The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Klein, Zoë

The Goblins of Knottingham: A History of Challah

32 pp. | Behrman/Apples & Honey | April, 2017 | Trade ISBN 978-1-68115-526-5 $17.95

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Beth Bogert. Three goblins torment a town by tangling children's hair. The children, all with challah-related punny names (e.g., Franklin Frenchtoast, Dana Dipitinsoup), work together to trick the goblins and trap them in twisted dough, creating the challah. An author's note discusses challah's connection to Jewish traditions, something the twee narrative doesn't make clear. The pastel-toned illustrations give the story a dreamy, folktale-like look.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth