Marjorie van Heerden
Marjorie Hope van Heerden is a South African writer and illustrator of children’s books. Since the publication of her first children’s picture book in 1983, van Heerden has been published as illustrator or writer/illustrator in 33 languages in Africa, Britain, Europe, the Orient, Canada and the USA.
Biography
Born in De Doorns to Alex and Marina van Niekerk, Marjorie grew up on a table grapes farm outside De Doorns in the Hex River Valley near Cape Town in South Africa. She matriculated from Rustenburg School for Girls in Cape Town in 1967, studied Fine Art for one year at Stellenbosch University and then went to the Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town for three years.In 1973 she married Johann van Heerden and they have two children. The family is widely travelled, having lived for a year in Evanston, Chicago. From 1989 to 1999 they lived in Johannesburg and from 1999 to 2003 in Athens, Greece. Since 2003 the couple has been living in Gordon's Bay village on False Bay outside Cape Town.
In 2003 van Heerden started the South African chapter of the international Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, based in Los Angeles. In 2000 she and a friend also started the SCBWI chapter in Greece. She is currently the co-regional advisor of the South African chapter.
Awards and honors
Awards Marjorie van Heerden has won for her work include the 2011 W.B. Mkhize Award, given annually by the Usiba Writers’ Guild, for the Zulu version of Lulama’s long way home, a picture book she wrote and illustrated, published by Giraffe Books, an imprint of Pan MacMillan. In 2012, Marjorie and author Alex D’Angelo won the M.E.R. Award for the best illustrated children’s book published in South African during the previous year – they won for Goblin Diaries: Apprenticed to the Red Witch, published by Tafelberg Publishers. This was the second time she had been awarded this prestigious award - the first time was in 2008 when she won it with author Wendy Hartmann for Nina and Little Duck, published in 2007 by Human & Rousseau.Children's books
As writer and illustrator
- Lulama’s Long Way Home, 2007.
- The Authentic, Unusual, Alarming, Actual, Factual, Story Book, 2006.
- The Adventures of Phepa and Itumelang, 2006.
- Monde’s Present reworked second edition, 2005.
- Monde’s Present, 1997.
- Lana’s long way home, 1993.
- A new bed for Alexia, 1992.
- Goodnight, Grandpa, 1990.
- Looking for a friend, 1988.
- A Monster in the garden,, 1987.
- Old enough,, 1987.
- Father Christmas needs help, 1986.
- Die een groot bruin beer, 1984.
As illustrator
- Jim Henry, The Adventures of Willy Nilly and Thumper: Book Four– Charlie, the Cross-Eyed Crocodile, 2017.
- Jim Henry, The Adventures of Willy Nilly and Thumper: Book Three – Stella Star, 2016.
- Jim Henry, The Adventures of Willy Nilly and Thumper: Book Two – The Hermit’s Last Hairs, 2016.
- Jim Henry, The Adventures of Willy Nilly and Thumper: Book One - The Lost Treasure of Mount Methuselah, 2016.
- Leon Rousseau, Storiemuis: Boek 3-6, 2016.
- Leon Rousseau, StorieMuis Omnibus, 2015.
- Leon Rousseau, StorieMuis Omnibus, 2015.
- Dianne Steward, Folktales from Africa, 2015.
- Kiara Soobrayan, Blossoms of Scarlet, 2013.
- Sunita Lad Bhamray, Grandma Lim’s Persimmons, 2013.
- Leon Rousseau, four fairy tales in digital format on the Storierak online application store of NB Publishers,.
- Leon Rousseau, Storieman Omnibus 1 and Storieman Omnibus 2, 2012.
- Kathleen Ahrens and Chu-Ren Huang, Ears Hear, 2012.
- Kathleen Ahrens and Chu-Ren Huang, Numbers Do , 2012.
- Ingrid Vander Veken, Sam: ’n Ware verhaal van ’n dogtertjie en haar olifant, 2012.
- Alex D’Angelo, Goblin Diaries: Apprenticed to the Red Witch, 2011.
