Dusty Locks and the Three Bears

by Susan Lowell, Randy Cecil (Illustrator)

This is a twist on the traditional "Goldilocks and the Three Bears". The story is set in the American West, where the bears are grizzly bears, and Dusty Locks doesn't like to take a bath.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fairy Tales, Fractured Fairy Tales, Westerns, Animals, Folklore

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Susan Lowell often writes about the Southwest border country in both fiction and nonfiction. Her forthcoming adult short-story collection, "Two Desperados,” returns to the genre of her first book, “Ganado Red.” Her family has lived in the American West since Gold Rush days, and family stories have inspired many children’s books as well as an adult novel in progress called “The Wild West Waltz” (see the story “Two Desperados” for a preview!)
She and her husband divide their time between Tucson, Arizona and a ranch near the Mexican border.

Reviews

[Reva Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: This book is about a young girl named Dusty Locks who lives way out west. She goes into a cabin that is a home to bears and helps herself to a supper of beans, then tries out the chairs, and the beds. After trying out one last bed, she falls asleep and the bears find her. She runs out of the house as fast as she possibly can when she realizes the bears have caught her.
Evaluation: I gave this book an overall rating of 3. I think this book is very interesting and engaging, however I have read the original book and I think it is much better. I also feel like this book was not hard to create just because it was not based off of original ideas.
Teaching Point: A teaching point that I think would be very effective for this book is comparing and contrasting. I would read this book to my students as a guided reading that may be in kindergarten, first or second grade and ask them to make their own graphic organizer to compare and contrast specific elements that are in both Dusty Locks and the Three Bears and Goldy Locks and the Three Bears

[Britany · Rating 2 out of 5]

This version of Goldilocks follows the same storyline as the original. Although I thought it was a good read, I find that it is too similar to the original to enjoy it. Dusty Locks goes into the house, eats porridge, sits in a chair, and falls asleep. When the family of bears come back home, Dusty Locks is barely able to escape.

The illustrations I thought, were what caught my attention after opening the book. After reading the entire book, I lost interest because it followed and told almost the exact same story as the original did. If I were to look for fractured versions of Goldilocks I would choose a different one than Dusty Locks, after my experience reading this book.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Variation on the tale. The three bears are extremely neat and the dusty/dirty little girl invades their home. Follows the story path and adds an ending where the little girl runs home and gets scrubbed up by her mom. They see each other in town but the bears don't recognize her.
Illustrations bring the text to life for elementary level readers.

[Kristin Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: "Dusty Locks and the Three Bears" is a book about a little girl who barges into a cabin, uninvitedly, while a family of bears go for a walk. While at the cabin, Dusty Locks helps herself to the bears beans, chairs, and beds. To wanted to try all three until she found the one that was just right for her. However, when Dusty Locks found the right bed, she fell asleep and was soon woke up to the sounds of the three bears.

Evaluation: I rate this book as a 4. Just like the original version of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", this book is full of color, adventure and suspense. Having all of these three things in a book makes it fun and engaging for children.

Teaching Idea: This book would be great to use in the classroom when teaching students about traditional tales and/or how books that can be so similar but different. Students could compare and constant the two books using a graphic organizer.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

By all accounts, "Dusty Locks and the Three Bears" is a twisted tale about the redneck version of "Goldie Locks and the Three Bears." Now make no mistake, I am from a small southern town in Georgia, and I know about the redneck version of things.

Whereas, Goldie Locks was clean, Dusty Locks was filthy; and everything else you can imagine in-between. The only thing that I found lacking in this book was how, other than the girls being polar opposites, everything was exactly the same as the original version.

When picking up this version to read to my children, I had thought that this might be a different short to tale that we could enjoy, but alas it was not. Overall, there is nothing wrong with this children's book, I was just disappointed that there was nothing special about it.

[Becca Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cool take on the Goldilock's story! I like how it had a different setting from the original and the main character was very different! For a children's story though, I don't really like how Dusty Locks was always getting in trouble and "said a bad word" in the book because I don't think that's a good example for children.

[Joanna Pingel]

This book was funny to me. I liked how the bears were portrayed as a clean and neat family and that the girl was the dirty animal like one. It gave a fun twist on the original goldilocks locks and the three bears. Also the images used in the book made it more engaging to read.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

will make a great puppet show!

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

An oldie, but goody. Lots of fun to read aloud.

[Pamela Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute variation on Goldilocks. Dusty Locks hasn't had a bath in a month of Sundays and causes the usual commotion at the Bears' house. There's a bit of a drawl to the story and a tall tale feel.

[Our Weekend Is Booked · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just another way of telling the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. My kiddos enjoyed it.

