Harmen van Straaten (born 1958 in Arnhem) is one of the Netherlands' most prolific children's book authors and illustrators, with around 500 illustrated titles and more than 100 books of his own writing to his name. His work has earned him the Golden Apple at the Bratislava Illustrators' Biennial and the Grand Prix of Japan's Sankei Shimbun, and translations have appeared in Germany, Japan, Korea and Scandinavia. In 2026 he marks forty years as an illustrator and author, and contributes the official picture book for the Kinderboekenweek, 'Herrie in de tent'.
Harmen van Straaten is appointed as the creator of the Picture Book of Children's Book Week 2026, 'Chaos in the Tent', which will be released during Children's Book Week from 30 September to 11 October 2026.
In 2026, Van Straaten celebrates his forty-year jubilee as an illustrator and author.
In 2025, several new titles by Van Straaten were released, including 'The Glass Zoo', 'Forget Me Not' and 'What Rhymes with Yucky?'.
In October 2024, 'Lijtje' was released, a book in which Van Straaten shares touching stories about his mother with dementia.
At the end of August 2023, Van Straaten received a Golden Book for the picture book 'Hey, Who's on the Toilet?', of which more than 75,000 copies have been sold.
😴 Nothing scheduled with this artist in the near future.
100festivalSat 12.12.The Night of Rumi
99festivalThu 5.11.Le Guess Who? 2026
97festivalSat 28.11.Altoooooh! FEST
95festivalSun 1.11.Momentum III
95festivalSat 28.11.Transmission
93festivalSun 22.11.We Are Family After All
92festivalTue 1.9.Groene Engel Concert Card '26-'27
92festivalSat 31.10.Gabberland
92festivalFri 12.3.Echoes From the Dungeon Fest III (Friday + Saturday Weekend Ticket)
91festivalSat 7.11.TakeRoot
90festivalSat 31.10.Halloween Rock w/ THE MONSTERS + Money & The Man + Tankzilla + Dead Elvis + Thee Rotten Organs
89festivalSun 8.11.Thuishaven with Locklead / Job de Jong / Kepler
Illustrator Harmen van Straaten reads and discusses his Children's Book Week picture book 'Herrie in de tent', with live drawing and interactive fun for kids aged 4+.
The library celebrates Children's Book Week with activities and a visit from author Harmen van Straaten, who performs a noisy concert and reads aloud.