Imelda and the Goblin King

A little girl called Imelda lives behind an enchanted forest where she spends her days playing with the fairies. However, the arrival of the horrible goblin king, who bullies everyone and kidnaps the fairy queen, means Imelda and her fairy friends have to work together to defeat him and rescue the queen. A simple tale of good triumphing over evil, Imelda and the fairies show how intelligence and kindness can overcome violence and greed. The characters are deliberate stereotypes, drawing on fairy tale traditions. The goblin king looks as evil as he acts; his mouth is full of pointy teeth, downturned and wide. His skin is has a greenish hue and his fingers are talon tipped. In full contrast, the fairy queen has rosy, pink cheeks, a warm smile - the epitome of fairy tale goodness! Even their wings betray their characters - his spiky leaf shapes, hers rounded ones. The vocabulary used is challenging and well chosen. The use of speech bubbles alongside the text adds to the story. This is an enjoyable story with distinctive illustrations. Picture book / Ages 5+ / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher.

Suggested Reading Age 5+