Goldilocks and the Three Bears

by Emma Chichester Clark

A wry retelling of the classic tale about a bold and very particular girl plays out in lighthearted illustrations filled with intricate details.

Once upon a time, a naughty little girl named Goldilocks stuck her nose where it didn’t belong. She didn’t wonder. She didn’t ask. She walked straight into the Three Bears’ house and made herself at home. "Disgusting and cold!" she proclaimed of a bowl of porridge. "Awful!" she groaned, sinking into a too-soft chair. "Bullseye!" she cried, snuggling up in a bed that was just as right as right could be. And then the bears came back. . . . With humor and warmth, Emma Chichester Clark brings new life to a much-loved fairy tale.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fairy Tales

40 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2009

About the author

Education:
Chelsea School of Art, B.A. (with honors), 1978;
Royal College of Art, M.A. (with honors), 1983.

Additional information about her life can be found at:
http://biography.jrank.org/pages/1059...

Reviews

[Lindsay Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma Chichester Clark's version of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" is very similar to the original folktale. This traditional literature story has been passed down from generation to generation and has been told time and time again. Three bears, Daddy Bear, Mommy Bear, and Baby Bear went for a walk while their porridge cooled down. Meanwhile, Goldilocks is hungry and comes into the Bear's house to get something to eat. Daddy Bear's porridge was too cold, Mommy Bear's porridge was too cold, but Baby Bear's porridge was just right. The same thing happened with the Three Bear's chairs, but this time Goldilocks breaks Baby Bear's chair. Once again, Goldilocks tries out the Three Bears beds, and finds Baby Bear's bed just right, so she lays down and takes a nap. The Three Bears come back home and discover that someone has been eating their porridge, sitting in their chairs, and sleeping in their beds when they find Goldilocks still sleeping in Baby Bear's bed. Goldilocks runs home and hides under her own bed and doesn't come out. Goldilocks learns the lesson of not using other people's things.

This story would be a good story to read when the class is talking about rules and procedures in the classroom. The class could compare the story to what they will be doing in the class for the year, and compare the lesson to what Goldilocks learned with not using other people's things to respecting other people's space and belongings in the classroom.

[Lola Volkova · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was wondering why couldn't illustrators paint pretty little girls in all picture books. After reading more and more picture books, I start to understand that not all pretty girls serve the theme perfectly. This version seems unbalanced in aesthetic structure. All the beautiful patterns distract the reader from the main plot. The soliloquy of each character, especially the small bear's dialogue, sounds unnatural when read loudly. Despite the weak point, there are some advantages in this book, too. Goldilocks finds the Little Red in the parlor, and she brings it upstairs. Spiritually, Goldilocks echoes to the Little Red, for both of them disregard their mothers' advice of not going into the dark forest. At the end of the book, the bears laugh so hard as to hold their bellies. This heartwarming scene helps to soften the tension and conflict throughout the story. In general, this version wasn't organized in narratives and illustrations.

[Elle-Mae Dunn]

Listening to the teacher read this story to the class was interesting to listen to as she used voices and facial experiences to truly bring the story to life and engage the children in the story that is being told to them. The illustrations linked perfectly to the language used on the page which made the story fun to follow and get an overall happy story time experience.

[Courtney]

2010. Traditional Literature 3. Good to use in a unit comparing folktales or as a little read aloud session at the end of the day. Follows the classic plot of Goldilocks but with updated language and a nice new extended ending.

[Karim Elmenshawy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story about intrude Goldilocks and other three bears.....

[T K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really related to wanting everything just right, but for some reason Goldilocks turned out to be the bad guy…

[Miss Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun retelling of the classic three bears story.

[Juli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Traditional Literature - 2009

This books is a cute version of the inconsiderate Goldilocks who goes into a strangers house and eats their breakfast and breaks their things. This books would be a fun read aloud and could be used in a series of Goldilocks and the Three Bears versions so students could make comparisons.

[Staphany Ramirez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Emma Chichester Clark was a delight to read. This book brought so many memories, I'm not sure what age I was read this to, but I do remember that I loved it. I found all the elements fascinating. This time I re-read this book it was a whole different experience due to the attention I put on the detail of the pictures and text. There is a lot of detail put on this book. The colors are like bright pastel colors, yet very light colored and calming. One thing that caught my eyes is that Goldilocks kept beginning to start off with daddy bear onto bear then onto baby bear's belongings. She always ended up liking baby bear's belonging like his porridge an his chair and even his comfy bed. One thing that is very noticeable as well is that almost in every page or when she begins to start a new adventure she brings along with her the Little Red Riding Hood book, which is funny to me because it's another fairytale book with in a fairytale book. My favorite part of the book was when the bears came back and BAM they see that someone has been in their home, daddy bear of course gets super angry and begins to roar. They track her down from the porridge to the chairs and find her on the baby bears bed, which was an ultimate favorite part. It was my favorite part due to the way she reacted. She was so frightened her hair stood on end, and she screamed like a maniac. She then ran out out of their home and she went under a bed and hid for a whole week. She then learned not to go in any home and mess with their belonging. It was a lesson well learned, in a hard way for her at least.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been quite taken by creative types who have masterfully managed to write a children's book and illustrate it, too. Who are these people? I sure would like to spend a moment or two in their heads and learn a few things.

