Goldilocks and the Three Bears [Hardcover]

Gennadii Spirin (Author), Gennady Spirin (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Gennady Spirin has taken a favorite childhood tale and imbued it with charm, dressing his bears in Renaissance costumes and providing whimsical and charming furniture designed for their country dwelling. Each spread—painted in watercolor, pen, and ink—brings renewed life to this endearing children’s classic in a way that only a master illustrator can. No wonder Goldilocks want to sample the bears’ porridge, sit on their chairs, and rest on their beds!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In his adaptation of the Goldilocks story, Spirin's (The Lord Is My Shepherd) lush colored pencil and watercolor spreads are as elaborate as the text is simple. Against white backdrops, Goldilocks and the bears are drawn in great realistic detail, along with judicious use of ornate setting details and delicate page ornamentation. These bears have fierce claws and teeth, but their apparel is nothing short of royal, dotted with jewels and pearls, and trimmed with feathers and gold. The text, conversely, is completely free of metaphors or complex sentences, the story stripped to its tag-line essence: "Who's been sitting in my chair?" asks each bear parent as Little Bear laments, "My chair's broken!" The suspenseful scene as the bears find Goldilocks asleep in Little Bear's well-appointed bed is followed by an abrupt illustration in which Goldilocks runs away, looking more gleeful than terrified, as each of the bears says, "Bye," and the narrator informs the reader, "And that's the end of the story!" Goldilocks' face doesn't always transmit her emotions clearly, but overall this is an enchanting-visually, at least-version. Ages 3-7.
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From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2—Spirin's version of this classic pairs a simple, straightforward retelling with lush Renaissance costumes and elegant page designs. The bears, rendered in watercolor and colored pencil, are solid, realistic creatures, revealing sharp teeth and claws. Papa and Mama Bear, generally appearing together in their fur-trimmed garments, dominate their vertical space—in contrast to their diminutive son. The setting is created with richly realized essentials: solid porridge bowls, carved chairs, ornate beds, a massive stucco and wood-trimmed dwelling. Expansive white space surrounds the characters on most spreads, with embellished lines creating decorative, horizontal borders on selected pages. The creatures seem to regard their intruder more as a curiosity than a criminal; as the golden-haired child runs away down the path, they simply wave and call out their farewells. A source note concludes the text. The Goldilocks shelf is crowded; readers can turn to James Marshall for humor, Jan Brett for details, Valeri Gorbachev for whimsy, and Jim Aylesworth for Victorian, to name but a few. This newcomer will be embraced for its visual clarity and sumptuous style at storytimes and bedtimes alike.—Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Corp/Ccb (March 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761455965
• ISBN-13: 978-0761455967
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 9.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #561,413 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Book, August 14, 2010

By 

Reina Seraaj (California, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Hardcover)

I like this book because it's short enough for my daughter's attention span, it sticks to the tru storyline (there is no embellishing), and the artwork is beautiful. A wonderful book to add to your children's library...I just recently received Little Red Riding Hood by the same author...It is just as gorgeous.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A whimsical twist on the Goldilocks story, August 21, 2009

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Hardcover)

In Gennady Spirin's GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS, Gennady Spirin's bears are dressed in Renaissance clothing and have unique chairs and beds for their country home - so it's no wonder Goldilocks wants to sample their food and enter their house! A whimsical twist on the Goldilocks story, this provides fun for any young fan of fairy tales.