[Sarah Limb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is a classic! I loved the spin on it and the ending made me smile. :)

[Shi Baby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent descriptive words and a fun western twist to an old tale!!!! Kind of runs long to read aloud- definitely don't save this to be the LAST one you read at bad time...

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of the story is fine, just a different 'setting' than expected with some dialect and idioms thrown in. I did not care for the art, nor for the epilogue.

[Ivy Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This silly spin off of Goldie locks was a fun quick read. I liked it enough to be interested in reading other books by this same author.

[Alecia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author: Susan Lowell

Illustrator: Randy Cecil

Genre: fragmented fairy tale

Publication Info: Owlet Paperbacks (2004)

Reading Level: Ages 4-8; transitional

Topic/Theme: greed, manners

Issues Addressed: the idea of cleanliness is addressed, this fairy tale stresses the tidiness of the three bears and how dirty Dusty Locks wrecks and dirties their home; this book also addresses how greed can get one into trouble

Classroom Uses: independent reading, read aloud, I would use this book in a fragmented fairy tale lesson as well

Summary: This is based on the Goldilocks fairy tale. This version takes place in the wild, wild west, and Goldilocks has been replaced by Dusty Locks, a dirty run away girl who is looking for food and shelter until she is awakened by the bears and hightails it home only to be bathed by her worried mother and dressed properly. The porridge in the original tale is replaced by beans and the bears are now neat and tidy and become flabbergasted when they find their immaculate house in dusty ruins.

Text and image: Lowell does a great job with the text in this book. She uses western slang to enhance her story. The colorful illustrations really add to the events occurring in the story. They always show the dustiness of Dusty Locks and how she changes her ways to being clean by the end of the book.

Literary Devices: dialect (western slang is used)

[Michelle Lowell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: There are three bears that live out in a cabin in the west. It is very neat and tidy, but one day, one dusty, dirty girl named Dusty Locks comes across the cabin and goes inside. There are three pots of beans on the stove. One is the dad’s, one’s the mom’s and one’s the cub’s. The first batch of beans are too spicy. The mom’s batch don’t have enough salt. But the third batch, the cub’s beans are just right and delicious. The bears come home to find their house a mess and Dusty Locks runs home so fast all the dirt doesn’t settle for days.

Main Theme: rudeness and invasions of privacy, showcasing highlights of the Southwestern culture

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to someone of any age, but especially children ages 8-13. It does an amazing job of highlighting some fun aspects of the Southwestern culture while at the same time doing a creative interpretation of the classic tale. The story helps reimagine the tale of Goldy Locks in a new way to help children get an idea of other parts of the world while also instilling them with important values, like self respect and cleanliness and respect for others. Coming from the Southwestern area myself, I loved being able to share aspects of my culture with this book and I think it gives a great opportunity for others to learn more about the Southwest too.

[Lindsey Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was similar to the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears with a few changes. The story starts out with the three bears enjoying their favorite things, which are bowls of beans, sitting in their chairs, and sleeping in their beds. The bears go out for a walk and while they are gone Dusty locks sneaks into their house. She tastes all the chili and finds that bear cubs chili is just right so she eats it. Then she sits on all their chairs and likes cubs the best. When she sits on it she breaks it into pieces. After this she walks upstairs and after trying out all the beds she finds bear cubs bed is just right and falls asleep. The bears return and find that their chili is eaten, chairs have been sat in, and their beds have been slept in. They notice a bad smell and find dusty locks in cub’s bed. When Dusty locks wakes up she runs home. Once she arrives at home her mom immediately cleans her up and the bears never recognize her after that. This book had beautiful illustrations. I would use this book in my class and show the children the traditional tale and talk about how books can be so similar but different and to introduce folktales.

[Dorinda Davie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Folktale
Motif - Goldilocks
Arthur Susan Lowell and illustrator Randy Cecil do an entertaining and humorous version of this classic folktale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, so titled Dusty Locks and the Three Bears. Dusty Locks, who is too dirty to be named Goldilocks, hasn’t taken a bath in a month of Sundays and Trouble was her middle name! True to form with other versions of Goldilocks is the theme of trespassing as she too stumbles upon the Bear’s house and invades their domain. This version has a southwest appeal and in kind, has beans instead of porridge and lots of rich southwest descriptive phrases such as ‘knee-high to a bumblebee’ and ‘half-squashed hornet’. I liked this unique version and would pair this with Marshall’s traditional Goldilocks version as a ‘written’ compare and contrast lesson for 2nd or 3rd graders. I would use the two versions as a ‘verbal’ compare and contrast lesson for 1st graders. I would do a sequencing lesson for Kinders. The watercolor illustrations take over the pages, perfect for littler readers to follow along. Target audience: PreK-3rd.

