Review: Goblin Market by Diane Zahler

 

I received this book as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley. 

This is a middle-grade horror story about two sisters. One sister falls in love with a boy selling fruit at the market and becomes ill, the other makes it her job to figure out what happened to her. There are mysterious boys, goblins, magic fruit, and whispering trees. This book is filled with an atmosphere of eeriness, whimsy, and fairy tale. It reminded me of Grims fairy tales and a folklore story you'd hear from your grandma. 

This is the kind of book I would have really enjoyed when I was in elementary school. It is the perfect amount of scary for a kid without being too much. It also teaches a valuable lesson about the love between sisters and the great feats children can accomplish. 

I also liked the presence of a neurodivergent character. Lizzie can see sounds as colors and has an aversion to both people and touch. It's good to see the representation of children who have different abilities and comfort levels. It makes Lizzie's efforts to save her sister even more impressive as she has to push past her comfort zone. It also made me think of my own relationship with my sister and how far I'd go for her. 

I do not typically read books for children, even as a kid, I avoided them. I was drawn to this book because of the cover and the description. I really enjoyed reading this and wish it would have been available when I was a kid. I think this would have encouraged me to read at a younger age. 

I recommend picking up this book for yourself or for a child in your life. This book doesn't come out until August 16th so it is a while before you'll be able to get it, but you can add it to your child's back to school reading list.