The Long Walk

Frank, a garden gnome with longer legs than is usual, enjoys hearing the stories told by the birds who visit him. Until, that is, the sparrows tease him stuck in the garden, never going anywhere. Now it is his turn. His long legs take him on a journey round the world through all types of weather, across all landscapes, through cities and countries, day and night.  Not everything goes smoothly – Frank carries on, his beard growing longer until at last he finds himself back in his own garden. Now he has stories to tell – and he is a bit shorter.

It is always a pleasure to welcome a new picture book from Petr Horáček, and this one is overdue; originally published in Czech in 2017. As one would expect, Horáček’s palette was as vibrant then as it is today. His illustrations spill off each page to enrich the eye creating a truly immersive experience as we follow Frank on his Long Walk. These colours combine with the illustrator’s use of collage techniques which adds exciting textures to the images. The narrative is simple; each experience captured directly in words and pictures. This is a joyous and ultimately satisfying picture book providing a rich visual journey for a very young audience. Definitely one to share.