Some of our authors and illustrators are also in Bologna this year. Get in touch if you would like us to set up a meeting with one of our lovely makers.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
Pelckmans Publishers’ mission is to publish books that not only entertain but also educate, challenge, and empower readers of all ages. We believe in the transformative power of knowledge and the importance of diverse voices in shaping a better world.
We invite you to explore our catalogue and discover the unique titles that have captivated audiences in our home markets. By acquiring rights to our books, you join us in our mission to spread these compelling narratives across the globe. Let’s collaborate to bring exceptional stories to new readers and create a lasting impact together.
If you are looking for a specific topic, title or type of publication: don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d be happy to share our extensive backlist with you.
www.pelckmansuitgevers.be/foreign-rights
Children’s Books: Sarah Claeys – sarah@booketlistagency.com
For general enquiries about our children’s list: Julie Verhaert – julie.verhaert@pelckmans.be
NOVELTY & PICTURE BOOKS
YOSHI’S BIG DAY
Sarah Corynen
• Co-editions available!
• Cloth book with contrasting colors, perfect for young babies
• Crinkle paper for added sound effect, includes dog ears
Meet Yoshi, the cutest puppy on the block! Just like your baby, Yoshi loves spending the day eating, cuddling and sleeping.
SWEET DREAMS
Inge Rylant
• Co-editions available!
• Cloth book with contrasting colors, perfect for young babies
• With crinkle paper and flaps
Time to go to bed! Night-night tree, night-night penguin, night-night dog. Flip the flaps and put them all to sleep. But what is the owl up to?
I LOVE MILK!
Emma Thyssen
• Co-editions available!
• Cloth book with contrasting colors, perfect for young babies
• Crinkle paper for added sound effect, includes crocodile tail
All the animals love milk: the cat, the giraffe, the cow. But what does the little crocodile love?
HELLO SUNSHINE
Annelies Draws
• Co-editions available!
• Cloth book with contrasting colors, perfect for young babies
• Crinkle paper with round flaps
My little butterfly, my sunshine, apple of my eye. Turn the flaps and discover which nickname hides the baby that looks most like yours.
Marije Siezenga & Oirik
HERCULES
Marije Siezenga & Oirik
• short but rich text to enhance read-aloud experience
• Rights sold: spanish
This read-aloud story from the creators of Moon, about family, being brave, and standing on your own two feet, subtly shows the balance between finding your own way, and accepting help when you need it.
BALL ROCKS!
Lynn Pinsart & Els Decaluwe
• A gentle and playful introduction to mindfulness, for a moment of relaxation and deep breaths
• Rights available
Ball’s head is not in the game. Luckily, the children come up with all sorts of ways to make him feel better, just in time for the big match.
SEPTEMBER
ELVIS
Luc Descamps & Julie Vangeel
• A humorous story that’s perfect for reading out loud
• Rights available
Elvis dreams of flying like a chicken – the only problem is: he’s a pig. With a little help from cheerful friends, he sets out to make his dream come true.
AUGUST 2025 |
MY PET DOG BOB
Stefan
Boonen
& Jan Van Lierde
• Wit, warmth and wagging tails – with an unexpected twist!
• Perfect for interactive reading
• Rights available
A picture book that celebrates the connection between a boy and his pet, no matter the form.
FRieND
Stefan Boonen & Jan Van Lierde FEBRUARY
BEST WALK EVER
Yarne Daeren
• 3D-picture book, including 3D-glasses
• Rights available
Come along on an adventurous walk with a boy and his dog through a 3D-landscape, from the dangerous jungle to the deep ocean – there is plenty to see if you only pay attention.
THE ORIGIN OF THINGS
Jacques & Lise
• A brand new story from international award-winning duo Jacques & Lise
• shortlisted for Namiconcours 2026
• Rights available
Leaning on the characteristics of today’s throwaway society, Jacques & Lise create a unique story that invites us to reflect on ourselves as a species and the impact we have on our environment.
