Gnomes (book) facts for kids
English cover
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| Author | Wil Huygen |
|---|---|
| Original title | Leven en werken van de kabouter |
| Illustrator | Rien Poortvliet |
| Country | The Netherlands |
| Language | Dutch |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Publisher | Van Holkema & Warendorf |
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Publication date
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1976 |
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Published in English
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1977 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 212 |
| ISBN | 9026949588 |
| OCLC | 4188345 |
| LC Class | PT5881.18.U9 L47 |
| Followed by | The Secret Book of Gnomes |
Gnomes, first published in Dutch in 1976, is a popular book for children. Its original Dutch title was Leven en werken van de kabouter, which means Life and work of the gnomes. The book was released in English in 1977.
It was written by Wil Huygen and illustrated by Rien Poortvliet. The book teaches you about the lives and homes of gnomes. It's written like a real biology book, with many drawings and notes.
Gnomes was very popular with critics. People loved Huygen's writing, which mixed facts with fiction. Poortvliet's drawings, made with watercolor, were also highly praised. The book sold almost a million copies in the United States in its first year. Because it was so successful, many other books and products about gnomes were made. These included toys, clothes, and games.
Contents
Discovering Gnomes
This book is written like a science textbook about mythical creatures called gnomes. In the book, Huygen and Poortvliet say they watched gnomes for over twenty years. They call their study the first important work on gnomes since a book from 1580.
Gnome Characteristics
The book describes every detail about gnomes. They are very small, weighing less than one pound. They stand only six inches (about 15 cm) tall. Gnomes can live for a very long time, sometimes up to 400 years!
Female gnomes are usually smaller than males. Their clothes are grey, while male gnomes wear blue. A gnome pregnancy lasts 12 months. They always have twins, who live with their parents for at least a hundred years.
Gnomes and Humans
Gnomes used to live alongside humans, especially in Europe. However, because of pollution and forests being cut down, gnomes have slowly moved to secret homes. The book ends with an important message. It asks people to stop fighting each other. It also reminds us to stop harming the environment.
Gnomes in Movies and TV
The book Gnomes was made into a television film in 1980. This movie had the same name and was directed by Jack Zander. The rights for the movie were bought in 1979. It was the first animated movie made by Zander.
Gnomes in Spain
In Spain, the book was published in 1980 as El libro secreto de los gnomos. This means The Secret Book of Gnomes. It was adapted into a cartoon show called David, el Gnomo in 1985. The English name for this show is The World of David the Gnome. Later, in 1987, another show based on the books was released. It was called La llamada de los gnomos, or Wisdom of the Gnomes in English.
Images for kids
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See also
In Spanish: El libro secreto de los gnomos para niños
