Gnome and Rat:

Gnome and Rat #1

by Lauren Stohler

Readers will get a kick out of the whimsical and hilarious everyday shenanigans of best friends, Gnome and Rat, in the first book of this new early graphic novel series.

Gnome and Rat are best friends who live together in a charming forest. Rat enjoys drinking tea and finishing crossword puzzles. And Gnome... well, Gnome likes to polish his pointy red hat and eat delicious sausages.

Join these funny friends on their various adventures, whether it's celebrating Hat Day, perfecting magic tricks, or tracking down a new signature hat for Gnome. Whatever their antic, these two know exactly how to have a good time: with each other.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Childrens, Humor, Animals, Fiction, Friendship

80 pages, Paperback

Published June 17, 2025

Reviews

[Rebecca Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute book! I loved the art style and how bright and vibrant the colors were. This glimpse into Rat and Gnome’s lives was so much fun, and I found myself wanting more of their story when the book was finished. I’ll definitely be watching out for more of these two!

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I knew I had to read this because of the rat when I saw it come into the library, but it was honestly just okay. I read a lot of this level of graphic novels (Sir Ladybug, for instance, is one of this level that I ADORE) so it wasn't that it was just too simple for my reading level, I just really thought it was bland and uninteresting. The characters were interchangeable and there was literally no reason that Rat was a rat. What I mean by that is that you could substitute any other animal/creature/person in that role and it would change nothing. Aside from having a pointy hat and a beard, the same is true of Gnome. And all the little stories focused on Gnome. Rat was just there for Gnome to have someone to interact with.

It wasn't bad and I didn't hate it, but ultimately its was just... meh. I won't be recommending it and I definitely wont be reading any of the other books in the series. Read Sir Ladybug instead.

[Kayla Zabcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

98%

I had a smile on my face the WHOLE time I was reading this collection of short stories about Gnome and his best friend, Rat. I wasn't too sure about the art style at first, since usually I associate that style with sort of crass and immature material, but this was just a very wholesome and sweet read. The vibes reminded me a bit of the "Owly" series, which I also happen to love. I can't wait to read more!

~Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.~

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very cute, quite funny little graphic novel [I believe they are calling these "beginner graphic novels"] about a funny little gnome and his best friend Rat and their adventures together. Filled with really great illustrations that really add to the written story [some really bring home how funny the story is], this book will be a great addition to an early readers book pile. Really well done!

Thank you to NetGalley, Lauren Stohler, and Random House Children's/Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Cristy Villemaire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whimsical and magical are just some of the words that I'll use to describe this amazing graphic novel. Gnome and rat is a definitely must-have in your home. It's full of amazing illustrations and shows us just how charming all the characters are.

Best friends Gnome and Rat live deep in a magical forest filled with the cutest enchanting creatures. They go to picnics and have the loveliest of adventures. I am so thrilled that it will be a series and can't wait to keep reading about them. As a child, I always loved to read about magical forests and gnomes. If you remember David the gnome, you'll absolutely love this fantastical story.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.0 for the story. 4.0 for the illustrations. Overall barely a 2.5 rounded down to 2.0.

[Amanda Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recived an ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This could be the single most adorable book I have ever read. And I've read a lot of books. Like, a lot. We keep rats as pets, so my kids are going to go nuts over this. But it's not just a pretty face! The story teaches about friendship and self love. And the illustrations are so spot on. I will definitely purchase this book for the library where I work, and will probably spring for it for my personal library, as well.

[Christine LaBatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute easy to read graphic novel about Gnome and his friend/roommate Rat. Most of the adventures revolve around silliness Gnome has gotten into like losing his hat, and his friend Rat is the voice of reason to help along the way! I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[A.J. Martinez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super cute for younger or middle grade readers. The art is adorable and really conveys the silliness and whimsical nature of the adventures of Gnome and Rat! I thought it was a blast.

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could this BE any more adorable?? 😍😍😍 Also I laughed a lot. Love the connections between stories. Perfect beginning graphic novel; can’t wait for the next in the series!!

[Robin]

Adorbs. Good for readers looking for a small step up from Elephant and Piggie. Rat is such a good friend!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adorable!
The illustrations bring another level of fun to this magical story.
Can't wait to continue with the adventures.

[Eliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gnome and Rat
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (3/5) or 6.00/10 overall

Characters - 6

Atmosphere - 7

Writing - 6

Plot - 5

Intrigue - 6

Logic - 6

Enjoyment - 6

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will never get over how cute the gnome is.

[Roger McMullan]

Gnome and Rat reads like a fun, graphic novel version of something like Frog and Toad, but with the silliness of Dav Pilkey's Dragon books. And I love the clearly defined personalities of Gnome and Rat. (IMHO, the stories and characters could easily translate to a popular animated TV show.) We got lots of giggles from many of the stories, but the "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow" story was especially loved. (The duck scene got lots and lots of laughs.)

One of my favorite things about the book is all the attention to detail and silly gags: The calendar reads "Gnomevember," and Gnome is obsessed with sausages. The filler or chapter-to-chapter pages often have some transitional illustration that tells their own story - including giving the hair tonic to a turtle, who shows up later with a head of full hair. There's just lots of little pieces of delight that make the book feel professional and polished. Would recommend!

[mandakins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I requested every other adventure I could get my hands on after reading this one (which happens to be exactly one - First Snow). Stohler is an absolute genius. The typical "Odd Couple" arrangement is more or less turned on its head, jammed into a hat..and voila! Gnome and Rat!

Rat is the reasonable pal - the grounding presence, but fairly readily acquiesces to all of Gnome's wild, if earnest, ideas; and, like the truest of friends, helps sort through the rubble with a smile.

There are enough clever winks at the grownups to make all* Gnome and Rat adventures a fun, yet appropriate, read for all ages - zany enough to be engaging, with a heavy dose of the feels and enough left unsaid that you want to believe that we can, and will, all pull through anything together..

Eventually.

Also - today, where we live, we experienced the first snow of the season, so it was especially fitting!!

*(okay, both, but I'm confident Party Time is no exception)

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: Cheep-a! Cheep-a! No more sleep-a! gasp! Oh my goodness! EEEEE! It's today! Hat Day!

Premise/plot: Gnome and Rat star in a new early chapter book series. There are five chapters in this early graphic novel for young readers: "Hat Day," "Gnome Fits In a Hat," "Gnome Grows His Hair," "Gnome's New Hat," and "Back Hat It Again." In all the stories, Gnome loves, loves, loves his hat. But things aren't always well with his hat. He must go a chapter--or two--without his beloved hat.

My thoughts: I absolutely love this one. It is so adorable and delightful. Gnome is just pure delight as a character. I love everything about him! Rat I have less a feel for as a character. But Gnome, well, I was hooked from early pages. I enjoyed all the chapters/stories. I thought there was good flow between the stories.

[IrenesBookReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute graphic novel. I thought the stories highlighted friendship. I liked how the hat of the Gnome played a part in every story. I even enjoyed the drawing at the beginning that showed the house they shared. The characters not only showed how to be a good friend but were also really fun to read. I liked the graphics, thought they were well drawn and fit with the words the characters were expressing. I thought the storylines were appropriate for the age group. I think children will enjoy these characters and enjoy a few laughs while reading their silly adventures.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher Random House, for the temporary digital ARC that I read and gave my honest opinion of.

[Dasha Slepenkina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A big thank-you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for giving me a copy of this book for an unbiased review.

3/5 - Liked it.

This was a very cute book with the adventures of Gnome and Rat, focused largely on Gnome's attachment to his hat. The illustrations were beautiful and whimsical and I enjoyed the comic style of the book.

The reason I have not rated it higher is because there really isn't much in the way of things happening to the friends other than various misadventures with Gnome's hat. I would have liked to have seen more in terms of a varied plot. However, as a quick read this book is enjoyable and well-suited for younger readers (or lovers of gnomes!)

