Erik of het klein insectenboek facts for kids
1942 edition
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| Author | Godfried Bomans |
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| Original title | Erik of het klein insectenboek (Erik or the small book of insects) |
| Translator | Regina Louise Kornblith |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Language | Dutch |
| Genre | Children's literature |
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Publication date
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1941 |
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Published in English
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1994 |
Eric in the Land of the Insects is a famous children's book from the Netherlands. It was written by Godfried Bomans in 1941. The original Dutch title is Erik of het klein insectenboek, which means "Erik or the small book of insects". Many people consider it a classic story and one of Bomans' best works.
Plot Summary: Erik's Amazing Adventure
What Happens to Erik?
Erik Pinksterblom is a nine-year-old boy. One night, he is in bed, worried about a big test on insects at school the next day. Suddenly, the paintings in his room come alive! One painting shows a beautiful meadow full of insects. Erik climbs right into the painting. There, he meets many insects that can talk!
Meeting the Wasps
First, Erik meets a fancy and rich family of wasps. He accidentally offends them by reciting a poem about "busy bees." It turns out the wasps really dislike bees because bees work for humans. After dinner, Erik joins the wasps in playing music. They use flies as string instruments. But Erik has to leave the party early. He accidentally causes the house fly he was playing to die.
The Snail Hotel and the Wise Bumblebee
A bumblebee who calls himself a philosopher helps Erik. He takes Erik to a hotel made from a giant snail's shell. Erik surprises everyone by sharing cool facts about insects. He learned these facts from a natural history book. The insects are amazed but also scared to do anything not in the book. Erik tells them they just need to follow their natural instincts.
The Butterfly's Love Story
In one of the hotel rooms, a caterpillar changes into a beautiful butterfly. Erik and the butterfly leave the hotel together. Later, the butterfly meets a female butterfly and falls in love. Erik helps him write a poem for her. Soon, the butterfly couple gets married, leaving Erik on his own.
A Fight and a New Friend
As Erik walks through the forest, he gets into a fight with a spider. Erik is knocked out. A burying beetle drags him away. The beetle thinks he is the most important animal. He believes all creatures live and die just to become his dinner. But his idea is proven wrong when his whole family is eaten by a mole.
The Smart Rain Worm and the Ant Colony
Erik then meets a rain worm. The worm thinks he is better than everyone else. He says he doesn't need things like legs or eyes. However, the worm ties himself into a knot! He needs Erik to find someone to help untie him. As Erik looks for help, an ant colony adopts him. He again amazes them with his knowledge about insects. But Erik starts to miss home. He asks the ants to take him back. As the ants travel with him to the edge of the painting, they meet another ant army. A big battle starts!
Back Home and a Lesson Learned
Then, Erik wakes up. He is back in his own bed. He is a bit sad to find that humans are often like the insects he met. He wishes he could go back to the meadow. But the paintings in his room never come alive again. At his school test, Erik writes about his amazing experiences with the insects. Because of this, he fails the test and even has to stay in detention!
Adaptations of the Story
TV Shows and Movies
The story of Eric in the Land of the Insects has been made into television series several times. These happened in 1979, 1995, and 2007. In 2004, a film version was made. It was called Erik of het klein insectenboek. This movie was directed by Gidi van Liempd. The film was also turned into a TV series in 2007.
Comics and Plays
In 1990, the book was turned into a comic book by Luc Morjaeu. The story has also been adapted for the theater. In 1992, Peter Drost created a solo theater show based on the book. A theater group called "De Jonge Honden" also made a play called "Insect" in 2008.
