The Acorn Eaters

A beautiful new edition with a cover illustration by Golden Paintbrush winner Ludwig Volbeda

For this book Els Pelgrom won her third Golden Slate Pencil

Timeless themes: poverty and inequality of opportunity

Andalusia, late 1940s. The Spanish Civil War is over, but many people in Spain still live in abject poverty. This includes Curro and his family. When Curro turns eight, he is forced to leave school to work as a swineherd. To stave off his hunger, he searches for acorns to eat as he works. But everything on the land belongs to the rich landowners, and stealing acorns is not without danger… The Acorn Eaters is a gripping novel about poverty and social inequality, but above all about the resilience of a boy who learns not to let his happiness depend on his circumstances.

Praise:

‘With The Acorn Eaters, Els Pelgrom proves once again that literature of the highest level can be accessible to children […] The authenticity is reinforced by the form of the story, which makes you feel as though Curro is sitting right next to you telling you about his childhood.’ – The Golden Slate Pencil Jury Report

Els Pelgrom