The Princess and the Goblin

George MacDonald’s Timeless Story, Newly Illustrated

Eight-year-old Princess Irene lives in a large house, half castle, half farm-house, on the side of a mountain… under which live terrible goblins and their bizarre mutant creatures.

One rainy day, Princess Irene explores the house and finds an unknown staircase, at the top of which she meets her mysterious and ageless great-great-grandmother; mysterious because almost no one else—besides Irene—can see or hear the old/young woman.

On the next clear day, Irene and her nurse enjoy the outdoors, but have a frightful encounter with goblins. Fortunately for them, a young miner boy named Curdie comes to their rescue. Curdie goes on to discover the sinister plot of the goblins to capture the princess but in the process is captured himself. Irene is then able to rescue Curdie from deep underground by following her great-great-grandmother’s specific and puzzling instructions.

Through more tests of faith, combined with great courage and ingenuity, Curdie and Irene are able to thwart the evil plot and protect the kingdom!

An inspiration for both The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings, this story is deeply Christian (without being overtly Christian) in the sense that it conveys profound truths of the Kingdom of God in a way that even a child can understand.

First published in 1872, The Princess and the Goblin has never been out of print, and every major publisher has an edition. But now Walking Together Press has created a brand-new and beautifully illustrated edition—with forty-six illustrations—for a twenty-first century audience.

Support African Libraries with Your Purchase

While all the profits of Walking Together Press support libraries in Africa, these beautiful, Limited-Edition hardcovers are a special fundraiser for the Jenta Reads Essential Library, a collection of 100+ titles that are donated as a starter library to schools and communities in Jos, Nigeria and beyond.