Miriam Bouwens received a grant for creating a new book. De Parelduikster is a young adult novel exploring the tension between loyalty and autonomy. Thirteen-year-old Lumi lives on a secluded island inhabited by a small community with strict rules and traditions. Once, Lumi felt at home there with her mother, grandmother, and the surrounding nature. But as she grows older and becomes curious about life beyond the island, conflicts arise with her mother and the other inhabitants. Her grandmother, who lives in isolation on a hill, carries secrets and remains distant. Searching for answers about her family’s past, Lumi gradually begins to free herself from the island’s confined existence.Miriam is a writer and illustrator whose work draws inspiration from both the diversity of urban life and the serenity of nature. This combination is reflected in her style, which is inclusive, poetic, yet grounded and humorous. She writes children’s books, creates texts for performances at the Concertgebouw, and works as a writer and illustrator with various publishers.