The gnome door in the kitchen🚪

Behind the door is a whole world: stairs made of matchsticks, a dining room under the kitchen sink and a Christmas tree made from a single twig. The gnomes have lived in the house for longer than anyone can remember, quietly helping the family. But this year, the porridge they always save for Christmas Eve has gone missing, and without it the old house gnome can't wake up.

Your child becomes as small as the gnomes, follows a trail of oats through the cupboard and meets a mouse who knows more than she lets on. The book reveals where the porridge has gone and how the gnomes thank the family.

This idea is lovely for children who have a little gnome door at home, or wish they did, and for anyone who wonders what happens in the house while everyone is asleep. Give it at the start of December and there's plenty of time to read it together before Christmas. You could even make a gnome door of your own.

A three-year-old might love the tiny door, the mouse and the porridge. A seven-year-old can follow the clues like a detective and think about how to thank someone who has helped them.

Tell us where the door would be in your home, what treat you might leave for the gnome and what you'd call him. Brothers, sisters and pets can join in too: the cat who's always sitting by the cupboard makes an excellent suspect. If your family has a favourite Christmas treat, it could become a clue.

Find more ideas in the gnomes theme and among our Christmas books.