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Charlie Russell and the Gnomes "whisks readers away to a clean-aired place where a crunch and crackle among the pine needles might be the western wind ... or perhaps mischievous gnomes. Whimsical illustrations complement the lyrical prose of a story spun with magic but based in fact."—Karen McWhorter, Scarlett Curator of the Whitney Western Art Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.
In a land that is "about as wild a place as you can find these days," magical things are about to happen.
Deep in the woods of Glacier National Park, artist Charlie Russell struggles to create his latest painting. With fellow artist Joe De Yong, he hikes into the wilderness to clear the cobwebs from his mind.
Just as the artists disappear from sight, three gnomes—funny little creatures that Charlie built from twisted branches and birch bark—POP! POP! POP! to life. They know how to inspire Charlie’s next masterpiece! Jumping down from the porch, they search the forest floor for just the right thing to jog his imagination.
Creating an afternoon of magical mischief, author Emily Wilson crafts a modern fairy tale based on the life of Charles M. Russell (1864–1926) and his many letters.
Illustrator Jeanne Bowman fills each page with the beautiful colors and wildlife of Glacier National Park, a landscape that still conjures awe in visitors today.
Audiobooks courtesy of the South Dakota Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Build-A-Gnome Craft
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Visit "The Free Hand Studio" blog by artist Jeanne Bowman to learn more about her creative process and the behind-the-scenes development of Charlie Russell and the Gnomes of Bull Head Lodge at jeannebowmanillustrates.com