A Pond Full of Ink

Twelve amusing poems by the “queen of Dutch children’s literature,” paired with charming illustrations of reindeer houseguests, mischievous little girls, ever-singing tea kettles, and more.

This delightful poetry collection offers children and the young at heart a refreshing, inventive look at the world from the well-known Dutch author Annie Schmidt. The rollicking poems tell the stories of such intriguing characters as Aunt Sue and Uncle Steve who nest up in a tree, animated furniture that comes to life when no one is home, and three elderly otters who long to go boating but find themselves biking instead!

Much like the work of Shel Silverstein or Jack Prelutsky, Annie M.G. Schmidt’s poetry can transform ordinary events and places into extraordinary adventures full of imagination. Accompanying the poems is bold and expressive artwork that makes this book too charming to resist.

Annie M.G. Schmidt (1911–1995) was an iconic Dutch writer of poetry, songs, books, plays, musicals, and radio and television dramas. Her poems, songs, novels, and stories are beloved in her native Holland and across the world. Often dubbed the queen of Dutch children’s books, Annie received numerous honors throughout her career, including the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1988.

Sieb Posthuma (1960–2014) was an award-winning Dutch illustrator, writer, and theater designer. The first English-language edition of A Pond Full of Ink was named as one of the best books of 2014 by the Globe and Mail, the Boston Globe, and by the American Booksellers Association. Sieb’s other books include What Ollie Saw (Levine Querido) and Where Is Rusty? (Gecko Press).

David Colmer is an Australian writer and translator of Dutch and Flemish literature. He has translated over eighty books throughout his career, including I’ll Root for You, A Pond Full of Ink, and Fast Cheetah, Slow Tortoise (all Eerdmans). His work has been honored with many awards, including the PEN Translation Prize and the Dutch Foundation for Literature's James Brockway Prize, which recognizes a translator's body of Dutch-language poetry. David lives in Amsterdam.