Griffels and Penselen 2025 Awarded for Best Dutch Children's Books
23 June 2025
Twelve “Zilveren Griffels” and eight “Zilveren Penselen” have been festively awarded in Amsterdam, last week. The Griffels and Penselen are the Netherlands’ major awards for the best written (Griffels) and illustrated (Penselen) Children’s Books.
The Dutch winners of a Zilveren Griffel or Zilveren Penseel have a chance to win the Gouden Griffel or Gouden Penseel, which will be awarded during the Children's Book Ball on September the 26th. Several nominated titles have been mentioned in our Children’s Book 2025 Catalogue, such as Violet Soapy’s List (De lijst van Violet Sopjes) by David Vlietstra and the The Teller of Wonders (De wonderverteller) by Lida Dijkstra.
Zilveren Griffels - Best Written Children’s Books
Age 0 - 6
Een ongelofelijk grote, ongelofelijk gevaarlijke leguaan by Pim Lammers, illustrated by Natascha Stenvert (Querido)
Vogel en Beer – De picknick en andere verhalen van Jarvis, translated by Tjibbe Veldkamp (Gottmer)
Age 6 - 9
Kip en kat by Margreet de Heer (Zwijsen)
Roversjong by Jef Aerts, illustrated by Martijn van der Linden (Querido)
Age 9 - 12
De zomer die alles was by Mariska Overman, illustrated by Esther Leeuwrik (Kluitman)
De lijst van Violet Sopjes by David Vlietstra, illustrated by Yoko Heiligers (Gottmer)
Patina by Jason Reynolds, illustrated by Maria Postema (Condor)
Age 12 - 15
Welkom thuis, chrononauten by Dirk Weber (Querido)
Informative
De wonderverteller by Lida Dijkstra, illustrated by Djenné Fila (Luitingh-Sijthoff)
Slimmer dan je denkt by Lotte Stegeman, illustrated by Mark Janssen (Luitingh-Sijthoff)
Poetry
Het onvergetelijke verhaal van Reinaert de vos by Maria van Donkelaar & Martine van Rooijen, illustrated by van Wendy Panders (Gottmer)
Zilveren Penselen – Best Illustrated Dutch Children’s Books
Picture Books
Een ongelofelijk grote, ongelofelijk gevaarlijke leguaan by Natascha Stenvert, written by Pim Lammers (Querido)
De wens by Victo Ngai, written by Mu’o’n Thi Van, translated by Hans & Monique Hagen (Mondo)
Illustrated Children’s Books
Donsdag by Jeska Verstegen, written by Kristien Dieltiens (Lannoo)
De schedel by Jon Klassen, translated by Berd Ruttenberg (Hoogland & Van Klaveren)
Informative Books
Je hond en jij by Elena Bulay, translated by Robbert-Jan Henkes (Querido)
Het grote kippenboek by Jan Hamstra, written by Evelien de Vlieger (Lannoo)
Illustrated Youth Books
De wonderverteller by Djenné Fila, written by Lida Dijkstra (Luitingh-Sijthoff)
Het hart van een giraf is ongelooflijk groot by Amanda Chanfreau, written by Sofia Chanfreau, translated by Sophie Kuiper (Lannoo)