Pluk van de Petteflet
Encyclopedia
Pluk van de Petteflet is a children's book by Dutch
writer
Annie M.G. Schmidt. First published in 1971, it remains in print and is one of the most popular Dutch
books for children, and the second most popular book by Schmidt (after Jip and Janneke
). A radio drama
based on the book was produced in 2002, and a movie in 2004; Tow Truck Pluck
ranked #10 on the list of most popular Dutch movies between 1996 and 2005 and was awarded platinum status early in January 2005. The cover of Pluk (all drawings are by Schmidt's regular illustrator, Fiep Westendorp
) is used to illustrate the article about Schmidt on the website of the "Canon of the Netherlands," and Pluk got his own stamp in 1999.
for Margriet, a ladies' magazine, in 1968 and 1969. They were first printed in book form in 1971, and have remained in print ever since. The 1995 printing was the 18th, and brought the total printed copies to 495,000. Indications of the book's lasting popularity are that 75,000 copies were printed in 1991, twenty years after its first publication; the 1992 printing was the third-bestselling book for children age 6-10 in the month of June, the best-selling book in that category in August, and the second-bestselling book in that category in June 1995.
Eleven unpublished chapters were found in 2001, a kind of prequel to the stories in the book. These were organized with the help of Fiep Westendorp (Schmidt had died already), and were then published as Pluk Redt de Dieren, Pluk Saves the Animals. That book was published in 2004 and sold 150,000 copies, making it the best-selling Dutch children's book of the year.
's The BFG
.
Pluk, a young red-haired boy, lives alone in a little room on the top floor of the Petteflet, an apartment building. He has no parents, but he does have a little tow truck. He quickly makes friends, such as Zaza, a cockroach, and Meneer Pen, who operates a bookstore. With the help of Dikke Dollie, a friendly pigeon, he exchanges notes and candy with the girl below, Aagje, whose mother is überclean and tries to get Pluk evicted, especially when she sees Zaza in his room (her scheme is foiled with the help of a number of seagulls). With the Stamper family (a single father and six unkempt boys), Pluk and Aagje spend a week at the beach. The book's biggest adventure is the rescue of the park, which is to make room for developments. Pluk has to travel a great distance to get help from a mysterious hermit; the magic berries he brings back have a strange effect: the construction crew and all the other adults (including the mayor) get giddy and forget all about their task—instead, they go and play. As a final adventure, Pluk helps save a strange bird, the "krullevaar," bred from a mysterious egg he and Aagje found on their vacation at the beach.
) for bringing a new direction to Dutch children's literature. Breaking with a fairly conservative and realistic tradition of books about heroes with many conventional inner virtues, Schmidt's characters are often rebellious, and Pluk is often cited as one of those kind-hearted but serious rebels. The scene in the park, when the authority figures are all intoxicated after eating the berries Pluk has brought from the hermit, is one example of such antiestablishmentarianism
.
Hailed as a "modern classic," many educational books advise reading Pluk. Others suggest reading the book since it is said to teach children the value of serving others. The book is referred to in many Dutch books, fiction and non-fiction, in which parents read to their children or adults reflect on their childhood.
as Pluck mit dem Kranwagen; it is praised by German critics as a positive reading experience. Pluk has also appeared in Norwegian
, in Polish
and in Spanish
. The Dutch publisher, Querido, will be publishing an English translation, entitled Tow-Truck Pluck in 2011. The book is so canonical that occasionally it is used in case studies in language research. According to the Annie M.G. Schmidt website, there are also translations of Pluk in Bulgarian
, Danish
, Estonian
, Frisian
, and Serbo-Croatian
, and a Russian
translation is in the works.
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
Annie M.G. Schmidt. First published in 1971, it remains in print and is one of the most popular Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
books for children, and the second most popular book by Schmidt (after Jip and Janneke
Jip and Janneke
Jip and Janneke is a series of children's books in the Netherlands, written by Annie M.G. Schmidt and illustrated by Fiep Westendorp. The series is known for its simplicity and wit....
). A radio drama
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
based on the book was produced in 2002, and a movie in 2004; Tow Truck Pluck
Tow Truck Pluck
Tow Truck Pluck is a 2004 Dutch family film, based on the book, Pluk van de Petteflet, by Annie M.G. Schmidt.The film received a Golden Film in 2004 and a Platinum Film in 2005.-Cast:...
ranked #10 on the list of most popular Dutch movies between 1996 and 2005 and was awarded platinum status early in January 2005. The cover of Pluk (all drawings are by Schmidt's regular illustrator, Fiep Westendorp
Fiep Westendorp
Fiep Westendorp was a Dutch illustrator who became especially popular due to her long-term collaboration with writer Annie M.G. Schmidt. Three generations of Dutch people have grown up with her illustrations...
) is used to illustrate the article about Schmidt on the website of the "Canon of the Netherlands," and Pluk got his own stamp in 1999.
