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Goblins in the Castle #2
Goblins on the Prowl
The stone toad is back! From the author of the upcoming Diary of a Mad Brownie , this follow-up to the bestselling Goblins in the Castle blends laugh-out-loud humor with fantasy and edge-of-your-seat adventure.
In the year since William and Fauna freed the goblins from imprisonment in Toad-in-a-Cage Castle, peace has reigned over both the human and goblin kingdoms. Then one cold night William receives a strange book from an unknown visitor, a book that leads him and Fauna to the mysterious stone toad that sits in the castle’s Great Hall. When an accidental spell brings the stone creature to life, the giant toad hops away—with William between its jaws!
Fauna is no match for a ten-foot-tall frog made of rock, but she has magic—and a good amount of grit—on her side. Determined to save her friend, Fauna ventures forth on a journey through dangerous lands filled with fearsome giants, talking bears, and packs of rogue goblins. And in order to save William and reveal the mystery behind the stone toad, Fauna might have to divulge a secret that could turn her friends against her forever.
In the year since William and Fauna freed the goblins from imprisonment in Toad-in-a-Cage Castle, peace has reigned over both the human and goblin kingdoms. Then one cold night William receives a strange book from an unknown visitor, a book that leads him and Fauna to the mysterious stone toad that sits in the castle’s Great Hall. When an accidental spell brings the stone creature to life, the giant toad hops away—with William between its jaws!
Fauna is no match for a ten-foot-tall frog made of rock, but she has magic—and a good amount of grit—on her side. Determined to save her friend, Fauna ventures forth on a journey through dangerous lands filled with fearsome giants, talking bears, and packs of rogue goblins. And in order to save William and reveal the mystery behind the stone toad, Fauna might have to divulge a secret that could turn her friends against her forever.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published June 16, 2015
9 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 15, 2017
This book was a fortuitous find, because even though I've read and own the first book, Goblins in the Castle, I didn't know this second book existed. But there I was in the library, looking for a D.M. Cornish book, and I happened to see this. I already knew that I loved Bruce Coville's books, but it wasn't until I got home and started to read this that I realized it's the second book to Goblins in the Castle, published more than twenty years later!
I read the first book a couple of years ago, and even though I liked it, I admittedly didn't remember that much from it. As it turns out, I didn't need to. While they might be more enjoyable reading them together, they can also be enjoyed as stand-alones. Fun stories and fun characters. My favourite was Flegmire, who is a very old goblin who's losing her memory. She's hilarious; she says things and makes up words that had me cracking up laughing.
At the beginning of every chapter there are some "scribbles from Stanklo", the scribbler. I liked what these scribbles added to the book. Some are a silly:
Secrets are like farts. The longer you hold one in, the more explosive it is when you finally let it go.
And some are thought provoking:
When all is said and done, what's been done is more important than what's been said.
A really fun middle-grade read!
I read the first book a couple of years ago, and even though I liked it, I admittedly didn't remember that much from it. As it turns out, I didn't need to. While they might be more enjoyable reading them together, they can also be enjoyed as stand-alones. Fun stories and fun characters. My favourite was Flegmire, who is a very old goblin who's losing her memory. She's hilarious; she says things and makes up words that had me cracking up laughing.
At the beginning of every chapter there are some "scribbles from Stanklo", the scribbler. I liked what these scribbles added to the book. Some are a silly:
Secrets are like farts. The longer you hold one in, the more explosive it is when you finally let it go.
And some are thought provoking:
When all is said and done, what's been done is more important than what's been said.
A really fun middle-grade read!
August 1, 2015
A Rollicking, Affectionate Goof of a Middle Grade Fantasy Adventure
Bruce Coville is an awfully busy guy. If you have an elementary school or independent reader the chances are good that a few of Coville's books have already come home by way of the library or book sales. There's probably a Coville somewhere on your kid's bedroom book shelf right now. Especially popular are the "My Teacher is an Alien" books, "The Monster's Ring" books, and so on.
This book is a worthy addition to the canon, but it's also a bit special. Twenty-three years ago Coville released "Goblins in the Castle". It was a hit then, but a bit overlooked now. It was one of the first books to send a party of young adventurers into a magical forest on a humorous but action-packed quest. It prefigured an awful lot of what we see regularly now. Well, Coville has revisited "Castle" and picked up right where he left off, with all of the old favorite characters, some new characters, and a tale that just flows naturally from the first book.
You don't need to have read the first book in order to read and follow this one. There are some references to the first advenure, but they're either understandable in context, or don't matter to this story. This book is narrated by the lead character, the heroine Fauna, so it has a different, and rather refreshingly deadpan voice. While Fauna is everything you would want in a resourceful and spunky heroine, she also has a dryly humorous side that offers a running wry commentary, and also keeps the narrative under tight control.
That restraint is helpful, because this book has a clear but twisty plot, with lots of surprises, turnabouts and sudden enexpected developments. It all comes together at the end in multiple satisfactory resolutions, and careful craftsmanship keeps it from coming apart in the middle. That said, that is partly achieved through a fair amount of exposition, monologuing and story telling. Lots of people don't like info dumps, even when delivered as "let me tell the story of...", but I think it's helpful for younger readers and helps ease them into more advanced and complex books.
The hallmark of a Coville book is his evident and abiding respect for the young reader. There is no irony, no hip detachment, and no winking metafictional distractions. He whips up unique characters, sets up a twisty plot, lays out a deep enough fantasy world. and then lets it all loose to play out in a satisfying way. There's action and adventure, but also great humor and underlying good nature. The humor covers all of the bases and appeals to all ages - it's broad, sly, sometimes predictable, occassionally a bit sharp or vinegary. There's wordplay and slapstick and a few goblin farts. Also, there are more than a dozen one-shot characters, (seers, witches, a giant, a tiny dragon, and so on), who have devilishly funny one scene bits and then disappear. It's sort of the early reader version of vaudeville "specialty acts". Indeed, there's more of that than is usual for a Coville book, but it all just adds to the overall fun.
Unusual for even a longish book aimed at younger readers, we get a lot of depth and shading in our main characters. Sure, the amusing characters start with loveable lugs, prickly witches, cutesy creatures, and so on. But as we work up the character chain, and get to the real stars, we get more depth and subtlety that you might expect. Coville doesn't work with stick figures or bland types, and some of the scenes involving the main players can be surprisingly touching.
So, broad humor, subtle humor, action, magic, adventure, and self discovery, all wrapped up in a satisfying and tidy package that never feels old or shopworn. A nice find.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
Bruce Coville is an awfully busy guy. If you have an elementary school or independent reader the chances are good that a few of Coville's books have already come home by way of the library or book sales. There's probably a Coville somewhere on your kid's bedroom book shelf right now. Especially popular are the "My Teacher is an Alien" books, "The Monster's Ring" books, and so on.
This book is a worthy addition to the canon, but it's also a bit special. Twenty-three years ago Coville released "Goblins in the Castle". It was a hit then, but a bit overlooked now. It was one of the first books to send a party of young adventurers into a magical forest on a humorous but action-packed quest. It prefigured an awful lot of what we see regularly now. Well, Coville has revisited "Castle" and picked up right where he left off, with all of the old favorite characters, some new characters, and a tale that just flows naturally from the first book.
You don't need to have read the first book in order to read and follow this one. There are some references to the first advenure, but they're either understandable in context, or don't matter to this story. This book is narrated by the lead character, the heroine Fauna, so it has a different, and rather refreshingly deadpan voice. While Fauna is everything you would want in a resourceful and spunky heroine, she also has a dryly humorous side that offers a running wry commentary, and also keeps the narrative under tight control.
That restraint is helpful, because this book has a clear but twisty plot, with lots of surprises, turnabouts and sudden enexpected developments. It all comes together at the end in multiple satisfactory resolutions, and careful craftsmanship keeps it from coming apart in the middle. That said, that is partly achieved through a fair amount of exposition, monologuing and story telling. Lots of people don't like info dumps, even when delivered as "let me tell the story of...", but I think it's helpful for younger readers and helps ease them into more advanced and complex books.
The hallmark of a Coville book is his evident and abiding respect for the young reader. There is no irony, no hip detachment, and no winking metafictional distractions. He whips up unique characters, sets up a twisty plot, lays out a deep enough fantasy world. and then lets it all loose to play out in a satisfying way. There's action and adventure, but also great humor and underlying good nature. The humor covers all of the bases and appeals to all ages - it's broad, sly, sometimes predictable, occassionally a bit sharp or vinegary. There's wordplay and slapstick and a few goblin farts. Also, there are more than a dozen one-shot characters, (seers, witches, a giant, a tiny dragon, and so on), who have devilishly funny one scene bits and then disappear. It's sort of the early reader version of vaudeville "specialty acts". Indeed, there's more of that than is usual for a Coville book, but it all just adds to the overall fun.
Unusual for even a longish book aimed at younger readers, we get a lot of depth and shading in our main characters. Sure, the amusing characters start with loveable lugs, prickly witches, cutesy creatures, and so on. But as we work up the character chain, and get to the real stars, we get more depth and subtlety that you might expect. Coville doesn't work with stick figures or bland types, and some of the scenes involving the main players can be surprisingly touching.
So, broad humor, subtle humor, action, magic, adventure, and self discovery, all wrapped up in a satisfying and tidy package that never feels old or shopworn. A nice find.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
April 1, 2019
My name is Fauna, and William and I accidentally released the stone toad under the castle. To make matters worse, it carried William away in its jaws! I've also learned a powerful wizard named Helagon has returned and wants to get his hands on something called the Black Stone. A strange team of friends has joined me, and we must figure out where the toad has taken William. I don't know how it's connected to Helagon, but rescuing William is our first priority. We must avoid the dangers found across the lands and young goblin mischiefs wearing red headbands. Goblins are naturally mischievous, but these rogues have run away from their parents and are being recruited by a mystery person. I fear I may be forced to reveal a great secret to my friends, but maybe I'll finally learn about my past.
I guess this book is the sequel to Goblins in the Castle, but the book cover didn't give any indication of that fact. I wish I'd read the first book, since it must have introduced how Fauna and William became friends of the goblins. The author created a strange collection of characters to assist Fauna. There was a large female warrior, an insecure, brave guard from the castle, a small goblin with great spunk, and a ghost thankful for doing something different. I wouldn't call this a laugh-out-loud book, but it definitely included humor. The warrior goblin was afflicted with a lisp and had an attitude. Igor wanted to impress her, but she constantly rebuked his efforts. An interesting twist resulted when Fauna tried on a necklace meant as a birthday gift for William and couldn't take it off. It allowed her to speak with animals and forced her to tell the truth. It also created a conflict for her, since she didn't want to admit the mistake to anyone else. The book shared a fun adventure with humor and a little mystery. It wasn't classic literature, but it was entertaining. Give it a shot if you're looking for something easy and enjoyable to read.
