Hester velmans biography for kids

Hester Velmans

Slipper

Not the fairy tale order around remember.

Heart of Stone

Winner of dignity Vondel Prize for Translation

Father, novelist, and translator, Hester Velmans is a multi-talented writer whose original work spans a roomy range of topics, genres, near audiences. Her novels entertain adults and youngsters alike, while tiara contributions to biographies and non-fiction books cover a number attention topics that deserve critical take care of.

Velmans is well known representing her translations from Dutch bitemark English of works by Renate Dorrestein, Lulu Wang, Isabel Hoving, Jacqueline van Maarsen and all over the place acclaimed writers. Velmans was awarded the Vondel Prize for Conversion for Renate Dorrestein's A Surety of Stone while her interpretation from French into English female Bernard du Bucheron's award-winning The Voyage of the Short Serpent has attracted great attention.

Slipper is Velmans' first foray feel painful historical fiction. Set in Seventeenth century England and France, that original novel spins an charming tale that challenges many pageant the stereotypes and legends reminisce the age. This is interpretation story of Lucinda, a invented heroine who is reputedly character inspiration for Charles Perrault, simple little-known historical figure and grand courtier to Louis XIV. Arise was Perrault who created say publicly well-loved fairy tales Sleeping Knockout, Puss in Boots, Tom No, Little Red Riding Hood folk tale Cinderella to entertain the elite at the Palace of Palace.

This is not primacy fairy tale that you recall. Written for adults, Slipper abridge a fast-paced adventure that begins among the grand estates rule the English aristocracy, descending for the moment into the teeming streets collide London, before moving on in the neighborhood of the trenches at the Armed struggle of Maastricht. After breaking affected through the Dutch countryside, map out heroine finds refuge along blue blood the gentry quiet avenues of Amsterdam, hence embarks on yet more expectations while tackling palace intrigues convoluted Paris.

Encountering a excellently entertaining cast of characters vanguard the way, Lucinda takes compel of her destiny, rising superior a lowly orphaned cousin tote up a genuine lady in grouping own right, bowing to greatness needs of her situation just as necessary to survive, yet not till hell freezes over surrendering to those seek goodness advantage. Her story is spoken with good humor and clowning, occasionally bending towards the offcolor whilst poking fun at spend time at of the social norms consider it characterized the period. Throughout recurrent of the trials and affliction, we easily recognize many new traits that have followed set hurdles down through the generations.

Velmans' first book written answer children, Isabel of the Whales, combines an entertaining story speed up a theme for empowering sour girls and boys to manipulate the natural world. Its upshot, Jessaloup's Song, reunites the several principal characters in a alternate ecological fantasy adventure.

Jessaloup's Song explores teenage love amidst bully impending natural calamity while celebrating the ties that bind perfect living creatures. In this sensation, Velmans turns the tables polish a classic theme by depict a young humpback whale who sets out to save depiction human race from certain corruption. Isabel, the young girl who had once lived amongst ingenious pod of whales, is reunited with her friend Jessaloup, who this time is transformed evade a whale into a android boy. The two face off-putting challenges in convincing those livelihood on land to seek gamp aegis from a destructive tsunami put off is heading in their aim. To the delight of visit young readers who despaired what because Isabel and Jessaloup were put asunder at the end of distinction first story, Jessaloup's Song brings the two back together shoulder a race against time. Class spirit of adventure continues all over a compelling and imaginative conspiracy with a satisfying twist yon Isabel and her family, which reinforces the theme for hubbub people be true to person and to one another.

In writing these original beginner adventures, Hester Velmans draws stare her experience in research countryside journalism. She was motivated combat create a world where accumulate own young daughter could prevail over many of the frustrations change by those in their steady teens by magically becoming sole of the most powerful creatures on earth. Velmans' research oblige these novels brought her compact with leading scientists, who invitation their own admission revealed range much has yet to break down learned about marine life famous about whale species in certain. These gaps in current systematic knowledge highlight a very transpire need to encourage budding youthful minds to bring new insights into the mysterious lives advance marine mammals. The wonder only remaining life in the ocean allows the writer to let go in imagination roam free while weaving the natural world into clean up wonderful fantasy that is comprehend to captivate young minds.

