Hob and the Goblins

When Hob the friendly spirit finds himself living with mean and nasty witches, gremlins, dwarfs, goblins, and an ogre, he has to use all of his powers, tricks, and lots of love to restore peace to their home.

From Publishers Weekly

Appearing in his first full-length novel, Hob, the benevolent house ghost who has previously appeared in the British author's picture books, here adopts a family moving into an old country house. Unbeknownst to Mr. and Mrs. Grimes, their new home, known as Fairy Ring Cottage, contains "a door to the goblin country." The children, Tom and Meg, can see Hob, and they also sense danger before their parents do. But, after a terrifying climax which chaotically and violently combines a goblin king and his goblin followers, a band of dwarves, a witch, a possessed bus and a stolen pot of magical gold, Mr. Grimes, too, recognizes the presence-as well as the benefits-of their whimsical, worry-wart and interestingly maternal house spirit. Each of the characters is fully believable, including the supernatural Hob (who, disarmingly, refers to himself in the third person: "That's what we want most.... A bit of normal: family round the fire, Hob in the hearth"). Mayne is remarkably deft at opening up a fantasy realm to readers of all ages through his playful prose, which twists and stretches to create sly humor, earnest sympathy and, at times, genuine darkness. Ages 8-11. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4-This well-written fantasy expands the adventures of Mayne's home-loving hero, Hob. The swift-moving and original plot sweeps readers into a magical world of goblins, gremlins, witches, and dwarfs, in which a classic confrontation between good and evil comes to a comically surprising ending. This time around, Hob moves in with the Grimes family: father, mother, sister, brother, and baby. Attempting to make a spooky old cottage cozy, the Grimeses are largely unaware of the evil forces that surround them. Hob, whose usual task is to combat everyday problems such as "floorshiver" or "plastercrack," is daunted at the prospect of standing up to the local witch, a horde of goblins, and the monstrous goblin king. However, he manages to acquire the necessary swords from the dwarfs and, along with the children, defends the family and their home. Previous acquaintance with Hob is not necessary to enjoy this title, but familiarity with folktale conventions and a somewhat sophisticated ear for language will help young listeners to follow the story. Mayne's writing style is deceptively simple, presenting a complex, fanciful world in a matter-of-fact manner. His quiet humor enhances the book's appeal, as do the cleverly illustrated initials at the start of each chapter. A perfect choice for readers with a taste for classic fantasy.Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of PittsburghCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. Hob, a friendly, usually invisible English household spirit who was the subject of several picture books, now appears in a novel for older readers. When the family heprotects moves from London to Fairy Ring Cottage, a bedeviled house in the country, Hob must do what he can to rescue them from the evil forces there. His task is made more difficult by the parents' determined blindness to the magical creatures around them. Mayne's way with words is as remarkable as ever, and Hob is certainly convincing, but children old enough to read the book may find Hob less appealing as a main character than the picture-book audience did. A handsomely designed book, recommended mainly for large libraries. Carolyn Phelan

From Kirkus Reviews

Hob is a helpful household presence, fond of babies and, less often, also visible to children; unfortunately, he has greedily donned clothes given him by a grateful human and can't adopt a new home until he gets rid of them. He boards a London bus and, still encumbered by his hat, is powerless to counter the mischief of its resident Gremlin. The Gremlin absconds with both bus and hat, setting Hob free but causing driver Charlie's dismissal, and Hob joins Charlie's family in their move to Fairy Ring Cottage, left by Charlie's great-uncle. The move is not felicitous; a neighbor is a witch and the uncle a sorceror, entrapped beneath the cottage with a pot of gold coveted by a Goblin King of such power that Hob is sure combatting him will mean his own end. Still, it's his nature to try to save his family from the evils that now surface. In short paragraphs and the simplest of sentences, Mayne conjures up a friendly spirit whose worldview is childlike yet enchantingly un-human. Hob is of all times and none, loves his present comforts (including a cup of tea) but is vague about past and future, communes with inanimates (each of unique character: ``Hob had to deal with Hole, who came in on a shoe and began to nest in a carpet. Hole went to live in a road with workmen to feed him...''); he's incapable of forethought but knows where menace lies and is determined to defeat it. And so he does, in a ripsnorter of a conclusion with the Gremlin reappearing on another bus. Both comical and suspenseful, a tour de force from one of Britain's greats; a perfect companion to Cooper's The Boggart (1993) and Diana Wynne Jones's ebullient fantasies. (Fiction. 10+) -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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