The illustrations in this book are delightfully cozy and perfect for fans of Phoebe Wahl. The text blocks felt a little wordy in places, but the pictures broke them up nicely and allowed readers to visualize a lot of the action. This eARC had a lot of spots where the dark grey text blended into the illustrations, making it difficult to read, but assuming that will be corrected before final printing. Recommend to families looking for magical, cozy picture books like Little Witch Hazel, In a Jar, or Pokko and the Drum.

An utterly charming foray into the mysterious world of forest gnomes and their nature-loving culture. When new gnome Grolly Maru arrives in the mushroom circle of The Pocket, he’s unsure of his purpose and so must be shown the delights in everything around him and the jobs each gnome takes on that brings them joy. Whether it’s observing the moon, recognizing patterns in nature, foraging and making tasty treats or just enjoying the elements and other creatures in the forest, there’s something transformative just in following along on each little adventure.

Lauren Soloy imbues this picture book with a quiet love and appreciation of nature, in little scenes featuring a web being built, a snail travelling a leaf, time slows down in the perusal and hunt for all the details hidden on each page. She celebrates individuality in her diverse set of gnomes, each with their own distinct personality, and the gifts we all bring to the world just in being ourselves.

Her illustrations are dynamic and adorable, the story soft and simple but poetic. The Newest Gnome is a beautiful reminder to appreciate the quiet wonder in the everyday, all around us.

My thanks to Netgalley and Tundra Books for the ebook review copy. I’ll be purchasing this for my kids’ collection!

So cute!
Artwork and Story is very cute.
And I love the info about wildlife in the forest!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7423292583

This is a sweet and cozy story about nature and the gnomes who live in it. The illustrations are lovely and whimsical and I loved the integrated counting and identifying along the way. I read it to my 7 year old and he was less engaged than I expected (he loves gnomes), but that may have been because of reading it as an ebook rather than a physical copy. I really enjoyed the book myself.

This was a delightful fairy tale that was both whimsical and informative. It's excellent at building childrens imaginations. I really enjoyed the details of nature added into it.

A sweet and magical story set in the gnome-y world of The Pocket, where gnomes come together to care for the plants and animals around them. The many gnomes were introduced in Soloy's first gnome book, The Hidden World of Gnomes. In this story, a new mushroom circle has popped up in the forest, and the gnomes gather to welcome the new gnome that came to their world, Grolly Maru. Readers join Grolly Maru as they explore The Pocket with the other gnomes as their guide, seeing all the ways they care for each other and their environment, contributing in their own ways. The illustrations are enchanting, and the gnomes are adorable, each with whimsical names and responsibilities. Young readers will cheer on Grolly Maru as they find their place in The Pocket, too.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Newest Gnome. This book was really cute. I really enjoyed the whimsical names and artwork in this picture book. It is the story of Grolly Maru, a new gnome in The Pocket. They spend most of the story learning about things that the other gnomes who live in the pocket do to help take care of their land. This is a cute tale for younger kids and nature lovers.

The Newest Gnome is a picture book aimed at nature lovers and those with a keen appreciation for fantasy. Our newest gnome appears one day, surrounded by a community of older gnomes. They encourage her, show her the wonders of the world they inhabit, and romp around the forest, having a grand time. The illustrations are adorable and bring the story to life. This sneak peek into the hidden, fantastical residents of the forest, rarely seen by people, will delight readers of all ages.

I am not sure what was more enjoyable - the beautiful illustrations, the clever names of the gnomes, the very cozy and quiet story. My kids loved this, and I imagine this is a book that we will be reading over and over.

(Irish Folk Story) As each gnome shares their role in The Pocket, Grolly is less and less sure about what they should do. But by the light of the full moon, inspiration strikes! A homage to nature, beauty, mindfulness, and community is a reminder to be present and to care for and appreciate the world around us, but it’s also just a delightful stroll through a special and strange yet ultimately familiar place first introduced in The Hidden World of Gnomes.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Tundra Books, Penguin House and NetGalley.