The Nome Trilogy facts for kids
The first edition set of the trilogy
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Truckers Diggers Wings |
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| Author | Terry Pratchett |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Published | 1989–1990 |
The Nome Trilogy, also known as The Bromeliad Trilogy, is a series of three children's books by the British writer Terry Pratchett. The books are called Truckers (1989), Diggers (1990), and Wings (1990).
The stories are about tiny people called Nomes. They come from another world but now live secretly among humans. Throughout the books, the Nomes try to survive. They learn about their past from a special object called "The Thing." This helps them make plans to go back to their home world.
Diggers and Wings happen at the same time as Truckers. Each book follows different characters. Masklin is the main character in Truckers and Wings. Grimma is the main character in Diggers.
Contents
About the Nome Trilogy
The series is sometimes called The Bromeliad Trilogy. This name comes from a special plant called a bromeliad. Some tiny frogs live their whole lives inside these plants. This idea is a metaphor in the books. It means that some Nomes live in a small world and do not know about the bigger world outside.
In the UK, a large digging machine is called a "Jekub." In some US books, it is called "CAT" or "Big John." These are all common names for big construction machines in different countries.
The Stories of the Nomes
Truckers (1989)
Masklin is a Nome who is only 4 inches tall. He lives with his friend Grimma and the older Nomes of their tribe. They live by a big road near a service station. Their tribe is getting smaller because there is not enough food. Foxes also hunt them. Other young Nomes tried to cross the road to find a new home, but they never came back.
Masklin finds it hard to get food. He plans for them to escape on a truck from the service station. The older Nomes, led by Granny Morkie and Old Torrit, do not like the idea at first. But they finally agree. They bring "The Thing" with them. This small black cube has been important to their tribe for a very long time.
The truck takes them to a big department store called Arnold Bros. There, they meet Angalo De Haberdasheri, an "Inside" Nome. Angalo introduces them to his father, Duke Cido. He is the leader of the Haberdasheri Nomes. The "Inside" Nomes do not believe that anything exists outside the store. They think "The Store" has "All Things Under One Roof." This is part of their religion.
The Outsiders are sent away. They wander under the floors of the store. "The Thing" accidentally falls near an electric cable. It starts to recharge itself. "The Thing" then turns on. It says it is the computer for a spaceship called 'Swan'. The ship broke down thousands of years ago. It left its Nome crew on Earth. Masklin tells "The Thing" to keep the Nomes safe and get them home.
"The Thing" picks up radio signals. It learns that Arnold Bros. store will be torn down. Masklin tries to tell the "Insiders" to leave. Only when an old Abbot is convinced by "The Thing" do the Store Nomes finally trust them. Masklin, Grimma, and other Nomes learn how to drive a truck using string and wood. They lead all the Nomes to the loading area. They steal a truck full of supplies. They arrive at an old quarry. The Nomes start a new life outside. Masklin watches planes at the airport and plans their next step home.
Diggers (1990)
Life is good for the Nomes at the quarry. Most of the Nomes who lived inside the store are getting used to life outside. But Masklin is having trouble with his feelings for Grimma. He tries to tell her they should be together. Grimma wants to be free. She uses the example of the South American tree frogs. These frogs live their whole lives in a plant called a bromeliad. They do not know about the world outside. Masklin does not understand, and they argue.
Masklin, Abbot Gurder, and Angalo De Haberdasheri take "The Thing" to check out the airport. They do not come back. Grimma is left to deal with a new problem. The abandoned quarry is going to be reopened by humans.
Grimma thinks Masklin is gone forever. She finally admits her feelings for him. But she has to focus on the new threat. Gurder's helper, Nisodemus, tries to start a rebellion. He wants to rebuild the store. Grimma challenges him. Nisodemus stands in the road to prove he should be the leader. A car runs him over.
The Nomes try to keep the humans out. They lock the quarry gates. They damage a truck. They tie up a security guard. They leave a message asking to be left alone. Finally, the Nomes try to escape using an old JCB digger. Dorcas, the engineer, found it and got it working. The digger, which Dorcas calls Jekub, lets the Nomes escape when the humans return. Police cars chase them across fields. Then, Masklin rescues them on the recovered spaceship 'Swan'. Masklin gives Grimma a bromeliad. This shows he finally understands her. They leave Earth to go home.
Wings (1990)
This story happens at the same time as Diggers.
Masklin, Angalo, and Gurder are looking for a plane. They read in a newspaper that Richard Arnold is flying to Florida. He is the grandson of the Arnold Brothers who built the store. He is going for the launch of a new satellite. "The Thing" says that if they can get it on the space shuttle, it can contact the spaceship 'Swan'. The 'Swan' has been on the moon for thousands of years.