Emma Chichester-Clark, the author and illustrator behind this version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, does a stunning job of keeping the fairy tale intact. If there is one thing I hate about modern re-tellings of classic fairy tales are they strips children from the opportunity of hearing the authentic story. This version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is essentially untouched by the author's imagination. Surely, that has to be one of the hardest things Chichester-Clark has ever done: suppress her creativty and stick to the script.

Chichester-Clark does take a moment to change the ending slightly, but her change does not interfere with the basic premise of the story we have all come to know by heart and can recite from memory.

Chichester-Clark's illustrations are average at best. I hate to write that, but I must be honest. What Chichester-Clark lacks in illustrative spunk, she more than makes up for by bringing great detail to the scenes she draws in the book. Children fall in love with details. And in that regard her illustrations are already a gold winner.

[Katelyn Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Goldilocks and the three bears and I very much enjoyed it. I read this fairytale many times when I was younger so it was familiar to me. It is about a Papa bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear. One day they made porridge but it was way too hot, so they decided to go on a stroll while it cools down. While they were out, a little girl named Goldilocks stumbled upon their house and entered it. She discovered the porridge and ate it. Next she sat in the chairs and broke the baby one. Finally she laid in all their beds and found herself comfortable in Baby bear’s bed. Meanwhile, the bears come home and discover her which scares her away. I think the lesson trying to be taught it to not wonder around where you are not supposed to and not touch things that are not yours. I thought the book was entertaining and easy to read.

[Patricia Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This classic tale retold by Emma Clark added a new style and version to the story that I really liked. It was the typical story of Goldilocks and how she got into the three bear's house and ruined their belongings because of her curiosity and selfishness.

What I thought was neat about this version is that the text and the illustrations were very large, and very in-your-face, which I believed connected to the whole meaning of the story and how Goldilocks was into all of the bear's belongings. Also, to emphasize certain words or emotions, the text was in caps or italicized, which made it more dramatic and playful. I didn't seem to enjoy the illustrations that much, but they were incorporated well within the story and followed along with it well. Cute story, but definitely not my favorite fairy tale.

[Linnea Lyding · Rating 4 out of 5]

This version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is whimsical and entertaining. In this story, Goldilocks appears to be a brave, brazen, little girl - that is until she gets caught. Then, she is so frightened that her hair stands on end. The three bears are a happy little family. The pictures enhance the charm of the story! From the striking opening endpage to the back cover, the pencil and acrylic drawings are delightful. They are filled with detail, color, and design! If you are reading Goldilocks and the Three Bears, you will not want to miss this version!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty straightforward version. I read it at storytime and the kids liked it, though I confess that I cringed when Goldilocks described something as "stupid". The author uses several unusual words (like stupendous or ravenous), which is useful in building up the early literacy skill of vocabulary.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the illustrations in this telling of Goldilocks. I know we're supposed to side with the bears at the violation of their house, but part of me wondered if Goldilocks was really just being neglected by her parents. If I were to rewrite this tale, I would have the three bears inviting her to have breakfast with them the next day. Maybe she's just hungry.

[The Library Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Appealing pictures and a nice, fairly traditional telling. I like that Goldilocks is looking for a place to read a book when she tries that chairs, and that the book she's reading is obviously "Little Red Riding Hood"!

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I always opt for the Galdone with the classics, this new title offers fresh life to the classic tale of Goldilocks. Great for storytime---large picture book with bright and attractive illustrations.

[Michael Earp · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Samantha Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goldilocks is a classical tale of a little girl who goes wondering in places she shouldn't! She enters the house of a family of bears and eats their porridge, breaks their chair and sleeps in their bed! This classical tale teaches that bad behavior has consequences.

[Shelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are so many versions of these classic tales that unless it totally deviates from the original it tends to get lost on me. This one didn't deviate enough to make the story stand on its own, but I did like the additional vocabulary words that the author sprinkled in.

[Sonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is our absolute tip top favourite version of goldilocks. beautiful illustrations. wonderfully musical prose. a joy to read aloud with real expression. my husband and I take it in turn to do the voices of the different characters and our daughter loves it.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Traditional Literature
Copyright: 2009
Thoughts: This is just a traditional Goldilocks and the Three Bears story. There is some dialogue and interesting pictures but it's basically standard.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and a nice modern take on the classic story. What was Goldilocks doing nosing around the bears house?

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Moral to the story...Goldilocks ran all the way home, where she hid under her bed....And she'll never poke her nose into other people's houses again. Good moral!

[Rima · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 3 yr olds favourite "godisocks" book. I love the illustrations however i do omit some of the words when i read it to her - goldilocks is a bit too naughty with her language for my liking.

[Claire Rozint · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the classic story we have all heard of Goldilocks and the three bears with a twist on modern language. Only a bit of different language than the classic story.

[Ruth Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely illustrations and some new dialogue.