Antonius Otto Hermannus Tellegen (born in Brielle

Brielle

Brielle , also called Den Briel is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, on the north side of the island of Voorne-Putten, at the mouth of the New Maas. The municipality covers an area of 31.12 km² of which 3.63 km² is water...

, November 18, 1941) is a Dutch

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

 writer, poet, and physician, known for his children's works

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...

, especially those involving anthropomorphised ants and squirrels. His writings are also enjoyed by adults, due to the amusing, bizarre situations that Tellegen creates, as well as their dealings with philosophical subjects.

Biography

Tellegen studied medicine at the University of Utrecht, and worked as a general practitioner

General practitioner

A general practitioner is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities...

 in Amsterdam

Amsterdam

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...

. After writing for many years mainly for adults, Tellegen switched to children's stories. His first children's book, written in 1984, was called Er ging geen dag voorbij: negenenveertig verhalen over de eekhoorn en de andere dieren. (Not A Day Went By: forty-nine tales of the squirrel and other animals). In these stories, the ant and the squirrel often play the lead role, and many of his stories touch on philosophical concepts.

Tellegen still writes today.

Prizes

• 1969 - ANV-Visser Neerlandia-prijs for Als moeder ergens ziek van wordt (When Mother Gets Sick of Something)
• 1988 - 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...
  
   for Toen niemand iets te doen had (When nobody had anything to do)
• 1990 - Zilveren Griffel for Langzaam, zo snel zij konden (Slowly, as fast as they could)"
• 1992 - Woutertje Pieterse Prijs for Juffrouw Kachel (Ms. Heater)
• 1993 - Jan Campertprijs for Een dansschool (A Dance School)
• 1994 - Woutertje Pieterse Prijs for Bijna iedereen kon omvallen (Almost Everyone Can Fall Over)
• 1994 - 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...
  
   for Bijna iedereen kon omvallen (Almost Everyone Can Fall Over)
• 1994 - Zilveren Griffel for Jannes
• 1997 - Theo Thijssenprijs for his complete works
• 1997 - Zilveren Griffel for Teunis (Evening)
• 1999 - Zilveren Griffel for De verjaardag van alle anderen (Everyone Elses Birthday)
• 2000 - Gouden Uil for De Genezing van de Krekel (The Healing of the Cricket)
• 2007 - Constantijn Huygensprijs for his complete works
• 2011 - Popescu Prize
  Popescu Prize
  Popescu Prize is a bi-annual poetry award established in 1983. It is given by the Poetry Society for a volume of poetry translated from a European language into English. Formerly called the European Poetry Translation Prize the Prize was relaunched in 2003, and renamed in memory of the Romanian...
  
