Masha du Toit

This is a book that I loved as a child;  “Het vroutjie van Stavoren”  which means “The Lady of Stavoren” written by Maryke Reesink.  This book tells a story with words but also with colours,  the wonderful illustrations of Jaap Tol.

Jaap Tol’s paintings let colour run into colour in great splodges.  The pages seem saturated and stained.  We meet a young spoiled rich girl who has all the clothes and dolls and toys a girl could want – but is still unsatisfied.

She grows into a spoiled and self centred woman who owns more ships and houses than anyone else in the city of Stavoren.  She is still unhappy and sends out one of her captains to find “the most precious thing in the world”. More