More picture books by Jacques & Lise
Recent awards and special mentions for the work of Jacques & Lise:
• August was selected for The White Ravens 2025
• August and Pia were finalists of the Golden Pen of Belgrade 2025
• August was a finalist for the Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition 2025
• Henry and Aldo & Rino selected for the Bologna Ragazzi Award Amazing Bookshelf 2025
• Premio Rodari 2023 for the Italian translation of Viktor
• Shortlisted Lokomotywa Award 2022 for the Polish translation of Viktor
Leporello
Osk AR
RIGHTS SOLD: ARABIC, KOREAN
ALDO & RiNO
AuGust viktOR
RIGHTS SOLD: ENGLISH, FRENCH, ITALIAN, JAPANESE, KOREAN, POLISH
Today is a BIG day. Doll is marrying Action Man. But Action Man has doubts—he’s much more into Bear. And Doll would rather race cars…
ALBeR t ’s PeRFeC t Nest M y te AM
CHAMeL eON DOes (NOt ) L ike COLORs
GiRAFFe WAN ts A s OuND RIGHTS SOLD: ENGLISH - MAINLAND CHINA, HONG KONG, MACAU, TAIWAN
MOL e BA kes COOkies MOL e ’s BiR t HDAy
MOL e BuiLDs
MOL e GOes tO t He Be ACH
MOL e ’s FuN
HA
OC tOPus iN LOve
kOALA CAN’ t GO
AND t Hey L iveD
AND t Hey stiLL L iveD
JuB’s te AR
ALWAys CLOse tO yOu
yOu CAN t Rust RIGHTS SOLD: KOREAN A sNA iL’s t RA iL
eveRyt HiNG CHANGes RIGHTS SOLD: GERMAN
CAN DO t His,
BeDtiMe stORy FOR GROWN- uP s
STORYBOOKS & EARLY READERS
JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD BEFORE BEDTIME
Yule Hermans
• Magnificent hand-painted illustration work by yule Hermans
• A collection of 52 short folktales
• Rights available
Little Peach is born from a fruit. In the warm hands of a Canadian couple, he grows into a brave twelveyear-old boy. One day, Wind breezes in with a story about Peach’s mother tree, said to stand far across the great ocean. Guided by the most beautiful tales and thrilling adventures, he sets off on a journey around the world to find her.
• the first adventure in a brand-new graphic novel series!
• Rights available
Just before his eleventh birthday, strange things begin piling up in Kas’s life. Moreover, his school is plagued by mysterious shadows and unexpected power outages. When his brand-new classmate Luca hurriedly pulls Kas along during a blackout, Kas plunges into a world he could never have imagined.
WHY A FOREST HAS NO WINDOWS & THE BIGGER THE BEAR, THE HARDER THEY FALL
Korneel De Rynck, Joris Thys & Naomi Christiaens
• Contemplative fiction reminiscent of famous Dutch author toon tellegen
• Brand new volume in the works
• Rights available
These beautifully illustrated collections contain short, surprising, lightly philosophical animal stories for readers from 8 to 108 years old. Discover the salmon who is utterly fed up with swimming, read about the day the mammoth finally left the woods, and learn about the bear who thought he was a tree.
MARCH 2017 & MAY 2021 | HARDCOVER | 170 X 240 MM | PAGE EXTENT: 96
THROUGH THE SEASONS WITH FEATHER
stORy BOOks &
COLD
t He He AR t OF t He OLD OA k t Ree
AROuND t He WORLD W iND
HAPPy HOuse
titA tAtt L etAL e
suN
CALL Me JOsy
CLOuDs
NON-FICTION FOR CHILDREN
EXPECTING
Lise Engels & Steffie Padmos
• A richly illustrated guide for the whole family, to talk about pregnancy and becoming a parent
• inclusive of all family compositions
• Rights available
Expecting places pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period in a broader context and shows how crucial this phase is. With clear and direct language, it is the perfect tool to talk openly about pregnancies and childcare, and everything that comes with it.
GOAL!
Studio Waaiman
• sports and reading all combined into one, blending fiction and facts
• New volume on Hip Hop in the making
• Rights available
This dynamic series for early readers focuses on sports. For every young sports fan who’s ready to squeeze in some reading practice.
ALL ABOUT THE WEATHER
Bram Verbruggen & Isabelle Geeraerts
• the ultimate comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about (reading) the weather
• Can be adapted to suit your territory
• Rights available
Discover all about temperature and thermometers, air pressure, wind, clouds and satellites… and learn how you can rely on your own senses to read the weather.
