The Little Grey Men facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
The Little Grey Men

First edition (UK)
Author	BB
Illustrator	Denys Watkins-Pitchford (the author)
Cover artist	Watkins-Pitchford
Country	United Kingdom
Series	The Little Grey Men
Genre	Children's fantasy novel
Publisher	Eyre & Spottiswoode
Publication date	1942
Media type	Print (hardcover)
Pages	201 pp (first ed.)
OCLC	752520061
LC Class	PZ8.W3 Li
Followed by	Down the Bright Stream

The Little Grey Men: A story for the young in heart is a fun fantasy novel for children. It was written by Denys Watkins-Pitchford using the pen name "BB". He also drew the pictures for the book himself!

The story takes place in the beautiful English countryside. It follows the exciting adventures of four gnomes. These gnomes might be the very last of their kind. The book also shows how the countryside changes through spring, summer, and autumn.

Denys Watkins-Pitchford won a special award for this book. It was called the Carnegie Medal in 1942. This award recognized The Little Grey Men as the best children's book by a British author that year.

A second book, called Down the Bright Stream, came out in 1948. Sometimes, both books are called the Little Grey Men series. The first book was even made into a TV show in 1975.

The Story of the Gnomes

The story begins with the last four gnomes in Great Britain. They live by a stream called Folly Brook in Warwickshire. Their names are Baldmoney, Sneezewort, Dodder, and Cloudberry.

One day, Cloudberry goes off exploring and doesn't come back. The other gnomes decide they must find him. They make a huge decision to build a boat. They call their boat the Dragonfly.

This book tells the amazing journey of the gnomes. They travel through the English countryside. Their adventure starts in spring, continues through summer, and ends in autumn. By the time they finish, the first cold frosts are starting to appear.

Meet the Characters

The Gnomes

• Dodder is the oldest gnome. He can be a bit grumpy. He is the leader of the group. Dodder is very good at fishing. He has a wooden leg because a fox once attacked him.
• Baldmoney helps guide the gnomes' boat, the Dragonfly. Later, he even invents a glider called Wonderbird. He is good with machines.
• Sneezewort is the youngest gnome. He is also the most sensitive. He usually follows what his older brothers decide. He often gets the jobs like cooking and cleaning.
• Cloudberry likes to brag and is a bit of a rebel. He often leaves the group to explore the forest by himself. He is good friends with the greylag geese from Spitzbergen. He calls them the "hounds of heaven."

Friends and Helpers

• Squirrel is a good friend to the gnomes. He joins them on their adventures in both books.
• Ben is an owl. He helps the gnomes by giving them mouse skins for their clothes.
• Water Vole is a neighbor of the gnomes. He appears in both books.
• Bub'm is a rabbit. The gnomes save him from a snare in the first book.
• Sir Herne is a heron who appears in the second book.
• Otter helps the gnomes. He pulls their boat, the Jeanie Deans, to safety when its motor breaks.
• Mr Brockett is a badger. He appears in the book Down the Bright Stream.
• Kack-Jack is a Jackdaw. He is a bit of a thief. He steals some silk handkerchiefs from a farmer. These are used to help Baldmoney build his glider.
• Woodcock is another friend of the gnomes. He lives on his own island in a lake in Ireland.
• Nanny goat lives on a farm. She lets the gnomes milk her.
• The Farmer owns the Nanny goat. In Down The Bright Stream, Baldmoney uses the farmer's best Sunday shirt to build Wonderbird.
• Mr Shoebottom owns a gas station. He helps fix the gnomes' boat after his son finds it.
• Pan is a special character. He is like a Greek guardian of nature. He is not seen, but he protects the gnomes and the animals in the forest.

Not-So-Friendly Characters

• Cruel Giant Crum is a human. He is not kind to animals in his forest.
• Jet is Giant Crum's black hound. Jet tracks down anyone who enters Crow Wood.
• White Stoat is a mean ferret. He works for Giant Crum. He is rewarded for catching rabbits.
• The "Chinaman" is a proud, colorful cock pheasant. He also works for Giant Crum.
• Red Robber is a greedy fox. He tries to eat Dodder. He doesn't believe in Pan.
• The Worm of Death is a tricky and mean adder. In the second book, he tries to catch baby birds that cannot defend themselves.

More Adventures

Down the Bright Stream

In the first sequel, published in 1948, the four gnomes have to leave their home. Their home gets damaged by a flood. They use their special clockwork boat, the Jeanie Deans. Later, they use a flying machine called Wonderbird. They travel all the way to Ireland. There, they make a ruined chapel surrounded by a loch (a lake) their new home.

Television Show

In 1975, The Little Grey Men was made into a 10-part animated TV series. It was called Baldmoney, Sneezewort, Dodder and Cloudberry. Anglia Television in the U.K. made the show.