At the end of the world, near the border with Germany, stands a house as long as nine open arms. Half hidden behind trees and shrubs rises a wide brick wall, topped with two attic windows, each no bigger than a dishcloth. The walls have been whitewashed and the wooden floor is bare, as if the house is waiting. Waiting for someone to move in. It is the summer of 1937, and it hasn't rained for seven weeks when eleven-year-old Fing and her family of nine move into Nine Open Arms, along with their handcart of meagre belongings. 'The Dad' is a man who does all kinds of jobs and none of them well, while Oma Mei courageously holds everything together, including the family's history in her Crocodile bag full of pictures and stories. But as the year progresses, the family just gets poorer.Meanwhile, Fing and her two sisters, wild Muulke and fearful Jess, begin to discover strange mysteries.a bed that looks like a tombstone, an unmarked grave in the cemetery.until at last the story of those who came before begins slowly to emerge. In the end, Fing learns that love and stories are her family's wealth.Nine Open Arms is an exceptional imagined historical mystery - the story of a very special home, the eccentric families who have lived within it, and the unexpected ties that emerge between the two. Translated by John Nieuwenhuizen.'Written with great warmth, love of life, and infectious humour.' De Morgen (Flemish newspaper)'A bewitching read with fresh and memorable language.' IBBY Australia

 

This book is the winner of numerous awards. It was recognised by the American Library Association Awards. It was recognised by the Gouden Zoen. It also was recognised by the Thea Beckmanprijs. It was recognised by the Best Historical Juvenile Book.

There are 272 pages in this book. This book was published 2015 by Murdoch Books .

Benny Lindelauf is a multi-award-winning Dutch children's book author whose books have been translated into six languages. He also teaches creative writing to adults and children. Ludwig Volbeda (1990), is a Dutch illustrator based in Amsterdam. Tortot, the Cold Fish Who Lost His World and Found His Heart is the first children's book he has illustrated and it won a nomination for the BoekenPauw prize for best illustrated children's book. Belgian writer ANNE PROVOOST is the author of a series of provocative novels that examine topics as varied as right-wing extremism, sexual abuse, and religion through the eyes of young protagonists. Falling was made into an English-language feature film. Anne is a member of the Royal Academy of Dutch Language and Literature and a member of PEN. Her novels have been published in eighteen different languages. JOHN NIEUWENHUIZEN is an Australian-based, award-winning translator of Dutch and Flemish literature. In 2007, John was awarded the NSW Premier's Translation Prize and PEN Medallion. In 2015 he was recognised with an IBBY Australia Honour Book award for Translation for his translation of Nine Open Arms by Benny Lindelauf.