Blunt, Fred. Gnome. Fred Blunt, Illus. Picture Book. Andersen, 04/2020. [32]pp. $17.99. 978-1-5415-9624-5. OUTSTANDING. GRADES PRE-4.
“This little fellow is a gnome. Say hello to the readers, Mr. Gnome.” “NO!” Readers follow the gnome on a fishing trip, where he rudely and repeatedly refuses to help until he encounters a polite but firm witch. A tidy moral tale with bright, engaging mixed-media illustrations that infuse the characters and their surroundings with big personalities. The gnome is light-skinned and the witch is green; all other characters are animals. The mix of narrated text and speech bubbles works unusually well when read aloud and is sure to be a big hit at a storytime.
Eny Calvert, Fremont Public Library