The Goblin and the Empty Chair [with audio recording]

by Mem Fox, Leo Dillon (Illustrations), Diane Dillon (Illustrations)

In a time long past, in a land far away, a family has suffered an unspeakable loss.

But a lonely goblin has been watching. And he knows what to do to help them heal.

From internationally acclaimed picture book masters Mem Fox and Leo and Diane Dillon, here is a rich and moving original fairy tale about family, friendship, and the power compassion has to unite us all.

Genres: Picture Books, Fantasy, Childrens, Fiction, Storytime, Fairy Tales, Death

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 22, 2009

About the author

Merrion Frances Fox is an Australian writer of children's books and an educationalist specialising in literacy. Fox has been semi-retired since 1996, but she still gives seminars and lives in Adelaide, South Australia.

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a land far away, there lived a goblin who had once seem himself reflected in a still pond. His reflection had frightened him so much, he decided to hide his face from the world forever, so as not to frighten anyone else... and spent many years alone.

The accompanying illustrations have even more pathos: the goblin is happily gamboling along picking flowers when he is confronted with his own hideousness. The blossoms fall to the ground as he claps his hands over his face. He stumbles homes with his eyes shut, one hand outstretched. Even when he is alone in the following years, he hides his face from himself and from the natural world, as if he were too ugly for even the sun and trees to tolerate. This is a pretty freakin' sad story!

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Convinced that his face is so ugly that it will frighten others, a tender-hearted goblin hides himself away from the world, growing more and more lonely as the years pass. Then one day, happening upon a family suffering from a terrible (and unspoken) loss, he sets out to help in the only way he knows: in secret...

This lovely little tale from Mem Fox - author of such children's favorites as Time for Bed and Possum Magic - touches upon the communal and reciprocal nature of healing: the goblin sets out to help the family, but it is clear to the reader that he too needs help. Although the exact nature of the family's loss is never stated, the empty chair at mealtime, and a family portrait seen in one of the illustrations, makes it plain that a child has died. In a moment of true psychological insight, the family's healing begins (much as it did with the goblin) when they decide to help another: to include him in their community.

The simple narrative of The Goblin and the Empty Chair, with no more than a sentence per page, is made all-the-more powerful by the gorgeous ink and watercolor art of Caldecott-winning illustrators Leo and Diane Dillon. With Renaissance-inspired details, an appealing palette, and expressive characters, their panels are a joy to behold. A definite must for fairy-tale readers!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heard this from Save With Stories. Very cute and very fun.

[Aneesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect book. Except that I started crying on the fourth page the first two times I read it. ("Mommy, can you read it this time? It makes Mama sad.")

I recently read about the (theoretical) benefit of fairy tales to children, but still felt uneasy introducing princesses and wolves. This book is modern and safe, but a true fairy tale. (You can read the synopsis in numerous other reviews here.) The illustrations complement it perfectly.

I appreciate the acknowledgement of parenting and emotional support as a critical need in a family, and that it's something we can't always do on our own. ("He comforted where comforting was needed, he sat where sitting was needed.")

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy these illustrations much. I didn’t like the message that some people need to hide from the world until they prove their worth. I wish there had been more backstory to the goblin.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

As read by Henry Winkler, who did just the most amazing job. I could see him at a local library reading to a group of children enraptured. just wow! I loved the story that this book told, and the artwork was amazing! The goblin was so interesting looking.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haunted by the image of his very own reflection, a goblin hides himself away from the rest of the world. He conceals his unsightly appearance to prevent others from terror. After many years in solitude, the goblin's fate takes a turn. While witnessing a saddened farmer cry, the goblin comes to the farmer's aid during the secrecy of the night. He chops the wood and paints the fence, proceeding to complete chores wherever he is needed. He continues providing a helping hand to the farmer's wife and daughter, but only in a surreptitious manner. The twist to this tale, is that while the Goblin believes he has successfully kept himself hidden, the farmer's family has discovered his presence. While eating dinner one evening, the family sets a place setting in front of an empty chair...welcoming the goblin into their home. Will his fear of rejection prevent him from accepting the invitation? The Goblin finds the courage to unveil his true being and discovers that who you are is not dependent on physical appearance.

What an incredible vision to possess, when one thinks of every individual with an "empty chair"! This story delves beyond the surface of text and into the heart of morality. How many children, or even adults, feel just as the goblin did in this book? Furthermore, how many children or adults are open-minded enough to accept differences and diversity? Mem Fox illustrates an ideal example that can relate to young children and adults alike.