I guess this book is the sequel to Goblins in the Castle, but the book cover didn't give any indication of that fact. I wish I'd read the first book, since it must have introduced how Fauna and William became friends of the goblins. The author created a strange collection of characters to assist Fauna. There was a large female warrior, an insecure, brave guard from the castle, a small goblin with great spunk, and a ghost thankful for doing something different. I wouldn't call this a laugh-out-loud book, but it definitely included humor. The warrior goblin was afflicted with a lisp and had an attitude. Igor wanted to impress her, but she constantly rebuked his efforts. An interesting twist resulted when Fauna tried on a necklace meant as a birthday gift for William and couldn't take it off. It allowed her to speak with animals and forced her to tell the truth. It also created a conflict for her, since she didn't want to admit the mistake to anyone else. The book shared a fun adventure with humor and a little mystery. It wasn't classic literature, but it was entertaining. Give it a shot if you're looking for something easy and enjoyable to read.
May 11, 2023
Read-aloud with Aidan. I really enjoyed Goblins in the Castle as a child, and when reading to him, so when I saw there was a sequel, I wanted to order it. While this is okay, it is considerably more convoluted than the initial book, with a fairly detached/unrelated plot and so many characters that it becomes confusing. The first book pretty much made do with Igor, William, Fauna, and Herky as main characters. This at least triples that number.
And, the ending is neither particularly surprising or satisfying. The atmosphere of danger and mystery that was so carefully crafted in the first book is largely absent, and every chapter attempts to end in some sort of cliffhanger that eventually becomes eyeroll-inducing.
That said, Bwoonhilda is entertaining, and it's not without its moments.
And, the ending is neither particularly surprising or satisfying. The atmosphere of danger and mystery that was so carefully crafted in the first book is largely absent, and every chapter attempts to end in some sort of cliffhanger that eventually becomes eyeroll-inducing.
That said, Bwoonhilda is entertaining, and it's not without its moments.
May 5, 2016
Are you looking for a book for boys? Look no further. It's full of adventure and suspense with a dash of mildly crude humor thrown in for good measure. The world and the characters are great! Speaking of characters, I especially loved the stout warrior woman with a speech impediment. The way she talked throughout the stowy weminded me of the wedding officiant fwom The Pwincess Bwide. Classic if not necessarily original. But best of all, for me at least, is the fact that a very boy book has a young-but-not-so-young girl (you'll have to read the story to understand) as the main character. Fauna is every bit as courageous and strong as any male character in the story. That's a theme worthy to teach young people, especially boys. Though he'll probably never read this review, bravo, Mr Coville! Bravo!
July 10, 2015
Enjoyed the original many times decades ago, and this sequel did not disappoint. Engaging characters, fun plot. Very much hoping the author makes more in this series, with a much shorter wait this time!
April 12, 2020
Lovely Return!
I just still absolutely love his books. This was a beautiful return to this world. And I loved reading Fauna’s viewpoint.
I just still absolutely love his books. This was a beautiful return to this world. And I loved reading Fauna’s viewpoint.
September 8, 2015
The story: Fauna lives alone in a creepy forest to hide a secret. But she's not far enough away to keep the goblins from sniffing her out: they ransack her cottage looking for a mysterious black stone. When she goes to her friend William for help, she accidentally sets in motion a chain of events that brings statues to life, sends goblins on the warpath, and gets her only friend kidnapped. Can Fauna follow the trail of clues to set William free in time? Or will he spend eternity wandering the earth as a spirit?
NYP: coming in June 2015. June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence PG; sexual content G; nudity G; substance abuse PG; magic and the occult PG; adult themes G; overall rating PG.
Liz's comments: I really liked this one--enough that I'm hoping they'll reissue the original "Goblins in the Castle" after 20 years so I can see what happened in the first installment! Coville has a deft hand with fantasy, and always has a joke that will give the younger crowd a laugh. Sadly, probably best for grades 3-6, but it will still find a place in my middle school library.
ANNOTATION WITH SPOILERS:
Fauna lives alone in a cottage in the woods. Last year, she and William enjoyed an adventure (recounted in the original "Goblins in the Castle"; this story works just fine as a stand-alone, though) that freed the goblins (who are generally good guys in this story) from a century of servitude at Toad-in-a-Cage Castle, where William lives with The Baron. She arrives home to find goblins wearing red headbands searching her cabin and yelling about "Blackstone". The same day, Igor from the Castle (hunchback and all) brings an invitation to a feast celebrating the anniversary of Goblin Freedom Day. Going to see Granny Pinchbottom for a gift, she receives Solomon's Collar for William, which will allow him to communicate with animals, and Sleep Walk for herself (which will allow her spirit to leave her body and walk around in secret, as needed). She also gets some "Restore Life" blue goo that will keep someone from dying for the time being. Fauna wants to try the collar for herself; slipping it on, she immediately finds out she can't get it OFF: but it does work as advertised, anyway. Looks like William is going to end up with the potion to commemorate his freeing of the goblins last year.
Rather embarrassed, she heads for the party at the castle; when she arrives, we meet Hulda, the castle's housekeeper, The Baron, who runs the place; Karl, the handsome young librarian; and Herky, William's pet little goblin who causes a lot of mischief, including jumping out of the celebration cake at dinner. In the Castle's great hall is the giant stone toad inside a metal cage that gives the castle its name. When Fauna arrives, the Baron, Karl and William are discussing a book that Igor has placed in the library (although he can't remember where it came from). Karl thinks the book could be dangerous and asks the kids not to mess with it, which of course means that as soon as everyone's in bed, they sneak downstairs to do just that. After dinner, the kids manage to hear about the Baron's long-lost sister Gertrude, and find a ghost (Werdolphus) who tells them about the woman who brought the book: her name is Sophronia, she visits the Baron once a year and then stands by the stone toad's cage to cry. Curious, the kids open the book and chant a spell that (first) opens a secret compartment underneath the toad's stone perch, where Fauna finds a mirror-sized polished plate; next, the giant toad comes to life and, immediately seizing William in its mouth, hops away with him. Herky immediately gives chase.