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Graphic Novel
I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's through NetGalley.
Gnome and Rat are friends who share a home though each has their own space. Lower to mid elementary readers will appreciate the humor in each of the short chapters as they experience life with these two. The characters are kind and interact well with each other. Gnome is a delight and full of energy and joy. Rat is quieter but his love for others shines through. The artwork shows enough details without drowning the overall story.
Stohler's new series will fly off the shelf for readers who want the comic experience with a gentle story.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very cute graphic novel about a gnome and a rat who are best friends. They live in the same house - gnome seems to be the one that is a bit scatter-brained and impulsive; rat the steadier of the two though definitely has a sense of humor. They clearly care for each other a lot and are willing to make sacrifices - like buying a hat. Speaking of hats - the stories in this book mostly revolve around hats. And what gnome does - and does not - wear on his head. It's very cute and a bit silly. Perfect for fans of Narwhal and Jelly or Pizza and Taco.
I am looking forward to the second one - we get to celebrate Gnome's birthday!

[Kelly Green's Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wondering if Gnome & Rat have an extra room in their mushroom house...I want to move in :)

OMG! this graphic novel is out of this world adorable. The illustrations, the storyline, Gnome and RAT!
So much fun between these pages, young readers are going to love reading this graphic novel, and they are SURE to fall in love with Gnome & Rat.

A laugh out loud graphic novel for your young reader- get your copy as soon as possible!!

Grateful to have received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley & Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers.

[Terrie Case · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about two friends and is written as a graphic novel. The story is composed of easy to read words for children around the second grade level. The adventures are cute, the characters adorable and the book memorable. Kids will enjoy being able to read a graphic novel on their own at this age.


I received an ARC from Random House Publishing – Knopf Books for Young Readers through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful collection of tales about two friends. Most of the stories center around gnome and his hat. He gets very excited about it, and it falls to rat to calm him down.

I'm looking forward to more adventures involving these two, and I hope this becomes a long-running series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Books for sharing.

[Autumn Corbin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gnome and Rat was such an explorative, fun read! Gnome and Rat is intended for ages 6-9 years old and was a read that was very easy to follow. Be prepared for your imagination to go wild! This novel
depicts a Gnome and his roommate Rat who embark on treacherous journeys together. The illustrations really defined how magical and silly that the book really is, and emphasized the charismatic nature of Gnome and Rat! Another thing that I really enjoyed about this novel was the theme of friendship and what it means to be a great friend. Overall, I would definitely recommend this charming read!

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe its intended young audience will be more charmed by this graphic novel featuring two unlikely friends--a rat and a gnome--than I was, but the five different chapters focusing on hats and hair just let me feeling meh. While there is some humor to be found within this short title, it was hardly worth the effort for me. That doesn't mean that others won't enjoy it. I just found Gnome terribly annoying. I did like the last page of illustrations offering different ways to braid a beard, including one panel that shows the gnome's beard standing up like a birthday cake.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very strong early graphic novel, and humorous on many levels. Rat's "straight man" shtick to Gnome's erratic, sometimes untethered personality made for an instant fun pairing.

The stories were slightly more complicated than I expected them to be, which was a good thing that made the package a pleasure to read. The supporting cast of forest friends and their amusing individual personalities also added to the complexity in a positive way.

Looking forward to more adventures of their two roommates in the future.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Children's graphic novel, early reader level. I love gnomes but didn't love this story. it was too fast for me, like talking to that friend who always goes a mile-a-minute and trying to catch up. The hair chapter was pretty funny, along with the turtle's cameo at the end, but overall it was just okay. This is a buddy story typical of the early reader level, but it seems very one-sided. Rat does a lot for Gnome but not vice versa. Rat has no personality of his own. I much preferred the Fox and Rabbit series by Beth Ferry.

[Josephine Sorrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new take on the odd couple.
Gnome and Rat share a lovely and inviting tree stump home in a cozy corner of The Enormous Forest. One morning in Gnomevember, Gnome wakes with unbridled joy to celebrate his hat's birthday. He removes the red, pointy cap from beneath a protective glass dome, then perches the hat on his head to greet Rat in the kitchen. The fun carries on in five short chapters of pure silliness, with Gnome weirdly focused on his hat while Rat plays the ever-supportive companion and comedic straight man

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

`I would like to thank Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really cute children's comic that consisted of 5 or 6 short stories that interconnected with the themes of friendship, acts of service, and the sanctity of a HAT. I guess this could technically be called a graphic novel but that's not what I would call it, I would call it a Comic collection. I do think this is aimed at very young readers and could serve as an introduction to reading graphic content. I really enjoyed it for its simplicity and its underlying message and positivity.