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Ginny Goblin Is Not Allowed to Open This Box
Ginny Goblin is not allowed to open this box, but stillshe persists in this action-packed, laugh-out-loud debut for fans of Jon Klassen and Mo Willems.
GINNY GOBLIN IS NOT ALLOWED TO OPEN THIS BOX is the story of . . . well, there’s a box, and Ginny Goblin is not allowed to open it. But oh, how she will try! Ninja suits, catapults, scaly serpents, motorcycles—Ginny will stop at nothing and she’ll make readers giggle and cheer from beginning to end.
Ginny Goblin has one simple rule to follow: She is not allowed to open this box. Not until dinnertime.But Ginny Goblin doesn't like to follow the rules, so nothing will stop her from trying to open this box. Not a tall tower, not a misty mountain, not a frightful forest, and certainly not a murky moat filled with scaly, scary serpents . . .But wait! What is in the box? You'll have to open thisbook to find out! (Don't worry, you're allowed.)
GINNY GOBLIN IS NOT ALLOWED TO OPEN THIS BOX is the story of . . . well, there’s a box, and Ginny Goblin is not allowed to open it. But oh, how she will try! Ninja suits, catapults, scaly serpents, motorcycles—Ginny will stop at nothing and she’ll make readers giggle and cheer from beginning to end.
Ginny Goblin has one simple rule to follow: She is not allowed to open this box. Not until dinnertime.But Ginny Goblin doesn't like to follow the rules, so nothing will stop her from trying to open this box. Not a tall tower, not a misty mountain, not a frightful forest, and certainly not a murky moat filled with scaly, scary serpents . . .But wait! What is in the box? You'll have to open thisbook to find out! (Don't worry, you're allowed.)
40 pages, Hardcover
Published July 17, 2018
4 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
September 23, 2018
Oh, I love a twist. And the more creative and extended, the better. And Ginny Goblin takes twisty and creative to a new level (think really tall ladders and catapults). Ginny is cheerfully mischievous and charmingly quirky. I love her little pointy ears, which convey emotion almost as well as her bright eyes and mobile mouth. This is such a fun read-aloud. Once again, I wielded my managerial prerogative and made a colleague sit while I read the book to her. (I’m pretty sure this isn’t prohibited in our personnel manual, but I don’t really want to check too closely.)
December 5, 2019
A charmer. Sure fire read that will bring laughter and rereads. Ginny Goblin has been told by her mom - we assume it's her mom - that she can not open the box until dinner time. Ginny's imagination goes into overplay on how she could defy dramatic odds in her quest to open the box. With fun dialog and lively graphics Ginny brings the reader on an exciting adventure of stealth, persistence, and humor. Zippy ending. Goodner's fine portrayal of a young one's spunky determination that can abruptly change focus adds genuine heart to the book. I highly recommend this picture book for story time and lap reads for ages 3 to 8. Also a fun story starter for a second grade creative writing assignment. Children can create their own version - can not open the box or another challenge - i.e. climb the tree until .....
July 30, 2018
Ginny Goblin Is Not Allowed to Open This Box is a cute story about patience (and a bit of determination) that is perfect for a fun read-aloud with a group or 1:1.
October 14, 2023
Ginny Goblin 🤝 Violet
November 1, 2018
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This book is so ridiculous... and I loved ever page of it. A perfect book for fans of Mo Willems and the like, this is a wonderfully entertaining read.
As the title states, Ginny Goblin is not allowed to open this box. But she really, really wants to and will do just about anything to find out what is inside (including building a catapult and battling sea serpents). I love that she thinks outside the box, as it were. Great story and great pictures.
There is also a lot that can be discussed about the book such as safe/dangerous issues and ways to problem-solve. Hilarious read that can also be educational.
And the ending is just perfect.
This book is so ridiculous... and I loved ever page of it. A perfect book for fans of Mo Willems and the like, this is a wonderfully entertaining read.
As the title states, Ginny Goblin is not allowed to open this box. But she really, really wants to and will do just about anything to find out what is inside (including building a catapult and battling sea serpents). I love that she thinks outside the box, as it were. Great story and great pictures.
There is also a lot that can be discussed about the book such as safe/dangerous issues and ways to problem-solve. Hilarious read that can also be educational.
And the ending is just perfect.
February 25, 2019
Ginny Goblin Is Not Allowed to Open this Box by David Goodner, illustrated by Louis Thomas. PICTURE BOOK. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018. $18.
9780544764156
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) � ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Ginny Goblin goes to great lengths to reach the box that she isn’t allowed to open until dinnertime. She wants it so much, and WE start to wonder what is inside. But no one knows, not until dinnertime.
A cute, green goblin with hairy-legged, green goblin parents is out to discover the contents of a surprise box. Who can guess, given the available apparatus, what her ingenious plan will be? Like Ginny, never stop trying. Endurance pays off.
M. Kijek, Library Teacher
9780544764156
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) � ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Ginny Goblin goes to great lengths to reach the box that she isn’t allowed to open until dinnertime. She wants it so much, and WE start to wonder what is inside. But no one knows, not until dinnertime.
A cute, green goblin with hairy-legged, green goblin parents is out to discover the contents of a surprise box. Who can guess, given the available apparatus, what her ingenious plan will be? Like Ginny, never stop trying. Endurance pays off.
M. Kijek, Library Teacher
September 17, 2023
Ginny, who happens to be a goblin, has something in common with most human toddlers. When she's told she is NOT allowed to open one particular box, guess what?
Guess what becomes (for a while at least) the sole purpose of her life? You guessed! Amazing.
The ending is supposed to be cute and funny. The story aims at suspense, to be followed by a hilarious ending.