By now, everyone is the castle is awake, and they come to the scene of the toad's disappearance to find the words "Beware of Helagon" written in stone underneath the place where the giant toad stood all those years. As soon as the Baron sees them, he's overcome by a magic sleep that looks like it's going to kill him--until Fauna remembers the "Restore Life" goo she got from Granny, and feeds it to him. His color gets better, but the Baron still doesn't wake up: clearly, this is a magic sleep, and no one knows how to bring him out of it. At this moment in time, Herky returns with Bwoonhiwda, the queen's warrior emissary, in tow. (Yes, it's Brunhilda with a lisp. She's hilarious, although you wonder if kids will get the joke.) Igor suggests going to see Bonecracker John, a giant who's lived in the area forever and who might have an idea who/what the stone toad really was and how to awaken the Baron. A rescue party is quickly put together: Fauna, Bwoonhiwda, Igor, Herky, and Werdolphus to go back and forth between the castle and the rescuers. In order to establish a link between the castle and wherever the rescuers are so Werdolphus can go between both places, Bwoonhiwda ties up the small cannonball that killed him in one of her very nearly floor-length braids, and another handy rock in the other side as a counterbalance. They spend a long day chasing through swamps and all around, trying to follow the toad's footprints, but don't have much success until William uses the Sleep Walk potion and appears to tell them that he's been stashed somewhere underground. Everyone agrees this means...the Goblin Kingdom of Nilbog. Igor suggests that they go to see the giant, Bonecracker John, to see if he can help them.
John tells them the story of his cousin Harry, who lived close to and protected the village where William's ancestor Will Smith lived long ago. When Harry made one mistake too many, the mayor sent him away--a big mistake, because an evil wizard who also lived close by was then able to move in on the village and demand tribute from all the villagers. He demanded more, and more, and more, until everyone was nearly penniless. The wizard threatened that if the villagers didn't produce, he'd turn them all to stone toads. When Will Smith heard this, he ran for Harry, living on a hill far away, and the giant (right in the middle of shaving, with a shaving mirror attached to him by a leather thong) came bounding away with shaving cream still on his face--arriving just in time to use the mirror to deflect the wizard's spell, which bounced off it back onto the wizard, turning him first into a toad, and then into stone.
The rumor surfaced later that the wizard had been seeking the Black Stone of Borea, supposedly hidden in the village, and kept demanding until it turned up--but he was petrified before he was able to use it. Bonecracker John warns that now the toad has been brought to life, it may just be a matter of time before he turns back into the wizard and continues the hunt for the stone. The stone is worrisome because it sucks the power right out of weaker practitioners of magic but allows the mighty to channel the stolen power into themselves. When the kids bring up the name of Helagon, John says he's just the sort of wizard who would be able to steal and then absorb others' magical power by using the stone. It's imperative that they find it before Helagon does.
John admits to having not only a way to contact the goblin kingdom, but an actual entrance to it in the back of his cave. He sets the searchers on the path; shortly after, they run into the lindlings: the last living relatives of dragons, they are the size of your forearm, round like a snake, but with four legs and wings. Because of Solomon's Collar, Fauna is able to communicate with Sterngrim, who finds them and keeps them from getting attacked by the flock. Sterngrim accompanies them to the Goblin kingdom, where they're blocked by a stone troll who guards the entrance. He eventually agrees to let them enter, but warns that things are not well in goblin lands. He suggests they go to visit the kooky goblin Flegmire (the only goblin not imprisoned in Toad-in-a-Cage Castle for that hundred years, and so slightly crazy) to get more information about where William may be hidden. They run into a company of the king's guard first, though, and so end up meeting with Nidrash before going to find Flegmire. At this point, William shows up in spirit form for an exchange of information; the king mentions that down in the dungeons is a woman who knows a great deal about the stone toad, so they all go to chat with her. Surprise! She's Sophronia, the one who brought the magic book to the castle; who visited the stone toad and cried each year, and who turns out to be married to it--or rather, to the man who became the stone toad. Turns out the stone toad wasn't Helagon after all; that her husband Edrick was petrified while holding the black stone in his hand, in order to keep Helagon from getting it. William's ancestor Will Smith played an important role in getting the giant Harry down to the village with his reflecting mirror at the correct time, and all of them were in on the plan. The Stone Toad was delivered to Toad-in-a-Cage Castle for safekeeping, where Sophronia visited it once a year for the past 75 years. Only Will Smith (or at this point, one of his direct descendants) would be able to undo the spell and return the toad to life--and William has already accidentally accomplished this. Yay! But the transformation back to his human form isn't complete, and to do it, they'll need the mirror and the book, which are both at the castle. Boo! But Werdolphus is dispatched to tell Karl all about it, and the rest of them go to find Flegmire.
Flegmire is willing to trade information for a good secret, so Werdolphus comes up with the info about how he REALLY died, which convinces her to "roll the bones" (real ones!) for directions about what to do next. They're directed to look in the cave pool--but she'll only do that if she gets another secret. So this time, Fauna has to come out with the piece of info no one knows about her: she's been the same age for more than 70 years. She never gets older, so she has to keep moving from place to place so people won't think she's a witch. Their look into the pool shows them Helagon demanding that the Toad (now talking) tell him where the Black Stone is.
It's time for William to return to his body, because if he doesn't get back into it within a 2-hour time period, he'll be stranded in spirit limbo forever. However, when he tries, he realizes that Helagon has locked him out. Now what?!?
