The Magic Cap

Just how powerful is gnome magic? In Messier’s classic-feeling tale, two white-presenting siblings hope it might cure their beloved pet hedgehog, Crispin. When Crispin falls ill, Isaura and Arlo take the last of the milk from their humble thatched cottage, planning to lure a gnome and ask it for the all-important favor. Out in the woods, their offering attracts creatures galore—seemingly everything but a gnome. Eagle-eyed readers know that’s not the case, however: Parent peppers the colored-pencil-style scenes with stealthy red-capped gnomes and numerous additional triangular hats poking out from behind rocks and trees. The children’s second attempt at contacting the beings doesn’t go as planned either, but it yields gnome-powered results nevertheless. This mix of fairy tale tropes and seek-and-find fun invites readers to lean into belief. Ages 4–7. (May)