The Goblin Twins by Frances Cha, Jaime Kim
Published by Crown Books for Young Readers on 2023
ISBN: 9780593480212
Genres: Folklore
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads

Although they are goblin twins, Doki and Kebi are not much alike. Doki is a gentle bookworm while Kebi is a mischievous trickster. They are relatively young for dokkaebi, only 601, but they have spent their entire lives in one house in Korea. When they learn that the house is to be demolished, Kebi persuades Doki to go to New York City with him, claiming that the people there want to be scared. (He is a little confused about Halloween.) After a bit of a search, Kebi finally finds the perfect house for the brothers. Touchingly, it has a huge library for Doki. A neighboring ghost helps them prepare for Halloween and when the big night arrives… the Trick-or-treaters scare the goblin twins right up into the chandelier!

A delightful Author’s Note at the end of the tale explains that dokkaebi are traditional mythical creatures of Korea that have been around for thousands of years. This story is Frances Cha’s way of bringing the dokkaebi into the modern world and introducing them to a new audience. Jaime Kim’s bright, cartoonish, digital illustrations keep the story amusing and welcoming for young readers.

This book, recommended for 3-7 year olds, would be a fun read-aloud for Halloween or any other time of the year.

Reviewed by Crystal Wilder, Gorham Campus Library, University of Southern Maine