Kinderen van Nederland
(Children of the Netherlands)
Author: Jan Paul Schutten
Illustrator: Paul Teng
Original language: Dutch
Translated into English: Not
Published: March 2022
Publisher: Gottmer
ISBN13: 9789025776800
Price: € 17.99 (HC)
Age: from 9-10 years old and up
Kinderen van Nederland (Children of the Netherlands) - onze geschiedenis in verhalen (our history in stories), the title of this fine book by Jan Paul Schutte says it all. The writer takes you on a journey through time and shows you what the lives of the children who lived long ago looked like. Very different from what children of today can imagine! But there are also similarities. Very special to read the history of the different main characters.
In 1791 Otto van Eck writes in his diary, he is then 11 years old. He does not write because he likes it, but his parents insist on him doing it. Why?
In 1806 Neeltje Doff (then 6 years old) moves to Amsterdam, her father has to earn money. In Amsterdam there's lots of work, thinks father. But is that true?
The brilliantly detailed black and white drawings by illustrator Paul Teng bring these stories to life. You see how people lived then, rich and poor mixed together. What children endured when their tribes fought in pre-history, or when the Romans had occupied half of the Netherlands.
When children had to work from early to late. Dangerous work, just like the adults did. When they had to beg on the streets for food or even worse, a world war broke out. Fantastic stories and yet very true, a book that makes you think about life! (Sadly not translated into the English language),
3+ golden stars for Kinderen van Nederland (Children of the Netherlands), a beautiful book, the monsters and the (adult) readers think!