Good evening and welcome to the Sleepy Bookshelf.

This season we'll be reading you the Princess and the Goblin by George McDonald.

We know our listeners are as unique as our novels and lucky for you our bookshelf is varied

with lots of different types of stories to lull you into a deep sleep.

The following is a preview to give you an idea of what to expect from this season.

The Princess and the Goblin is a children's fantasy novel by Scottish author George McDonald.

It follows the adventures of Irene, a spunky, determined and independent princess.

One day she meets a young fellow named Curdy who works in the mines.

Together they have to outsmart the Goblins who live underground and are plotting to take

over the world above, starting with the castle.

But it isn't always easy.

In the darkest moments they receive help from Irene's mysterious grandmother, a beautiful

and magical woman who lives in the castle and can only be seen by a few special people.

The book was first published as a serial in a magazine called Good Words for the Young

in 1870.

It was released as a full novel in 1872.

This story and other fantasy writings of George McDonald influenced countless authors including

some we have already featured on the sleepy bookshelf, like J. M. Barry and Lewis Carroll.

C. S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia and J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Lord

of the Rings, both took inspiration from McDonald's work.

If you listen closely, you might be able to notice some similarities among these famous

tales.

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