Book Review - Tatatuck’s Journey to Crystal Mountain October 07 2020

A Tale of Gnomes and Trolls by Jakob Streit

Tatatuck - Jakob Streit - Waldorf Publications

Finding a story that has authentic imagination is a true delight and this story of a small gnome hero has just that! Tatatuck is an ordinary root pulling gnome who wishes to become a crystal mining gnome.  He is small and so his dream seems highly unlikely to be fulfilled. One day he is asked if he feels brave enough to travel over the seven mountains to Crystal Mountain to bring back an important jewel for the gnomes. This journey is not an easy one — all the gnomes know that there are challenges galore on every one of the mountains that must be climbed to get to the seventh mountain.  Everyone also knows that many have tried and few have returned. The few who have returned have never returned successfully.

Little Tatatuck feels he can make this journey and return with a crystal, though he hardly understands why he feels this way. This story of courage and friendship and surmounting difficulties is wonderfully well told.  Once the story begins it’s difficult to stop! And the disarming and trusting charm of wee Tatatuck works as his journey continues in ways that make the story really compelling and truly transformative.

For children up to age twelve or so, the story promises to instruct and engage completely. What happens when we understand others? What happens when we trust ourselves? What happens when we overcome our fears to do what it is we most wish to do?  Miracles, that’s what!  Does Tatatuck make it to the Crystal Mountain? Does Tatatuck return to prove that he is worthy to become a Crystal Mining gnome? What happens to him along his road to his goal?  You will just have to read the story to discover the answers! But you will not regret going on this journey with Tatatuck to find out what happened to him. It’s a story emphatically worth the reading!