Diane Zahler

Lizzie and Minka are sisters, but they’re nothing alike: Minka is outgoing and cheerful, while Lizzie is shy and sensitive. But when Minka is charmed and ensnared by a prince of the zduszes—the goblins—and taken to his dark forest home, Lizzie will have to draw on reserves of strength she never knew she had and follow her sister into a world of dreams, danger, and death.

Rich worldbuilding inspired by Polish folklore combines with a tender sister story for an original and compelling fantasy-horror adventure.

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A rich folklore setting, goblin magic, and a spooky atmosphere with a hopeful ending make this a top choice for upper middle grade and middle school collections. — School Library Journal, starred review

The pastoral surroundings (and particularly Lizzie’s description of rich sound-colors) create a lush setting for the folkloric ensorcelled-by-goblins plot, with its dreamy depictions of fruit and longing and with sprinklings of ethnological details from Eastern European cultures….The climax delivers some breath-quickening action, but this warmly reassuring tale, with its nontraditional protagonist, will keep readers engrossed from beginning to end. — Horn Book Magazine

This broadly appealing, straightforward story reads like a folktale with its spooky, fantasy elements and uncomplicated, yet satisfying, good-overcomes-evil plot….Sisterly love triumphs in this endearing, somewhat spooky tale. — Kirkus Reviews

Zahler creates a historical-feeling world that combines Polish folklore and homey (if idealized) depictions of rural life with elements drawn from Christina Rossetti’s lush, unsettling poem that shares the book’s title. The sisters’ relationship anchors the plot and resonates with emotion; Lizzie’s hurt at not having realized that Minka wants more from life than she’s shared is quietly heartbreaking. Happily, Lizzie and Minka learn that although sisterly love can’t fulfill all dreams and aspirations, it can expand to include them. — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Diane Zahler (Baker’s Magic) spins a terrifically timeless upper-middle-grade story of sisterly love, goblin magic and overstepped boundaries, inspired by Christina Rossetti’s poem “Goblin Market.” Her lush language describes a fully realized fairy tale world, wherein Lizzie and Minka’s cozy cottage at the edge of the Wood sets off the creepy, menacing realm of the goblins hidden within. Though Minka is the love interest–the author wisely points out and then expunges the blame associated with her victimization–this is Lizzie’s story from start to finish. Her indomitable spirit and unusual abilities allow her to shine. Share this book with anyone who loves their stories located in far off lands potentially inhabited by monsters. — Shelf Awareness, starred review

And Goblin Market has been named a 2023 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People winner!