The Goblin and the Empty Chair

This book is not a very good example of a fairy tale. The author calls this book a fairy tale, but I am not sure how this can be true due to the fact that it was written recently and has not been passed down for years. It also does not have a strong conflict or story of good versus evil. It does

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have Goblins and the usual beginning of "A long time ago." However the book seems more like a modern fantasy, even though it takes place a long time ago. I think it is a confused book.

The main character in this book is the Goblin. He goes through a little bit of change but not a whole lot. He hides himself from the world, ashamed of how he looks, and in the end reveals himself. While he is embarrassed, he does have some wonderful qualities. He is giving, kind, and nurturing. He does what is right, even in pain.

Media: Ink and Wash and colored pencil

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This is a story about a goblin who hides away in a castle away from everyone. One day he sees a family who needs help and he decides to help them being careful that they never see him. Little does he know the family does see him helping them. Eventually, the family invites him to live with them. I

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thought this book would be to read to students because it talks a lot about reaching out to others and helping those in need.

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I cried all the way through this book the first time I read it. These insightful and amazing creators, the Dillons and Mem Fox, obviously understand grief. The description of this pain in each of the characters is so simple, so perfect, so exact: "The goblin saw the farmer/woman/child sigh, set

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down his/her tools/pail/book, and bury his/her head in his/her hands." Which is exactly what happens when faced with unbearable loss. The way that the Goblin is able to see and understand, and then, help each character in the way that was most meaningful to them was moving. In the end, kindness breeds kindness and all the characters receive healing. Gentle, insightful, sensitive. This book is a treasure.

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"The Goblin and the Empty Chair" is a story of an insecure Goblin who hides his face from the rest of the world in an attempt to spare them the sight of his ugly face. He meets a loving family who is accepting of who he is. It is a story of acceptance and love.

This story is about a goblin who thinks he is so ugly that he hides his face from the world. He sees people that need help and goes and does their work for them when he thinks they are not watching. He does not know that the family does see him doing this good deed for them and they soon invite him

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into their home. They see past his looks and love him for what is inside.

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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

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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!

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This book is about a goblin, who upon seeing his refletion, decides he is too ugly and hides from the world. He comes across a family who has experienced the loss of a family member. One by on the Goblin helps each family member, and in the end sits down at the family's table with them for a meal.

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This is a story of grief, loss, and accpetance. It would be good to use in discussion, in an author study, or in a writing assignment.

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Summary: This children's book was about a goblin who believed he was too ugly to show his and hide from the world. He eventually saw a farmer, a woman, and a child who needed help and covered his face at night and went to finish the work they started. He thought he was not seen but indeed he was.

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One night for dinner, the family set out a plate for the goblin and went to get him until he finally sat in their kitchen chair. They helped him take off his mask and then they all ate together happily, ignoring his appearance altogether.

Argument: This was a very interesting children's tale that had a very good overall theme or moral. There were many reasons I enjoyed this book. First, I liked the repetition of the story. Children love reading books with repetition. They like to be able to predict what happens next, they like being able to retell to others, and they like hearing the reader say the same words/phrases over and over again. For example, on page five it says, "He dug where digging was needed. He chopped where chopping was needed." These type of phrases repeat over and over again whenever the goblin helps someone. The second element I enjoyed about this book was the formatting of the pages and the illustrations. The top of every page has a smaller, repeated sequence of the bigger illustration in the middle of the page. It is almost like a top border but with the same picture zoomed out. I also like how each page contains the text and the illustration in what seems like a gold plaque making it seem more like a special notebook than a hardcover book. It really enhances the reading and the illustrations.
The main theme of this book is to never be afraid to show who you are. The goblin was afraid to show his face because he thought he was ugly but in the end no one cared what he looked like. It also has a underlying theme of self-confidence. To always have it and respect yourself.

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Loved the illustrations in this picture book.