One day, Pico the gnome goes for an evening stroll to collect firewood and ingredients for a stew, and falls asleep in the forest. He dreams of a fairy who tells him he will soon have to be brave. Sure enough, as dawn breaks, a giant thunders through the land, frightening all the animals and birds — but Pico uses quick thinking and kind words to bring about a happy ending.

Generations of children have enjoyed Martina Müller’s classic picture book, illustrated in a handcrafted artistic style full of life and colour, and the tale — which captures the value of bridging differences — remains fully relevant today.