Gideon Samson

(Netherlands, 1985) won both the 2019 Gouden Griffel and the biannual Nienke Van Hichtum Prize for his children's book Zeb. The jury wrote: "With Zeb., Samson adds an uniquely absurdist element to Dutch youth literature." His 2007 debut Niks zeggen! (Say Nothing!) won the Vlag en Wimpel, and with 2009's Ziek (Sick) he became the youngest-ever winner of the Zilveren Griffel. His youth thriller Zwarte zwaan (Black Swan), about attending your own funeral, also won a Zilveren Griffel. His young adult book Overspoeld (Inundated), based on conversations with tsunami survivor Julius 't Hart, won the Gouden Lijst. His 2016 book Eilanddagen (Island Days) also won the Vlag en Wimpel. As absurdist as it may be, his work always contains a philosophical untertone.