No doubt the intended readers find all this to be wonderful. Personally, my reaction is that the text is heavy handed and even, sometimes, downright manipulative.
But I'm giving my rating from the perspective of the intended audience. Sure, these goblin enthusiasts won't be satisfied with anything lower than this FIVE STAR rating.
Guess what becomes (for a while at least) the sole purpose of her life? You guessed! Amazing.
The ending is supposed to be cute and funny. The story aims at suspense, to be followed by a hilarious ending.
No doubt the intended readers find all this to be wonderful. Personally, my reaction is that the text is heavy handed and even, sometimes, downright manipulative.
But I'm giving my rating from the perspective of the intended audience. Sure, these goblin enthusiasts won't be satisfied with anything lower than this FIVE STAR rating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2022
This is a very cute little book. Ginny's dessert is a box she's not allowed to open until after dinner. The narrator goes through a list of ridiculous things Ginny isn't allowed to do (mountains, catapults, goats, and snakes are involved). In the end, Ginny washes her hands, eats dinner, and opens her box with her cake.
This book got 4 stars because it did a great job building tension and getting belly laughs out of my preschooler and kindergartener. It's a great silly read-a-loud book. Both kids were yelling "Noooooo! She's not allowed!"
Definitely worth checking out.
This book got 4 stars because it did a great job building tension and getting belly laughs out of my preschooler and kindergartener. It's a great silly read-a-loud book. Both kids were yelling "Noooooo! She's not allowed!"
Definitely worth checking out.
November 8, 2018
My 4 year-old and I read this book together. He liked Ginny a lot and laughed at the lengths that she went to in order to try to get to the box. We were able to talk about how hard it can be to wait for something that we really want (like opening the box) and whether her parents only showed her the cake to get her to eat her peas (he rolled his eyes and sighed at that one). Overall, a great picture book with adorable pictures that also tells a story about patience in a silly way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2019
Ginny Goblin isn't allowed to open the box until supper time.
But she really wants to. She tries several times and adults do things to foil her. And then her imagination takes over -- putting the box in more impossible places and she does even more incredible things to get to it.
And then it's supper time when she finds out what's in the box and she has to wait again.
But she really wants to. She tries several times and adults do things to foil her. And then her imagination takes over -- putting the box in more impossible places and she does even more incredible things to get to it.
And then it's supper time when she finds out what's in the box and she has to wait again.
December 19, 2019
Very goofy little story about a little Goblin who is not allowed to open that box! The illustrations are goofy and my son found them interesting. I love how the narrator sasses Ginny Goblin, how things get out of hand, and how the narrator becomes interested in what is inside the box. Might have to search for Ginny's other book in the library sometime.
June 17, 2018
This seems to be a be genre of picture books - taking the opposite/negative statement to draw readers in. Is there a name for this type of book? Is is a reflection of negativity in our society? What is the intrigue? I'm not getting it....
September 3, 2018
Now I know what's in the box! I hope Ginny returns with more forbidden adventures. And goats. Lots and lots of catapulted goats. This is a must-read for parents and any small child who can't understand why sometimes you just have to wait to open things.
September 13, 2018
Very silly! Persistent Ginny the Goblin tries heinous things to get the box she's not allowed to look in before dinner (including driving over a castle moat on a motorcycle, etc). A bit too wordy for a storytime, but the sillyness factor was awesome!
October 13, 2018
Ginny Goblin has been forbidden to open a box until dinner. It's going to hard to stop her, and many obstacles are put in her way to stop her. Ginny is determined as she uses several tactics to open that box before dinner. Will Ginny get to the box to open it, and what's actually in the box?
October 19, 2018
Oh, man. I was *so* Ginny as a kid. Right down to my least favorite food.
(But yeah, also totally of the "I just wanted to see if I *could* get to it, but I'm gonna follow the rules and not open it" school. :-p)
(But yeah, also totally of the "I just wanted to see if I *could* get to it, but I'm gonna follow the rules and not open it" school. :-p)
October 8, 2019
It was a fine book, but for some reason it makes me want to draw comparisons to Betty Bunny. (Maybe the two-syllable alliterative names? Not sure.) And it just wasn't as fun and engaging as Betty Bunny. Still fun, and I'm sure kids would still like it, but it just didn't work for me.
October 28, 2021
Very cute illustrations but didn’t care for the emphasis on making a dessert such a taboo thing and demanding food to be finished before dessert. These things just reenforce negative relationships with food
January 4, 2018
From the very first page; you are dying to know what is in this box. Lots of adventures ensue when Ginny is trying to figure out how to open the box before dinner time.
June 10, 2018
Very funny fantasy story about a little goblin who REALLY wants to open a box.
July 18, 2018
cute book, pretty good illistrations
July 19, 2018
Can a little goblin resist opening a box before dinnertime? Could you?
July 31, 2018
Ginny Goblin is not supposed to open the box...until suppertime. But can she hold off? Probably not.
August 9, 2018
Fun for storytime!
August 16, 2018
"She should not, for any reason, catapult little goats at the top of the shelf to know the box down."
September 18, 2018
This is pretty cute. Ginny Goblin and the narrator interact a little bit, which is always fun. The illustrations are fun and the text is silly. Not particularly memorable, but not terrible.
October 10, 2018
It's cute, but not my kind of cute. I do know a few toddlers that will love it though! Fun illustrations
October 16, 2018
A hat box has been placed on a shelf and Ginny Goblin is not allowed to touch it. She comes up with lots of imaginative ways to get to the box.
October 29, 2018
Adorable illustrations and funny story.
October 30, 2018
A ninja suit and a grappling hook...oh my!
It is never easy to wait.
It is never easy to wait.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
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