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Guus Kuijer

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Guus Kuijer

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1942-08-01 （Amsterdam, Netherlands）
Nationality
Netherlands
Languages
Dutch
Religion
Catholic Apostolic Church (parents were members)
Residence History
Amsterdam (birthplace / long-term residence) → Doetinchem (studied at teacher training school)

Career

Occupations
Writer, Primary school teacher
Active Years
1967-

Education

Kweekschool (teacher training school), Doetinchem
Degree: Bachelor of Education
Period: 1960年代
Year of Graduation: 1967
Country: Netherlands
Completed teacher training and worked as a primary school teacher

Awards

Gouden Griffel
1976
Work: Met de poppen gooien
Organization: Dutch children's literature awards committee
Result: 受賞
Gouden Griffel
1979
Work: Scratches in the Table
Organization: Dutch children's literature awards committee
Result: 受賞
Staatsprijs voor kinder- en jeugdliteratuur
1979
Organization: Netherlands (state prize)
Result: 受賞
Gouden Griffel
2000
Work: Forever Together, Amen
Organization: Dutch children's literature awards committee
Result: 受賞
Gouden Griffel
2005
Work: The Book of Everything
Organization: Dutch children's literature awards committee
Result: 受賞
Gouden Uil jeugdliteratuurprijs
2005
Work: The Book of Everything
Organization: Belgian/Flemish literary awards committee
Result: 受賞
Woutertje Pieterse Prijs
2003
Work: I'm Polleke, you know!
Organization: Dutch literary award
Result: 受賞
E. du Perron Prize
2007
Work: How a Little Rotten God Killed God / The Killing of a Human
Organization: Dutch literary organization
Result: 受賞
Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
2012
Organization: Swedish Arts Council
Result: 受賞
Zilveren Griffel
1984
Work: Duck by Duck
Organization: Dutch children's literature awards committee
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Met de poppen gooien

1975 Children's literature

First book in the Madelief series. Stories from a child's perspective about everyday life and feelings.

Child's perspectiveFamily and friendship

Scratches in the Table

1978 Children's literature

Addresses childhood growth and family complexities. Later adapted into a film.

Coming of ageFamily relationships
Adaptations
  • [Film] Scratches in the Table (film) (1998)

Polleke

2003 Children / Young adult

Series about a girl named Polleke growing up. Later adapted into film and television.

Growing upIdentity
Adaptations
  • [Film] Polleke (film) (2003)
  • [TV series] Polleke (TV series) (2005)

The Book of Everything

2004 Children's / Young adult literature

Tells of family, violence and hope through a boy's eyes. Internationally acclaimed and adapted for the stage.

Violence and hopeFamily
Adaptations
  • [Play (adaptation)] The Book of Everything (play) (2013)
Translations
  • English translation and stage adaptation by Richard Tulloch (2011 translation; 2013 stage production)

The Bible for Unbelievers (series)

2016 Essays / Commentary

A series reinterpreting biblical texts from a skeptical and educational perspective.

Religion and skepticismHistorical interpretation
Translations
  • Translated into English by Laura Watkinson (The Bible for Unbelievers, 2016)

Bibliography

  • Rose, met vrome wimpers (1971)
  • Het dochtertje van de wasvrouw (1973)
  • Met de poppen gooien (1975)
  • Krassen in het tafelblad (1978)
  • Polleke (2003)
  • The Book of Everything (2004)
  • The Bible for Unbelievers series (2012–2016)

Adaptations

  • Madelief (TV series 1994) / Scratches in the Table (film 1998) / Polleke (film 2003, TV 2005) / The Book of Everything (stage 2013)

Translations of Works

  • The Book of Everything → English translation and stage adaptation by Richard Tulloch
  • The Bible for Unbelievers → English translation by Laura Watkinson

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Concise, straightforward narration attuned to a child's perspectiveCombination of humor and realism
Recurring Motifs
Child's viewpointReligious skepticismFamily and social conflict

Legacy

Guus Kuijer is one of the Netherlands' leading children's authors; his works, portraying social issues and religious themes from a child's perspective, have received international recognition. Many have been adapted for screen and stage; he won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2012.

Archives

  • Digital Library for Dutch Literature (collections on Kuijer)

In Popular Culture

  • Screen and TV adaptations of the Polleke and Madelief series

Quotes

  • Portrays both the problems facing contemporary society and life’s big questions.
    Source: Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award citation (2012) (2012)

Trivia

  • Worked as a primary school teacher from 1967 to 1973.
  • The Book of Everything was adapted for the stage and performed internationally.
  • His parents were members of the Catholic Apostolic Church, but he has said he does not remember believing in God.