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Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Name: Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Author: Valeri Gorbachev
ISBN: 9780735817821

by Valeri Gorbachev

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Overview

From the creator of "Nicky and the Big, Bad Wolves," comes a fresh and irresistibly appealing new version of a nursery favorite. Valeri Gorbachev's humorous illustrations, filled with homey details, presents a delightful family of bears whose bemused reaction to their intruder is sure to elicit children's smiles. Here is a warm and cozy Goldilocks that's "just right" for very young children.

A little girl walking in the woods finds the house of the three bears and helps herself to their belongings.

Synopsis

From the creator of "Nicky and the Big, Bad Wolves" comes a fresh and appealing new version of a nursery favorite. Full color.

Publishers Weekly

Gorbachev (Nicky and the Big, Bad Wolves) opens her faithful retelling with a fire crackling in the hearth as "great big father bear" sits playing the fiddle in his slippers, "middle-sized mother bear" dozes over a book and "wee small baby bear" raids the cookie jar. This bear family is as friendly a furry trio as ever set paws in a forest. As the golden-haired interloper proceeds to test porridge bowls, chairs and beds, Gorbachev keeps the familiar story line satisfyingly clean and crisp ("Then she tried the wee small baby bear's wee small bed, and it was just right!"). Meanwhile, he heightens the suspense with periodic glimpses of the bear family's outing through various windows. The climactic moment, when the ursine trio discovers Goldilocks, is accompanied by grins rather than growls. The non-threatening bears (father bear sports a bow tie) look quite eager to meet their little visitor, who scampers off nevertheless. Gorbachev's watercolors, in a largely earth-toned palette, offer a smattering of amusing touches (such as mother bear's gold hoop earrings) and his snug interiors conjure a cozy and comforting world. Ages 6 mos.-3 yrs. (May) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

About the Author, Valeri Gorbachev

Valeri Gorbachev is the author and illustrator of a number of children's books, both in the United States and Europe, including Nicky And The Big Bad Wolves and Where is the Apple Pie? Mr. Gorbachev immigrated to the United States from the Ukraine in 1991 and now lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Publishers Weekly

"This bear family is as friendly a furry trio as ever set paws in a forest. Gorbachev keeps the familiar story line satisfyingly clean and crisp while heightening the suspense with periodic glimpses of the bear family's outing through various windows," wrote PW. "Snug interiors conjure a cozy and comforting world." Ages 6 mos.-3 yrs. (Apr.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

A warm and fuzzy version of one of the world's favorite stories, this pastel watercolor-with-pen-and-ink book opens with a cozy scene—Papa Bear plays his violin, Mama Bear—gold hoops in her ears—reads a book, and Baby Bear dips into the honey pot. When they go for their walk to let their porridge cool, the violin goes along to while away the time. Then Goldilocks enters for her familiar trespass-and-try routine. The storyteller adds a nice touch by describing the three sizes of everything along with noting to whom they belong—"First she tried the porridge in the great big father bear's great big bowl." One might wish the award-winning artist had shown some damage to Baby Bear's chair, which the visitor broke to bits but is pictured remarkably whole, but that is minor. You won't be able to use this version to scare the little ones, as the bears are so pleasant and cute that it's a wonder Goldilocks ran away at all—she even remembered to take her little basket with her. So sit back and enjoy, for a change, a sweet take on an old tale. 2001, North-South, $15.95 and $15.88. Ages 3 to 7. Reviewer: Judy Chernak

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1-In this edition, the story remains true to the original. Goldilocks arrives at the bears' house, eats their porridge, sits in their chairs, and falls asleep in baby bear's bed. Father bear speaks in his great big voice and baby bear speaks in his wee small voice. What is new is the art. The illustrations are large, often encompassing the entire two-page spread. They are bright, colorful, and funny. The fuzzy brown bears dress in today's fashions and the mother bear even has pierced ears. Baby bear is always accompanied by his teddy bear. Goldilocks has the traditional blond curly hair and wears a blue bonnet. The picture of her falling into mother bear's too-soft bed is delightful. The text is short, making this a perfect version for preschoolers.-Sheilah Kosco, Rapides Parish Library, Alexandria, LA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.