Marjorie Hope van Heerden (born October 8, 1949) is a South African writer and illustrator of children’s books. Since the publication of her first children’s picture book in 1983, van Heerden has been published as an illustrator or writer/illustrator in 33 languages in Africa, Britain, Europe, Asia, Canada and the USA.
Biography
Born in
De Doorns
De Doorns is situated in the Breede Valley Local Municipality, Cape Winelands District Municipality in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
Location
It lies in the Hex River Valley on the N1 National Route, 32 km north-east of Worcest ...
to Alex and Marina van Niekerk (née Botha), Marjorie grew up on a table grapes farm outside
De Doorns
De Doorns is situated in the Breede Valley Local Municipality, Cape Winelands District Municipality in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
Location
It lies in the Hex River Valley on the N1 National Route, 32 km north-east of Worcest ...
in the Hex River Valley near
Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
. She matriculated from
Rustenburg School for Girls
Rustenburg Girls' High School and Rustenburg Girls'Junior School are two separate public schools with a shared history,situated in the suburb of Rondebosch in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. Rustenburg was founded in 1894 and divided in ...
in
Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
in 1967, studied Fine Art for one year at
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University ( af, Universiteit Stellenbosch) is a public research university situated in Stellenbosch, a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Stellenbosch is the oldest university in South Africa and the oldest extant ...
and then went to the
Michaelis School of Fine Art
The Michaelis School of Fine Art was founded in 1925, and is the Fine Arts department of the University of Cape Town. The school's current director is Associate Professor Kurt Campbell.
There are three research institutions associated with the sch ...
at the
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town (UCT) ( af, Universiteit van Kaapstad, xh, Yunibesithi ya yaseKapa) is a public research university in Cape Town, South Africa. Established in 1829 as the South African College, it was granted full university statu ...
for three years.
In 1973 she married Johann van Heerden and they have two children. In 2003 van Heerden started the South African chapter of the international
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization that acts as a network for the exchange of knowledge between writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, agents, librarians, educators, booksellers ...
(
SCBWI
The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization that acts as a network for the exchange of knowledge between writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, agents, librarians, educators, booksellers ...
), based in Los Angeles. In 2000 she and a friend also started the SCBWI chapter in Greece. She is currently the co-regional advisor of the South African chapter.
Awards and honors
Marjorie van Heerden won the 2011 W.B. Mkhize Award, given annually by the Usiba Writers’ Guild, for the Zulu version of ''Lulama’s long way home'' (''Uhambo LukaLulama Olude''), a picture book she wrote and illustrated, published by Giraffe Books, an imprint of
Pan MacMillan
Pan Books is a publishing imprint (trade name), imprint that first became active in the 1940s and is now part of the United Kingdom, British-based Macmillan Publishers, owned by the Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group of Germany.
Pan Books b ...
.
In 2012, Marjorie and author Alex D’Angelo won the M.E.R. Award (one of the
Media24 Books Literary Awards
The Media24 Books Literary Awards (known before 2011 as the Via Afrika Awards, and before that as the Nasboek Literary Awards) are a group of five South African literary prizes awarded annually by Media24, the print-media arm of the South African m ...
) for the best-illustrated children’s book published in South Africa. In 2011 they won for ''Goblin Diaries: Apprenticed to the Red Witch'', published by Tafelberg Publishers (SA).
This was the second time she has been awarded this prestigious award - the first time was in 2008 when she won it with author Wendy Hartmann for ''Nina and Little Duck'', published in 2007 by Human & Rousseau (SA).
Children's books
As writer and illustrator
* ''Lulama’s Long Way Home'', 2007 (also published in Portuguese and all 11 South African official languages).
* ''The Authentic, Unusual, Alarming, Actual, Factual, Story Book'' (published in
Afrikaans
Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gra ...
as ''Die Oorspronklike, Ongewoon Skrikaanjaende, Werklik Feitlike Storieboek''), 2006.
* ''The Adventures of Phepa and Itumelang'', 2006.
* ''Monde’s Present'' reworked second edition, 2005 (published in all 11 South African official languages).
