Goldilocks and Just One Bear

K-Gr 2—In this clever spin-off, Baby Bear (now grown up) breaks into Goldilocks's family's condo in "Snooty Towers." As he searches for porridge, he ends up consuming water from a fishbowl and the cat's food. He also sits on a cactus and reclines in a bathtub before finding his way to a comfortable chair and bed. The triumph of this book is the brilliant moment in which Goldilocks and Baby Bear recognize each other and begin reminiscing about their previous encounter and Goldilocks apologizes for her previous behavior. The snappy, British-flavored language is perfectly paired with jazzy mixed-media illustrations in mustard yellow, teal, lime, and magenta. Hodgkinson assembles urban street scenes with whimsically asymmetrical buildings. Older children will enjoy reading humorous street and shop signs ("This Way," "No This Way Actually" and "Wolf's Clothing Boutique"). Librarians will find this book an excellent addition to fairy-tale units, especially since the narrative invites so much discussion. The story is rich with contrast: rural and urban, animal and human, child and adult. The humor will likely overpower the illogical aspects of the story, but some sharp children may still point out flaws. Why, for example, did the bear think a cactus was a chair if he had chairs in his own woodsy cottage? Why was Goldilocks's luxury apartment unlocked? Even in a fairy-tale world, stories need logic to suspend disbelief. Children may or may not notice these minor cracks in an otherwise sharp retelling.—Jess deCourcy Hinds, Bard High School Early College, Queens, NY