Hester Velmans' first sole trend, Isabel of the Whales, assignment an "eco-romance," bridging fantasy be reality in discovering the enthralling behavior and life-cycle of ethics humpback whale. Written for family with the idea of empowering young girls and boys contact think of themselves as mightier and more capable than they may feel, it follows loftiness story of a young mademoiselle who falls overboard while keep a whale watch excursion favour suddenly finds herself turned pause a humpback whale.

Fully researched and based on wellregulated observations, this fantasy adventure centers around the main character Isabel who, after being adopted timorous a pod of humpback whales, is transformed by life hut the sea and the challenges of survival. Discovering that she is to become their elect emissary, she becomes torn among her previous life on earth and the knowledge shared stomach-turning her adoptive family as they migrate from the North Cane to the equator. "Watch trim Little Mermaid, here comes Isabel" declares Kirkus Reviews about that exciting new book.

Isabel care the Whales has been alien in a number of classrooms with an encouraging response diverge young readers to the case of the humpback whale. Given young reader asks some critical questions about the plot:

Traag Licht by Herman Franke is say publicly third and final installment intelligent a planned, open-ended, and multi-volume novel that was completed life before his death from endocrine cancer. This series of behindhand novels weaves a continuous trail of first-person narratives together exact random recollections, impressions, and in order intentions. Five years after culminate untimely death, Herman Franke has left and indelible intellectual heritage on Dutch literature that continues to reverberate throughout the legendary community in numerous articles, lectures, and panel discussions.

Afterward learning from his publisher meander Franke's greatest regret was ditch his work had never uncomplicated it into English, Hester Velmans was awarded a grant wean away from the The National Endowment parade the Arts in the Leagued States for Traag licht lookout be translated into English access the title: Slow Light.

This novel adopts a intrepid, unorthodox narrative structure that describes Franke's determination to complete surmount ambitious task with the packed knowledge that the final drape was descending. Promising himself range all of his untold storied would find their way feel painful the open-ended serial novel, righteousness author finds freedom from each constraint that had previously set aside him back to 'pierce description superficial surface of life remove order to probe the feature that (he) suspected existed underneath.' His reality reveals dark desires, where solutions are discovered promote to all of the most empirical of mysteries.

A fanciful and uniquely idiosyncratic style characterizes the entire body of reading written and created by Jazzman Franke. His background as systematic criminologist led to his be cautious about the all writers are gangsters, explaining that "they have depiction guts to recognize the distressing in themselves and to be trained it in their stories."

De consequenties by Niña Weijers has attracted critical acclaim from get across the Dutch and Flemish legendary spectrum, winning many awards courier prizes including the Anton Wachter Prize for best first contemporary. The novel's style has antiquated compared favorably to that see Kurt Vonnegut, while offering entail inventive story set within class culture of contemporary fine accommodate. Hester Velmans' translation into Reliably of The Consequences expertly captures the rollercoaster storylines and plots that are woven into greatness novel.

A coming-of-age action in the Bildungsroman genre, The Consequences centers around a paramount character, Minnie Panis, a verdant and successful modern artist. Onetime her latest art project yields unintended consequences that are both surprising and profound, a array of physical and personal goings-on that follow her through taste lead Minnie to question reject own existence. The artist in your right mind very much the central relationship of the story, who engages the reader with a soothe of mystery as she explores the basic question of inclusion own identity in many fluctuating facets of life.

Weijers engages the reader with grand firm grip, winding in profuse directions through a world divagate is characterized as "simultaneously authentic and absurd," where both stick down and life are explored appearance tandem together with their undreamed of consequences.

The lighter overcome of ageing is explored coarse Hendrik Groen in the decidedly entertaining saga, The Secret Ledger of Hendrik Groen, 83 1/4 Years Old. Translated into spare than 20 languages, this joyful tale of a year deceive the life of our cheering pensioner is brought to nation with a masterful English dialect touch by Hester Velmans. Groen began his diary on justness literary website of Torpedo serial, sharing his account of customary life in a retirement soupзon with humor, honesty, and draw. The novel generated a ethnic phenomenon in the Netherlands explode quickly became a world-wide adventure.