Not only does the tale offer ethical considerations but can be used as a great tool in addressing literary elements. Repetition is prominently used throughout each page. Each time the goblin was seen, the words reiterated, "But in spite of his care, the goblin was seen." Teachers or parents could have a child sequence which character witnessed the goblin first to last. The author has provided a wonderful educational resource.

In my own opinion, the conclusion of the story left room to be desired. The reader makes the assumption that the goblin has been well received, but I do not believe all individuals could make this inference. Though I admire the author for avoiding cliche' endings such as, "And they lived happily ever after", I would have enjoyed a more satisfying confirmation. From an overall perspective, it seemed abrupt.

Leo and Diane Dillon have created intricate pictures that take the reader back in time. Without the author's direct say-so, one could hypothesize that the tale took place long ago. The bold colors and sharp features of the characters are reminiscent of a medieval time period. It's interesting to notice that the illustrators never actually reveal the entire face of the goblin. Even in the end, when he removes his damask, the viewer can only see his back. It is left to the imagination to create the missing piece.

[Elena Hitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Goblin and the Empty Chair is a very short story, even though it is intended for older readers. The story is about a goblin that sees his reflection in a pond then hides away because he thinks he is so hideous; he does not want to scare others. He discovers a family that seems heartbroken, the reason for the heart break is never discussed but by the end the reader must assume they suffered the loss of a family member. When the father becomes disheartened while chopping wood, the goblin sneaks in at night and finishes the man’s chores. The goblin then sees the mom become upset while working outside. He, again, sneaks in and finishes all of her chores. The following day, the goblin sees a young girl become upset while reading. At night, he sneaks in to comfort her because she obviously needs comforting. While the goblin the whole time he was being sneaky, he was seen each time. The next morning the family set a place at the table for the goblin to replace whoever had been missing for the extended period of time. The language is not difficult; however, the concept behind the story is for older readers. One reason is because the loss of a family member is implied. The second reason it is for older readers is because usually children do not start seeing themselves as ugly or out of place under an older age. The illustrations were great and helped tell the story because the illustrator was careful to make the goblin seem hidden on the page. Along with the regular illustrations telling the story, the top of each page had a spread that was similar to a roll of film that showed the characters in action. This strip of images showed the reader the progress of the story in great detail in a very unique way. I gave the story only three stars because I would have like to know what happened to the person that used to sit in the empty chair, I hate to assume the person has passed away but the story gives me no other option.

[Leslie Bardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderfully charming book about a family (a farmer, a gardener, and a child) and a goblin that interact in some interesting ways. It tells the story of a goblin, who had seen his reflection many years ago, but was disgusted by it, so he hid his own face from the world to see. One day, he notices a farmer, put down his tools and bury his head in his hands out of exhaustion. Later that night, the goblin works for him tirelessly. He spends the night chopping wood, digging holes, and painting fences. The next day, he notices a gardener put down her gardening tools and bury her head in her hands out of exhaustion. The goblin works for her and gardens all night long. He spends the night watering plants, planting seeds, and pulling weeds. On a third day, the goblin notices a little girl put down her book and bury her head in her hands out of exhaustion. That night, he takes care of the little girl while she is sleeping. He spends the night sitting, soothing, and staying. Little did the goblin know, he was noticed by all the characters in the book. His kindness and dedication to the family gets acknowledged when they invite him to dinner; he even feels comfortable enough to show his face to them. This book warmed my heart for so many reasons. The goblin was just a misunderstood character, who really had a great personality and a deep sense of caring for others. He set a great example of doing kind acts for others, without wanting or needing affirmation. This would be a wonderful classroom read-aloud to talk about many topics, such as kindness, community, humility, and character. I will definitely purchase this book for my future classroom- there are so many valuable lessons in it! This is all why I am giving this book a 5 out of 5 rating!

