User:Buerste333/Krasshüpfer

Krasshüpfer (original title: Spinder) is a children´s book or rather a book for young people of the Dutch writer Simon van der Geest and the Dutch illustrator Karst-Jannecke Rogaar. The book tells the story of two brothers who drift apart because of the mourning for their third, already deceased brother and come into conflict with each other, which they can eventually overcome.

Krasshüpfer appeared 2012 at the Dutch publishing company Querido in Dutch language published and includes 240 pages. The german translation appeared on the 18th january 2016 at Thienemann and also includes 240 pages. Mirjam Pressler translated the text. Krasshüpfer is the third book from van der Geest.

Krasshüpfer was distinguished amongst other things with the Gouden Griffel in the year 2013 and in the same year with the. The Feuilleton praises the book amongst other things as follows: "Simon van der Geest tells with his keen sense from the perspective of an 11-years-old." (Norbert Zähringer, 21st march 2016)

Content
The events are described in the form of a kind of a diary, the "notebook", from Hiddes point of view.

The 11-years-old Hidde installed an insect laboratory in the secret basement, of which only he and his brother Jeppe know. With the basement they connect a secret, which has to do with their deceased brother Ward - but the both swored to keep it to themselves. One day Jeppe decided to claim the basement, because he want to install the rehearsal room for his new drum. It breaks out a "war" between the both brothers, which starts to escalate. Hidde try to defense the basement with the help of his classmate Lieke, but she seems to be more interested in Jeppe´s music than in Hidde´s insects. Hidde makes all kinds of defense plans so that he doesn´t have to give up his basement, but finally he´s imprisoned in the basement by his brother. Because their mother isn´t at home Hidde is helpless to his brother´s mercy. But then the neighborboy Bor comes to his rescue. However, the rescue effort fails and Jeppe imprisoned Bor in the basement too. Jeppe falls and injures himself at the head, when Bor tried to outsmart him. Hidde who thinks that Jeppe now is dead too regret the argument and the fights now very much and is relieved, when Jeppe wakes up and only have a slight concussion. Hidde requests Jeppe to reveal the secret around the basement and the death from the older brother. He himselve goes this step by confiding the long-kept secret to his "notebook"

Main characters
Hidde

Hiddeis an 11-years-old boy, whose biggest hobby are insects. Therefor he has a laboratory in the basement, in which he collects different living and dead insects. There he often withdraws, draws (especially his insects) and writes a kind of diary. He doesn´t have friends and he also drifts apart from his brother Jeppe after the death of the third brother Ward. He´s in love with Lieke, a girl in his class. To impress her, he gives her a gift, a 'self-made' cross between a spider and a butterfly, to which he owes his nickname: Spinnerling.

Jeppe

Jeppeis Hidde´s older brother. Since the death of Ward he´s very secretive and withdrawn. Bor says, he has a "grumpy look". He plays the guitar and the drum in a band and therefor he´s a heartthrob. Overall he occures always very cool and treats Hidde and his environment cool - only the sister from Bor unsettles him.

Minor characters
'''Jeppe´s and Hidde´s mother '''

The mother from the both brothers is described from Hidde as "invisible". Since the death from the third brother she seems to be absent, she works much and strolls like a shadow through the life.

Lieke

Lieke is a girl from Hidde´s class, in which he´s in love. She likes butterflies and the colour pink. Hidde tries to impress her with his collection of insects and especially with an own breeding of pink butterflies. However, she seems to be more interested in his brother Jeppe and the music of him. Thanks to her beautyful voice she almost becomes a singer in his band - however, she ultimately decides against it.

Bor

Bor moved into Hidde´s neighborhood. First of all his curly mane is suspicious. At the beginning Hidde certifys him a dumbly look, but at the end he sees, that Bor isn´t an idiot but at best "a little different" and the both become friends. He´s very interested in Hidde´s collection of insects, like driving roller skates and is a big fan of bones and skeletons.

Literary criticism
Krasshüpfer got an overall positive press response. Die Welt indicated, that »van der Geest´s great novel [offers] something, what you don´t find in 'books for adults': cartharsis and salvation« (Norbert Zähringer, 21st march 2016). The Badische Zeitung praised: »Krasshüpfer is in a way indeed crass. But in a way, which let you read breathless and describes the emotions of an 11-years-old frightening good.« (Jürgen Reuß, 12th april 2016). The FAZ wrote: »Simon van der Geest tells with his keen sense from the perspective of an 11-years-old.« (Fridtjof Küchemann, 4th may 2016).

Nominations and Awards
All Awards as overview:

Audiobook
2016it appeared an Audiobookedition of the german version of the book at Igel Records, which is read in from Martin Baltscheit. In may 2016 it stood on the 1st place of the monthly hr2-Hörbuchbestenliste for children´s and youth audiobook. The jury justified their decision by saying that Krasshüpfer "is a wonderful empathetic, multi-faceted, profound and at the same time exciting novel" and "is read outstanding full of nuances and truthfully by Martin Baltscheit".

Public book launches
The book was presented at the Kinder- und Jugendprogramm of the 16th Berlin International Literature Festival in september 2016 as international premiere in attendance of the writer.

Weblinks

 * Extract of the version in the original language and german language of the book
 * The website of the publishing company to the book in original language and german language
 * Website of the writer, illustrator and translator of the book