The House Gobbaleen (Picture Puffins) [Mass Market Paperback]

Lloyd Alexander (Author), Diane Goode (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Series: Picture Puffins

Poor luckless Tooley longs for some help from the Friendly Folk, so when an odd little man shows up, Tooley is delighted. But Hooks worsens Tooley's bad luck. It's up to Tooley's wise cat to get rid of Hooks— by summoning the dreaded House Gobbaleen! Diane Goode's warm paintings bring to life a story that is quintessential Lloyd Alexander. "A delightful treat from beginning to end." — School Library Journal, starred review

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

PW gave a starred review to this "utterly delicious" tale about a feckless fellow, his clever cat and a member of the so-called Friendly Folk, saying that the art's "elfin charm matches the text's sprightly originality." Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 4?In this original fairy tale, Tooley is convinced that he suffers from bad luck?his roof leaks, his potatoes are too small, and his pig keeps breaking out of her sty. Nonsense, says his sensible cat Gladsake, but the man is determined to attract one of the Fair Folk and change his lot. When a round little figure named Hooks shows up at the door, Tooley is elated, until he finds himself spending his days serving and feeding him. Tooley catches on finally, but it is Gladsake who saves the day with a wily scheme worthy of Brer Rabbit. Alexander's rolling, lilting language is a joy to read aloud, and the seamlessly written story with its wry undertone will engage both young listeners and older readers. Tooley is a good-natured and appealing character, if a bit slow to grasp his situation, and Gladsake is not only clever and sensible, but also extraordinarily patient. Goode's bright, cheery paintings and distinctive style capture the spirit of the tale and carry it to its triumphant conclusion. She maintains a sense of motion with abrupt shifts in angle and perspective and through repeated images that move across one page to the next. The scenes are packed with detail: Tooley's cramped cottage, chock-full of chipped crockery, conveys an air of shabby gentility. Hooks is a marvel of cherubic malevolence, while Tooley's gangly arms and legs and long face with its endearing, if goofy, expression illustrates his eagerness to please. A delightful treat from beginning to end.?Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (February 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140565043
• ISBN-13: 978-0140565041
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,988,583 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, March 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The House Gobbaleen (Picture Puffins) (Mass Market Paperback)

What a wonderful story to read with your children! Lloyd Alexander proves once again to be a marvelous storyteller. And the illustrations are just beautiful! Children love the colorful pictures that almost tell the story on their own. If you or your children have enjoyed others of Lloyd Alexander's works, you'll truly love this as well.