Couldn't resist that title! This was pretty fun/unique - definitely pretty darn scary/creepy for a picture book and a little sad too as it involves some animal cruelty. **Spoiler alert - Each night the wicked Hobyahs are scared away by a family's faithful barking dog. But each morning the foolish owner punishes the dog by whipping it and chasing it off! The injustice! Eventually, all the dogs have been run off and there is no one to protect the family from the Hobyahs! Let's just say the owner finally gets what he deserves....I gather the original version is far, far, far worse in terms of gruesome animal cruelty. Blech! This is a case where I'm very thankful for the author's changes. All in all, I really liked this one for it's uniqueness and creepy factor - something you don't often find in picture books. (The only comparable one that comes to mind is Lon Po Po.) Because of it's strange and unique quality, I can totally see how this would be one of those books that gets completely wedged into a child's subconscious and becomes a much beloved favorite. A quick scan of amazon shows it to be currently out of print with only a few used copies available.
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