* ''Monde’s Present'' (based on the original story by Alexia van Heerden), 1997.
* ''Lana’s long way home'' (published in Afrikaans as ''Lana se ompad huistoe''), 1993.
* ''A new bed for Alexia'' (published in Afrikaans as ''‘n Nuwe bed vir Alexia''), 1992.
* ''Goodnight, Grandpa'' (published in Afrikaans as ''Nag Oupa''), 1990.
* ''Looking for a friend'' (published in Afrikaans as ''‘n Maat vir Mayedwa''), 1988.
* ''A Monster in the garden'', (a ''Peanutbutter'' story, published in Afrikaans as ''‘n Monster in die tuin - ‘n Korrelkonfyt-storie''), 1987.
* ''Old enough'', (a ''Peanutbutter'' story, published in Afrikaans as ''Oud genoeg - ‘n Korrelkonfyt-storie''), 1987.
* ''Father Christmas needs help'' (a ''Peanutbutter'' story, published in Afrikaans as ''Kersvader het hulp nodig - ‘n Korrelkonfyt-storie'', 1987.
* ''A tiger took me to the circus'' (published in Afrikaans as ''Sirkus toe saam met ‘n tier''), 1986.
* ''Die een groot bruin beer'' (Afrikaans), 1984.
As illustrator
* Jim Henry, ''The Adventures of Willy Nilly and Thumper: Book Four– Charlie, the Cross-Eyed Crocodile'', 2017.
* Jim Henry, ''The Adventures of Willy Nilly and Thumper: Book Three – Stella Star'', 2016.
* Jim Henry, ''The Adventures of Willy Nilly and Thumper: Book Two – The Hermit’s Last Hairs'', 2016 (also published in Spanish).
* Jim Henry, ''The Adventures of Willy Nilly and Thumper: Book One - The Lost Treasure of Mount Methuselah'', 2016 (also published in Spanish).
* Leon Rousseau, ''StorieMuis: Boek 3-6'' (in Afrikaans, together with illustrators Johann Strauss and Karen Ahlschläger), 2016.
* Leon Rousseau, ''StorieMuis Omnibus'' (Book 2), 2015.
* Leon Rousseau, ''StorieMuis Omnibus'' (Book 1), 2015.
* Dianne Steward, ''Folktales from Africa'' (second edition), 2015.
* Kiara Soobrayan, ''Blossoms of Scarlet'', 2013.
* Sunita Lad Bhamray, ''Grandma Lim’s Persimmons'', 2013.
* Leon Rousseau (collected by), four fairy tales in digital format on the ''Storierak'' online application store of NB Publishers (Afrikaans), (2013, published in 2012).
* Leon Rousseau (fairy tales collected by), ''Storieman Omnibus 1'' and ''Storieman Omnibus 2'', 2012.
* Kathleen Ahrens and Chu-Ren Huang, ''Ears Hear''(English and Chinese), 2012.
* Kathleen Ahrens and Chu-Ren Huang, ''Numbers Do'' (English and Chinese), 2012.
* Ingrid Vander Veken (Dutch original translated into Afrikaans by
Antjie Krog
Antjie Krog (born 23 October 1952) is a South African writer and academic, best known for her Afrikaans poetry, her reporting on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and her 1998 book '' Country of My Skull''. In 2004, she joined the Arts f ...
), ''Sam: ’n Ware verhaal van ’n dogtertjie en haar olifant'', 2012.
* Alex D’Angelo, ''Goblin Diaries: Apprenticed to the Red Witch'', 2011.
*
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Mpilo Tutu (7 October 193126 December 2021) was a South African Anglican bishop and theologian, known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. He was Bishop of Johannesburg from 1985 to 1986 and then Archbishop ...
, ''Children of God - Storybook Bible'' (one of 20 illustrators, commissioned from around the world), 2010.
*
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (; 27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet and mathematician. His most notable works are ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (1865) and its sequel ...
, ''
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (commonly ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English novel by Lewis Carroll. It details the story of a young girl named Alice (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland), Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a ...