THE CAT
Floortje Zwigtman & Andrea Kruis
• Feline facts throughout cat history – from ancient egypt to the 21st century
• Rights available
Explore the rich, worldwide history of these famously headstrong creatures. Dive into the mysterious thoughts and often curious behaviors of cats — and attempt to make sense of them.
ONCE UPON A TIME THERE MAY HAVE BEEN Kamiel
De Bruyne & Yarne Daeren
• Book three to be published in the summer of 2026!
• Book-and-game-in-one packed with jawdropping tales and mind-blowing facts
• Rights sold: Russian
Twenty humorous stories that might have really happened — or might be completely made up. It’s a guessing game: is the story true or totally fake? Turn the page to find out!
TRAPPED ON ANTARCTICA
Guy Didelez & Caryl Strzelecki
• 2026 marks the 160th birthday of Belgian polar explorer Adrien de Gerlache
• Rights available
Discover the thrilling tale of Belgian polar explorer Adrien de Gerlache on the very first expedition to Antarctica. With rich illustrations and engaging storytelling, this book takes you right to the heart of this vast and dangerous region.
FEBRUARY
A SMALL WORLD HISTORY IN 100 BIG DATES
Barbara De Munnynck & Isabelle Geeraerts
• 100 stories of 5 minutes’ reading time each
• Classic milestones and lesser-known stories
• Written from either a female, non-western or peace-respecting perspective
• Authors now working on a book on art history in collaboration with europalia
• Rights available
Why did Cleopatra hide in a carpet, and why was Alexander the Great crying in a tent? How did Marco Polo end up in prison and Joan of Arc at the stake? This world history book isn’t just a boring list of dates. It’s a treasure chest of stories.
FEBRUARY 2024 | HARDCOVER | 170 X 240 MM | PAGE EXTENT: 288
ZARAFA
Barbara Rottiers
• 2027 marks the 200th anniversary of the arrival of Zarafa in Paris
• An illustrated biography of the first giraffe in France
• Rights available
This is Zarafa and she is the first giraffe on the French territory. An incredible road trip from the savannah to the King in Paris!
WISE WISDOMS
Katrijn De Wit, Inge Rylant & Laura Bergans
• Co-editions and rights available
This fun series tackles topics such as nature, food, animals, dinosaurs and the environment. Every page starts with a question – ‘Can birds sneeze?’ – and when you flip the page, you’ll find both an imaginative reply and the actual scientific answer. (And yes, they can!) HARDCOVER OR BOARD BOOK | 195 X 235 MM
CAN yOu Pet A sHARk?
HOW BiG is A DiNOsAuR tuRD?
DOes OLD CHeese COMe FROM OLD COWs?
CAN BiRDs sNee Ze ? CAN MOuN tA iNs sHRiNk?
LONG L ive A st RiD
WHODuNNit ?
H is FOR HuMBOLDt
ARe yOu De AD FOReveR?
BiLL ie AND His GeNes
RIGHTS SOLD: CHINESE, GERMAN, RUSSIAN
MIDDLE GRADE
MARCH 2026 | HARDCOVER | 145 X 215 MM
SEPTEMBER 2024 | HARDCOVER | 140 X 215 MM
AUGUST
EVERYWHEN
Gemma Broekhuis
• A fast-paced read about a mysterious disappearance, friendship and loss
• Rights available
Rik finds himself facing quite a few problems. He has one last chance at a new school. But when his classmate Franka unexpectedly shows up at his door, the two of them stumble onto the trail of a missing girl. It leads them to a world where nothing is what it seems.
WILLE
Van Gas & Melvin
• Humor, adventure and the thrill of the chase, perfect for Roald Dahl fans!
• Rights available
Wille’s dad has been melted by Miss Halitosis, a foul villain so stinky and scary the country trembles at the mere sound of her name. But together with Imogen and Professor De Bonaire, Wille is determined to defy her.
RUFUS, FELIX AND THE ACCIDENTAL STAMP ROBBERY (STARRING VIEBE!)
Sofie Leyts
• A detective story for teens full of misunderstandings, humor and adventure!
