Slegers, Liesbet 1975-

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SLEGERS, Liesbet 1975-

Personal

Born July 26, 1975, in Belgium; daughter of Paul (a translator) and Chris (a laborer; maiden name, Alan) Slegers; married Koen Vermeiren (a bookkeeper). Education: Four years of formal study (design and illustration).

Addresses

Home— Acacialaan 49-2200 Herentals-Belgium. Office— c/o Author Mail, Kane/Miller Book Publishers, P.O. Box 8518, La Jolla, CA 92038. E-mail— liesbet.slegers@pi.be.

Career

Illustrator and author.

Writings

SELF-ILLUSTRATED

Karel gaat naar school, Clavis, 1999, translated as Kevin Goes to School, Kane/Miller (La Jolla, CA), 2002.

Karel in het ziekenhuis, Clavis, 1999, translated as Kevin Goes to the Hospital, Kane/Miller (La Jolla, CA), 2002.

Karel gaat logeren, Clavis, 1999, translated as Kevin Spends the Night, Kane/Miller (La Jolla, CA), 2002.

Karel in het vliegtuig, Clavis, 1999, translated as Kevin Takes a Trip, Kane/Miller (La Jolla, CA), 2002.

Also author of numerous self-illustrated books written in Dutch, including Het kindje in de stal, Clavis, 2002, and Ik en mkjm straat, Clavis, 2002; author of other books in the "Karel" series.

OTHER

Illustrator of Dutch-language books by authors Jeanne Bakker, Daan Stermans, Mark Jeanty, Patricia David, Katrien Vandewoude, Ann Lootens, Wim Vromant, and Christine Naumann-Villemin.

Work in Progress

A book for toddlers, My Face, My Car, My Home.

Sidelights

A prolific author/illustrator for the toddler set in her native Belgium, Liesbet Slegers is known to English-language readers as the author of a series of four board books that focus on a round-headed toddler named Kevin—Karel in the original Dutch version—as he tackles brand new experiences. Each of the four books feature simple and consistent formats, and Kevin's new challenges are ones all children can relate to: going to school, taking a trip, spending a night away from home, and going to the hospital. Reviewing Kevin Goes to School, Melinda Piehler wrote in School Library Journalthat Slegers' "brightly colored gouache artwork has a childlike quality and depicts a preschooler's-eye view of the world." Piehler also praised the books for presenting a protagonist that "youngsters will easily relate to." Also reviewing the series, a Publishers Weekly contributor noted that the child-pleasing artwork features "thick black line and pleasingly smudgy bush strokes of rainbow colors."

Slegers, who has also contributed artwork to simple texts by other writers, told Something about the Author: "I write and illustrate for very young children. It is important to me to use very bright and shining colors. This draws their attention. I also use very simple sentences, sometimes only one per page! The themes I use are also very simple: to go to the toilet, under the show, to get a haircut, or to have a bad dream."

In her many books for Belgian readers, Slegers frequently focuses on "the first experience of a toddler," a time she characterized to SATA as "exciting but also very scary! I try to help them with my books," she added, "and also try to give the parents or teacher some assistance!"