Publication history
Schmidt and Westendorp began Pluk as a weekly illustrated feuilletonFeuilleton
Feuilleton was originally a kind of supplement attached to the political portion of French newspapers, consisting chiefly of non-political news and gossip, literature and art criticism, a chronicle of the latest fashions, and epigrams, charades and other literary trifles...
for Margriet, a ladies' magazine, in 1968 and 1969. They were first printed in book form in 1971, and have remained in print ever since. The 1995 printing was the 18th, and brought the total printed copies to 495,000. Indications of the book's lasting popularity are that 75,000 copies were printed in 1991, twenty years after its first publication; the 1992 printing was the third-bestselling book for children age 6-10 in the month of June, the best-selling book in that category in August, and the second-bestselling book in that category in June 1995.
Eleven unpublished chapters were found in 2001, a kind of prequel to the stories in the book. These were organized with the help of Fiep Westendorp (Schmidt had died already), and were then published as Pluk Redt de Dieren, Pluk Saves the Animals. That book was published in 2004 and sold 150,000 copies, making it the best-selling Dutch children's book of the year.
Content
The book, like Schmidt's other children's novels, has a "realistic, modern setting"--Pluk drives a little truck and has a difficult time finding a place to live—but his world is full of fairy-tale creatures, such as, in this case, talking cockroaches, pigeons, and seagulls; horses of record-length; extinct fantastical birds; and a werewolf who operates a ferry. In its combining reality and magic, Pluk is often mentioned alongside Roald DahlRoald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
's The BFG
The BFG
The BFG is a children's book written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake, first published in 1982. The book was an expansion of a story told in Danny, the Champion of the World, an earlier Dahl book...
.
Pluk, a young red-haired boy, lives alone in a little room on the top floor of the Petteflet, an apartment building. He has no parents, but he does have a little tow truck. He quickly makes friends, such as Zaza, a cockroach, and Meneer Pen, who operates a bookstore. With the help of Dikke Dollie, a friendly pigeon, he exchanges notes and candy with the girl below, Aagje, whose mother is überclean and tries to get Pluk evicted, especially when she sees Zaza in his room (her scheme is foiled with the help of a number of seagulls). With the Stamper family (a single father and six unkempt boys), Pluk and Aagje spend a week at the beach. The book's biggest adventure is the rescue of the park, which is to make room for developments. Pluk has to travel a great distance to get help from a mysterious hermit; the magic berries he brings back have a strange effect: the construction crew and all the other adults (including the mayor) get giddy and forget all about their task—instead, they go and play. As a final adventure, Pluk helps save a strange bird, the "krullevaar," bred from a mysterious egg he and Aagje found on their vacation at the beach.
Educational value and reception
Annie M.G. Schmidt is often praised (and with her often Guus KuijerGuus Kuijer
Guus Kuijer is a Dutch author. He wrote books for children and adults, and is best known as the author of the Madelief series of children's books.- Early life :Guus Kuijer is born on 1 August 1942 in Amsterdam, Netherlands...
) for bringing a new direction to Dutch children's literature. Breaking with a fairly conservative and realistic tradition of books about heroes with many conventional inner virtues, Schmidt's characters are often rebellious, and Pluk is often cited as one of those kind-hearted but serious rebels. The scene in the park, when the authority figures are all intoxicated after eating the berries Pluk has brought from the hermit, is one example of such antiestablishmentarianism
Antiestablishmentarianism
Antiestablishmentarianism is a policy or attitude that views a nation's power structure as corrupt, repressive, or exploitive....
.
Hailed as a "modern classic," many educational books advise reading Pluk. Others suggest reading the book since it is said to teach children the value of serving others. The book is referred to in many Dutch books, fiction and non-fiction, in which parents read to their children or adults reflect on their childhood.
Translations
Pluk was translated to GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
as Pluck mit dem Kranwagen; it is praised by German critics as a positive reading experience. Pluk has also appeared in Norwegian
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
, in Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
and in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. The Dutch publisher, Querido, will be publishing an English translation, entitled Tow-Truck Pluck in 2011. The book is so canonical that occasionally it is used in case studies in language research. According to the Annie M.G. Schmidt website, there are also translations of Pluk in Bulgarian
Bulgarian language
Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...
, Danish
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
, Estonian
Estonian language
Estonian is the official language of Estonia, spoken by about 1.1 million people in Estonia and tens of thousands in various émigré communities...
, Frisian
Frisian language
The Frisian languages are a closely related group of Germanic languages, spoken by about 500,000 members of Frisian ethnic groups, who live on the southern fringes of the North Sea in the Netherlands and Germany. The Frisian languages are the second closest related living European languages to...
, and Serbo-Croatian
Serbo-Croatian language
Serbo-Croatian or Serbo-Croat, less commonly Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian , is a South Slavic language with multiple standards and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro...
, and a Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
translation is in the works.