The Wouterje Pieterse Prize 2015, one of the most prestigious prizes for Dutch children’s and youth literature, has been awarded to writer Bette Westera and illustrator Sylvia Weve for Doodgewoon (‘Dead Simple’). The jury praised their unique approach to the central theme of this illustrated poetry collection: death in all its aspects.
The language is solid, the illustrations are diverse, fitting, colourful and imaginative, the cooperation between the text and the illustrations is superb. ‘Dead Simple’ has touched us deeply.
This new collection by Bette Westera and Sylvia Weve also attracted the attention of international publishers, noted Agnes Vogt (of the Dutch Foundation for Literature) at the recent Bologna Book Fair. Our publication Children’s Books From Holland provides more information on this title. Further information about books (in translation) by Bette Westera and Sylvia Weve may be found in our translations database.
In 2013 Sylvia Weve and Bette Westera received two awards for their previous collaboration Aan de kant ik ben je oma niet! (Scram! I’m Not Your Gran!).
The Woutertje Pieterse Prize, which consists of 15.000 euro, is being awarded annually since 1988 to the best young adult or children’s book written in Dutch. The prize was introduced at the initiative of several well-known Dutch reviewers who wished to see the children’s book as a full literary genre. For that reason, they wanted a prize for a book of Dutch origin for children or young adults with exceptional qualities with respect to language and content as well as image and graphic design. Woutertje Pieterse is the name of the eponymous child protagonist of a famous nineteenth-century Dutch novel for adults, written by Multatuli.
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