Nobody Likes a Goblin

by Ben Hatke

Overview

Goblin, a cheerful little homebody, lives in a cosy, rat-infested dungeon, with his only friend, Skeleton. Every day, Goblin and Skeleton play with the treasure in their dungeon. But one day, a gang of "heroic" adventurers bursts in. These marauders trash the place, steal all the treasure, and make off with Skeleton—leaving Goblin all alone!

It's up to Goblin to save the day. But first he's going to have to leave the dungeon and find out how the rest of the world feels about goblins.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626720817
Publisher:	First Second
Publication date:	06/07/2016
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	AD520L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Ben Hatke is the author and illustrator of the New York Times–bestselling Zita the Spacegirl trilogy, the picture books Julia's House for Lost Creatures and Nobody Likes a Goblin, and the graphic novels Little Robot and Mighty Jack. He lives and works in the Shenandoah Valley with his wife and their boisterous pack of daughters.

Editorial Reviews

Included in Kirkus's "Best of 2016" list.

"Hatke (Little Robot) renders the characters’ antic facial expressions, their fairy tale costumes, and the fantasy landscape with polished skill, and his story gallops along cheerfully with the clear prospect of a happy ending." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Young readers will find themselves cheering Goblin on—he may not be lovely, but his sense of friendship and his loyalty are convincing and appealing.Endearing and entertaining: what's not to like—or love?" —Kirus Reviews, starred review

"Hatke’s got an impressive gift for capturing the forlorn with little to no words, as in his recent gem of a graphic novel, Little Robot, and he does so again here, as brief, simple descriptive sentences are paired with quiet but powerful visual representations of Goblin’s heartbreak and fear." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"Perfect for kids who want a magical tale or spooky story with a twist." —School Library Journal

"Preschoolers will delight at the twists and turns of this friendship story and its happily-ever-after finish." —Booklist

From the Publisher

★ 2016-03-30
A small goblin finds courage when he defends a friend.Bug-eyed, green Goblin with his toothy underbite lights torches, feeds rats, and plans to hang out in his dungeon for the day with his Very Best Friend, Skeleton, who has a crown. But the ominous sound of "boots on stone" announces adventurers—light-skinned and medieval-garbed with a full-figured warrior woman in the lead—who come roaring into Goblin's home to steal all the books, treasure, and worst of all, Skeleton. Shaken, Goblin sets out "into the wide world" to get his friend back, but his troll neighbor cautions, "Nobody likes a goblin." A farmer with a pitchfork and a gang of elves prove quite serious in their antipathy. Themes of loyalty, courage, and friendship nicely complement the lively sense of danger. Diagonal lines invest each page with motion; full-color art with entertaining details—look for the small dragons on the rocks and for the kidnapped goose and girl on the adventurers' cart—pulls readers in to the story. When a company of goblins asks our hero, still wearing Skeleton's crown from before, "Are you the Goblin King?" he thinks a moment before responding "Yes….yes, I am." Young readers will find themselves cheering Goblin on—he may not be lovely, but his sense of friendship and his loyalty are convincing and appealing.Endearing and entertaining: what's not to like—or love? (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews