Jef Aerts

Jef Aerts

Jef Aerts (born 26 May 1972) is a Belgian writer of children’s and youth literature.

Life and career

After publishing four novels, poetry and theater,[1] Jef Aerts has been writing for young readers since 2012.[2]

For the picture book Bigger than a Dream he worked with the Swedish-Dutch illustrator Marit Törnqvist. In 2014 this book was awarded the Book Lion (Boekenleeuw, prize for the best Dutch-language children's book.[3]

Jef Aerts received three Zilveren Griffel awards: for Bigger than a Dream, Fish don’t melt and The Blue Wings (illustrated by Martijn van der Linden).[4][5]

Aerts’ children’s and youth books have been translated and sold in 15 languages,[6] including English, German, Swedish, Chinese, Korean, Russian and Persian.[7]

Jef Aerts lives and writes in a small farm close to Leuven.[8]

Works (selection)

  • The Little Paradise (Het kleine paradijs, 2012)
  • Bigger than a Dream (Groter dan een droom, 2013)
  • Fish don’t Melt (Vissen smelten niet, 2013)
  • Horse in Boots (Paard met laarzen, 2015)
  • Cherry Blossom and Paper Planes (Kersenhemel, 2017)
  • The Blue Wings (De blauwe vleugels, 2018)
  • Ronke's Night (De nacht van Ronke, 2021)

Awards and nominations (selection)

References

  1. ^ [1] (in Dutch). De Digitale Bibliotheek voor de Nederlandse Letteren. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  2. ^ “Overtuigend jeugddebuut van Jef Aerts”. De Morgen (in Dutch, Belgian newspaper). 29 September 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  3. ^ “Jef Aerts wint Boekenleeuw” . De Standaard (in Dutch, Belgian newspaper). 30 March 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  4. ^ “Negen kinderboeken onderscheiden met Zilveren Griffels”. NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch, newspaper). 26 June 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  5. ^ “Twee broers in het spoor van een kraanvogeljong”. NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch, newspaper). 12 July 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  6. ^ [2]. Translation Database Dutch Foundation for Literature. Search author “Jef Aerts”. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  7. ^ [3] . Flanders Literature. Search books & authors “Jef Aerts”. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  8. ^ "De ruimte en rust vind ik hier fantastisch". De Morgen (in Dutch, Belgian newspaper). 29 juni 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
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