Customer Reviews

Goldie and the Three Bears

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I like this. A modern, suburban twist on the old Three Bears fairy tale. Now, in sync with the Zeitgeist, the character herself is never really in any danger. It's a painless cute story for the kids. But her parents worry if she'll socialize right. You see, this Goldie is what we call a "willful" child, she "knew exactly what she liked- and what she didn't." Her parents worried about her making friends. They tried to encourage her to make play-dates, but "Jenny was too boring, Penny was too rough, Alicia was too snobby, and Sylvia wouldn't come." She explains to her parents that she is not looking for perfection, "She just wanted someone she could love with all her heart." But, at least, she does love her teddy bear.

When she gets lost and wanders into the three little bear's house, and the story follows the original, with Goldie sampling food, trying out every chair, and eventually settling in for a siesta in the little bear's bed. The books only moment of potential tension, when she's discovered and the little bear lunges in for the kill (no teeth, looks more cross than carnivorous), is affably fleeting, over before you know it. Turn the page, and you see that the little bear lands on the bed in front of Goldie, sending her flying in the air. When Goldie lands, the little bear bounces up, and- you guessed it- the two begin trampolining back and forth and having a phenomenal time. Just 3 pages after the books only touch of terror, and Goldie is seen calling her mother from the three bear's kitchen, looking lovingly into the eyes of her new best friend as the Momma bear, wearing a salmon dress and a string of pearls, looks down with affection. My favorite line in the book: "The bears were very understanding about the sandwiches and the chairs and everything." And, as you have already deduced, the little bear turns out to be the friend worth waiting for, the friend worthy of Goldie's discerning taste.

The illustrations are nice. Perhaps a little more Anglo-Saxon staleness in the neatness of the pictures than I like, but nothing to really complain about. There are some nice little details, like the parallel between Goldie's stuffed bear and the Little Bear's lovie, a stuffed human, and a blond Caucasoid at that. Thumbs up, worthy of a read and re-read or two.

My two year old daughter LOVES this book! I checked it out from the library and it was a sad day when we had to return it. The story is so sweet. Much more friendly than the original. It has a wonderful ending. I highly recommend this to all parents of little ones.

I love this book, where we are allowed to sympathize with Goldie, who simply got off at the wrong bus stop, was hungry for her usual afternoon snack, and fell asleep for her usual afternoon nap. Contrasting this story with the traditional story is an excellent language-enrichment activity for children.

My twin 2.5 year olds love when we tell them the story of Goldilocks and the 3 Bears. We took this out of the library and it has been a HUGE hit. The pictures are endearing and engaging and the story charming. It has enough aspects of the original tale to make it familar, yet adds just the right amount of modernity to make it really relatable. My girls are always pointing out details in the pictures and are excited by the happy ending which I also find much more fulfilling than the original. A great deal of humor makes it enjoyable for Mom and Dad to read over and over again too.

I am writting this review for my seven year old sister,Taylor. Here is what she has to say about this book: "I got this from the library at school and I LOVED it! It was a book-sensation celebration. It was a very cute story. I think it's better than the real version of Goldie Locks. In this book Goldie is picky and I usually don't like picky people, but she is picky in a funny, funny way. I love it! I am so happy I found it on amazon.com and now I want to buy it to keep."

Our daughter, now 5, loves reading this book. The resoluion of the story just seemed much more real and satisfying to her that the traditional version. This book and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity are on heavy bedtime rotation.
One small nitpick though: Alicia, the snobby girl, has two right hands!

A delightful retelling of a children's classic enhanced by vibrant illustrations. Finally you have the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears from Goldie's perspective. Stanley's Goldie is humorous and warm-hearted.

I have come across this author's other alternative takes on folk tales, but they are all too long to hold my 2 year old's attention. This book, however, is a perfect length. There isn't too much text on the pages and the pictures are beautiful to look at. It isn't too short either, and despite the few words, the author is able to provide a nicely detailed portrait of a child who is quite difficult to please. I suppose there could be some debate about whether the parents in Goldie are too permissive of her picky behavior, but I like that this book does not cast a judgment on the main character.

Anyone who has a two year old in their life "who knows exactly what she likes and what she doesn't" needs to get this book-a variation that improves on the original Goldilocks and the Three Bears. This curly headed moppet who can't find a friend "she can really truly love" will steal your heart for sure and have your little one asking for reading after reading.

This has been my 8-year-old son's favorite book for many months. It sets the story of Goldilocks in a recognizable American neighborhood and changes the plot to one much more relevant to contemporary children. Plus, it is now about how difficult and important it is to make a new friend. For my son, with significant sensory issues -- just like Goldie -- and social difficulties, this is the fairy tale of choice. Thank you, Ms. Stanley!