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was weird. I'm glad that I read the write-up on the story on Goodreads or I would have no idea what was going on. A goblin sees his reflection and is so scared that he resolves never to be around anyone or show his face. Years go by and he is alone. Then one day, he happens upon a farmer who while working in the field, sighs and covers his face. The goblin decides to help him out, trying not to be seen, but is secretly seen by the farmer. The same thing happens with the farmer's wife and daughter. One day they are getting ready to sit down for dinner and there are four places set but only three people (therefore I'm guessing the fourth person died). They set out food at the fourth place and wait for the goblin, who eventually comes and sits down to eat, after revealing his true face. The reader never gets to see him, so maybe he's the son they lost, but I'm not really sure. The ending was abrupt. The only thing I liked about this book were the illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon (who also illustrated the Caldecott award-winning books "Why Mosquitos Buzz in People's Ears" and "Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions"). Recommended for ages 7+, 2 stars.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful. Rhythmic text that is a joy to read aloud. Art by the Dillons. Great message about how it doesn't matter what your outside looks like, but if you have a beautiful inside you can make friends. A little subtle, a little gentle, for some. The reason the chair is empty (and that the people put their heads in their hands instead of doing their tasks) is poignant. The ending is one of hope.

[R. C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The day after reading this, my four-year-old was pretending to be the goblin. And I was very glad.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh no this was amazing

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the tale of a goblin and a small farming family. It is told, in many ways, like a fairy tale. There is little backstory on any of the characters, the setting is largely undefined. Like fairy tales, this gives the book a timeless quality. A goblin saw his face and was frightened by it. Despite not being a monster, he felt himself too monstrous, too scary to be seen, so he hid himself away. One day he sees a farmer stop in the middle of his work to sigh and bury his face in his hands. Clearly something had happened to the farmer. So at night the goblin began working on the chores left behind by the farmer. Despite doing his best to not be seen, the goblin was seen by the farmer. The next day, the goblin observes a woman on the same farm also sigh, stop her work and bury her head in her hands. That night, once again, the goblin stepped in and helped the woman out taking care of things she had not been able to during the day. Once again he tried to not be seen, but just like the farmer she could not sleep and watched the goblin work. The next day, a child on the farm sat in her room. Like the first two, she also stopped what she was doing to bury her head in her hands. The goblin once again saw this. This time there were no chores to do, but he could sit by her bed and soothe her as she slept. And once again he was seen despite his best efforts. The next morning the three people, a family, sat around a table staring at the fourth chair at their table, a recently empty chair. The family feeling lonely and grateful to the goblin, set a place for him at the table and leave the door open. When the goblin does not come in they move to leave, but the goblin stops them and joins them at the table. There is a moment of happiness as the family, goblin included, begins to eat.

On the surface this seems to be a simple fairy tale style story, but a closer read from an older audience will pick up on the deeper unlying themes. The feelings of unworthiness from the goblin, quite unwarranted as we see later in the book. The family’s deep undercurrent of loss, likely the loss of a family member based on the empty chair. These are important themes to discuss and work through with older picture book readers. However, the book doesn’t leave these themes unresolved. While the loss of a family member can’t be removed, opening your heart to others can bring some normalcy back to life. The goblin’s feelings of being unworthy, or too scary to be seen is challenged when the family sees the goblin, not as his face, but as the kind person he is. He was there for them, not asking for payment or thanks, just being helpful because he could. It teaches the reader to judge something for the contents of their character, not by how they look. While the text is excellent in building an ethereal fairytale aesthetic, the illustrations are vital in capitalizing on this. Each page has a large illustration in the center of the page depicting the main idea of the short text at the bottom. Along the top of the page is a strip style illustration that one might expect to see on medieval manuscripts depicting movement. Often the strip shows either the movement from the last large illustration to the current one, or at least the immediate couple actions before the current large illustration. The illustrations are clear and colorful without losing out on the sensation of an ancient manuscript or long told folk tale. These weave together with the text to bring out the feeling of a fairy-tale with all its wonder and mystery, while teaching an important moral. This book could be used as a read aloud book for any age group. With younger aged children an adult could focus on simple themes and narrative structure and the more mature themes would likely only resonate with the children who need them too. Loss of a family member, or feelings of inadequacy know no age boundaries. With older readers, a direct analysis could be engaged with, directed by teachers or parents. The fairy-tale aesthetic of the book allows it to work with any age group, even adults. And thus, I recommend this book to everyone, it won’t take long to read.

