The Rainbow Goblins
by Ul de Rico/ published 1978 by Warner Books
As a child of the 70s, I'm wondering how I missed this one (and it's still in print for heavens sake!) When I was in Santa Fe last week, I met an illustrator who showed me her copy from childhood. All I can say is WOW. I'm not absolutely sure of this, but The Rainbow Goblins must have a cult following. The paintings are bizarre, but absolutely spectacular... the story truly ingenious.
Once there was a land that lived in fear of seven goblins. They were called the Rainbow Goblins and each had his own colour, which was also his name: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet. Yellow, being the craftiest, was their chief. The goblins lived on colour -- they prowled the valleys and climbed the highest mountains looking for rainbows, and when they found one, they caught it in their lassoes, sucked the colours out of it and filled their bellies with its bright liquid.
Yea, so these Rainbow Goblins like to eat the colors of the rainbow, see. So they travel to the Valley of the Rainbow to gorge themselves silly. They journey through a lush landscape and dream of devouring rainbows and hatch a sinister plan. However, leave it to the moon and all of his friends of the forest and valley to thwart their madness. I thought the boy might be spooked by the goblins a little bit (they are pretty freaky), but so far he loves to find their bright little faces sneaking around the pages.
The author (full name -- Count Ulderico Gropplero di Troppenburg) illustrated a handful of books including this one and a sequel called The White Goblin published in '96. He was also one of the major design contributors to the '84 film The Neverending Story. From his jacket photo, he is kinda a hotty too, but that's really neither here nor there.
wait! you live in new breun..oh I could never spell that. I lived in Spring Branch for 2 years. and we rented a house in....Bulverde. Well I bet we know some of the same people, I wonder if I even maybe know you??
ReplyDeleteand I lived in Chantilly VA too well so funny I wonder if we do know the same people you will have to send me a email
ReplyDeletevanessa (inevergrewup.net
your posts crack me up!
ReplyDeleteThis looks great, and you sealed the deal with "Never Ending Story"...I loved that movie so much when I was a kid that I now have two dogs named...Arjax and Atreyu--I kid you not.
I am so happy I learned of your blog on design mom, I adore all children's books, especially ones from my childhood. I force chapter books on my boys that are sweet and beautiful...we just finished The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate Di Camillo, they loved it...next is 1900 version of The New Wizard of Oz I found amoungst our stuff. The pictures are so charming, love it! I also am a big fan of anything Sendak, especially Higglety Pigglety Pop! I will share about you on my blog... www.snickerdoodles.typepad.com I actually have a book contest on now for a signed book, see the contests sidebar!
ReplyDeleteI actually live in San Antonio and have a farm in Bulverde... but I know nobody!
ReplyDeletemy mom lives near urbanna, VA...
My son got Edward Tulane for his birthday, but alas... even he, greater reader that he is can not sit still through that many pages with no visuals.
Take a good look at the red and orange goblin throughout the book, especially in the scene you posted above. There is also a hidden image on the panoramic rock page.
ReplyDeleteWOW! I would not have noticed had I not been alerted. It does appear that Orange and Red are embarking on a bit of an adventure of their own. I would say that it was a mistake by the illustrator, who may have colored one of Oranges' legs Red, but that's pretty unlikely.
ReplyDeleteoh man, now i see it. that is crazy... and super creepy... ick.
ReplyDeleteThe Rodarte sisters explain their childhood in California to the New York Times as: tide pools, redwood forests, monarch butterflies, mustard fields, wild blackberries, beekeepers and “The Rainbow Goblins." Sounds perfect and very foreign to this New Yorker!
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