Gertie Evenhuis (4 March 1927 – 19 August 2005) was a Dutch writer of children's literature.
Biography
Born Geurtje Elbertsen on 4 March 1927 in Stadskanaal (or Onstwedde, depending on the source), Netherlands, Evenhuis attended secondary school (HBS) and a teacher training college (kweekschool), and obtained a teaching qualification in Dutch language and literature (MO-Nederlands). She worked as a teacher and later as a lecturer in Dutch in The Hague. She married minister Willem Evenhuis in 1953 in Groningen; the couple later divorced, though she retained the Evenhuis surname. They had four children.
Evenhuis made her literary debut in 1958 with the book Avontuur aan de grens ("Adventure at the Border"). She also taught children's literature at the Haagse School voor Taal- en Letterkunde, reviewed children's books in various publications, wrote radio plays, and produced television adaptations of novels.
Her experience growing up during World War II heavily influenced her writing. She received the very first Nienke van Hichtum-prijs in 1964 for Wij waren er ook bij ("We Were There Too"), a book based on the diary she kept during the war. Other war-related works include De vaders en broers van Putten (1965) and En waarom ik niet? (1970).
In 1974, she was awarded the Zilveren Griffel for Stefan en Stefan, a story about a boy from Amsterdam traveling to Romania to find his grandfather. Evenhuis spent a month in Romania researching the country's culture for the book.
In 1973, Evenhuis co-wrote the screenplay for the television series Boerin in Frankrijk ("A Farmer's Wife in France") with Jos Vandeloo, based on the autobiographical books of Wil den Hollander.
Her book De tram is geel het gras is groen was the Kinderboekenweekgeschenk (Children's Book Week gift) in 1978.
Evenhuis' books were illustrated by various artists, including Otto Dicke, Jenny Dalenoord, and Rien Poortvliet.
She died of a heart attack in 2005 in Amsterdam at the age of 78 and was buried at Zorgvlied cemetery.
Awards
- 1964: Nienke van Hichtum-prijs, for Wij waren er ook bij
- 1974: Zilveren Griffel, for Stefan en Stefan
Selected Bibliography
- Avontuur aan de grens (1958)
- Boot zonder water (1960)
- De school van Schellebelle (1964)
- Wij waren er ook bij (1964)
- De vaders en broers van Putten (1965)
- En waarom ik niet? (1970)
- Stefan en Stefan (1974)
- De tram is geel het gras is groen (1978)
