Most Popular Books by Rien Poortvliet

The charming sequel to the runaway classic Gnomes In this republication of the charming sequel to Gnomes, Rien Poortvliet and Wil Huygen collaborate once again to recount their long, arduous journey through the forest at the request of the gnomes. The 200 hand-illustrated pages overflow with the authors’ on-the-scene sketches and firsthand observations. Poortvliet and Huygen are invited as more than mere observers though. After a meal of mushrooms and cream (which tastes as if it were made of “everything that light, air, sun, moon, and earth could produce”), they find that they have been turned into gnomes themselves! The authors take a penetrating look at their subjects: they learn of the tender emotional life of a gnome; they see and diagram the mechanics of ingenious gnome technology; they observe how gnomes administer justice in the wild; they are told how fairy tales first began (Little Red Riding Hood was actually a gnome!); and, best of all, they are allowed to see parts of the gnomes’ fabled Secret Book. Endowed with gnome characteristics such as exceptional vision and heightened senses of touch, smell, taste, and hearing—and decked in peaked gnome caps—Poortvliet and Huygen are led from Lapland across the Siberian wilderness by Nicolas, the gruff but kindly guide who teaches them the secrets of survival in the icy north. The three travel across varied modes of transportation—in a troika pulled by lemmings, on a fox’s back, and on the head of a moose. They are even carried by the abominable snowman! Lovers of gnomes will celebrate the arrival of this new volume and delight in the opportunity to know these elusive creatures better. Scores of enchanting illustrations by Poortvliet record the comings and goings of gnomes and the loving interaction with nature for which they are so famous.

The vivid illustrations of famed Dutch artist and naturalist Rien Poortvliet are admired all over the world. His warm and imaginative portrayals and stories of people, animals, or such fantastic creatures as gnomes are loved by readers of all generations. His countless fans will be enchanted by this intriguing new book, Daily Life in Holland in the Year 1566, And the Story of My Ancestor''s Treasure Chest. To create this latest gem, Poortvliet found inspiration in the rich legacy of Dutch landscape and genre painting traditions and in his own Dutch heritage as well. He became intrigued by a document dating from the year 1566 that revealed the existence of an armoire owned by his distant ancestor, Jacob Jansz Poortvliet. That armoire led Rien Poortvliet to come upon something valuable indeed - a treasure trove of insights into the world of his ancestor. Characteristically evocative, the words and images in Daily Life in Holland are rich in detail and delicate in coloration, and perhaps the most beautiful of any of Poortvliet''s works to date. In this fascinating saga, he recreates the lives of his forebears as they toiled and celebrated their way through daily existence. He does not conjure up a romantic vision of the past - the Dutch countryside was not all tulips and windmills! There were adversity and hard work, and we learn that 1566 was an extraordinary year in Holland, marked by famine and plague, great freezes, floods and droughts, comets and earthquakes, and an invasion by the Spanish as well. Poortvliet''s colorful account unfolds before us to reveal how ordinary men, women, and children lived: what kinds of clothes they wore, what their houses were like, what they are and how theycooked. How did they celebrate Christmas? What did the people do for a living and what kind of money did they have? What did a girl''s engagement ring look like? How many different kinds of swords and firearms did they have? Exploring his own roots, Poortvliet captures the beauty of everyday life and livelihood in turbulent sixteenth-century Holland. Rien Poortvliet is recognized as the greatest living Dutch artist. He first won acclaim in this country when Abram''s Gnomes and Secrets of the Gnomes (text by Wil Huygen) became best-sellers. His other Abrams books - Dutch Treat, The Living Forest, The Farm Book, Dogs, The Book of the Sandman, In My Grandfather''s House, and Noah''s Ark - have also won a devoted following. His works are popular as well in Australian, Canadian, Danish, German, Finnish, French, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish, and Yugoslavian editions.

Luckily for everyone, the famous artist Rien Poortvliet, who from his pastoral retreat in Holland has charmed millions with his books Gnomes, The Living Forest, and The Farm Book, felt the urge to make another book. Almost before he knew it, he was setting down on paper, with pencil and brush, the myriad thoughts, memories, observations, and comments that flowed into his mind. Here, in his own words and in his inimitable sketches and paintings, is the story of the artist''s life, by turns matter-of-fact and sentimental, serious and comic. Here are is family (the grownups and the babies), his friends (human and animal), and the people of the village--as well as persons vividly remembered from the past. Some of Poortvliet''s keenest recollections are of World War II: holding on to his mother''s hand as they watched the bombing of Rotterdam in the distance; being bored but grateful for endless meals of mashed carrots, onions, and potatoes during the starvation winter; feeling horror at the sight of angry mobs painting red swastikas on the shaved heads of the camp followers of the German troops. Poortvliet''s spontaneous evocations of the varied aspects of the Netherlands--through his superb drawings and paintings and his sensitive running comment--give the reader a strong sense of the land and its inhabitants. His depictions of people in their customary daily pursuits and of woodland animals in their natural settings alike arouse profound admiration. Dutch Treat is pervaded by a sense of the beauty of nature and its creatures and leavened by Poortvliet''s gentle but irrepressible humor. No one will be able to resist it. -- Inside jacket flap.

Presents illustrations of many varieties of dogs and includes brief information on their history, physical characteristics, behavior, and uses.

Two travelers discover the secrets of sleep from the Sandman himself. Includes a book-within-a-book with helpful hints for both sleepyheads and insomniacs.

Featuring candid photographs of garden gnomes, this charming follow-up to the "The Secret Lives of Gnomes" offers detailed information about the various customs that gnomes hold during Christmastime. Full color.

De kunstenaar/tekenaar Rien Poortvliet en zijn vriend, de wetenschapper Wil Huygen, hebben in het boek Leven en werken van de Kabouter alle feiten en mythes over de kabouter voor eens en voor altijd uiteengezet en verklaard. Sinds het verschijnen van het boek zijn jong en oud geboeid door de prachtige tekeningen en uitgebreide verhalen over deze kleine figuren. Werkelijk alle aspecten van het kabouterleven komen aan bod; van kunst en cultuur, architectuur, onderwijs en opvoeding, tot relaties, gereedschappen en medicijnen. Zowel met het potlood als de pen wordt alles gedetailleerd en met humor beschreven.

The author, a popular Dutch artist, presents paintings from his private collection and of new work of Noah''s ark and its animals.

Tekeningen van in Nederland voorkomend wild, voorzien van notities omtrent leefgewoonten.

The acclaimed Dutch painter and illustrator of the enormously successful Gnomes takes readers back hundreds of thousands of years to the Ice Age. Through more than 220 pages of full-color illustrations and incisive text, Rien Poortvliet presents an up-close look at real and imaginary Ice Age animals.

A clock with movable hands helps children learn to tell time.

Pop-up pictures with movable parts and text describe the daily life of a gnome as he works, plays, and interacts with animals.

Learn how gnome families spend their day.

La forme conique du bonnet est idéale car tout rebondit dessus. L''écriture cunéïforme historique. Excellent pour se dorlotter, le cercle parfait ! Et surtout l''après voyage vers les froids féroces du Grand Nord, plein d''intéressantes rencontres (l''avenante femme gnome du pôle).

L''histoire, les légendes, la construction des maisons, l''habillement, les fiançailles et le mariage, la physiologie. Comment les gnomes connaissent le temps ? Les gnomes et l''acupuncture. L''aide aux animaux. Où vont les gnomes pour leur lune de miel ?