[Claudia Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about a Goblin who is out picking flowers one day when he sees his reflection. After he sees his reflection, he decides to hide his face because he thinks it looks frightening and doesn’t want to scare any one. Then one day he sees a family having a hard time, so he decides to help them. The goblin tries to help without being seen, but everyone in the family sees him. The goblin is still hiding because he doesn’t want to scare the farmers. Then the family sets up a plate of food at their table where their empty chair is and invites the goblin in. At first the goblin refuses but eventually comes in and sits to eat. After showing his face the family accepts the goblin and they eat and smile together.
This story teaches that you should accept and help people who are different from you. While the goblin looked different from the farmer and the goblin was “scary” looking, the family still accepted the goblin. I think this is a great book to use to help teach kids, and adults, that you shouldn’t be mean or frightened of people different than you. I think this book would also help people who think they look different, feel better. The goblin in the story thought he looked scary and hid, but by the end of the book he found a family and people who accepted him, and he took his mask off and laughed.
I really loved the illustrations in this book. Not only are there large pictures on each page, there are smaller, longer pictures at the top of each page. These smaller pictures show what happened before the lager picture below. For example, when the goblin is covering his face after seeing his reflection, the smaller pictures show the goblin leaving his house and picking flowers. This helps give context with pictures as to what happened without having to take up a lot of space or use more texts. This also allows the reader to look for clues in the pictures.

[Corinne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so well written and well illustrated. The story is of a goblin who, frightened by his own reflection, decided the he didn't want to scare anyone else. So he went into hiding forever. But, through the book, he watches three different encounters. A farmer, a woman, and a child. All of them are in distress. So, in the night, the goblin decides to do all the things that were needed to be done without being seen. But, the three people would wake up in the night and they would see him. However, they did not reveal themselves. One afternoon, they all sat down to eat and decided to set the final seat with a plate and put some food on it. They opened the door and waited for their helper to come. When he finally did, the little girl unwraps the scarf he covered his face with, and they sat down together to eat. This story is so redemptive and so beautiful. I think that inside all of us, we have an inner critic that makes us feel as though we are not worthy of being seem. We conceal our true selves in order to "save" others from being afraid or having to meet us. This is something that older readers definitely experience and I think this is a perfect picture book for older children and readers. The goblin continued to be truly himself, this beautiful side of himself, when he thought no one was watching. He wanted to serve and to love these people well. Because of this, the three people saw the true goblin. And they accepted him. This is true in all of life and this is a beautiful way to teach this lesson to children. I love this book and I recommend it to any and all ages and readers.

[Hayden Delgado · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Goblin and the Empty Chair is about a goblin who sees his reflection in the mirror and is scared of what he sees and is worried that everyone else will be scared of it as well. Although he still wants to be a good person, he helps people while also trying to be hidden. He helps a farmer when he's not looking, helps a woman with yard work while she's not looking, and helps a little girl while she's "asleep". While the goblin doesn't think they see him, they really do and sets a place for him at their empty chair and he finally joins. I wasn't a huge fan of this story because it was a little too short and did not give a lot of information out about why there is an empty chair in their house, which is one of the reasons why it may be for older readers, because theres a lot of assuming that one needs to do while reading, like assuming that the family had a death in their family which is why the chair is empty. Another reason why its for older readers is because it gives a strong message about accepting yourself and that it doesn't matter what you look like on the outside, its whats on the inside that matters, and this is something not all young readers would understand. The illustrations were very creative and stood out, and the illustrator did a good job at trying to hide the goblins face when needing to, and then showing it at the end. This is definitely a good story to have in your classroom but I would try to find one with the same message, but better story to it.

[Mia Mihalic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a very interesting read, that I very much so enjoyed. This picture book tells a story of a goblin who sees his face in a pond for the first time and thinks he is too ugly for anyone to ever see his face again. He hides from the world but stumbles upon a family who seems to need him just as much as he needs them. The family is mourning a loss, and they have an empty chair at their table for meal times, so the goblin builds up the courage to sit with the family after he has been watching them from a far. I think that this book is a great read for older reader, not necessarily lower school children. This deeper message of confidence and courage was used in such a unique way having the goblin be the more timid and worried character. I really enjoyed this read because it touched on a lot of emotions that most books don't cover such as grief, confidence, and self perception. Overall, this was a great book that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys books with deeper meanings.

