Bibi Dumon Tak

Bibi Dumon Tak writes nonfiction, or as she calls it: the truth in stories. Most of those stories are about animals. And all those stories are true. They are about cows that have escaped from slaughter; about animals that help people in times of war; about birds, arctic animals, uncuddly animals, cloven-hoofed animals, city animals. She has no preferences. As long as it can crawl, fly, swim, or run; as long as it has fur, scales, spines, or feathers. As long as they aren’t people. Dumon Tak has won the Gouden Griffel, the highest honor for children’s books in the Netherlands, as well as the Theo Thijssen Prize, the highest honor for authors. Two books of hers, Soldier Bear and Mikis and the Donkey, have won the Mildred L. Batchelder Award. Author residence: Zuiderwoude, Netherlands