Gnomes is a classic for a reason; this stunning book is one to come back to over and over again. There’s an enormous amount of detail to pore over – both the illustration and text is done in a scholarly, encyclopaedic tone with rich diagrams and “scientific” words. It covers everything from a gnome’s anatomy to their architecture, medicine and education. Oddly perfect for lovers of Tolkien or Ursula Le Guin, authors who don’t just create plots but immerse us in complex worlds, cultures and systems of language. It’s still a picture book, playful and imaginative with rosy cheeked, red-hatted gnomes, standing alongside spotted toadstools and actual toads. It serves as a rare middle ground for kids with wild imaginations and those who prefer their reading to be rooted in fact and structure. Full of whimsy but enough realism to make you wonder if Wil Huygen knows something we don’t …

Elka, Little Unity