Would you like to combine learning Dutch with the pleasure of reading a good book?
In this edition of the Dutch book club, you’ll read ‘Onder de Paramariboom in makkelijke taal’ by Johan Fretz. This book was written in 2018 and selected in 2025 as the central book in the campaign ‘Heel Nederland Leest’. You will be reading the book edition that is written for A2-B1 level.

Johannes Fretz hoort zijn hele leven al dezelfde vraag: “Waar kom jij écht vandaan?” Zelf denkt hij niet na over het antwoord op die vraag. Maar dat verandert als hij een reis naar Suriname maakt, samen met zijn moeder. Hij is voor het eerst in het land waar zij geboren is. Toch herkent hij er veel. Veel meer dan hij ooit had verwacht.

In this book club, you will engage in a story about living between two cultures. You will find a great variety of language input – from the novel, the group and the teacher – and together with the students in your class, you will dive into the different themes and topics the story has to offer. Your homework is to read a few chapters of the book each week (around 20 pages), which you will discuss during the lesson. You will be challenged by engaging activities around the theme of the book, the language and the characters.
This course is suitable for students who have completed A2 level.