Goldilocks and the Three Bears>
by Jan Brett
( Check Catalog )

Lost in the woods, a tired and hungry girl finds the house of the three bears where she helps herself to food and goes to sleep.

From Publishers Weekly
Brett's beautifully executed retelling of this classic story is distinguished by the use of luxuriant color and a wealth of visual detail. Her bears are attired in festive Bavarian garb; they live in a magnificent thatched rock-and-wood structure that leans against a tree; and their household furnishings are lavish and intricatea candle-holder in the likeness of an owl, an acorn-patterned rug, several carved wooden bears adorning the head- and footboards of Papa Bear's bed. The one overly precious touch is the continued reference to the baby bear as a "a little, small, wee bear." The rest of this is sumptuous and endlessly engrossing; with such a display before them, readers will hardly blame Goldilocks for her lack of restraint. Ages 3-8.

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 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