Dik Trom facts for kids
Dik Trom is a famous character from a series of children's books. These books were written in Dutch by an author named C.Joh. Kieviet. The very first book came out in 1891. It was called "Uit het leven van Dik Trom," which means "From the life of Dik Trom." These stories became super popular and are still loved by many kids today, even more than 100 years later!
Contents
Who is Dik Trom?
Dik Trom is the main character in these fun books. He's known for being a bit naughty and getting into all sorts of mischief with his friends. But even though he's a trickster, Dik is also very honest and kind. That's why readers really like him!
Where Dik Trom Lived
Dik Trom lived in a village called Hoofddorp. This village is in the Haarlemmermeer area, in the north of Holland. Interestingly, this is the same village where the author, C.Joh. Kieviet, grew up. He based many of the characters and stories on real people and places he knew from his own childhood.
What "Dik Trom" Means
Dik's real name was "Dirk," which is a common Dutch name. But Dirk was quite big, even as a boy. So, people started calling him "Dik." In Dutch, "dik" means "fat." The word "trom" means "drum." So, his full nickname, "Dik Trom," basically means "Fat Drum"!
Dik's Family and Personality
Dik's parents loved him a lot. However, they weren't very strict with him. When Dik did something naughty, his father would often just say, "'t is toch een bijzonder kind - dat is-ie." This means, "he's a really special child, that he is."
Dik is always brave and never a coward. In one story, his friends wanted to bother an old lady. But Dik convinced them to go bother the village policeman instead! He was always the leader in their adventures.
The Donkey Adventure
One famous adventure tells how Dik claimed he could ride a donkey without falling off. The donkey belonged to the village merchant. It was a very stubborn animal that always tried to throw off anyone who rode it. Dik managed to stay on by sitting backward on the donkey and holding onto its tail! This is how Dik is often shown in pictures. There's even a statue of him riding the donkey in Hoofddorp village.
More About Dik Trom Books
At first, it was hard for Kieviet to find a publisher for his book. Publishers worried that the main character being naughty would make the book unpopular. But once the book was released a second time with some pictures, it became super popular! Because of this, Kieviet wrote four more books about Dik. He even wrote one about Dik's son! Eight movies have also been made about Dik Trom, with the most recent one coming out in 2010.
List of Dik Trom Books
- 1891 Uit het leven van Dik Trom ("From the life of Dik Trom")
- 1907 De zoon van Dik Trom ("Dik Trom's son")
- 1912 Toen Dik Trom een jongen was ("When Dik Trom was a boy")
- 1920 Dik Trom en zijn dorpsgenoten ("Dik Trom and his fellow villagers")
- 1923 Het tweede boek van Dik Trom en zijn dorpsgenoten. ("The second book of Dik Trom and his fellow villagers")
- 1931 De avonturen van Dik Trom. ("The Adventures of Dik Trom")
