Ellen van Velzen
Children of the Endless Plain A sweltering story about enemies, friendship and survival
When Sen, the son of the chief of the Harati tribe, is taken captive by the their arch enemies, the Barbarians, he fears his life is over. But the Kamarai tribe – as their actual name turns out to be – have something very different in mind: Sen is to take the place of the son of the Kamarai chief, who was killed by the Harati. However much Sen resists at first, he doesn’t have a choice. Gradually he discovers that the Barbarians, whom he had feared and despised all his life, are not at all the kind of people he thought they were. They also turn out to have very different ideas about life and leadership than the Harati tribe. Sen learns about mutual respect, about belonging to a group, and about living in harmony with nature. But surely he cannot betray his own people? Ellen van Velzen, author of the well-known book The Young Kitemaster, transports the reader to the hot and dusty African savannah, where life is hard but incredibly beautiful as well. Just like this book is incredibly beautiful. A touching story about family and pride, and seemingly irreconcilable differences. A novel about a world that is far away, and yet close by.
Ellen van Velzen works at the University of Potsdam, where she develops mathematical models of plankton dynamics. She combines her mathematical skills with a great love of stories. Her debut book The Young Kitemaster won a Flag and Pennant Award. Children of the Endless Expanse is her second juvenile novel.
The Young Kitemaster Rights sold: Gerstenberg verlag (Germany) Younglim Cardinal (Korea)
The Flag and Pennant Award jury about The Young Kitemaster: ‘A talented storyteller has joined the ranks, whose book reveals an ability to combine adventure, mythology, religion, psychological insight and descriptions of nature into a coherent and enthralling reading experience.’ 15
Original title: Kinderen van de Eindeloze Vlakte | Binding: Hardback | Trim size: 14.3 x 21.5 cm | Extent: 344 pages | Age: 10+