[Sierra Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Goblin and the Empty Chair by Men Fox ; Illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon

The Goblin and the Empty Chair is amazing book for older readers looking for a picture book. The story is about a lonely goblin who helps a family on the farm. The goblin ashamed of his face only helps in the dead of the night. He helps the farmer chop wood, the mother plant and water, and brings comfort to the child. However, the goblin does not realize that he has been seen. The family wanting to meet the goblin set up place for him at the empty seat. The goblin hesitates , but soon grows over his fear and joins them at the table. This story is full of good morals that every child should read. The illustrations are fun and lively making the pages turn so fast. I would recommend this book for the ages 7-10.

[Bec · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the better books I've read on grief. I missed it in my first read - on page 7, as the farmer looks out from his window seeing the goblin, there is a picture on the wall: a family portrait of 4 - father, mother, daughter, son - and later as we go through each characters sadness, we see the father in his sadness, the mother in her sadness, the daughter in her sadness, and yet the empty chair that has caused the sadness must be from the boy who is no longer with them. Extremely subtle storytelling, and nice use of the title.

I wish there had been more about the goblin, but he is not the purpose of the story. The finding of belonging is something I think we all can understand longing for. And I doubt there is a person alive who hasn't felt the sting of grief. I really loved this.

[Mary Thom Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great for Older readers! There is a family who are all grieving a hard loss. They each struggle to make it though simple tasks. Their neighbor is a lonely goblin who sees this families struggle and at night helps them complete their tasks. The family notices and with grateful hearts invite the Goblin to dinner. The Goblin heart is full as he is included. This book is great for older readers because it requires alot of inferencing and drawing conclusions. This can help students critical thinking and inferencing. The illustrations are beautiful and are so deserving of their Caldecott Medals! This story would be a great read aloud and very interactive book for whole classes.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

The very first sentence clues you in. If you're familiar with how fairy tales start, you'll recognize the beautiful beginning of this story.

What a poignant plight for this goblin, and something that many a reader may somewhat recognize:

How easy it is to feel, for one reason or another, as if you're a bad person.

Thus, the goblin did good deeds, but secretly; always aiming to be unseen.

Oh, what happened toward the end was SO LOVELY. So tender and sweet!

What a very lovely ending... and middle... and start.

Thank you author Mem Fox and illustrator team Leo and Diane Dillon.

[Lily Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! In the beginning, it was giving me beauty and the beast vibes. I think it had a pretty good story, other things I think could have been added maybe to make it a little more interesting, but the illustrations were amazing! I loved the way the format of this book was. It had the borders around the pictures to make it look like a fairytale. I also loved how on each page, the big picture went along in a sequence of the little pictures at the top of the book. This book would be well for older readers, but I think it would be great for young readers too. I give this book a 4.5/5 stars

[Jennifer Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

A goblin hides away so no one will see his scary face. When he sees a family grieving he decides to help them anonymously. But they take notice of his kindness, and despite his concerns about his face, they welcome him into their family, allowing him to sit and eat in their empty chair.
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This is a very sweet and gentle fairytale. Though the goblin believed himself frightening, it is his kind heart that endears him to others. A wonderful moral for children: how you look is far less important than how you treat people.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was included in our fantasy reading crate. The details in the illustrations of this book are amazing. The story is touching, sad, happy and opens up conversations about being different. There is so much within this short book!

I recognized the author but had to look up why...the book Time for Bed! One I LOVED reading to my daughter especially when she was a toddler. I will have to check out others I think.

[Meg McGregor · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the story of a goblin who helps a family who have lost a treasured member of the family.

The goblin has kept himself apart for years because he considers himself very ugly.

The family accepts him and sets a place for him at the table.

I understand what the author was trying to do but, the illustrations did not keep attention; so my mind kept wandering from the story.

[Miss Pippi the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a book on kindness, helpfulness, acceptance, and thanks. It's a "new" book (2009) that feels like an old folk or fairy tale.

2020 storytime theme: Give Thanks Read Aloud Extravaganza

Reviewed from a library copy.

[raccoon reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweet story! If you're not careful you'll miss why that seat is empty at the table. Check the family portrait for clues...

My seven year old's only complaint is that the goblin "doesn't look like a goblin." Who am I to say what a goblin should or shouldn't look like? So, fair enough.

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

So the part where he watches over and physically soothes a little girl while she has nightmares should've creeped me out but I grew up watching Labyrinth so instead I'm just immune to it. This was so wholesome and sort of like an anti-Narcissus tale.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids were really interested in this story & were really wanting to see the goblin's face, they felt let down by the ending!