[Jessica Winden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was similar to the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears with a few changes. The story starts out with the three bears enjoying their favorite things, which are bowls of beans, sitting in their chairs, and sleeping in their beds. The bears go out for a walk and while they are gone Dusty locks sneaks into their house. She tastes all the chili and finds that bear cubs chili is just right so she eats it. Then she sits on all their chairs and likes cubs the best. When she sits on it she breaks it into pieces. After this she walks upstairs and after trying out all the beds she finds bear cubs bed is just right and falls asleep. The bears return and find that their chili is eaten, chairs have been sat in, and their beds have been slept in. They notice a bad smell and find dusty locks in cub’s bed. When Dusty locks wakes up she runs home. Once she arrives at home her mom immediately cleans her up and the bears never recognize her after that.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was similar to the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears with a few changes. I really enjoyed this rendition of this traditional story and it would be great for kids. The familiarity will draw children in and help them to read the simple words. This would be a great one to have in my classroom library. It was written in a very believable way even though the events were clearly made up. One thing that could be improved upon was the style and language of the book. There was very few dialogs and when there was it was very simple. However the repetitiveness would be great for beginning readers. Because it was so repetitive the story was simple and there were very few details or very vocabulary. This is one thing I might change about the story. I also liked how the pictures added to the story. Without them it would be difficult to tell the setting.

[Maria Cloutier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up I was that child who liked the classic stories. So when stories had their own twist I usually wouldn’t like them. In a way I am still like this, however I did like Dusty Locks and the Three Bears by, Susan Lowell. This is a silly book that puts a fun twist on Goldilocks and the Three Bears. In this book Dusty Locks is a tuff tomboy little girl. This book is very silly because it shows Dusty Locks wild and gruff side, unlike the original version where Goldilocks is a sweet little blonde haired girl. I think this would be a great book for the classroom because this is a book that children will see as “fun” and they will find a love for reading through the humor in this book. I would recommend this book for a kindergarten or first grade classroom.

[Linnea Lyding · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this "western" rendition of Goldilocks and The Three Bears. Susan Lowell includes some fun, exaggerated language like "no more manners than a pig in a peach orchard" and "I'm so hungry I could eat a saddle blanket." The food, chairs, and beds were unique to a western setting as well with "great big grizzly bear" sleeping on a heap of prickly green branches. In this version, the reader learns more about the bears and they seem to be very civilized, and Dusty is in need of a little refinement. The clever, acrylic, gouache pictures by Randy Cecil greatly add to the story.

[Katie Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a spin-off of Goldylocks and the Three Bears, but Goldylocks is Dusty Locks who doesn't take a shower and tears up the bears' home. Dusty Locks eats the beans, breaks a chair, and sleeps in the bear cub's bed. She is caught and rushes home. She is so nasty that she left a cloud of filth behind. She gets home and her mom makes her get a bath. This book would be used to discuss hygene or to show the children the different Goldy Locks and the Three Bear books.

[Karly Kovac · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was such a cute book! This is the book I read to the elementary school kids and they loved it as well. It is the same story line as goldie locks and the three bears. There are a few things that are different with this book though, and the ending is definitely different. I thought this was a great book for little kids because they can relate it to goldie locks, and the story is easy to understand and follow along with.

[Chelsea Christophel · Rating 3 out of 5]

When first glancing at this book, it appears as though the story will be a spin off of Goldy Locks and The Three Bears; however, I did not see many differences. I hoped for a story that would be different from the original but the only things I found that were different were the objects that characters encountered. I would recommend this book to young readers that are just being introduced to fairy tales, but not to those that are looking for a different take on the original tale.

[Ivano Parravano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dusty Locks and the Three Bears is a twisted fairy tale. It is based on the story of Goldilocks and the three bears. In this story, Goldilocks has a southern cowgirl twang to her speech. She raids the home of the bears as a dirty and grungy character. I liked the illustrations of this book, but didn't care for the southern dialect. I think it would be difficult for children to read to themselves.

[Esther · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy this western cowgirl version of The Three Bears. I like that Dusty Locks is not a nice girl because how can anyone be nice by breaking and entering into people's homes until she learns her lesson and gets a bath...then she is a nicer girl. I love the writing style of the story such as Baby bear who is "knee high to a bumble bee."

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

This would be a good book to read when doing a unit on fairy tales and how there are many different versions of the same fairy tales. As far as the story goes, it's definitely not my favorite because it's basically the same Goldilocks and the Three Bears story except Goldilocks is smelly and dirty, which is really silly to me. Definitely not my favorite version of the story.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Southwestern version of Goldilocks. Dusty Locks is a dirty tomboy who comes and ruins the bears things...their beans, chair and bed. Very similar to the original version, but some fun changes. Papa bear's beans are full of jalapeños. Papa bear's bed is a tangle of prickly green branches. Dusty Locks has no manners, but she learns her lesson at the end...fun ending.