Review by Booklist Review
In this version of the classic tale, Goldilocks' mum and dad work in a circus and the family lives in a caravan, which subtly heightens Goldilocks' curiosity to explore the cottage in the woods. Children will relish myriad small details in the artwork, including the many objects that come in threes: beekeeping stations near the house, balls along the path, piggy banks on a nightstand, bear-shaped chairbacks, bear-themed art on the walls, and bear-head umbrella handles. All the items belonging to the bears are color-coded: green chair, bed, and bathrobe for Papa; blue for Mama; and yellow for baby. Muller makes a few textual changes that make sense: both larger bowls of porridge are too hot, and one bed is too high and one too hard. And she twists the tale's ending into a message on etiquette the bears suggest to Goldilocks (as she runs off) that she should knock first before entering, and that rifling through others' stuff is rude. While there are many versions of this story out there, here's one worth adding to collections.--Austin, Patricia Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This delicately illustrated version of this tale, first published in France, removes some of the familiar oppositions (too hard, too soft, just right) found in earlier versions and gives the heroine a contemporary backstory (she lives in a traveling circus caravan). The charm of the book lies primarily in Muller's detailed illustrations, which are set against tan backgrounds and include an inviting fairy tale woods dotted with wildflowers and a rustic abode for the bears (beehives outside are echoed by bee-themed bed linens within, and the family's three chairs have bear-shaped headrests). The story's size motif is emphasized both textually and in the art, with big, medium, and small objects appearing throughout-mice, piggy banks, umbrellas, and more (they are even color-coordinated to a degree: green for Daddy Bear, blue for Mummy Bear, and yellow for Baby Bear). Although upset, the honey-loving bears are quite polite in the face of home intrusion ("They weren't mean bears, they were just unhappy"), taking the time to educate a fleeing Goldilocks on the importance of knocking first-a lesson she takes to heart. Ages 3-up. (Dec.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-K-In this retelling of the well-known story, flowers just right for picking beckon a golden-haired child from a traveling circus family into a nearby forest. Wandering off the path, she discovers a quaint, thatched-roof house and decides to explore, and the familiar pattern of three chairs, three bowls of porridge, three beds, and the arrival of three bears comes into play. At story's end, readers find the usual happy ending, with an awakened Goldilocks slipping out the door and heading home-with hopes that Little Bear will get an extra portion of porridge for his dinner. Children will delight in Muller's spreads, which depict the rustic house with its chair backs shaped like heads of bears, rope-tied pine furniture, umbrellas with bear heads, and bee-patterned quilts on the beds. The flowers Goldilocks picked follow her through the pages; then, in an effective image on the book's back cover, Baby Bear is seen happily arranging the left-behind posies in a bright-red mug. Libraries needing a new "Goldilocks" tale will find this one an appealing choice.-Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
(Picture book/fairy tale. 3-7)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
