Pear
Clever and amusing story for younger readers.
For six long weeks, Kai must stay with his aunt who lives in a frightening forest. How will he cope? A chance encounter with gnome Peer marks the beginning of an unforgettable summer. An original and gripping story for young readers about an unlikely friendship and the boundary between imagination and reality.
“Only weird people believe in gnomes,” says Dad to Kai. “Are we weird?”
Kai and his parents are making their way to aunty Fee’s house in the forest. Kai is desperate not to go: he has to stay in that horrible place for six whole weeks. His parents tell him he’ll be fine. All those things he’s been reading in fairy tales – witches on brooms, gingerbread houses – aren’t real. Once Kai arrives and watches his parents drive off, all he wants is to go back home!
But soon after that, Kai finds a red pointy hat in the forest. And that pointy hat can’t belong to anyone but a gnome. He’s called Peer. Kai doesn’t believe in him – despite staring him in the face. “Gnomes can sense when you don’t believe in them,” says auntie Fee.
“I don’t believe in cousins or nephews,” says Peer to Kai.
Kai’s parents are horrified by the odd friendship developing between their son and the gnome. Their son believes in gnomes! Has he lost his mind in that forest?
Mohana van den Kroonenberg carefully builds an arc of suspense, sharing several telling descriptions of Kai, his aunty Fee and his parents. Kai’s rather haphazard arrival in the forest has strong undertones of Hansel and Gretel. You can’t help but feel you’ve landed in a very spooky fairy tale, made all the more compelling by Karst-Janneke Rogaar’s expressive illustrations.
Peer is part of the popular Tijgerlezen series for young readers
Thrilling and amazing
The story is enhanced by fantastic illustrations
Mohana van den Kroonenberg (1967) made her debut as a children’s writer in 2022. Dodo was an instant hit with readers and the media, with Het Parool writing: “Van den Kroonenberg has made an almighty debut in children’s literature.” Dodo was followed by more children’s books and story collections. Her book Peer, aimed at young readers, is about a boy who meets a gnome. (With illustrations by Karst-Janneke Rogaar). De prins op het zwarte paard is the second book featuring the gnome Peer and the boy Kai. Van den Kroonenberg is also a sculptor and translator, and works at a children’s bookshop.