Truckers

Truckers is the first book of the Bromeliad trilogy (followed by Diggers and Wings).Masklin and his family are the last ten nomes of their warren, devastated by cold, predators and hunger. Desperately, they set out on a last chance journey and climb up on one of the lorries of the humans.What they'll soon discover is that this lorry has lead them to the Store of Arnold Bros (est. 1905), the home of thousands of other little nomes who, having never left the Store, think of the Outside as of nothing more than just another fairy tale. The coming of Masklin will be a great upheaval in their quiet lives. And as they learn that the Store is to be demolished, they make plans for their escape.Although Truckers was originally written for a young audience, it's an enthralling adventure but also a story about understanding other people's ways and helping each other, and no doubt grown-ups will love it too. Because Terry Pratchett's unique sense of humour is lurking round every corner, especially when nomes try to interpret our human world... and what's more to make sense of it!

Another race also inhabits this Earth, a race four inches tall that lives and moves very quickly, and they are called "nomes." Masklin, the leader of a dwindling band of nomes, decides that a better life must be found, so they stowaway aboard a truck, and find themselves taken to a huge department store. This department store, Arnold Bros. (est. 1905), is populated by thousands of nomes, something the humans above then never suspect. To Masklin and his band this place looks like heaven, but what is the meaning of the signs that read, "Final Sale: Everything Must Go?"This book is a laugh-riot. Terry Pratchett succeeds is making the Nomes so different, and yet so human. This book is the first of a trilogy; with the other two entitled Diggers and Wings.

This is the first book in a great fantasy adventure series for kids (and adults). Nomes live 10 times faster than humans, which is why no-one notices them, and they are getting squeezed out of their home by human development. They go forth to try and find somewhere for themselves, but this is very tricky when you're only a couple of inches high.The books are very thin, which is good for reluctant readers - not so daunting to start reading, and then exciting enough to keep them going. I would also recommend it to anyone going through Harry Potter withdrawals.Rather than purchase the three books individually (which you *will* want to do if you buy the first one!) you would be better off trying to get "The Bromeliad" which is a hardcover collection of the trilogy - actually cheaper and set to stand up to lots of re-reading.

Terry Pratchett (Author of the Discworld series) is a really good author about Gnomes and other worlds, Truckers is the first story to Pratchett's Gnome trilogy. Maskerlin, a gnome who is among a family of outside Gnomes, journeys to the floor boards of a hugh supermarket, which is a inside colony full of gnomes who have never been outside before. Maskerlin and the gnomes recieve Soul destroying news from the gnomes device called The thing, which can communicate with electricity that the Supermarket is going to be closed. Maskerlin must plan a escape to the outside world before the humans destroy the whole supermarket. (Truckers is followed by Diggers And Wings)

Do read this book and the two following (Diggers Wings) if you want to learn a few things about humans, and human society. Gullivers journeys are now mostly seen as childrens literature, the same applies to this series. It's ok for children, but I think, grown ups should take more out of it.