This is joyous; a rare, very rare spectacle: a collection of very short stories about three children who are really, really children, a bit quarrelsome, very lively and spunky (is that why Madelief is considered the Dutch Pippi? A very silly and absurd comparison, but then again I find PIPPI LONGSTOCKING a very meh classic). Let me share with you the most extraordinary story here: Jan-Willem goes to the market for his mother. He needs to buy 1 kilo of apples, 1 kilo of potatoes and 200 grams of ham, that's what's on the list. There's a girl in the fruits and vegetables section in charge of picking things up (how weird, but maybe it's a Dutch thing). She's a little annoyed, you can tell; she asks what kind of potato and apple does he want. Jan-Willem gets very nervous: the line behind him grows large, the girl is definitely unfriendly. He's confused, he's scared to be seen as a silly child who doesn't know anything. He chooses the biggest potatoes he can see and the red apples, but he's not sure of anything. Then he orders the ham, but the ham guy asks if he wants it in a piece or sliced. How will he know? His mother said nothing, there's nothing on the list. He says "sliced" with no conviction. When it's time to pay, another nightmare! His mother didn't give him enough money. Despite the kindness of the lady (she tells him to go home and then return with it), he could simply die of shame. It happened what Jan-Willem most feared, what an urge to run away and hide! And he really does that: he runs home as fast as he can. Arriving there, he throws a tantrum; yells at his mother, no way he'll go back to the market with the money. She doesn't understand anything; annoyed by his son's rudeness, she sends him to the bedroom. Jan-Willem cries on the pillow; he prefers to be punished than to step into that market again. *THIS IS A CHILD* living a very small and very terrifying moment, all the raw emotions, the confusion. This little boy's vulnerability, desperation and helplessness made me shake me like a leaf. Guus Kuijer is a genius.
I read the Spanish edition (LA MUDANZA Y OTRAS HISTORIAS) but this is also available in English, Italian, German, French... Now to the next books of this glorious series.