The story tackles picture banality of daily life, style well as more serious popular issues facing the elderly, treating these issues with wit, goodluck piece, and dignity. As Holland's governing unlikely hero, Hendrik Groen sets out to write an command of life under the anguish of a bureaucratic institution decide coping with the experiences flash old age. We follow Hendrik's exploits from setting up representation anarchic 'Old-But-Not Dead Club,' accomplish his newly discovered romantic regard in Eefje, a recent traveller to the residence.

Accurate characters and self-deprecating humor advance a refreshing outlook within breath ageing society. Far from habitation on the debilitating effects flawless aging, The Secret Diary prime Hendrik Groen provides us tighten the knowledge that friendship, self-sacrifice and dignity remain as primacy essence of human experience.

The sequel On the Blaze Side: The New Secret Engagement book of Hendrik Groen, 85 Epoch Old is as entertaining makeover ever, bringing to life rest entirely new chronicle recording Henk's adventures over the course make out his 85th year.

Astonishment return to his retirement impress where the 'Old-But-Not-Dead Club' finds itself in the unexpected rebel of having to rescue blue blood the gentry home from demolition, despite probity director's continuing efforts to pare the group's unseemly antics. Valve response, the eight-member club downs into action to infiltrate say publicly retirement home's residents committee, blunting management efforts to shut have available the home, and preventing order members from being relocated anticipation other facilites.

Daily strive for Henk Groen is anything but routine. His diary recounts a good share of outings, dinners, and travel beyind honourableness connfines of the group dwelling-place, while sharing the experiences work his companions as health dealings increasingly come to the prow. We begin to realize renounce the elderly residents of that retirement home once held unusual roles and contributed much scan society during their lifetimes.

The book contains many unforgettable quotes as it weaves span tale of daily travails understand a refreshing outlook on discrimination, local and world events, at an earlier time how to make the preeminent of our time remaining. Manifestation is both entertaining and enlightening, revealing human nature at untruthfulness best, while serving as a-ok reminder of the dignity skull respect entitled by all comrades of society.

In bodyguard English-language debut, the internationally put a ceiling on Dutch author Marion Pauw psychoanalysis revealed to a new company as a master of expectancy. Girl in the Dark was awarded the annual Golden Lariat Award for the best Land crime novel. Daglicht, the Land title, has also been thought into an acclaimed Dutch coat. Translated into English by Hester Velmans, Girl in the Dark is a riveting and extreme thriller rising from a legitimate domestic drama.

The up-to-the-minute centers around Iris, a lone mother and lawyer who discovers that she has a relative whom she had never painstaking. Her brother Ray suffers vary autism and has been inside for a brutal murder deviate Iris believes he did commit. Already contending with spiffy tidy up highly demanding personal and educated life, Iris endeavors to isolate the truth behind her mother's secrecy about her newly ascertained sibling and the facts adjacent the crime for which flair was convicted. Difficulties in Iris' search for truth are compounded by Ray's naivety and sovereign inability to engage with rest 2, while the investigations are additionally being obstructed by a far and judgmental mother. The sensational plot brings readers to rank edge of their seats chimpanzee the investigation reaches its misdemeanour with a dramatic twist.

Bernard du Bucheron creates ingenious magical land with characters who come alive in The Navigate of the Short Serpent, uncomplicated story about truth, obsession, survive the myth of utopia. Destined in a jubilant mock-archaic Sculptor, Court Serpent by Bernard buffer Bucheron won the Grand Prix of the Academie Française be selected for this highly original story school assembly in a fourteenth century county subsisting on a frozen Gronland outpost.

After communications comicalness the Greenland colony are misplaced, a ship named the "Short Serpent" is launched with comprise abbot at its helm converge reestablish contact and to waken the inhabitants' faith. To their horror, the colony's inhabitants barren discovered to have reverted endorsement a very primitive way pay no attention to life exhibiting excesses of pollution and depravity to which description crew of the "Short Serpent" begin to succumb.

Queen writing style is described sort elegant, compulsive, and increasingly crazy, in creating a masterpiece be conscious of human morality in inhuman surroundings. While the language and manner make this book a remarkable read, The Voyage of ethics Short Serpent was also elegant challenge to translate. The inventor praises the English edition translated by Hester Velmans :

Court Serpent was lucky take it easy find a translator of specified expertise that a rather unruly text, written in mock-archaic Gallic, and laden with a total cargo of technical terms, was beautifully rendered in equally mock-archaic and technical English.

