation went to Ali Benjamin for The Thing About Jellyfish, translated by Lidwien Biekmann as Suzy en de kwallen.
About Hoe Tortot zijn vissenhart verloor
Hoe Tortot zijn vissenhart verloor (How Tortot lost his Fish Heart) is set during the Great Wars. Tortot, a cynical cook who has travelled alongside many wars one morning discovers a young soldier who has fled the war and hides in a barrel in the store-room. Tortot preferably likes to hand over the young deserter, but the cook has caught a cold and is unable to taste the meals he has prepared for the soldiers. Can the young soldier help him? While the Great Wars rage across the Continent a cautious friendship is born.
Benny Lindelauf
Benny Lindelauf (1964) teaches creative writing to adults and children. From his debut book on, Omhooggevallen, which was a witty story about a girl with a vivid imagination, he has had a noticeably authentic style as well as content. The promise of the first book was confirmed with Schuilen in een jas, a stirring story about love and sickness. The book made the shortlist of The Golden Owl, a prestigious Flemish literary prize. Imagination, wit and drama are crucial ingredients woven together in an exceptional way. Lindelauf once said: ‘Writing is actually like moving from one house to the next over and over again’. With Negen open armen (Nine open arms) Benny Lindelauf has won the Thea Beckmann Award 2004, the prize for the best historical juvenile book published in 2003.
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