cover image The Goblin Crown

The Goblin Crown

Robert Hewitt Wolfe. Turner, $16.95 ISBN 978-1-68162-612-3

In his first book for children, veteran television writer Wolfe (Elementary) introduces Billy Smith, a well-meaning high school freshman, who not only makes an enemy of Kurt, the star quarterback, on the first day of school, but also transports himself, Kurt, and a girl named Lexi into another universe. There, a nation of goblins, led by the ferocious General Sawtooth, is on the verge of defeat and possible extermination at the hands of the human Hanorian Empire. Naturally, the teens are destined to play a game-changing role in the war. Aiding them is Hop, a wily goblin soldier, who realizes that Sawtooth is leading his people to destruction. The characters are well-developed, believably imperfect, and multicultural (Billy himself is biracial); the plot moves briskly; and the goblin dialect—sometimes humorous, sometimes startlingly poignant—is a real strength, as when a despairing Sawtooth thinks, “It’re the world what’re insane, that’re what she meaned. In a mad world, the only sensible thing are to embrace the madness.” It’s a solid start to the Billy and the Goblin series. Ages 11–16. Agent: Paula Munier, Talcott Notch Literary Services. (Oct.)