Preowned 1977 Signed Hardcover Book "Gnomes" by Wil Huygen Illustrated by Rein Poortvliet In good condition, dust cover showing sign of wear! Published in 1977 this book is signed by both the author and illustrator Gnomes, originally published in Dutch in 1976 then released in English in 1977, is a fiction book written by Wil Huygen and illustrated by Rien Poortvliet. The book explains the life and habitat of gnomes in an in-universe fashion, much as a biology book would do, complete with illustrations and textbook notes. The book was well received by critics. Huygen's writing, which mixed physiology with fiction, and Poortvliet's drawings, which used a natural style and watercolor, were both praised. Gnomes sold almost a million units after its first year of being published in the United States. Its financial success led to the creation of several spin-off books about the same fictional creatures, as well as many other products, such as toys, clothing and games.