Goatilocks and the Three Bears

April 21, 2014
Goldilocks as a goat? It’s unlikely casting, but Perl (Chicken Butt!) and Howard (Mr. Putter and Tabby) pull it off with abundant good humor. Perl’s conversational prose acknowledges readers’ familiarity with the storyline: “When the bears went out for a walk one morning... well, you can probably guess what Goldilocks did.” It’s not too outrageous that Goatilocks eats the spoon along with Baby Bear’s porridge (the bowl soon disappears, as well), but what really brings the laughs is that Goatilocks also eats Baby Bear’s chair and bed after finding them “just right.” The story’s colloquial tone (“Hey, where’s my chair?” complains Baby Bear) and Howard’s (Mr. Putter and Tabby) freewheeling watercolors create a rollicking atmosphere. Goatilocks has expressive googly eyes, pink ears, and a polka-dot bow around her neck, while the bears, with their broad, round features, could have stepped out of a recent Charmin ad. The ending plays on Goatilocks’s indiscriminating appetite, and kids won’t be surprised by what happens to the flowers she brings the bears in apology. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Carrie Hannigan, Hannigan Salky Getzler.

May 1, 2014
This Goldilocks is a kid. Literally.In Howard's illustrations, the little white goat is both curious and hungry, and for Baby Bear, that means that not only is his porridge gone, but his bowl and his spoon as well, along with his chair, his bedding and a pair of his pajamas. "Burp!" As in the original, Goatilocks runs away after awakening to the three bears standing over her where she lies on the floor (she ate Baby Bear's bed), but the tale does not end there. The next day, the kid feels "sheepish" and thinks of the perfect gift to try to make it up to the bear family, and in a rather sudden ending, the four neighbors join together in chowing down on the final spread. Modern-ish language updates the fairy tale; Papa Bear says "Get a load of this!" and Goatilocks "hoofed it for home," though there is not much in the illustrations to point to any particular time period (Mama Bear does have a water bed, however). The few tongue-in-cheek details will go over the heads of the audience (Papa Bear carries a "Kodiak" camera), but there aren't enough to make this one adults will want to read repeatedly...although that may not be a problem for most kids.An uninspiring remake. (Picture book. 4-8)

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June 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 3-While the bear family is out for a walk, a young goat sneaks into their home. Goatilocks tries the typical three bowls of porridge, three chairs, and three beds, but with typical goatlike behavior, she also eats Baby Bear's spoon, chair, and bed. When she is discovered by the three bears, she hoofs it home. Returning the following day and feeling sheepish, Goatilocks offers flowers to the bears, which they all eat. Events in Perl's humorous and fresh retelling of the traditional tale unfold at a quick pace. Howard's cheery and detailed watercolors infuse extra doses of charm into the story, such as bear faces printed on wallpaper and a pair of salt and pepper shakers resting on the bears' picnic blanket. The number three is reinforced repeatedly in the artwork beginning with Howard's inclusion of three ladybugs crawling along a flower stem on the title page. In later illustrations, observant children discover three goldfish, three birds, three squirrels, and three bunnies. Howard adds humorous tidbits that will even evoke chuckles from adults, such as the name "Kodiak" inscribed on Papa Bear's camera. Perl and Howard's work provides an entertaining alternative to more traditional versions of the story. Teachers can successfully use it in compare-and-contrast lessons with other versions of the tale. Families, too, should find this picture book to be a bedtime read-aloud treat.-Lynn Vanca, Freelance Librarian, Akron, OH

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2014
Preschool-G Starring a kid named Goatilocks (kid as in young goat ), this fractured nursery tale begins when Goatilocks spies the bear family setting out for a walk and ventures into their house to try their bowls of porridge, their chairs, and their beds. She eats Baby Bear's porridge (bowl, spoon, and all); his chair; and his bed before falling into a contented slumber. Upon awakening, Goatilocks finds the stupefied bears looming over her and makes a fast getaway, but she returns the next morning to make amends. This picture book makes good use of page turns for dramatic and comic effect. Brightened with watercolor washes, Howard's cartoonlike line drawings add expressive characterizations and witty visual touches. The precisely worded text retains the satisfying structure of the original tale while adding some amusing twists and a couple of enjoyable puns. Fun for reading aloud to groups of children, this Goldilocks spoof offers a good narrative, plenty of laughs, and a happy ending.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)