Children's books in the UB, opening exhibition: 4 October 4 2024, 3 p.m.

Perhaps not the first thing you expect to see at a university library, but the UB Groningen has a large collection of children's and youth books. Comics, books for very young children, such as Miffy, but also children's books in dialect and of course the older classics such as 'Het Beugeljong', 'Schoolidyllen', and various editions of 'Van den vos Reynaerde'.

The collection also includes such classics as “Schoolidyllen ”by Top Naeff. This binding was designed by publisher Honig in Utrecht and includes “Afke's Tiental” by Nienke van Hichtum (beautifully illustrated by Cornelis Jetses) and also Dik Trom.

Vel children's and youth books feature artful covers designed by artists and/or publishers. In the display cases on the 3rd floor we present a selection of these.

Not really a children's book, but still to be found in our collection is Van den vos Reynaerde, an animal epic starring a crafty fox. This story is said to have been written in the 13th century. This animal story fits well with this year's Children's Book Week theme of “nice and naughty. And of course with Animal Day on October 4.

For older youth, we have books by Roald Dahl and Tonke Dragt, for example.

'Le petit Prince' has been on almost everyone's reading list. The UB has not only a 1955 copy in French, but also a translation of it in Groningen, Twents and Drents.

On the second floor of the UB, we have a large number of books by Annie MG Schmidt on display in the showcases. Who doesn't know them, Pluk van de Petteflet and Jip and Janneke? In our collection we have the Danish Pløk and the Latin Jippus et Jannica. But also the classics like “The spider Sebastian” and “The big book of cats”. These books are beautifully illustrated by Fiep Westendorp; one of whose books we also exhibit.