Thea Beckman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thea Beckman
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Beckman in 1974
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| Born | 23 July 1923 Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Died | 5 May 2004 (aged 80) Bunnik, Netherlands |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Genre | Children's novels |
| Notable works | Crusade in Jeans Children of Mother Earth |
Theodora Beckmann (born Petie; July 23, 1923 – May 5, 2004), known as Thea Beckman, was a famous Dutch writer. She wrote many popular books for children and young adults.
Contents
About Thea Beckman
Thea Beckman knew from a young age that she wanted to be a writer. As a teenager, she spent a lot of time writing stories. She would listen to different kinds of music, from classical to exciting movie scores. This helped her imagine the scenes she was writing.
Her Studies and Early Life
In her twenties, Thea studied social psychology at the University of Utrecht. This is a field that looks at how people think, feel, and behave in social situations.
Her father lost his job during the Great Depression in 1929. This was a time when many people around the world struggled to find work. Thea was glad she had finished her studies, especially when World War II started later on.
Choosing Her Pen Name
When she became a writer, Thea wanted to use her husband's last name, Beckmann, as her pen name. A pen name is a different name an author uses for their books. However, her publisher suggested she change it to Beckman, with only one "n." This was to make sure her name didn't sound "too German" after World War II, because Germany had a negative reputation at the time.
Famous Books
Thea Beckman is best known for her book Crusade in Jeans. This book was published in 1973 and is a time travel novel for children. It tells the story of a children's crusade in the year 1212. The book was so popular that it won the Gouden Griffel award. Later, in 2006, it was even made into a movie!
She also gained attention for her three-book series called Children of Mother Earth. This series describes a future Earth after a big disaster. In the story, soldiers from societies led by men invade a new society in Greenland, which is led by women. Even though the books showed ideas about women leading, Thea Beckman said these ideas weren't exactly her own. She believed that "People are greedy, aggressive and intolerant." She meant that she didn't think a society run only by women would necessarily be perfect.
Thea Beckman passed away in 2004 at her home in Bunnik. She was 80 years old.
Her Family Life
In 1945, Thea married Dirk Hendrik Beckmann. They had three children together: two sons named Rien and Jerry, and a daughter named Marianne. Dirk Beckmann passed away in 1993.
Thea Beckman was not a religious person. She also chose not to share her political views with others.
The Thea Beckman Award
After Thea Beckman died, a historical newspaper called Historisch Nieuwsblad decided to honor her. They renamed an award for the best historical youth book as the "Thea Beckman award." This award had started in 2003 as the "Bontekoe-award."
In 2004, the first Thea Beckman award was given to Benny Lindelauf for his book Negen open armen (which means "Nine Open Arms"). The next year, in 2005, it was given to two Belgian writers, Jean-Claude van Rijckeghem and Pat Beirs, for their novel Jonkvrouw.
See also
In Spanish: Thea Beckman para niños
