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 The Gouden Griffel (Golden Stylus) is an award given to authors of children's or teenagers' literature in the Netherlands. History Since 1971, it is awarded each year during the Dutch Children's Books Week, by the Stichting Collectieve Prop ...

and a nomination for the

Hans Christian Andersen Award The Hans Christian Andersen Awards are two literary awards given by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), recognising one living author and one living illustrator for their "lasting contribution to children's literature". Th ...

Biography

Van Iterson was born on

Curaçao Curaçao, officially the Country of Curaçao, is a constituent island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located in the southern Caribbean Sea (specifically the Dutch Caribbean region), about north of Venezuela. Curaçao includ ...

on 5 October 1919 to Dutch parents. She moved to the Netherlands at the age of two, but returned to Curaçao in 1947. In 1958 she moved with her husband to Colombia. She wrote exclusively in the Dutch language, although several titles have been translated into Danish, German and English. She often collaborated with illustrator Jenny Dalenoord. Her first two novels were set in

, whilst others were set in different South American locations. Her final novel was published in 1982. She died on 7 August 2018 in

The Hague The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...

. 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.

Awards and recognition

* The title ''De adjudant van de vrachtwagen (The Adjutant of the Truck)'' was awarded as Children's Book of the Year in 1968. In English translation the title changed to ''Pulga.'' * In 1971 she received a

for ''Het gouden suikerriet'' (''The Golden Sugar Cane)''. * In 1972 van Iterson was nominated for the

. * In 1973 the English translation of ''Pulga'' won the

Mildred L. Batchelder Award The Mildred L. Batchelder Award, or Batchelder Award, is an American Library Association literary award that annually recognizes the publisher of the year's "most outstanding" children's book translated into English-language, English and published ...

for the most outstanding children's book translated into English.

Selected works

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

References

{{Authority control 1919 births 2018 deaths Dutch women children's writers Curaçao women writers