Children's Book Week "Spot aan!": one more week, with a book party at CODA Museum

Tomorrow the second and final week of the Dutch Children's Book Week begins. The theme is performing, from singing to backstage. In Apeldoorn, CODA celebrates with a big party in its museum and library on Saturday 10 October.

The Kinderboekenweek, the Dutch Children's Book Week, continues until Sunday 11 October. It is the 72nd edition, and the theme is "Spot aan!" (spotlight on!): everything revolves around performing and the performing arts. According to the site Kinderboeken.nl, children's books are full of "stage animals of every kind and size", in front of or behind the scenes, with or without stage fright.

Gift book and picture book

This year's Kinderboekenweekgeschenk, the gift book, is "Terug naar de schoenenboom" (back to the shoe tree) by writer and presenter Milouska Meulens, with cover and illustrations by Hedy Tjin. In it, Leon visits the island where his grandmother lives every summer. There, the stories the elders tell are in danger of disappearing. Harmen van Straaten made the Picture Book of the Children's Book Week, "Herrie in de tent" (racket in the tent), about Hippo and his trombone on his way to the big music tent.

A book display in the library in Apeldoorn. Archive photograph, February 2014, for illustration; not a view of the 2026 BoekStart Flestival. Esther Westerveld from Haarlemmermeer, Nederland / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0). EXIF orientation respected, converted to WebP; no crop, colour or contrast editing. Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

A party at CODA

In Apeldoorn, CODA, which includes a museum, a library and an archive, is taking part. The highlight, according to CODA, is the Children's Book Week party on Saturday 10 October, from 14.00 to 16.30, in CODA Museum and the Central Library. The programme includes:

the presentation of the Apeldoorns Uiltje for the best children's book;
signing sessions with writer and comic scriptwriter Tineke Honingh and with Milouska Meulens;
workshops, dance, performances and making activities.

You buy a ticket for the party in advance. The same morning, from 9.30 to 11.30, CODA Junior hosts the BoekStart Flestival for parents with babies, toddlers and preschoolers, with workshops, interactive reading and a sensory play area. It is free and no registration is needed.

In The Hague

The Hague also ends the week in festive style. On Sunday 11 October, the big Kinderboekenfestijn takes place in the Central Library, Kidsproof Den Haag reports.