Guest of the ilb 2006
Edward van de Vendel,
born in Leerdam, in the heart of the Netherlands, in 1964, worked as a
teacher and a headmaster in a primary school before becoming a writer.
He published his first poems in the weekly magazine »Vrij Nederland«
before his volume of poems for children, »Betrap me« (t: Catch me)
appeared in 1996. With over 25 picture books, collections of poems,
books for children learning to read, song lyrics, novels and
non-fiction, he is one of the most versatile writers of literature for
children and young adults in the Netherlands. Even as a child Edward
van de Vendel wrote whimsical lists about football clubs, distant
lands, wild animals and famous people. He participated in the school
cabaret and drafted song lyrics – all of which became building blocks
for his later work for children and young people. Van de Vendel is
equally capable of explaining children’s experiences of the world, the
conflicting impressions of the young person growing up and also of
quite ordinary life. His style stays closely connected to the living
world of his characters and achieves surprising images of captivating
musicality. In a tone that echoes the style of Annie M.G. Schmidt,
Edward ven de Vendel lets beauty, happiness and the humour of everyday
life appear in his children’s poems, while temperament, the erotic,
urbanism, music and the cyberworld take shape impressively in his
richly nuanced texts for young people.
Edward ven de Vendel’s novel »De dagen van de
bluegrassliefde« (1999; t: The days of bluegrass love) tells about the
meeting of two 18-year-olds in an American summer camp. Surrounded
by country music and wide football fields, the love that unfolds
between the boys Oliver and Tycho fails not only due to the lack of
social acceptance, but also due to the conflicts which arise from the
relationship itself. The »bittersweet story of love with two different
halftimes« (»Die Zeit«) was awarded the Gouden Zoen Prize (2000). With
impressive flair, van de Vendel continues the story of Tycho Zeling
with the novel for young adults »Ons derde lichaam« (2006, t: Our third
body) and the collection of poems »Chatbox. De gedichten van Tycho
Zeling« (2006, t: Chatbox. Poems by Tycho Zeling). Elmer and Sosha are
the young characters in his prize-winning story of childhood love »Wat
ik vergat« (2001; t: What I forgot). Sosha is the new girl in Elmer’s
class. Elmer feels as if the girl has turned on a light in his life.
With the same devotion with which he usually puts electronic gadgets
together, he tries together with Sosha to find »a new connection« to
his grandfather, who is afflicted with Alzheimer’s. Empathetic, easy
and humorous, the author plumbs the levels of feelings at the onset of
puberty and explains the various ways love can appear. Van de Vendel
offers an abundance of incidents for identification – from an intimate
mother-son relationship to a turbulent immigrant family across to the
eccentric character of the grandfather up to the generation-crossing
friendship between Elmer and Sosha’s older brother Ivar. Finally, in
his delightful collection of short stories »Superguppie« (2003) the
author writes about a small child, drawn as a whistling dog by the
illustrator Fleur van der Weel, philosophising about the rapid steering
of trolleys in the supermarket, jelly-puddings and grandmother’s
wrinkled cheeks.
With his project »Slash«, Edward van de Vendel
became actively involved in youth-centred literature. Together with
colleagues, he goes to schools and youth-centres seeking authentic
biographies of young people and shares the proceeds of the developing
books with the people who contributed their experiences to the project.
Van de Vendel’s work has been awarded on numerous occasions. Two of his
books received the Gouden Zoen Prize (1999/2000) and two others
received the Zilveren Griffel (2001/2004). »Superguppie« was awarded
the Woutertje Pieterse Price (2004), his children’s book »Wat rijmt er
op puree?« (2005; t: What ryhmes with puree?) was the official gift of
Kinderboekenweek 2005. Edward van de Vendel lives in Rotterdam.
© internationales literaturfestival berlin
| 