'' (the Afrikaans translation by
André P. Brink, ''Die Avonture van Alice in Wonderland''), 2010.
*
C.J. Langenhoven
Cornelis Jacobus Langenhoven (13 August 1873 – 15 July 1932), who published under his initials C.J. Langenhoven, was a South African poet who played a major role in the development of Afrikaans literature and cultural history. His poetry was ...
, ''Kootjie Totjie'', 2009.
* Jaco Jacobs, ''Bertus soek 'n Boek'' (Afrikaans), 2009.
* Ndedi Okorafo-Mbachu, Lonng Juju Man, 2009.
* Wendy Hartmann, ''Nina and Little Duck'' (Afrikaans translation: ''Nina en Eendjie'', 2007.
* Raffaelle Delle Donne, ''San Tales from Africa'', 2007.
* Dianne Steward, ''Folktales from Africa'', 2007.
* Gill Munton, ''A Yeti in Town, A Chinese folk tale'' (Explorers 3), 2007.
* Mary Clanahan, ''Die Avonture van Phepa en Itumelang'' (Afrikaans translation of ''The Adventures of Phepa and Itumelang''), 2006.
* Nick Paul, ''Uncle James and the Delicious Monster'' (In Afrikaans: ''Oom Japie en die Monsterplant''), 2005.
* Leon de Villiers, ''Ek en My Monster'' (Afrikaans), 2004.
* Arnold Rust, ''The Haunted Valley'', 2004.
* Wynand Louw, ''Mr Humperdinck’s Wonderful Whatsit'', 2004. (In Afrikaans, ''Mnr Humperdinck se wonderlike Watsenaam'', 2009)
*
Louise Smit, ''Professor Fossilus en die Dinosourusse'' (Afrikaans), 2004.
*
Katherine Paterson
Katherine Womelsdorf Paterson (born October 31, 1932) is an American writer best known for children's novels, including '' Bridge to Terabithia''. For four different books published 1975-1980, she won two Newbery Medals and two National Book Aw ...
, ''The King’s Equal'' (Greek translation from English), 2001.
* Vangelis Eliopoulos, ''The Three Teapots'' (in Greek), 2000.
* Voula Mastori, ''In the Wizard's Hands'' (in Greek), 2000.
*
Ann Taylor Ann or Anne Taylor may refer to:
*Ann Taylor (writer, born 1757) (1757–1830), English writer
*Ann Taylor (poet) (1782–1866), English poet and children's writer, daughter of the above
*Ann Taylor (actress) (born 1936), British actress, hostess a ...
, ''Baby Dance'', 1999.
* Thomas A. Nevin, ''The Zebra and the Baboon'' (translated into various African languages), 1996.
* Thomas A. Nevin, ''The Mantis, the Girl and the Flowers of Namakwaland'' (translated into various African languages), 1995.
* Dorian Haarhoff, ''The Guano Girl'', 1995.
* Michelle Holloway, ''Chloe’s Granny'' (Afrikaans translation:''Naomi se Ouma''), 1995.
* Brenda Kali, ''The Story of Buddha'', 1994.
*
Lesley Beake
Lesley Beake (born 1949) is a Scottish-born South African children's author.
Life
Lesley Beake was born and went to school in Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Hist ...
, ''Harry went to Paris'', 1989.
* Rena Schüler, ''Natie se Jubeljaar'' (Afrikaans), 1984.
* Jenny Seed, ''Katie in die Goudvallei'' (Afrikaans), 1983.
* Cecilia Saayman, ''Soetlemoen en Nartjie'' (Afrikaans), 1983.
Educational children's books
As writer and illustrator
* ''Cave'', 1998.
* ''The authentic, true-to-life, unusual, alarming, actual, factual book'' (Bright Books Reader & Activity Book), 1998.
* ''The Summer Book'' (Bright Books, Grade Two series), 1998.
* ''The Autumn Book'' (Bright Books, Grade Two series), 1998.
* ''The Winter Book'' (Bright Books, Grade Two series), 1998.
* ''The Winter Book'' (Bright Books, Grade Two series), 1998.
* ''The Spring Book'' (Bright Books, Grade Two series), 1998.
