The Lamb Who Was a Pig
A lamb playing in the mud? That’s not really the done thing. The sheep and the pigs all say he’s mad, but the lamb doesn’t get it. He’s a pig, isn’t he? So the farmer takes him to the vet, who uses a shaver and curling tongs to give him a new identity.
Without being either too complicated or too casual, Pim Lammers and Milja Praagman tell a happy story that could be read as a fable about transgender people — although that word is never mentioned. There’s no lecturing either: this book is an invitation to have an open conversation about being yourself, free from prejudices and assumptions. Praagman’s light drawings, her gentle creatures and her friendly colours make the subject anything but heavy.
Pim Lammers (b. 1993) is one of the most important and innovative voices in the Dutch-language children’s books landscape. Lammers won a White Raven award for 'De boer en de dierenarts', about the love between two men. Pim’s debut Het lammetje dat een varken is, featuring illustrations by Milja Praagman, came out in 2017 and won a Zilveren Griffel, making him the youngest ever winner of the award. In 2025, Lammers won another Zilveren Griffel for Een ongelofelijk grote, ongelofelijk gevaarlijke leguaan, a picture book about a little boy who is at first embarrassed by his ordinary family that turns out to be quite extraordinary. His work, which focuses on diversity, also includes books for young readers, 10+ and poetry .