Els Pelgrom

author

Dutch b. 2 April 1934, Arnhem, Netherlands^[1,2] active 1962–present

Els Pelgrom (born 1934) is a distinguished Dutch author of children's literature, originally born as Else Koch in Arnhem. After moving to Drenthe and Groningen with her husband, artist Karl Pelgrom, she debuted in 1962 and quickly became a prominent figure in Dutch literature. She is notable for being the first author to receive the Gouden Griffel award three times, a prestigious honor for children's books in the Netherlands. Her works are often lauded for their imaginative depth and for tackling complex themes; for example, her debut 'De kinderen van het Achtste Woud' (1977) was one of the first Dutch children's books to depict war memories without relying on conventional clichés. In addition to her fiction, she has served as an editor, translator, and has adapted classic tales for children with reading difficulties.^[1,2,3]

• children's literature
• war memories
• imagination