Children’s books set in the Netherlands

Scroll down to browse children’s books about the Netherlands. Or click on one of the links below to go to another section of the site.

Pin this image to share books set in the Netherlands.

So, you’re looking for children’s books set in the Netherlands? You’ve come to the right place.

Scroll down to find our growing list of books set in the Netherlands for kids. Which, by the way, we add to regularly. I’m also going to highlight some books that you may especially want to check out.

But first…

Check out my travel tips for visiting the Netherlands with kids

When our family lived in Germany, we were only about an hour away from the Dutch border. That meant that we would frequently travel to the Netherlands. So much so, that my husband’s coworkers joked that we went there every weekend. I thought I would gather up some of my personal recommendations for a trip to the Netherlands with kids for you.

This resource is something that will also be added to frequently, so please check it out.

No for books.

My favorite Picture Book for the Netherlands

This is easily one of my favorite picture books ever. I was visiting the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts intent on only purchasing one book. I really wanted that book to be an Eric Carle book, or signed Mo Willems book, but then I saw this. Holland. My favorite country and beautifully illustrated? I couldn’t pass it up.

So, I didn’t.

There are no words in this book. The pages and illustrations really bring back so many memories of some of my favorite experiences in the Netherlands with my kids. It is a well-loved book in this house.

You may notice that the name of this book is Holland and not Netherlands. There is a difference between the two (Holland is a section of the Netherlands). This fact, and other interesting Netherlands-related facts can be discovered in this fun YouTube video.

Speaking of Mo Willems. He’s an American born children’s book author with Dutch parents. In his Knuffle Bunny series, the bunny travels to the Netherlands to visit the grandparents. That’s Knuffle Bunny Free. While I didn’t pay too much attention to the Dutch-ness of it all at first, I did start to notice it in the background which immediately elevated this book onto my list of top 3 Mo Willems books (with the Don’t let the Pigeon Drive the Bus sitting strong in number 1 and any of the Elephant and Piggie books switching out in that third spot).

My favorite chapter books for the Netherlands

I spotted this book, Melanie Martin Goes Dutch, at my local library’s used books bin. (I’m lucky to have so many awesome travel book finds in my library’s used books bin frequently.) Since I love the Netherland and have this website, I bought it.

The book is about Melanie Martin, who travels to Amsterdam with her best friend, bratty brother, and parents. It is a fun book to see a more recent perspective of the city while still being entertaining and relatable in its own right.

Reading the Diary of A Young Girl in advance of a trip to Amsterdam is the best way for kids to familiarize themselves with the story. It will help them understand the significance of the attic (that should be part of the itinerary if the kids are old enough) and many other sites they may visit in the city.

Note: Anne is 13 when she starts the diary. I’m not sure what age range is best for reading it as it depends on your kid, but you can check out reviews here to get ideas.

Book recommendations for adults

If you’re looking for something for your personal reading set in Amsterdam, I recommend Tulip Fever. It’s all about tulipmania in 1630s Amsterdam. I also really liked the Girl with the Pearl Earring. This takes place in 1600s Delft.

---

Find more children’s books about the Netherlands below:

Children’s books about Africa | Children’s books about the Americas | Children’s books about Asia | Children’s books about Australia & Oceania | Children’s books about Europe

[bctt tweet="Kids eager to learn about the Netherlands? Check out http://kidstravelbooks.com #kidlit #familytravel"]