The Book of Everything
Encyclopedia
The Book of Everything is the title of the English
translation (published 2006) of the Dutch
children's novel
Het boek van alle dingen by Guus Kuijer
, published in 2004 by Querido.
The book was awarded the Gouden Griffel
literary award
in 2005.
, relates the tale of a nine-year-old boy named Thomas who see things no one else can, such as invisible hail that "ripped all the leaves from the trees", and tropical fish
in the canal. Thomas lives in a family of four: his parents and his sister, Margot. They are not, however, a harmonious family, as their father repeatedly hits their mother, and punishes Thomas by beating him with a wooden spoon. He is a very religious man, but he fears embarrassment and is said to "not belong with people". Thomas writes down everything in his "Book of Everything", a diary
which holds his thoughts.
and talks to him. He is said to be a good boy with a lovely personality. He says that "when I grow up, I'm going to be happy". In the prologue, the author asks the aged Thomas whether he became happy, and is answered, "Yes." Thomas has many friends in the book such as Eliza who he has a crush on.
for being a part of the Resistance
. She also helps Thomas to stop being afraid, and aids him when he starts to set up the Plagues of Egypt
to scare Father, first by giving Thomas her cordial
so he can dye his aquarium
red like blood, and next by summoning a plague of frogs, until Thomas calls off the plagues.
that creaks when she walks, and only one finger on her left hand. Thomas writes her a love letter early in the book, and later tells Jesus that he will marry her, and receives the Lord's blessing.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation (published 2006) of the 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...
children's novel
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
Het boek van alle dingen by Guus Kuijer
Guus 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...
, published in 2004 by Querido.
The book was awarded the Gouden Griffel
Gouden Griffel
The Gouden Griffel is an important award given to authors of children's or teenager's literature in the Netherlands.Since 1971, it is awarded each year during the Dutch Children's Books Week, by the Stichting Collectieve Propaganda van het Nederlandse Boek for the best children's books written in...
literary award
Literary award
A literary award is an award presented to an author who has written a particularly lauded piece or body of work. There are awards for forms of writing ranging from poetry to novels. Many awards are also dedicated to a certain genre of fiction or non-fiction writing . There are also awards...
in 2005.
Plot summary
The book, set in AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, relates the tale of a nine-year-old boy named Thomas who see things no one else can, such as invisible hail that "ripped all the leaves from the trees", and tropical fish
Tropical fish
Tropical fish include fish found in tropical environments around the world, including both freshwater and salt water species.Tropical fish are popular as aquarium fish, due to their often bright coloration...
in the canal. Thomas lives in a family of four: his parents and his sister, Margot. They are not, however, a harmonious family, as their father repeatedly hits their mother, and punishes Thomas by beating him with a wooden spoon. He is a very religious man, but he fears embarrassment and is said to "not belong with people". Thomas writes down everything in his "Book of Everything", a diary
Diary
A diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...
which holds his thoughts.
Thomas
Thomas is the hero of the story. Although he is young, he knows a lot and is never afraid to ask questions. He has visions of JesusJesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
and talks to him. He is said to be a good boy with a lovely personality. He says that "when I grow up, I'm going to be happy". In the prologue, the author asks the aged Thomas whether he became happy, and is answered, "Yes." Thomas has many friends in the book such as Eliza who he has a crush on.
Margot
Margot is Thomas's older sister. Thomas describes her as, "dumb as an onion," though much of her apparent stupidity is a farce. She has a way of knowing things. At a particularly violent point of the story, where the father is threatening to hurt Thomas and his mother, Margot grabs the carving knife and threatens Father with it, saying that "I've had it up to here". Thomas's respect for her grows as the story progresses.Father
Father is a very strict personality who does not believe in niceness or mercy, saying that "only good-for-nothings and weaklings are happy. Life is a struggle." He has shut himself off from people. He is shown to be a coward.Mrs. Van Amersfoort-Raaphorst
Mrs. K. Hagouda (Mrs. Van Amersfoort in the play) is a war survivor who is said to be a witch. She has a very messy house and two black cats. Her husband was executed in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
for being a part of the Resistance
Resistance during World War II
Resistance movements during World War II occurred in every occupied country by a variety of means, ranging from non-cooperation, disinformation and propaganda to hiding crashed pilots and even to outright warfare and the recapturing of towns...
. She also helps Thomas to stop being afraid, and aids him when he starts to set up the Plagues of Egypt
Plagues of Egypt
The Plagues of Egypt , also called the Ten Plagues or the Biblical Plagues, were ten calamities that, according to the biblical Book of Exodus, Israel's God, Yahweh, inflicted upon Egypt to persuade Pharaoh to release the ill-treated Israelites from slavery. Pharaoh capitulated after the tenth...
to scare Father, first by giving Thomas her cordial
Cordial
Cordial may refer to:* Squash , a non-alcoholic fruit drink concentrate* Elderflower cordial, a non-alcoholic beverage* Cordial , a medicinal beverage* Cordial , a type of candy that has a fruit filling inside a chocolate shell...
so he can dye his aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
red like blood, and next by summoning a plague of frogs, until Thomas calls off the plagues.
Eliza
Eliza is Thomas's friend. She is sixteen. She has a leather legProsthesis
In medicine, a prosthesis, prosthetic, or prosthetic limb is an artificial device extension that replaces a missing body part. It is part of the field of biomechatronics, the science of using mechanical devices with human muscle, skeleton, and nervous systems to assist or enhance motor control...
that creaks when she walks, and only one finger on her left hand. Thomas writes her a love letter early in the book, and later tells Jesus that he will marry her, and receives the Lord's blessing.