   for Raptors

Children's Books

• 1984 - There was no day passes. Forty-nine stories about the squirrels and other animals (Not A Day Goes By: Forty-nine squirrel and Other Tales of the animals) '
• 1985 - "I'm going on a trip," said the squirrel ("I'm Going On A Trip" said the squirrel). Amstelveen edition, Sunday Printers, at 45 exx.
• 1987 - When no one had anything to do (When nobody had anything to do Any)
• 1990 - The party on the moon (The Party on the Moon)
• 1991 - Maybe they were nowhere (nowhere Maybe They Were)
• 1991 - Miss heater (Ms. Heater)
• 1993 - Almost everyone was falling over (Almost Everyone Can Fall Over)
• 1993 - Jannes
• 1994 - My Dad (My Dad)
• 1995 - The anniversary of the squirrel (The Squirrel's Birthday)
• 1995 - Maybe they knew everything. 214 stories about the squirrels and other animals (Maybe They knew everything: 214 Tales of the squirrel and Other Animals) (Tellegen includes a CD where clause reads a number of stories)
• 1996 - Letters to anybody else (Letters to No-One Else)
• 1996 - The discovery of honey (The Honey Discovery)
• 1996 - The atrophy of the elephant (The Shrinking Elephant)
• 1996 - Evening (Evening)
• 1997 - Doctor Deter (Soap Doctor)
• 1998 - My adventures V. Swchwrm (My Adventures Through Swchwrm V) (first published as Children 's gift)
• 1998 - The birthday of everyone else (Everyone elses Birthday)
• 1999 - The healing of the cricket (The Healing of the Cricket)
• 2000 - They were still asleep (They're Still Sleeping)
• 2001 - Cake Book (Cake Book)
• 2002 - Is not anyone angry? (Nobody Has Mad?)
• 2004 - Suddenly the elephant (The Elephant Suddenly Turned On)
• 2006 - The loneliness of the hedgehog (The Loneliness of the Hedgehog)
• 2007 - Post for all (Mail for Everyone) (illustrations by Mance Post)
• 2007 - Animal Stories by Toon Tellegen & the changing tone quintet (Animal Tales by Toon Tellegen & the Variable Tone Quintet) (Audio CD)
• 2007 - I will never forget you (I'll Never Forget You)
• 2008 - Tomorrow was the party (Tomorrow Was the Festival). With illustrations by Ingrid Godon.
• 2009 - The departure of the ant (The Ant's Departure)
• 2009 - Everyone was there (Everyone Was There)
• 2009 - But not from the heart. Animal Stories farewell. (But Not From The Heart: Animal Tales about Fare Wells)
• 2009 - With heart and soul. Animal Stories for each party. (With Heart and Soul: Stories For Every Animal Festival)
• 2009 - A cheer. Pet Stories full of comfort. (Heart Ning Animal Stories)
• 2009 - After the heart. Animal Tales of friendship.
• 2009 - Get well soon. Animal Stories about illness and health.
• 2009 - Good night. Animal Stories about sleep and sleep.
• 2009 - Good trip. Animal Stories about departure and arrival.
• 2009 - Take heart. Animal Stories of sadness and loneliness.

Prose

• 1989 – Langzaam, zo snel als zij konden
• 1994 – Twee oude vrouwtjes (illustrations by André Sollie)
• 1998 – Dora. Een liefdesgeschiedenis.
• 2000 – De trein naar Pavlovsk en Oostvoorne
• 2000 – Enkele onwaarschijnlijke aantekeningen van Dante Alighieri bij het schrijven van zijn goddelijke komedie
• 2002 – Brieven aan Doornroosje
• 2008 – Een nieuwe tijd – Grafisch Nederland 2008, novelette
  Novelette
  A novelette is a piece of short prose fiction. The distinction between a novelette and other literary forms is usually based upon word count, with a novelette being longer than a short story, but shorter than a novella...
  
  

Poetry

• 1980 – De zin van een liguster
• 1981 – De aanzet tot een web
• 1982 – Beroemde scherven
• 1984 – De andere ridders
• 1985 – Ik en ik
• 1987 – Mijn winter
• 1989 – In N. en andere gedichten
• 1991 – Een langzame val
• 1992 – Een dansschool
• 1994 – Tijger onder de slakken
• 1998 – Gewone gedichten
• 1996 – Als we vlammen waren
• 1997 – Over liefde en over niets anders
• 1999 – Er ligt een appel op een schaal. Anthology
  Anthology
  An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
  
  
• 2000 – Gedichten 1977-1999. Collected poems.
• 2000 – Kruis en munt
• 2001 – De een en de ander
• 2001 – Een man en een engel. Uitg. Landgraaf, Herik; circulation of 399 copies.
• 2002 – Alleen liefde
• 2002 – Wie A zegt. Gedichten
• 2004 – Minuscule oorlogen (niet met het blote oog zichtbaar)
• 2004 – Daar zijn woorden voor. Anthology. Edition by Rainbow pockets.
• 2005 – ...m n o p q...
• 2006 – Raafvogels
• 2008 – Hemels en vergeefs

Drama

• 1966 – Jimmy Walker. Debut.
• 1980 – Wespen
• 2007 – Leven met een onbekende.
• 2009 - Twee oude vrouwtjes.

Reference

• Kjoek.nl/Toon Tellegen