Goblin

by Frances Stickley, Stefano Martinuz (illustrator)

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

Published September 2, 2025

About the author

Frances Stickley grew up in Nottingham and Norwich, where she spent much of her time making up poems and dressing up her dog. She is a trained children’s literacy specialist and a primary school teacher who is happiest when she is covered in paint or stuck in a book. In 2017, Frances was the winner of the Bloomsbury and National Literacy Trust short story prize. She lives with her family and a big-eared dog called Babbage. When she is not writing, you’ll probably find her in a forest playing dragons with her daughters.

Reviews

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh! what a delightful little treasure to stumble upon! Glad this exists.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goblin loves collecting things, no matter their size or their state, and he wants to fill his home with anything and everything he can get his hands on. As Goblin’s greed grows, so too does his need to accumulate more objects, and he focuses more on those possessions than on anything else. Unfortunately, nothing seems to be able to fill the hole in his heart, and Goblin becomes lonelier with each passing day. But when one particular interaction causes Goblin to lose his composure, a special group of friends is able to step in and help Goblin recognize what is truly important in the world and where happiness may ultimately be found.


This rhyming story utilizes the fantasy creature known as Goblin to illustrate the feeling of greed in a way that is tangible and comprehensible for young readers. Each couplet rhymes together, building phonological awareness skills while creating a landscape of sound that is enjoyable to listen to. A unique feature of these rhymes is the fact that they sometimes carry from one page to the next or from a speech bubble to the narrative, effectively recounting Goblin's story in an enjoyably unpredictable way. Though some of these lines of text are difficult to read against dark backgrounds, the story is nonetheless entertaining and well designed to be read out loud. Accompanying the text are detailed, energetic illustrations that depict Goblin in a variety of circumstances. Anthropomorphic animals surround Goblin, and these characters amplify the cartoon-like nature of the book while enhancing the book’s appeal to younger audiences. Overall, the story is fun and informational, helping young readers to understand the feeling of greed and how it can impact one's life without being overly preachy while doing so. This is an entertaining addition to social and emotional storybook collections serving young readers.

[Hayley Hipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kids loved this one. Goblin collects everything. Trinkets, treasures, nick nacks, stuff. He has it all but it is never enough. Then some unlikely companions show up and he feels something for the first time. Friendship, not things, is what he was missing.

The illustrations by Stefano Martinuz are gorgeous. Dark and moody but also warm. The goblin looks grumpy but cute. The swamp setting feels magical without being scary.

The rhyming text reads well out loud. A few lines tripped me up but my kids did not care. The message about connection over possessions landed well with my five year old.

My only small complaint is that the story felt a bit short. I wanted one more scene of Goblin actually playing with his new friends. But for a bedtime read, the length is just right.

Frances, if you are reading this, this is a lovely follow up to Troll. For your next picture book, I would love to help before you publish. I can beta read. I can proofread. I can give feedback on rhyme and pacing. And when the book is ready, I can help you get it in front of more families and librarians.

Email me anytime: contact@hayleyhipps.com

[Leslie | Books Are The New Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Pubspotlight and Paw Prints Publishing, for the gifted book!

4.5 stars!

Thank you, Pubspotlight and Paw Prints Publishing, for the gifted book!

We loved this one so much!!! The illustrations throughout are fantastic, but so is the message. Goblin collects anything and everything. He's got a mountain of "treasure," but can't keep collecting. He's trying to fill something, but no matter how much he collects, he still feels like something is missing. He tries to run people away because he wants to hoard everything himself. Then he feels something that starts to change him: friendship. Maybe this is what was missing all along. My kids loved this one. The illustrations went from dark and moody to bright and cheery by the end. My seven-year-old really enjoyed the rhyming. He's in a rhyming phase right now. His favorite part was when Goblin made friends and shared his trinkets!

[Bailey Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I predict this author will be a HUGE hit! Emotions, humor, and fairytale lore run deep in this series. Rhyming text is lyrical and flows easily. The characters are complex and experience deep change. The behavior is exaggerated and humerous. There is simply so much to LOVE!

Goblin is a hoarder in the extreme. Plan and simple. I LOVE him and his triumphant screeches of "mine". I laughed so many times while seeing him swipe, steal, grumble, and greedily hoard. This book holds such an important message that we desperately need in our materialistic society. Things only make us feel better for a little bit and just because you have stuff doesn't mean you are happy. Happiness is fleeting for poor Goblin and eventually hoarding only makes the hole he feels grow bigger. Themes of friendship and treasuring nature are lovely in this book!

[Polly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I love this story! It’s so heartfelt and magical, and teaches about greed and friendship in such a fun way - collecting rubbish from a rubbish dump!
The illustrations are so detailed you can get lost in them and the Goblin is such a great character. A brilliant story that everyone will enjoy, from nursery to adult! A great read aloud story.

[Shauna Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goblin is so angry and greedy at the beginning of this book and I think young readers will understand the feeling Goblin is having. I love that Goblin sees the light (pun intended) and gives up their greedy ways and makes space for happiness and light.

[Stephanie Molnar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adorable. Great illustrations and, really, a few stories in one. Highly recommend.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it ❤️