The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes by Raven Howell | Book Review
Warm your heart and cheer up your inner child with this new poetry collection from Raven Howell.
Book Summary
Discover the magic in simple moments when a child peers in the mirror to unintentionally come upon his smile, where kittens nap in boots, fairy hugs feel good, mice delight in reading books, and January snowflakes taste yummy.
Twenty whimsical poems warm the heart and inspire cheer; a collection enticing both the young and seasoned reader to explore the enchantment of the wonderful world of poetry.
Publisher: Handersen Publishing
ASIN: B0BJNT69WG
ISBN: 1647030757
ISBN-13: 978–1647030759
Print Pages: 28 Pages
Purchase a copy of The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, or Bookshop.org. You can also add this to your GoodReads reading list.
Award winning children’s book author, Raven Howell, weaves a sweet, wonder-filled atmosphere for readers of her newest poetry collection, The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes (Handersen Publishing, LLC). With beautifully colored, expressive illustrations by Nazli Tarcan, these children’s poems are heart warming in subtle ways that both adults and children can enjoy.
Poems about fruit (“Golden Delicious”) or a cool day (“Between the Sun and Moon”), for instance, give the reader a sense of calm that is so sweet in contrast to the craziness of modern life. The focus on nature and the physical experiences of childhood make the reading experience feel tangible in ways that many other poetry collections don’t.
One of my favorite poems in this collection — “Here, Kitty, Kitty!” — begins, “Frisky / Playful / Slinky / Sweet / Protective of her catnip treat.” and delighted me as a reader. Reading this honestly makes me want to try my hand at children’s poems myself!
“Spring and the Winter Goblin” will make readers smile as well with its cozy woodland illustration and subtle rhymes (“gobbles grass, and leaves, / and beans,”).
Overall, Howell’s poems do more than just entertain — they give you a feeling of kindness, a certain “nestledness,” and a warm feeling to take with you throughout the rest of your day. Both young and old readers will likely appreciate the child-like feelings Howell draws out.
About Raven Howell:
Raven Howell writes stories and poetry for children. Having published several award-winning picture books, she enjoys sharing her love of literature by visiting classrooms and libraries. Raven is Creative & Publishing Advisor for Red Clover Reader, served as Poetry Director for Monster Magnificent, and writes The Book Bug column for Story Monsters Ink magazine. Her poems are found in children’s magazines such as Ladybug, Spider, Highlights for Children, Humpty Dumpty, and Hello Magazine. She’s an editor, and collaborating author for Reading is Fundamental SoCal.
When not writing, Raven enjoys sunshine and the beach, spending time with her family, hiking, laughing, reading, goofing around with artwork, and inventing new recipes.
You can find her on:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/atpearthkeeper
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atpearthkeeper/
About the Reviewer:
Jeanna Paden (she/her) is a poet, book reviewer, and the author of Premonition (Finishing Line Press, 2023). She is the founding editor of Antipoetry Magazine. Her work has been published by Foothill: A Journal of Poetry, Her Culture, Pulp Poets Press, Okay Donkey, Harbor Review, and others. Connect with her on Twitter @TheHalfway3 or @AntipoetryMag.