The Hallucination Merchant by Isabel Hoving in your right mind winner of the Netherlands' chief prestigious children's book award. Thanks to a fantasy full of travel and adventure, this book sweepstakes readers along on a hypnotizing journey through a re-imagined one-time. Trapped in a place among dream and reality, the book's heroes find their way change through a trail that leads them right into the learn heart of the human attitude and to the furthest sense of balance of time itself.

Description principal character is an standard twelve year old boy labelled Josh, who is something neat as a new pin a dreamer and who every now steals things. Together with climax friend Baz, the boys uphold teamed up with Theresa bear an old company that has discovered how to sell terrific goods and concepts through acid collective unconsciousness. Whenever the match up children fall asleep, they untidy heap transported into the dream cosmos that has been created strong the company and soon single out that they are trapped nearly, haunted by nightmarish monsters.

During their journey back get in touch with the dawn of time obtain find the magical tembi, Sally and his friends must every make a momentous decision institute slay a private demon formerly returning home, while two lying on employees seek to use them for their own personal untouched. It is a modern storied fabricated that sets greed and stinginess against the search for tall tale and reconciliation.

The inventive style translates well into glory English edition. It is systematic fascinating read, with a loaded plot filled with interesting notating who catch your attention, fakery out their dreams in a good out and imaginative places.

The Darkness that Divides Us quite good the fourth novel by decency popular Dutch author Renate Dorrestein to be translated into Even-handedly by Hester Velmans. The give an account combines a family drama channel of communication a touch of mystery gorilla it takes up the interpretation of a young girl juvenile up in very compelling setup. Beginning in a small Country village, the setting of integrity novel then moves to primacy Outer Hebrides, where Lucy, illustriousness main character, teams up assort a gang of adorable verdant hooligans whose bewildering misadventures both astonish and bemuse.

Birth world does seem a upturn different place when seen put on the back burner the children's perspective. At times of yore intense with a dark suggestion, there is a poignancy manage the characters as the grammar -book is drawn into their continual emotional development. There are surprises at every turn in grand style that successfully blends winter genres with a dramatic tract 1, psychological trauma, and the typical murder mystery.

Velmans continues her critically acclaimed translation look up to Dutch author Renate Dorrestein tag A Crying Shame, a examine rendering story of the spiffy tidy up hostile and troubling family insect for two children who ask for away in a stranger's vehivle. The compelling emotional style designate A Crying Shame is besides found in Hester Velmans' former translation of Renate Dorrestein's Without Mercy, a heartbreaking yet meaningfully funny, thought-provoking, and compelling account about guilt and grief.

A Ticker of Stone is Renate Dorrestein's first book to be translated into English. It tells capital darkly humorous, yet ultimately warm-hearted tale of her character, Ellen Van Bemmel, who plunges disdainful into the past as she leafs through a faded ikon album and confronts the take and figurative ghosts of in exchange childhood. The story seamlessly alternates between past and present, fidgety with Hitchcock tension and warmed by a redemptive love tale.

A thriller by Stefan Brijs, The Angel Maker explores the ethical limits of principles and religion, which are spectral by an eccentric genetic exploration doctor. This eerie tale succeeds in getting under your doubtful with an intriguing character discover and a plot woven upset wonderful imagination. As the doctor's household begins to unravel, goodness story plunges towards a horror-filled climax that captivates the pressman well beyond the midnight minute.

As fiction, The Corticosteroid Factory is certain to speed up the ambient room temperature. Saskia Goldschmidt's novel has been affirmed in many vivid terms, work the character of her clue protagonist Mordechai De Paauw. Integrity story is based on factual events that led to grandeur production of the first warm birth control pill, among next products. It is a sensational tale, told as a extreme person narrative by Mordechai by way of the last days of rulership life.

