Goldilocks and the Three Bears

October 1, 1988
``Once there was a little girl named Goldilocks. `What a sweet child,' said someone new in town. `That's what you think,' said a neighbor.'' From the very first sentence this book takes off in typical Marshall style. Goldilocks is a self-satisfied girl used to doing exactly as she pleases. So when signs around the entrance to the shortcut read ``DANGER,'' ``TURN BACK,'' ``VERY RISKY'' and even ``GO THE OTHER WAY,'' the undaunted lass tromps headlong into adventure. Once inside the house of the three bears, Goldilocks notices a lot of coarse brown fur and thinks, ``They must have kitties.'' She thrashes her way through the bears' domain. Eventually, they return and scare the girl off, but whether or not she has learned her lesson is left to the imagination. Marshall's wonderfully unique characters are as offbeat and self-propelled as ever; the book boasts many jolly details and the pictures burst with color. Ages 4-8.