The Goblin Twins

July 31, 2023
At 601 years old, two goblin twins, considered by other dokkaebi as “babies, and very silly ones, too,” are quite different from each other. Orange-hued with a single horn, Doki “did not like scaring people,” preferring to offer gifts and to read books. Blue, two-horned Kebi “liked scaring people a bit too much. And he loved to explore,” Cha writes. Learning that the abandoned house they live in will soon be demolished, the twins head for a place where people visit haunted houses desiring to be frightened—and land in New York City. Portrayed with intensely saturated color that adds depth and dimensionality, Kim’s digital illustrations of the siblings’ house-hunt supply movement and humor to their ongoing debates over what kind of new home to choose and how to decorate for Halloween. It all leads to their amusing final reaction to a horde of trick-or-treaters. Based in Korean lore, this read’s a treat any day of the year. An author’s note concludes. Ages 3–7.

July 15, 2024
Two trickster Korean goblins--or dokkaebi--struggle to adjust to life in New York City. Siblings Doki and Kebi are "settling into their new old house" after moving to the United States, as depicted inThe Goblin Twins (2023). Orange-skinned, purple-haired Doki tries to enjoy a book, but blue-skinned, double-horned Kebi is perturbed because he has no friends in their new city. A hilarious sequence depicts Kebi's unsuccessful attempts to connect with other ghoulish creatures, among them vampires and a Wednesday Addams-esque child. "Why don't you go play some tricks on humans?" Doki suggests. Kebi confesses that it's especially difficult to provoke the residents of their new city. Boldly colored and textured illustrations dotted with ghosts--unseen by humans--portray Kebi's failed efforts to scare jaded New Yorkers. His oversize head and tiny body imbue his shenanigans with charm. He mixes up the trains in the subway, breaks traffic lights, and fills the streets with frightening "dokkaebi smoke," but the city's residents remain unfazed. Curious, Doki joins in and ups the ante by floating the sphere off theAtlas statue at Rockefeller Center, making tables levitate in restaurants, and shrinking the Statue of Library--still nothing. But eventually the two realize that all they need is each other. Cha and Kim infuse their tale with both child-friendly chaos and a touch of sweetness. Human characters are racially diverse. An amusing tale of sibling love and mischief. (author's note)(Picture book. 4-8)

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August 23, 2024

K-Gr 3-Doki and Kebi are 601-year-old goblins who have moved from Korea to New York City and are having trouble acclimating to their new surroundings. Doki cannot understand the humans in New York, who are different from the humans he used to scare in Korea. No one notices when he carries out his usual nefarious acts, such as messing with traffic, in New York. There's always traffic in New York! Doki's twin, Kebi, takes pity on him and joins Doki to play tricks. Together, they work some magic that makes them both giggle. This book is full of subtle jokes spread throughout the attractive pages, such as a little girl in a pink sweater who is surreptitiously placed on several pages reacting with alarm. Going from graphic novel format to traditionally illustrated pages, the layout and rousing font will encourage readers to stay on each page. Illustrations underpin the humor excellently. VERDICT Readers will want to revisit this diverse and humorous Halloween-themed book for years to come.-Kelly Richards

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