Jaap ter Haar

In this Dutch name, the surname is Ter Haar, not Haar.

Jaap ter Haar (25 March 1922 – 26 February 1998) was a prolific Dutch author of children's literature.

Jaap ter Haar
Jaap ter Haar (1974)
Born	Jacob Everard (Jaap) ter Haar (1922-03-25)25 March 1922
Died	26 February 1998(1998-02-26) (aged 75) Laren, Netherlands[1]
Notable awards	Nienke van Hichtum-prijs 1972 Gouden Griffel 1974 Buxtehude Bull 1976

Career

Early in his career Ter Haar worked for the Radio Netherlands Worldwide.^[2] In addition to his day job, ter Haar made many radio plays for broadcaster NCRV featuring stories of the characters Saskia and Jeroen.^[1][2] These stories were later adapted and published as a book series.^[2] When Radio Netherlands Worldwide no longer permitted employees to earn income outside of work, Ter Haar decided to become a full-time writer in 1952.^[2] Out of financial necessity, he published many books over the course of his career.^[2] In addition to the characters Saskia and Jeroen, he also wrote many book series featuring the characters Lotje, Eelke, and Ernstjan and Snabbeltje.^[1][2]

Ter Haar won the Nienke van Hichtum-prijs in 1972 for his book Geschiedenis van de Lage Landen.^[2] He won the Gouden Griffel award for his book Het wereldje van Beer Ligthart.^[2] In 1976 he won the Buxtehude Bull for the book Behalt das Leben lieb, the German translation of Het wereldje van Beer Ligthart by Hans-Joachim Schädlich.

Ter Haar's books have been illustrated by various illustrators, including Gerard van Straaten, Charlotte Dematons and Rein van Looy.^[2] Other illustrators include Rien Poortvliet and Otto Dicke.^[2]

Awards

Ter Haar, Thea Beckman and Wim Hofman in 1974.

• 1972: Nienke van Hichtum-prijs, Geschiedenis van de Lage Landen^[2]
• 1974: Gouden Griffel, Het wereldje van Beer Ligthart^[2]
• 1976: Buxtehude Bull, Behalt das Leben lieb