During the Nationale Voorleesdagen 2025 (22 January - 1 February, National Read Aloud Days), Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival The Hague and Theater Dakota present the read-aloud and music performance MUK by De Grote Haay for toddlers and pre-schoolers. Narrator, actor and puppeteer Mark Haayema performs accompanied on violin by Saskia Egtberts. The performance is suitable for children aged 2 - 7 years.

Muk is a Dalmatian puppy: you know, one of those spotted ones. He would love to have many more dots, or how about coloured ones? Muk experiences d(r)oldfoolish adventures in his own picture book series. He was in the picture book top-10 of the National Read Aloud Days and even had a musical adventure with the Dutch Philharmonic Orchestra. In this interactive read-aloud performance, Muk and his friend Vlieg discover the world around them. With songs, puppets and lots of dots.

Mark Haayema is a writer, actor and theatre maker. He prefers to tell stories that amaze, frustrate or move him; he wants to make children and their (grand)parents think further and does not shy away from difficult subjects. His picture book Johannes de Parkiet, a book about getting used to strange birds, was awarded a Vlag en Wimpel by the Griffeljury in 2019. He received the Gouden Poëziester for his poem Twee rozijntjes from Jij + Ik (with drawings by Fiep Westendorp). Together with Rutger van den Broek, he made several children's baking books. His book series Muk for toddlers was in the Nationale Voorleesdagen's picture book top 10. Mark writes song lyrics for Kinderen voor Kinderen (Worden wat je wil) and Herman van Veen, among others, and regularly performs on theatre stages and in TV children's programmes.

Saskia Egtberts trained at the Frank Sanders Akademie voor Musicaltheater where she graduated in 2009. Since then, she has worked as an actress, singer, violinist, teacher, writer and director. From 2014 to 2018, she toured the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium with Herman van Veen in the shows Kersvers and Fallen oder Springen. Since 2018, she has performed in several music and musical theatre productions at the Herman van Veen Arts Center in Soest, including in Alfred Jodocus Kwak and Koning Sam de Olifant and together with pianist Bouwe Bruins in Saskia zingt Sonneveld. In addition, Saskia is one of the regular singers of vintage singing trio The Forces Sweethearts.

From 23 to 26 January 2025, Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival The Hague is to be found in theatres, libraries and schools throughout the city: from Theater aan het Spui, Filmhuis Den Haag, Amare and Paard to Theater Dakota, Theater De Vaillant, the Laakkwartier, Nieuw Waldeck, Schilderswijk and Ypenburg libraries,.the ISS and De Haagse Hogeschool. With over 120 writers, poets and spoken-word artists and musicians from the Netherlands and abroad. With readings, prose, poetry, storytelling, spoken word, author interviews, topical talks, films and music.