This heartwarming tale (tail?) of a little girl who asks Santa to bring her a gnome for Christmas so that she has a friend to share all her of her favorite things is both entertaining as a new Christmas story and an instructional guide for caregivers, as well.

Whether intentional on the part of the author or not, the ways in which the caregivers of Tess, our heroine, treat her somewhat odd request for a gnome as a Christmas gift should be taken to heart by all adults who have to field these kinds of requests in real life. Tess is not ridiculed or questioned about her request , but is instead allowed to pursue her plans to make her new friend a home of his own.

The resolution of the story shows how a thoughtful and caring "Santa" can find a way to give Tess the thing she really wanted which was a friend of her own.

Little Tess has asked Santa for a real gnome for Christmas. She doesn't want any toys--just a friend. A friend that can go anywhere with her and do anything with her. She has even asked her grandparents to help with the preparations.

What will happen on Christmas morning? Will there be a new gnome friend for Tess to go to school with? Will he like the little home she has prepared for him? Will Santa bring him?

What Santa does is even better!

Sweet story with a sweet little girl!

What a lovely little story, my 5 year old loved this. She read it to me unaided.
We both loved the surprise at the end, we never expected it to happen at all.
There was slight disappointment when we found out that Gerard was not coming, but Flannel the Hamster most definitely made up for it.
I would love to purchase this as a 'real' paperback book. It would be a beautiful Christmas gift too.

Tess doesn't want toys for Christmas she only wants one thing, that's right a real life gnome. She gets a little gnome house ready and goes to sleep Christmas night. Wakes up and is surprised and delighted at what she gets for Christmas.

This is a cute story about a little girl named, Tess, who only wants one thing for Christmas, a gnome. The story shows young children why they don't always get what they want but what they need. Delightful to read with adorable illustrations. Would make a great Christmas gift!

This is a perfect example of why I still enjoy children's books! The lovable little Tess is smart, and has some big dreams! Wanting a friend she can take everywhere, she asks Santa for a real gnome! This charming tell shows how Santa handles such a big order, and it's sure to please! The pictures are well done, and pair beautifully with this story, giving in an atmosphere of hope and cheer.

Oh my goodness, this is the cutest book ever. I like gnomes, so I'm a little bummed that she didn't get one even though I know they aren't real. But hamsters are just a great.

Lovely story. Read it to my daughters both were glued to it and really enjoyed it. Got them excited for santa coming.

This was a great book with a great plot. The girl puts her parents in a pickle asking only for a gnome for Christmas. She prepares a house for the gnome and anticipated Christmas morning with her gnome. But her parents solve the problem in a clever way with a satisfying ending.

Santa, Please Bring Me a Gnome by An Swerts is a sweet little Christmas story about what a little girl wants for Christmas. As is typical of all children, her request is a little extraordinary but she receives a gift that truly fills the need she has. The pictures are lovely, the story is imaginative, and I love how her family goes along with her idea as it leads up to Christmas and the creative twist the story takes in making her real wish come true. Nice for gift giving, and libraries.

This beautiful book brought me joy. It was exactly what I was needing right now.
I couldn't stop smiling while reading it. The illustrations are stunningly beautiful and the setting is Christmas (♥ ♥ ♥). I know it's a children's book but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This is a really sweet book! My 4 year old daughter absolutely loved it. My 7 year old son liked it but thought it was sad that the child did not get what she had actually wanted from Santa. This would be a great book for a child that's wants something unrealistic and needs to hear how Santa sometimes comes up with alternatives.

A very cute and adorable Christmas story. Tess really wants a Gnome for Christmas. She wants someone to play with, to read with, to sleep with, and someone who enjoys bubble baths. She wants a forever friend. And Santa has a few tricks up his sleeve. Maybe a Gnome will be under the trees. Maybe Tess will find her friend. Only the reader will know.

A little girl knows what she wants for Christmas and is not swayed by a trip with mom to the toy store. Grandma is much more understanding; the dog might not be, though. She doesn’t get what she wants in the end, but it all works out.
Sweet story.
The artwork is what you would expect for a pre-school level: simple and broad.

It was kind of cute up until Tess got a hamster. Hamsters are pretty terrible pets. I wouldn't want my children reading this and then asking for a hamster. I didn't care for the gendered roles of Granny and Grandpa, either.

What happens when a little girl requests a gnome for Christmas? The answer is totally charming and full of the joy of Christmas. I will be telling this to children as often as I can. A really fantastic addition to my Christmas collection.

My actual rating is 4.5/5.

Santa! Santa was here last night!

I absolutely loved this book. The cute illustrations touched my heart. Tess is so cute and adorable. The way she receives the news of getting 'Flannel', the Hamster instead of 'Gerard', The Gnome for Christmas, is quite cheerful. This fills one's heart with hope. In life, even though if you don't get what your heart desired all along, the gifts you received instead are quite cherish-able.
The way the parents handled the situation is quite commendable and thought provoking. Instead of rejecting their Kid's wish downright , they found a way to make her cheerful in other possible way.

Finally, I would like to thank 'An Swerts & Eline van Lindenhuizen' for bringing to us a book which has cute illustrations and a heart warming story.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing this eBook for review.

gosh, super cute. love it. so heartwarming and adorable. if my kids ever ask for something i can't get them, i'll do the same as the book lol

This is an adorable story, and a must-add for any Christmas picture book collection. Young Tess wants only one thing for Christmas: a real live gnome. The author and illustrator express the hope, confidence, disappointment, and happiness of a young child perfectly. This is a sweet story, and one that may well become a Christmas favorite with young readers.

I would recommend this book for the illustrations alone. The illustrations were absolutely adorable, but I found the translation to be a little strange. The use of present tense throughout the text was an odd fit for what was happening in the story. This seems like it was a translator's decision and not the decision of the original author, and I could definitely tell this was translated from another language. I am all for books being written in the present tense when it's appropriate, but it felt forced in this story. If this was rewritten in the past tense, I think the language and the story would move a lot more smoothly.