Flegmire gives them directions, Sterngrim offers to distract Helagon; when a group of Helagon's red-headband goblins attack, they're repulsed by the king's guards; and the Black Stone of Borea turns out to have been in Bwoonhiwda's braid all the time, acting as a counterbalance to Werdolphus's cannonball. Fauna grabs it; Helagon sees that Solomon's Collar is also working to counterbalance his magic, so he offers to make a deal with Fauna, to tell her about her origins and family in return for her help. She's tempted, but doesn't give in; screaming at Helagon to go back to the Pit of Thogmoth from whence he came, somehow her words are fulfilled: the power of the black stone, which she's holding, combines with that of Solomon's Collar, and Helagon is sent down into the pit. They then use the "Restore Life" blue goo, as well as Solomon's Collar, to return William's spirit to his body.
Another refracted spell returns the toad to his human form, and he explains that he and Sophronia have to take the Black Stone to an alternate world to keep Helagon from obtaining and using it in the future. They make their departure, but not before Fauna remembers the mysterious happenings from her past: she is the Baron's long-lost sister Gertrude, who was trapped in backwash from the original spell cast over the toad more than 70 years ago. Now that the spell has snapped, she will start to age once again. So--looks like Fauna/Gertrude will be moving into the castle with the Baron and William (and maybe changing her name???). Yay!
NYP: coming in June 2015. June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence PG; sexual content G; nudity G; substance abuse PG; magic and the occult PG; adult themes G; overall rating PG.
Liz's comments: I really liked this one--enough that I'm hoping they'll reissue the original "Goblins in the Castle" after 20 years so I can see what happened in the first installment! Coville has a deft hand with fantasy, and always has a joke that will give the younger crowd a laugh. Sadly, probably best for grades 3-6, but it will still find a place in my middle school library.
ANNOTATION WITH SPOILERS:
Fauna lives alone in a cottage in the woods. Last year, she and William enjoyed an adventure (recounted in the original "Goblins in the Castle"; this story works just fine as a stand-alone, though) that freed the goblins (who are generally good guys in this story) from a century of servitude at Toad-in-a-Cage Castle, where William lives with The Baron. She arrives home to find goblins wearing red headbands searching her cabin and yelling about "Blackstone". The same day, Igor from the Castle (hunchback and all) brings an invitation to a feast celebrating the anniversary of Goblin Freedom Day. Going to see Granny Pinchbottom for a gift, she receives Solomon's Collar for William, which will allow him to communicate with animals, and Sleep Walk for herself (which will allow her spirit to leave her body and walk around in secret, as needed). She also gets some "Restore Life" blue goo that will keep someone from dying for the time being. Fauna wants to try the collar for herself; slipping it on, she immediately finds out she can't get it OFF: but it does work as advertised, anyway. Looks like William is going to end up with the potion to commemorate his freeing of the goblins last year.
Rather embarrassed, she heads for the party at the castle; when she arrives, we meet Hulda, the castle's housekeeper, The Baron, who runs the place; Karl, the handsome young librarian; and Herky, William's pet little goblin who causes a lot of mischief, including jumping out of the celebration cake at dinner. In the Castle's great hall is the giant stone toad inside a metal cage that gives the castle its name. When Fauna arrives, the Baron, Karl and William are discussing a book that Igor has placed in the library (although he can't remember where it came from). Karl thinks the book could be dangerous and asks the kids not to mess with it, which of course means that as soon as everyone's in bed, they sneak downstairs to do just that. After dinner, the kids manage to hear about the Baron's long-lost sister Gertrude, and find a ghost (Werdolphus) who tells them about the woman who brought the book: her name is Sophronia, she visits the Baron once a year and then stands by the stone toad's cage to cry. Curious, the kids open the book and chant a spell that (first) opens a secret compartment underneath the toad's stone perch, where Fauna finds a mirror-sized polished plate; next, the giant toad comes to life and, immediately seizing William in its mouth, hops away with him. Herky immediately gives chase.
By now, everyone is the castle is awake, and they come to the scene of the toad's disappearance to find the words "Beware of Helagon" written in stone underneath the place where the giant toad stood all those years. As soon as the Baron sees them, he's overcome by a magic sleep that looks like it's going to kill him--until Fauna remembers the "Restore Life" goo she got from Granny, and feeds it to him. His color gets better, but the Baron still doesn't wake up: clearly, this is a magic sleep, and no one knows how to bring him out of it. At this moment in time, Herky returns with Bwoonhiwda, the queen's warrior emissary, in tow. (Yes, it's Brunhilda with a lisp. She's hilarious, although you wonder if kids will get the joke.) Igor suggests going to see Bonecracker John, a giant who's lived in the area forever and who might have an idea who/what the stone toad really was and how to awaken the Baron. A rescue party is quickly put together: Fauna, Bwoonhiwda, Igor, Herky, and Werdolphus to go back and forth between the castle and the rescuers. In order to establish a link between the castle and wherever the rescuers are so Werdolphus can go between both places, Bwoonhiwda ties up the small cannonball that killed him in one of her very nearly floor-length braids, and another handy rock in the other side as a counterbalance. They spend a long day chasing through swamps and all around, trying to follow the toad's footprints, but don't have much success until William uses the Sleep Walk potion and appears to tell them that he's been stashed somewhere underground. Everyone agrees this means...the Goblin Kingdom of Nilbog. Igor suggests that they go to see the giant, Bonecracker John, to see if he can help them.
John tells them the story of his cousin Harry, who lived close to and protected the village where William's ancestor Will Smith lived long ago. When Harry made one mistake too many, the mayor sent him away--a big mistake, because an evil wizard who also lived close by was then able to move in on the village and demand tribute from all the villagers. He demanded more, and more, and more, until everyone was nearly penniless. The wizard threatened that if the villagers didn't produce, he'd turn them all to stone toads. When Will Smith heard this, he ran for Harry, living on a hill far away, and the giant (right in the middle of shaving, with a shaving mirror attached to him by a leather thong) came bounding away with shaving cream still on his face--arriving just in time to use the mirror to deflect the wizard's spell, which bounced off it back onto the wizard, turning him first into a toad, and then into stone.
