Goldilocks and the Three Bears

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Children find the story of Goldilocks delightful for so many reasons. There's a trespassing little girl, for starters, who barges into the bears' house uninvited and not only snoops around, but eats the bears' food! The suspense of wondering whether she'll get caught only adds to the thrill of the trespassing itself, and the repeated lines about the three bears with their three distinct voices, bowls, chairs, and beds further endear this tale to the preschool set. In Jan Brett's Goldilocks, the bears and the slightly audacious flaxen-haired heroine all sport traditional (Black Forest?) costumes with detailed embroidery, and the wooden furniture is carved with bears, birds, and flowers. (Intricate borders--carved wooden panels in this book--are Jan Brett's special signature.) Brett is the illustrator of many well-known folk tales, fairy tales, and poems, such as The Mitten and Edward Lear's The Owl and the Pussycat. Of her exquisite interpretation of this beloved story, Booklist writes, "This is perfection." (Ages 3 to 6)


From Publishers Weekly
PW found this "beautifully executed retelling . . . distinguished by the use of luxuriant color and a wealth of visual detail." Ages 4-8. Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2 Another delightful romp through the fairy tale forest from the author of Red Riding Hood (Dial, 1987) and James Marshall's Mother Goose (Farrar, 1986) . This retelling is a Victorianesque version of a chubby, blond-hair strong-willed ``naughty little girl'' who takes a shortcut through the woods on her way to buy muffins in the next village, and invades the home of the three sophisticated bears. While the basic storyline may be recognizable to young listeners, sight gags and ironic wit are whimsically employed for those who already know the tale and/or Marshall's other works (for example, a white hen perches atop the bears' house). The tone is straightforward and droll. Marshall is careful to include basic motifs from the original tale: the bowls of porridge, the chairs, and the beds, but he takes liberties in his commentary: ``She walked right in without even bothering to knock'' and in the characters' exclamations, like ``Patooie!'' and ``Egads!'' His playful watercolor illustrations fill the pages in their comic portrayal of these well-known figures. Whether shared in a lap or with a group, this one's a winner. Marianne Pilla, formerly at Allard K. Lowenstein Lib . of Long Beach, N.Y.Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.


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PreS-Gr 2 Brett's retelling, adapted from Andrew Lang, is strong and smooth. These well-heeled Scandinavian-looking bears live in a house that would put yuppy collectors of country homes and folk art to shame, and the elaborate, imaginative, and richly colored designs bear repeated viewings. Every tuft of beary fur is clear, every item of clothing is ornamented, and every article of furniture is carved, patterned, or decorated. Bear motifs are repeated throughout, including carved bear beds, handmade bear porridge bowls, and a solid bear door. Brett's use of borders continues to expand upon the storyline. Here wide woody borders in the double-page spreads contain elements of the action occuring elsewhere. They alternate with simple narrow borders in the single-page illustrations. Personality emerges nicely. The ``little, small, wee'' bear bumbles into everything, and the great huge bear is alternately gentle and gruff, but the middle-sized bear attracts little direct attention. Goldilocks is somewhat less successful. At first, her face is finely drawn, but in later pages it's a bit flattened. Overall, some readers might wish for less decorations and some imaginative space, and may be overwhelmed by the amount of detail, but Brett's fans will be delighted. Leda Schubert, Vermont Department of Education, Montpelier


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