Reading Metrics
Description
When an irritable Irish goblin named Gibblewort tires of the endless rain at home, he packs his bags and heads to sunny Australia. At first he revels in the dry climate, but his luck quickly sours when the local wildlife and plants turn the tables on his expectations. After a series of mishaps, Gibblewort decides the safest place is back in Ireland only to find his fellow goblins less than welcoming.
Quick Summary
If your kid likes stories about grumpy little creatures getting into silly situations, Gibblewort is their kind of goblin. He's so fed up with Ireland's endless rain that he zaps himself all the way to Australia only to discover that the plants and animals there don't exactly roll out the welcome mat. Things go hilariously wrong when this grumpy Irish imp tangles with Australian wildlife he completely doesn't understand, and watching his annoyed reactions to everything from snakes to strange plants makes for genuinely funny moments. At just over 1,700 words with an AR level of 3.7, it's a quick, satisfying read that won't intimidate developing readers, yet has enough clever humor that even strong readers in this age range will get a kick out of it. Parents will probably appreciate that it sneaks in a little bit of Australian geography and wildlife without feeling like a lesson, and while Gibblewort has a bit of a temper, the tone stays light and silly rather than truly scary. Fans of hilariously grumpy characters like Junie B. Jones or Mercy Watson will probably want to meet this little goblin next.