The rumor surfaced later that the wizard had been seeking the Black Stone of Borea, supposedly hidden in the village, and kept demanding until it turned up--but he was petrified before he was able to use it. Bonecracker John warns that now the toad has been brought to life, it may just be a matter of time before he turns back into the wizard and continues the hunt for the stone. The stone is worrisome because it sucks the power right out of weaker practitioners of magic but allows the mighty to channel the stolen power into themselves. When the kids bring up the name of Helagon, John says he's just the sort of wizard who would be able to steal and then absorb others' magical power by using the stone. It's imperative that they find it before Helagon does.
John admits to having not only a way to contact the goblin kingdom, but an actual entrance to it in the back of his cave. He sets the searchers on the path; shortly after, they run into the lindlings: the last living relatives of dragons, they are the size of your forearm, round like a snake, but with four legs and wings. Because of Solomon's Collar, Fauna is able to communicate with Sterngrim, who finds them and keeps them from getting attacked by the flock. Sterngrim accompanies them to the Goblin kingdom, where they're blocked by a stone troll who guards the entrance. He eventually agrees to let them enter, but warns that things are not well in goblin lands. He suggests they go to visit the kooky goblin Flegmire (the only goblin not imprisoned in Toad-in-a-Cage Castle for that hundred years, and so slightly crazy) to get more information about where William may be hidden. They run into a company of the king's guard first, though, and so end up meeting with Nidrash before going to find Flegmire. At this point, William shows up in spirit form for an exchange of information; the king mentions that down in the dungeons is a woman who knows a great deal about the stone toad, so they all go to chat with her. Surprise! She's Sophronia, the one who brought the magic book to the castle; who visited the stone toad and cried each year, and who turns out to be married to it--or rather, to the man who became the stone toad. Turns out the stone toad wasn't Helagon after all; that her husband Edrick was petrified while holding the black stone in his hand, in order to keep Helagon from getting it. William's ancestor Will Smith played an important role in getting the giant Harry down to the village with his reflecting mirror at the correct time, and all of them were in on the plan. The Stone Toad was delivered to Toad-in-a-Cage Castle for safekeeping, where Sophronia visited it once a year for the past 75 years. Only Will Smith (or at this point, one of his direct descendants) would be able to undo the spell and return the toad to life--and William has already accidentally accomplished this. Yay! But the transformation back to his human form isn't complete, and to do it, they'll need the mirror and the book, which are both at the castle. Boo! But Werdolphus is dispatched to tell Karl all about it, and the rest of them go to find Flegmire.
Flegmire is willing to trade information for a good secret, so Werdolphus comes up with the info about how he REALLY died, which convinces her to "roll the bones" (real ones!) for directions about what to do next. They're directed to look in the cave pool--but she'll only do that if she gets another secret. So this time, Fauna has to come out with the piece of info no one knows about her: she's been the same age for more than 70 years. She never gets older, so she has to keep moving from place to place so people won't think she's a witch. Their look into the pool shows them Helagon demanding that the Toad (now talking) tell him where the Black Stone is.
It's time for William to return to his body, because if he doesn't get back into it within a 2-hour time period, he'll be stranded in spirit limbo forever. However, when he tries, he realizes that Helagon has locked him out. Now what?!?
Flegmire gives them directions, Sterngrim offers to distract Helagon; when a group of Helagon's red-headband goblins attack, they're repulsed by the king's guards; and the Black Stone of Borea turns out to have been in Bwoonhiwda's braid all the time, acting as a counterbalance to Werdolphus's cannonball. Fauna grabs it; Helagon sees that Solomon's Collar is also working to counterbalance his magic, so he offers to make a deal with Fauna, to tell her about her origins and family in return for her help. She's tempted, but doesn't give in; screaming at Helagon to go back to the Pit of Thogmoth from whence he came, somehow her words are fulfilled: the power of the black stone, which she's holding, combines with that of Solomon's Collar, and Helagon is sent down into the pit. They then use the "Restore Life" blue goo, as well as Solomon's Collar, to return William's spirit to his body.
Another refracted spell returns the toad to his human form, and he explains that he and Sophronia have to take the Black Stone to an alternate world to keep Helagon from obtaining and using it in the future. They make their departure, but not before Fauna remembers the mysterious happenings from her past: she is the Baron's long-lost sister Gertrude, who was trapped in backwash from the original spell cast over the toad more than 70 years ago. Now that the spell has snapped, she will start to age once again. So--looks like Fauna/Gertrude will be moving into the castle with the Baron and William (and maybe changing her name???). Yay!
March 3, 2019
At the time of writing this, my oldest daughter, Pepper is 8 years old. I have read to her, every night since she was a baby, and I have been reading chapter books to her for years. Below is a list of the books I have read to her, besides the Harry Potter Novels (we finished Half Blood Prince, recently). The list is in order, from favorite to least favorite.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
School for good and Evil
The Dollhouse Murders
School for Good and Evil: A World without princes
Tales of a Fourth grade Nothing
Bunnicula
Beezus and Ramona
The Girl with the Silver Eyes
Ramona The pest
Black Beauty
A Princess of Landover
Howliday Inn
Pippi Longstocking
Harriet the Spy
Why am I telling you this? Well, I am just keeping this list going, as a record of what we have read BUT I also want to show you where I would rank 'Goblins on the Prowl'. For my own personal enjoyment, I would put it under 'Black Beauty' and just above 'A Princess of Landover'.
