Hobkin
#6413.82 adjusted 3.94 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 1 book Status Complete 1992 Reading commitment Low Peni R. Griffin Last reviewed 2026-11-01
Overview
Hobkin is a standalone children's fantasy by the American writer Peni R. Griffin, first published by Margaret K. McElderry Books in 1992 and reissued by Puffin in 1993. It is set in Britt, a fictional small town in West Texas. Two sisters, Kay and Liza Franklin, run away from home after their stepfather, who abused Kay when she was younger, begins to target Liza. They move into an abandoned farmhouse and persuade the townspeople that they are cousins of its absent owner. The house is home to Hobkin, a brownie who came with an early English settler. With his help, and with the neighbours they meet, the girls build a new life. No sequel has been found, and the author's interview mentions none.
Urban fantasy · For Middle grade
Core Canon: Reading Order (1 work) counts toward ranking
Hobkin Peni R. Griffin
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Hobkin; Reissued in paperback by Puffin in 1993. | 1992 | 1 | core | 3.82 (17 ratings) |
A standalone novel about two sisters and the brownie who lives in their new Texas farmhouse.
Quick answers
- How many books are in Hobkin? Hobkin's Core Canon is 1 book.
- Is Hobkin finished? Complete (1992).
- How much reading does Hobkin take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 1 Core Canon book).
- How is Hobkin ranked? #641 in this site's official ranking, based on 17 reader ratings across 1 Core Canon book. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #641?
Ranked #641 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 3.82 across 1 core book.
- A smaller readership (17 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- 0.12 behind #640, The Quickening.
- Below the top-10 average of 4.46.
Why explore this universe?
Rated · 1 book · Complete · 17 ratings · Ranks #641 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment urban fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
A single Core Canon work: no sequencing question to resolve.
Awards (verified)
- No awards found for this universe.
You might also like
Suggestions computed from what Hobkin and each of these worlds have in common on record (subgenre, audience, shape, reading commitment and score), not a documented narrative connection.
- Tumble & Blue Urban fantasy · Complete · Low commitment · 3.95
- Freddie vs. the Family Curse Urban fantasy · Complete · Low commitment · 3.94
- Once There Was Urban fantasy · Ongoing · Low commitment · 3.91
- The Lost Girl Urban fantasy · Complete · Low commitment · 3.89
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.82 across 17 ratings on 1 Core Canon book. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Canon Extension: 27 universes from the candidate register; 3 candidates ruled out accepted 2026-11-01
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- Kirkus Reviews: Hobkin Tier 2
- Interview with Peni R. Griffin (Cynthia Leitich Smith) Tier 2
- AbeBooks: Hobkin Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-11-01
Rule: Core Canon = Hobkin (1992).