Siny van Iterson (5 October 1919 – 7 August 2018) was a Dutch children's writer, whose work was recognised with several awards, including Children's Book of the Year in 1968, a Gouden Griffel and a nomination for the Hans Christian Andersen Award.

Biography

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Van Iterson was born on Curaçao on 5 October 1919 to Dutch parents.[1][2] She moved to the Netherlands at the age of two, but returned to Curaçao in 1947.[3] In 1958 she moved with her husband to Colombia.[3] She wrote exclusively in the Dutch language, although several titles have been translated into Danish, German and English.[4] She often collaborated with illustrator Jenny Dalenoord.[2] Her first two novels were set in Curaçao, whilst others were set in different South American locations.[3] Her final novel was published in 1982.[1][5] She died on 7 August 2018 in The Hague.[3] According to the scholar Ronald Jobe, van Iterson's novels showed a "contemporary view of rural Colombia" as well as providing "commentary on the poverty" found in the country.[6]

Awards and recognition

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  • The title De adjudant van de vrachtwagen (The Adjutant of the Truck) was awarded as Children's Book of the Year in 1968.[3] In English translation the title changed to Pulga.[7]
  • In 1971 she received a Gouden Griffel for Het gouden suikerriet (The Golden Sugar Cane).[3]
  • In 1972 van Iterson was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award.[3]
  • In 1973 the English translation of Pulga won the Mildred L. Batchelder Award for the most outstanding children's book translated into English. [8]

Selected works

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  • Schaduw over Chocamata (1953)
  • In de ban van de duivelsklip (1954)
  • De adjudant van de vrachtwagen (1967)
  • Het gouden suikerriet (1970)

References

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  1. ^ a b "Jeugdboekenauteur Siny van Iterson (98) overleden". NU (in Dutch). 2018-08-11. Retrieved 2022-03-11.
  2. ^ a b "Antilliaans-Nederlandse jeugdboekenschrijfster Siny van Iterson overleden | blog". Retrieved 2022-03-11.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g DBNL. "Jan van Coillie, Wilma van der Pennen, Jos Staal en Herman Tromp, Lexicon van de jeugdliteratuur · dbnl". DBNL (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-03-11.
  4. ^ "Boekennieuws - Siny van Iterson, jeugdboekenschrijfster overleden". Retrieved 2022-03-11.
  5. ^ "Jeugdauteur Siny van Iterson overleden". RD.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-03-11.
  6. ^ Jobe, Ronald A. (1983). "Reflections of Reality: Literature in Translation for Young People". The English Journal. 72 (1): 22–26. doi:10.2307/817436. ISSN 0013-8274.
  7. ^ Hoyle, Karen Nelson. "Forty years old and still vibrant." Children & Libraries 6.2 (2008): 14.
  8. ^ "Mildred L. Batchelder Award, 1973". American Library Association. Retrieved 24 January 2024.