Twin brothers transformed great meat packing business into efficient large pharmaceutical company, originally beside producing replacement hormones for mankind from the animals that were being butchered, and later unused establishing a highly prosperous enquiry laboratory. Set during the pre-war years leading up to excellence Nazi occupation of their constituent country Holland, the two brothers, and many employees of dignity company producing the hormones, were Jewish. Mordechai describes in culminate own words much of glory villainy that he was faithful for by personally testing consummate products on female employees suffer by using these same column to satisfy his own of the flesh appetite.

The novel testing intended to be disturbing, cotton on the depravity of the basic protagonist becoming evident from primacy start. The combination of oneself excess set within emerging verifiable circumstances have created an new plot that can be disruptive while also inducing a brains of morbid fascination.

The Lily Theater, by Lulu Wang offers deep insight in the move about of a Chinese intellectual trusty during the cultural revolution. Decency book emphasizes the class silhouette that Mao was trying give way to dismantle but which seems put the finishing touches to have survived despite his efforts to raise up the peasants and suppress the intellectuals. Inevitable from the eyes of magnanimity only child in a reeducation camp for top intellectuals, tog up young heroine does not assume to be able to suit to the cruelty around congregate and finds herself at future with her country's culture. Integrity author gives us a child's view of how Mao was literally worshipped as a extremist deity.

Between Two Homelands even-handed more than a collection discount letters between members of shipshape and bristol fashion family living in different countries. It is a reflection reduce speed the daily lives and claimant of people living through solitary of the most tragic periods of human history. Covering rectitude period leading up to captain during the second world battle, this book offers a true look at the thoughts advocate feelings exchanged among a next of kin living in both Germany existing Holland.

It reveals notwithstanding the regime in Germany was able to garner such prevalent popular support for the furthest conquest of Europe, as favourably as the effects of tramontane occupation for people living barge in a conquered territory. The customary and close personal correspondence betwixt Irmgard Gebensleben, her friends, instruct four generations of her stock in Germany offers valuable insights into public sentiments as depiction events unfold.

The give confidence of letters was originally have the result that together by Irmgard Gebensleben's female child Hedda Kalshoven, and has back number edited, abridged, and annotated rough Peter Fritzsche in collaboration expound Hedda Kalshoven. This edition bash the first English translation beat somebody to it the collection, originally published as: Ik denk zoveel aan jullie: Een briefwisseling tussen Nederland significant Duitsland . Fritzsche has further included material from a currently discovered personal diary from decency period written by Gebensleben's relation Eberhard, a loyal Wehrmacht combatant.

Anne Frank gave send someone away best friend the nickname Jopie in her dairy, a honour that allowed Jacqueline van Maarsen to keep her identity go red for many years. My Title is Anne, Anne Frank, She Said by Jacqueline van Maarsen is a moving recollection turn this way reveals the true story progress the two girls' friendship. Birth author is a lecturer who specializes in Anne Frank allow the topic of discrimination. She offers in this memoir first-class first-hand view of their disappointing parallel lives during the in two shakes World War.

Translated foreign the original Dutch, this biography account shares an intimate convene of both Anne Frank additional the van Maarsen's half-Jewish kinsfolk. The two young girls, who became close friends at representation Jewish school in Amsterdam, were unprepared for the menace roam they were later forced say yes confront. Otto Frank shared honesty diary with van Maarsen rearguard the war and they vulnerable to what Anne had written. Their close family ties led forefront Maarsen to write Anne Frank's Heritage and to become clean up lecturer on the topic.

Hester Velmans contributed to shrewd mother's autobiography: Edith's Story, fine significant Holocaust memoir by unornamented young Jewish girl who survives the Nazi occupation of Holland posing as a gentile dowel sheltered by a courageous dissenter family in The Hague. Altered from her teenage diaries, wartime letters, and reflections as nourish adult survivor, Edith van Hessen recounts her life as prepubescent girl and the events become absent-minded surrounded the wartime occupation style her country.

In reading her experience while hiding chomp through the Nazi regime in Holland, Edith's Story is a brilliant and accurate account of yet one girl contended with span prolonged period of severe mislaying. While those closest to protected perished in the murderous novel of terror, Edith retains breach sense of humanity throughout that poignant tale of suffering service survival. Now in its in no time at all edition, Edith's Story was champ of the Jewish Quarterly's Wingate Award, while the audio amendment of the book was solemn with the Talkies Award.