It was a fun book, clearly leading to the humorous side over the serious side of High fantasy. I really enjoyed Coville's 'My teacher is an alien', when I was around my daughter's age. I am glad I gave this one a shot. I think, one day, we might try the book that preceded it 'Goblins in the Castle'.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
School for good and Evil
The Dollhouse Murders
School for Good and Evil: A World without princes
Tales of a Fourth grade Nothing
Bunnicula
Beezus and Ramona
The Girl with the Silver Eyes
Ramona The pest
Black Beauty
A Princess of Landover
Howliday Inn
Pippi Longstocking
Harriet the Spy
Why am I telling you this? Well, I am just keeping this list going, as a record of what we have read BUT I also want to show you where I would rank 'Goblins on the Prowl'. For my own personal enjoyment, I would put it under 'Black Beauty' and just above 'A Princess of Landover'.
It was a fun book, clearly leading to the humorous side over the serious side of High fantasy. I really enjoyed Coville's 'My teacher is an alien', when I was around my daughter's age. I am glad I gave this one a shot. I think, one day, we might try the book that preceded it 'Goblins in the Castle'.
July 12, 2025
Goblins in the Castle is special because it feels strange, kind of spooky and dark but in a fairy-tale way. There are very few characters, and everything seems to happen in dark, small spaces, hidden passages and secret caves. Origins are unexplained, people just are what they are, so it seems timeless. Those gaps in our knowledge make things seem more real, more serious. The book is about wildness, but it's kind of a darker, intense joy, full of edges.
Goblins on the Prowl is a fairly generic comedic fantasy with too many characters, all of whom show up at the same time through sheer happenstance, with everything tied up in a bow by the end. It's too much and not enough. It's probably fine as a light fantasy for kids, but calling it a sequel to Goblins in the Castle only makes it seem flimsier in comparison.
Goblins on the Prowl is a fairly generic comedic fantasy with too many characters, all of whom show up at the same time through sheer happenstance, with everything tied up in a bow by the end. It's too much and not enough. It's probably fine as a light fantasy for kids, but calling it a sequel to Goblins in the Castle only makes it seem flimsier in comparison.
July 6, 2020
Just more feminist propaganda. All the strong characters are women, and most of the male characters are either buffoons or power-hungry.
The whole “women are just as strong as men, and women don’t need to be saved by men” was constantly bashed over the reader’s head. It got old, really fast.
The title is slightly misleading. This book doesn’t have all that much to do with the Goblins.
Reminiscent of Harry Potter in many chapters. Helagon is similar to Voldemort. The protagonist has to make the choice to either work with him or against it. It’s our choices that make us who we are. Also a strong focus on the evil of lies. Overall a good message, just could’ve done better without the obvious feminist agenda thrown in.
The whole “women are just as strong as men, and women don’t need to be saved by men” was constantly bashed over the reader’s head. It got old, really fast.
The title is slightly misleading. This book doesn’t have all that much to do with the Goblins.
Reminiscent of Harry Potter in many chapters. Helagon is similar to Voldemort. The protagonist has to make the choice to either work with him or against it. It’s our choices that make us who we are. Also a strong focus on the evil of lies. Overall a good message, just could’ve done better without the obvious feminist agenda thrown in.
May 26, 2025
I'm biased, the first book has nostalgia for me since it was something read to me at a young age. Still, William's perspective is much more interesting and mysterious in that book. By comparison Fauna seems really bland and uninteresting and that's a side-effect of her plot: she can't reveal to us her big secret! This may be fun for kids but I found it as an adult it made her a boring read. The 1st grade level humor also wore a bit thin on me. Only occasionally did the narrative fall into "Bwoonhiwda", Igor, Herky or Werdolphius trying to out-Jar Jar Binks one another. The first book certainly never felt as silly as this one, even when it was being silly.
30 years after the first book, is it the sequel we never knew we needed? Not quite. But it has its moments too I suppose.
30 years after the first book, is it the sequel we never knew we needed? Not quite. But it has its moments too I suppose.
August 28, 2022
This book was very different than the first. I enjoyed hearing Fauna's voice, and the action kept the story going. I also liked that she had a secret which wasn't revealed until the end. Although perhaps not quite as good as the first book, there was something deeply satisfying about this story. I do recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the first book, and I look forward to reading The Foolish Giant.
November 5, 2018
It was a really funny book. I enjoyed read it alot. Yeah i still read books that are in the childrens section. Alot of these are great fun to read. I enjoyed this book alot. Didnt know there was more. Going to have to start looking.
November 18, 2017
Fun, quick read. Very enjoyable with a good story line.
March 12, 2020
There are entirely too few goblins! This book features boring human protagonists who tolerate one goblin while being tangentially involved with others. 👾
November 12, 2024
4.5 stars
Haven't read a full Coville story in awhile, and I found that I still really enjoy his story telling.
Haven't read a full Coville story in awhile, and I found that I still really enjoy his story telling.
July 10, 2025
Loved this book when I was younger
September 7, 2015
This is a sequel to Covilles Goblins in the Castle which was published twenty years ago. I'd say that it picks up where the previous book left off, but the previous book actually came to a good conclusion and didn't really "leave off". So, the story line in this sequel feels a bit contrived, and the story doesn't flow as well as in Goblins in the Castle.
This story is told from the perspective of Fauna, who was a supporting character in the first book. I appreciate the switch (since William's story was fairly complete), and I like getting into the head of another character. She is given an interesting backstory, nicely interwoven into the setting and the other characters.
I think that the book starts on a strong note, but quickly falls a bit silly. I like the scene that kicks off the action, and Coville wrote a dramatic conclusion that helps balance the silly in the middle, but I felt that there is too much "and then this happened, and then THIS happened, and you won't believe what came next!" that doesn't really build up the story.