• Rights available
Rufus’s moms are master thieves — but he just wants a normal life. Felix’s mom is a tough-as-nails police officer, and Felix longs for adventure. Together, the boys hatch a daring plan: convince Rufus’s moms to retire from robbery by stealing the most expensive stamp in the world!
NENA’S LEGENDARY HOSPITAL DAYS
Hanne Desmet
• A hospital diary unlike any other
• Rights available
Nena was born with a lung condition. A new illness brings her to a new doctor, who bombards her with one test after another. Extremely annoying—but fortunately, there’s Souf, the boy who steals cookies and comes up with a plan to escape, once and for all.
JACKIE
Liesbeth Talboom & Seren Teke
• On bullying, standing up for yourself, friendship and loneliness
• Rights available
After moving, Jackie and her mum clash with an overzealous neighborhood cop. His daughter Odette seems equally determined to make Jackie’s life difficult. Grandma would get it—but how could she help from the other side of the world?
HANNAH AND THE CROCODILE
Tine Lefebvre & Het Peloton
• On eating disorders
• Based on a true story, told through a child’s POv
• Rights available
When Fien discovers that her sister is being threatened by a mean crocodile that is making her very thin and sick, her world is turned upside down. She hatches a plan to ensure Hannah makes it to her next birthday.
LOW ie RIGHTS SOLD: CROATIAN, ITALIAN
BeFORe t He Ne W MOON
BROs se A sPARk RIGHTS SOLD: ITALIAN
YOUNG ADULT
WHILE WE’RE STILL HERE
Thomas Philip Acid
• A dystopian yA-romance set against a backdrop of war
• Own voices & queer representation
• Rights available
Casper, an awkward 20-year-old, has been invited to test his security software for the government of an island in the Caribbean. But after a totalitarian coup, he gets stuck. Then he meets Ezra, a local soldier…
THE GIRL WHO REFUSED TO DIE
Bjorn Van den Eynde
• A fast-paced thriller
• Rights available
Amelie is obsessed with cold cases. When Matteo appears, pleading for her help to find his missing niece, Amelie is thrust into a case that’s more urgent than ever. It’s her chance to shine—but someone is watching… and willing to kill.
TREADING WATER
Hanne Eerdekens
• A beloved author in the Belgian Booktok community
• Novels reminiscent of John Green and kathleen Glasgow
• Own voices & queer representation
• Rights available
Linus had his future all planned out—gold medals, glory—until a car accident changed everything. Aster thrives on chaos—skipping school, fights, parties, reckless kisses—anything to avoid facing what truly matters. Two damaged souls. One chance to heal.
more
’s DiFFeReNt WitH yOu
• Runner-up of young jury yA award 2025
• Winner of kleine Cervantes 2025
THE SEASON TRIALS & THE SEASON REBELS
Yasmine Van Den Meersch & Jonas De Backer
• Full english translation available
• third NA-installment expected in the fall of 2026!
• For fans of Shadow and Bone and Powerless
• Rights available
Ayla was never meant to partake in the Trials, but after the death of her sister, she becomes heir of the Summer Kingdom. Valdemar, Prince of Winter, has a heart of ice. But Ayla’s fire might make him thaw…
LILY
Tom De Cock
• the final volume to be published in the fall of 2026!
• For fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent, with the cast of Sex Education
• Rights available
This dystopian YA-series is bound to draw you in until the very last page.
It’s fifty degrees outside. Sea levels are rising by the day, and each morning brings a new lockdown—thanks to the latest virus, or worse, a creepy new fungus. Lily’s journey of self-discovery doesn’t just shake her own world—it sends shockwaves through the entire generation. A girl who has everything gives it all up for love—and in return, takes on a burden bigger than herself.
BOOK 1: 2021 | BOOK 2: 2022 | BOOK 3: 2024 PAPERBACK | 135 X 200 MM | PAGE EXTENT: 396
ARAYA
Christina De Witte
• A gripping graphic novel about identity and family
• second book to be published in the fall of 2026
• Christina’s first novel was translated into 7 languages
• Rights available
Araya is a modern coming-of-age story about (self-)love in an ever-changing world, about true friendship and a complex mother-daughter bond.
NOTES
Pelckmans Publishers
Brasschaatsteenweg 308 2920 Kalmthout
Belgium
Foreign rights www.pelckmansuitgevers.be/foreign-rights