"The Thing" connects to the airline computers. It finds that Richard Arnold is flying on Concorde. They sneak onto the plane. Gurder is amazed. The Concorde looks like the store inside. But there are fewer places for Nomes to hide. Masklin finds where Richard Arnold is sitting. He suggests hiding in his carry-on bag.
In Florida, the Nomes eat hotel food while Arnold is in the shower. He comes out and sees Masklin. But they escape into the Everglades. There, they find another group of Nomes. Shrub and her son Pion lead them. At first, they cannot understand each other. But "The Thing" can translate. The new Nomes speak real Nomish, the original language of the Nomes.
The outside Nomes have learned to ride wild geese. They have found thousands of other Nome tribes around the world. They travel by goose to the launch pad. They put "The Thing" close enough to the shuttle. It copies itself to the satellite on board. The Nomes escape just before the rocket launches.
"The Thing" runs out of power and shuts down. Masklin realizes that without "The Thing," the ship might crash. So, he shows himself to the humans. They take him to a building with power. "The Thing" recharges. It tells Masklin the ship will arrive soon. While escaping, he meets Richard Arnold. Masklin uses "The Thing" to ask Arnold for help. Arnold tells Masklin that his grandfather and great-uncle told stories about Nomes in the store. He helps Masklin escape. Masklin meets Angalo, Gurder, and Pion on the ship. They plan to go back to the quarry to get the others. They make a quick stop in South America to pick up some frogs in a bromeliad.
The Nomes see Concorde flying over the sea. Masklin realizes it is flying back to England. They arrive back at the quarry. They see the Store Nomes riding around a field on Jekub, chased by a police car. They rescue them (as told in Diggers). Masklin gives Grimma the bromeliad, and they make up. All the quarry Nomes get on board. Gurder stays on Earth with "The Thing." He will find and tell all other Nomes on Earth about the 'Swan'. They leave for home. They promise to come back one day for Gurder and all the other Nomes still on Earth.
Main Characters
- Masklin – A brave and adventurous Nome from outside the store.
- The Thing – A small, smart computer. It is part of the 'Swan' spaceship.
- Torrit – The old leader of the Outside Nomes. He was in charge of keeping "The Thing" safe.
- Grimma – A strong female Nome, similar to Masklin.
- Gurder – A religious Nome from inside the store. He later becomes an abbot.
- Angalo De Haberdasheri – A Store Nome who is very interested in the "Outside" world. He welcomes the Outsiders to the store.
- Dorcas del Icatessen – The most scientific Nome. She is interested in electricity.
- Granny Morkie – A tough, old Nome from outside. She is also Torrit's wife and a kind of healer.
- Arnold Bros. (est 1905) – The "founder" of the store. The Nomes see him as a god-like figure.
- Shrub – The leader of the Floridian Nomes. She knows how to ride wild geese.
Characters in Truckers Only
- The Abbot – The leader of the Stationeri Nomes. He dies of old age. Gurder takes his place.
- Duke Cido de Haberdasheri – Angalo's father and the leader of the Haberdasheri Nomes.
- Bargains Galore – A good spirit the Nomes believed in. They sometimes prayed to her.
- Prices Slashed – The Nomes' name for a scary figure. He is actually the store's caretaker and boilerman.
Characters in Diggers Only
- Sacco and Nooty – Two Nomes.
- Nisodemus – Gurder's helper who tries to lead a rebellion.
Characters in Wings Only
- The Floridian Nomes – A group of Nomes who live in Florida.
- Topknot – A Nome.
- Pion – Shrub's son.
- Richard Arnold – The grandson of the Arnold Brothers. He helps Masklin.
- The bromeliad frogs – Small frogs that live in bromeliad plants.
Other Versions
TV Series
A stop-motion animated TV series of Truckers was made in the United Kingdom. It was produced by Cosgrove Hall.
Film
In 2001, DreamWorks bought the rights to make a movie of the trilogy. They planned to combine all three books into one film. Andrew Adamson was set to direct. Later, in 2008, Danny Boyle was going to direct Truckers. But the project stopped because of money problems. The next year, Simon Beaufoy, who won an Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire, was hired to write the movie.
In 2010, DreamWorks planned to move forward again. They announced that John Orloff would write the script. Anand Tucker was set to direct. Tucker was later going to direct another DreamWorks film, Trolls. This movie was partly based on a Pratchett novel. But then Mike Mitchell replaced him.
