Twenty-six years ago, children’s book author Annette Langen left her full time job in publishing and started a new career as an independant author.
Why?
The international bestselling author from the Bergisches Land region will celebrate her 26th anniversary as a freelance author in September 2026. She knows the book industry not only from her perspective as the mother of Felix the traveling Rabbit; she previously worked as an editor at a children’s book publisher and grew up in a family of booksellers in Leichlingen.
But to whom do we owe her 161 published children’s books to date – books that have been translated into 30 languages, won international awards, and been adapted into films? Annette Langen reveals: “Without my two children, I would never have dared to take the leap into self-employment – and without my children, many of my books would never have been written.”
Langen’s work continues to make an impact beyond her books: Since 2008, her character Felix the traveling Rabbit has been guiding visitors – free of charge and with full accessibility – along Bonn’s Path of Biodiversity, which was designated a “Decade Project for Education for Sustainable Development” by UNESCO that same year. Felix has been a fixture in the children’s area of the Blütenbades Leichlingen – Germany’s first sustainably certified swimming pool – since 1998 and has been advocating for greater water safety since 2023.
In addition to Felix, Langen has created other endearing book characters. One was born out of necessity: During the first lockdown in 2020, the organization Aktion Neue Nachbarn reached out to the children’s book author. They were looking for a way to reach children despite the pandemic. In response, Langen created Ela the Lamb, who has written 30 letters so far on topics marked with an exclamation point. Ela encourages children to tackle problems, treats them with respect, and makes them feel heard and seen.
Langen’s books are always characterized by humor and values. Her two most recent picture books, for example, show how peaceful coexistence can be achieved (“Die Streitsaurier / The bicking Dinosaurs,” published in 2025) or how children can overcome their fears (“Mich kriegt nichts kaputt / I am indestructible,” published in 2026). Her children’s book „Der Zauberfüller / The magic Fountain Pen“ (published in 2023) offers early readers a highly entertaining introduction to reading … Incidentally, the latter is no coincidence!
Since 2000, Annette Langen has been volunteering to promote reading among children, including as a reading ambassador for the Stiftung Lesen / German Reading Foundation. The author believes: “Reading aloud is one of the best investments in your child’s future and has been proven to lead to better academic outcomes.” And what will she surprise us with next?
Langen reveals: “The fact that I’m a full-time author is also a sociopolitical issue. Back in 2000, there was no adequate childcare. Elementary school ended as early as 11:30 a.m. That made it ‘a bit’ difficult to hold down a full-time job.“
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Where is AnNeTte?
“Der Buchmarkt,” Germany’s leading trade magazine for the book industry, is the first to report on my 26th anniversary as a freelance author:
Annette Langen: „Ohne meine Kinder hätte ich den Schritt in die Selbstständigkeit niemals gewagt“