I'm pleased that Coville decided to revisit the world of Goblins in the Castle, and I think there's room for yet more exploration in that world. I kinda wish that I could go back twenty years and actually get a perspective on this story as a kid; I'll have to try to get that vicariously over the next few years.
This story is told from the perspective of Fauna, who was a supporting character in the first book. I appreciate the switch (since William's story was fairly complete), and I like getting into the head of another character. She is given an interesting backstory, nicely interwoven into the setting and the other characters.
I think that the book starts on a strong note, but quickly falls a bit silly. I like the scene that kicks off the action, and Coville wrote a dramatic conclusion that helps balance the silly in the middle, but I felt that there is too much "and then this happened, and then THIS happened, and you won't believe what came next!" that doesn't really build up the story.
I'm pleased that Coville decided to revisit the world of Goblins in the Castle, and I think there's room for yet more exploration in that world. I kinda wish that I could go back twenty years and actually get a perspective on this story as a kid; I'll have to try to get that vicariously over the next few years.
March 1, 2024
When William and Fauna left Nilbog, the underground home of the goblins, they understood that the goblins were staying put for a while to recover from their past experiences above ground. Then, a small band of rogue goblins searches Fauna’s cottage for a magical object wanted by the evil Helagon. On the eve of the Baron’s party to celebrate the one year anniversary of the goblin’s liberation, William receives a book from a mysterious lady. Karl, the Baron’s librarian, thinks the book may be dangerous and puts it under lock and key, but William’s curiosity gets the best of him. He finds the book and begins reading about placing five candles around the toad’s cage in a star shape and walking widdershins (counter-clockwise) three times around it. Then, Fauna accidentally opens a drawer in the cage’s pedestal, and William utters the words, “Bufo anima.” Before either of them can react, the toad becomes an animate stone object that grabs William and carries him out of the castle. Now, it is Fauna’s turn to assemble a strange group of characters to rescue her friend and find out how Helagon figures into this new misadventure.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com
November 27, 2015
Despite the 20 years between books, it felt like the first book was a mere set up for this one. I honestly didn't expect much from this book. I thought it would just be a book set in the same place but have little or nothing to do with the first one. I reread the first one just to see how much this one would have to do with it. Turns out it was a good thing I refreshed my memory. Goblins on the Prowl builds nicely off of Goblins in the Castle and opens this fantasy world up a bit more. I have a really hard time believing Bruce Coville didn't plan these two books at the same time, but the gap in years, and the authors afterword, suggest he did no such thing. For me this second book was much better. It had better characters, a better plot, and a fantastic ending. I hope he doesn't wait another 20 years before writing another book in this world. There are still unanswered questions to explore.
October 10, 2015
A sequel to the Goblins in the Castle (1992). The story begins a year after Goblins in the Castle, with friends, William and Fauna, experimenting with William's magical gifts, followed by humorous mayhem including a stone toad. Not much character development (maybe because this is a sequel), but plenty of action, although the plot is convoluted and downright silly at times. However readers who appreciate Coville will also enjoy this story. I was surprised how this book connected with Coville's first book and one of my favorites, The Foolish Giant which introduces the stone toad. A humorous fantasy adventure for middle grade readers.
January 5, 2017
Goblins on the Prowl
Written 20 years after Goblins in the Castle and full of surprises, including Fauna as the primary character, working to find and save William.
I finished Bruce Coville's GOBLINS ON THE PROWL before bed, staying up a bit late, but knowing I'd sleep better with all the delicious twists and turns figured out. Most magical "spell" of all proved to be, "He(she) is my FRIEND." Good lesson. <3
Written 20 years after Goblins in the Castle and full of surprises, including Fauna as the primary character, working to find and save William.
I finished Bruce Coville's GOBLINS ON THE PROWL before bed, staying up a bit late, but knowing I'd sleep better with all the delicious twists and turns figured out. Most magical "spell" of all proved to be, "He(she) is my FRIEND." Good lesson. <3
November 9, 2015
Bruce Coville returns to Toad in a Cage Castle to renew the stories of the crazy characters who live there. Despite the humor and mystery of the story Coville manages to weave in a few lessons about lying and friendship. The book is a faster read than its size suggests. Third graders would enjoy it if you can get one to try a 260-page book.
Recommended for grades 3-5.
Recommended for grades 3-5.
June 6, 2018
megan spring reading 2018
February 11, 2016
cute!!!! well worth reading
August 15, 2024
This is a great sequel and I like having fauna as the main character and I wish I could talk to animals. I wish he would write another one!
Read
February 7, 2018The six year old to whom I gifted Goblins in the Castle asked for this follow-up, thus we found ourselves in Goblins on the Prowl. The main characters from the first all make an appearance though the focus shifts from William to Fauna. It is a longer book and feels a lot less focused. There are a lot of new additions to the cast - far more than were introduced in the last volume - and the plot kept producing new and unanticipated (and unprepared for) developments, histories, abilities, and creatures. One cannot read this and believe the Coville was working from an outline. This was a write-it-as-you-go and make-it-fit kind of book where things got thrown in and justified as the tale moved along. The humor was much more puerile than in the last volume. Coville seemed to look for opportunities to affix "butt-" to the front of other nouns to create new buttwords (though inspired, that one is my own!). Fart jokes and fingers up noses supply more of the humor here, and I longed for the base-but-not-crude comedy of the original. This was really a mess of a book, the child listener far less interested in the new characters or the new adventure and mostly enjoying the connections between and memories of the original. It wasn't awful, but it made the first volume seem quite good in comparison (and that was a below-average children's book). I don't think we'll read anything more from Bruce Coville.
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