The ‘Bible for girls’ prompted fierce debate and threatened to produce a prolonged stalemate – for some time the votes were inconveniently tied two against two. As the interior is a perfectly ordinary bible, the discussion naturally focused on the largely plastic contemporary cover.

This is a patchwork of colourful folkloristic motifs, all in imitation leather bar two lace fringes harking back to traditional Dutch costumes. Some panel members said they could picture strictly Reformed villages and girls walking to church in such outfits. The panel remained uncertain whether this bible’s costume was or was not anything more than a marketing gimmick to commend itself to that specific target group. It is an unusual way of packaging the Biblical contents that has the effect of masking their nature; to some panel members it suggested that reading a bible in public is or could be a secretive activity. On the other hand the trendy, cheerful collage of materials is highly appropriate to the target group.

The whole thing is so unusual and so full of fun that the panel’s judgement finally swung in its favour.