Goatilocks and the Three Bears by Erica S. Perl (review)

In this amusing retelling of the traditional story, our protagonist is not a little girl but a long-lashed, floppy-eared goat with a penchant for trespassing. After trying out the bears’ porridge, chairs, and beds, Goatilocks not only settles on Baby Bear’s offerings but eats them in their entirety—porridge, spoon, chair, cushions, bed, bedding, and all. In the familiar scene of the bears’ discovery, the bears return home and the parents note that someone has been messing with their stuff as in the traditional version, while Baby Bear questions “Hey, where’s my porridge?” and “Hey, where’s my chair?” Pleasingly, the story does not end just with Goatilocks’ rapid departure but instead with a moment of redemption wherein she brings the bears a huge bouquet of wildflowers—which they eat. Perl has perfectly nailed the humor, with a light tone and selective word choice that carry the story’s jokes. Howard’s cartoonish watercolor illustrations incorporate a pastel palette of splashy pink, purple, and aqua, and their thick wiggly lines and comic perspectives are joyously bumptious. There’s plenty of storytime appeal here, and young listeners are certain to get a kick out of Goatilocks’ appetite for fun.