* ''Frog'', 1998.
* ''Baobab'', 1998.
* ''The Cat Book'' (Bright Books, Grade One series), 1997.
* ''The Snake Book'' (Bright Books, Grade One series), 1997.
* ''The Goat Book'' (Bright Books, Grade One series), 1997.
* ''The Monkey Book'' (Bright Books, Grade One series), 1997.
* ''The Zebra Book'' (Bright Books, Grade One series), 1997.
* ''The Dog Book'' (Bright Books, Grade One series), 1997.
* ''The Mouse Book'' (Bright Books, Grade One series), 1997.
* ''The Owl Book'' (Bright Books, Grade One series), 1997.
* ''The Rabbit Book'' (Bright Books, Grade One series), 1997.
* ''The Donkey Book'' (Bright Books, Grade One series), 1997.
* ''The Chicken Book'' (Bright Books, Grade One series), 1997.
* 21 low-cost picture books for the Ntataise Trust, SA, 1994.
As illustrator
* Mark Patrick, ''Today my doctor told me'', 2009.
* Nicole Levin, ''The Jungle Box'', 2008.
*
Blessing Musariri
In religion, a blessing (also used to refer to bestowing of such) is the impartation of something with grace, holiness, spiritual redemption, or divine will.
Etymology and Germanic paganism
The modern English language term ''bless'' likely ...
, ''Secret of Rukodzi Mountain'', 2008.
* Margaret Mckenzie, ''Saving the Planet – 10 things you should know'', 2008.
* Nola Turkington, ''Alone with Jackals'', 2007.
* Maggie Bizzell, ''What Was That?'', 2005.
* Di Steward, ''The Monkeys in the Trees'', 2005.
* David Donald, ''Camp in the Wild'', 2004.
* Abby Wood, ''The Gardener’s Secret'', 2004.
* Wendy Flanagan, ''I am HIV Positive'', 2004.
* Beata Kasale, ''Treasure in the Garden'', 2001.
* Kathy Luckett, Sylve Sandalls & Nombulelo Sikhosana, ''Does your father snore?'', 1999.
* Afari Assan, ''Adefe and the Old Chief'', 1999.
* Sally Ward, ''Dorothy’s Visit'', 1998.
* Chris Wildman &
Fatima Dike, ''Look what I can do'', 1998.
* Sue Guthrie, ''Mkulu and the Spider'', 1996.
* Ray Leitch, ''Nomathemba’s Fire'', 1996.
* Various authors, ''Thuli’s Mattress'', 1996.
* Sarah Murray & Rod Ellis, ''The old Man and his Hat'', 1995.
* Philip de Vos, ''Sproete en Snoete'' (Afrikaans), 1994.
* Philip de Vos, ''Giere en Grille'' (Afrikaans), 1994.
* Philip de Vos, ''Warrelwind se Kind'' (Afrikaans), 1994.
* Marjorie van Heerden et al., ''Baba’s Plan'', 1990.
References
# http://www.harpercollins.com/cr-109575/marjorie-van-heerden
# http://www.humanrousseau.com/Books/Find/Marjorie+van+Heerden
# http://www.stellenboschwriters.com/vheerdenm.html
# http://www.abebooks.com/Baobab-South-African-Edition-Marjorie-Heerden/10034338359/bd
# http://www.penguinrandomhouse.co.za/books
# http://www.nb.co.za/
External links
* http://www.grafikon.co.za/
* http://marjorie-van-heerden.blogspot.com/
* http://southafrica.scbwi.org/
* http://www.scbwi.org/members-public/marjorie-van-heerden
* http://www.jacketflap.com/profile.asp?member=Marjorie
* http://willynillyandthumper.com/
{{DEFAULTSORT:van Heerden, Marjorie
1949 births
Living people
20th-century South African women artists
21st-century South African women artists
20th-century South African women writers
21st-century South African women writers
South African people of Dutch descent
South African women illustrators
South African children's book illustrators
South African children's writers
South African women children's writers
Stellenbosch University alumni
Alumni of Rustenburg School for Girls