Rien Poortvliet

Before Gnomes became a bestseller in the US, I read it in the original Dutch, titled Kabouters. In both languages, the text is witty and so straightforward that you're almost ready to believe gnomes actually do exist — but it's Rien Poortvliet's painstakingly realistic illustrations that make the book an utter delight. In Holland, Poortvliet's done much more than this one title. He's even got his own museum!

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