BLOG TOUR: The Goblin and the Girl

I haven't always been the most dashing pug on the block, in fact where do you think the phrase pug ugly came from..Yup!
It takes alot of time and effort to keep this pug's butt trim and sometimes I simply get up in the morning and gawp at my increasingly wrinkly puggish face and my googly eyes and wonder how anyone could love this puggy face.

Pug Ugly?

Well one such day when I wasn't feeling my most handsome best, great chum Giles Paley Phillips sent me a copy of a very special book published by the lovely folk at Maverick

The Goblin and the Girl
Written by Neil Irani and Illustrated by Park Yun

ISBN: 9781848860780

Publication in February 2012

The Goblin and the Girl is a beautifully illustrated book about self-confidence and friendship. It was the unusual characterisations and muted pallet of Park Yuns work which first drew me to this book, evidently a highly talented illustrator  (previously highly commended for the Macmillan Illustration Award for Hump Back Girl in 2008).
This book gently and sensitively tells the tale of a young introverted child who looks in the mirror every morning and rather than seeing her true reflection she sees a hideous goblin, (I know how that feels)

She was quite normal, but when she looked in the mirror, she didn't see herself ... instead, she was a goblin.

Without the friendship and support of her peers she is scared that people will see that she is different and reject her and so everyday at school she hides under a big hat.

One day a dreadful storm blows her hat away…The young girl bereft and terrified flees into the woods so no one will see her.
A kind boy stumbles upon her and offers to share his umbrella. He recognises her as the girl with the big hat from his class at school . Eventually she realises that he is not scared of her and they strike up a friendship and for the first time she smiles.

This story perfectly illustrates that kindness can make a world of difference to a lonely child or pug and that love and friendship make the world turn round!

Buy this beautiful tear-jerkingly tender tale here !

Thanks to Maverick for sending us a copy

CLICK HERE TO READ A REVIEW BY KIDS BOOK REVIEW WHICH SUMS THIS BOOK UP PERFECTLY!