- Desmond Tutu, Children of God - Storybook Bible, 2010.
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, 2010.
- C.J. Langenhoven, Kootjie Totjie, 2009.
- Jaco Jacobs, Bertus soek 'n Boek, 2009.
- Ndedi Okorafo-Mbachu, Lonng Juju Man, 2009.
- Wendy Hartmann, Nina and Little Duck, 2007.
- Mary Clanahan, Die Avonture van Phepa en Itumelang, 2006.
- Nick Paul, Uncle James and the Delicious Monster, 2005.
- Leon de Villiers, Ek en My Monster, 2004.
- Arnold Rust, The Haunted Valley, 2004.
- Wynand Louw, Mr Humperdinck’s Wonderful Whatsit, 2004.
- Louise Smit, Professor Fossilus en die Dinosourusse, 2004.
- Katherine Paterson, The King’s Equal, 2001.
- Vangelis Eliopoulos, The Three Teapots, 2000.
- Voula Mastori, In the Wizard's Hands, 2000.
- Ann Taylor, Baby Dance, 1999.
- Thomas A. Nevin, The Zebra and the Baboon, 1996.
- Thomas A. Nevin, The Mantis, the Girl and the Flowers of Namakwaland, 1995.
- Dorian Haarhoff, The Guano Girl, 1995.
- Michelle Holloway, Chloe’s Granny, 1995.
- Brenda Kali, The Story of Buddha, 1994.
- Lesley Beake, Harry went to Paris, 1989.
- Rena Schüler, Natie se Jubeljaar, 1984.
- Jenny Seed, Katie in die Goudvallei, 1983.
- Cecilia Saayman, Soetlemoen en Nartjie, 1983.
Educational children's books
As writer and illustrator
- Cave, 1998.
- The authentic, true-to-life, unusual, alarming, actual, factual book, 1998.
- The Summer Book, 1998.
- The Autumn Book, 1998.
- The Winter Book, 1998.
- The Winter Book, 1998.
- The Spring Book, 1998.
- Frog, 1998.
- Baobab, 1998.
- The Cat Book, 1997.
- The Snake Book, 1997.
- The Goat Book, 1997.
- The Monkey Book, 1997.
- The Zebra Book, 1997.
- The Dog Book, 1997.
- The Mouse Book, 1997.
- The Owl Book, 1997.
- The Rabbit Book, 1997.
- The Donkey Book, 1997.
- The Chicken Book, 1997.
- 21 low-cost picture books for the Ntataise Trust, SA, 1994.
As illustrator
- Mark Patrick, Today my doctor told me, 2009.
- Nicole Levin, The Jungle Box, 2008.
- Blessing Musariri, Secret of Rukodzi Mountain, 2008.
- Margaret Mckenzie, Saving the Planet – 10 things you should know, 2008.
- Nola Turkington, Alone with Jackals, 2007.
- Maggie Bizzell, What Was That?, 2005.
- Di Steward, The Monkeys in the Trees, 2005.
- David Donald, Camp in the Wild, 2004.
- Abby Wood, The Gardener’s Secret, 2004.
- Wendy Flanagan, I am HIV Positive, 2004.
- Beata Kasale, Treasure in the Garden, 2001.
- Kathy Luckett, Sylve Sandalls & Nombulelo Sikhosana, Does your father snore?, 1999.
- Afari Assan, Adefe and the Old Chief, 1999.
- Sally Ward, Dorothy’s Visit, 1998.
- Chris Wildman & Fatima Dike, Look what I can do, 1998.
- Sue Guthrie, Mkulu and the Spider, 1996.
- Ray Leitch, Nomathemba’s Fire, 1996.
- Various authors, Thuli’s Mattress, 1996.
- Sarah Murray & Rod Ellis, The old Man and his Hat, 1995.
- Philip de Vos, Sproete en Snoete, 1994.
- Philip de Vos, Giere en Grille, 1994.
- Philip de Vos, Warrelwind se Kind, 1994.
- Marjorie van Heerden et al., Baba’s Plan, 1990.