ONCE UPON A SLIME

This fractured fairy tale packs in some solid jokes (and a lot of slime).

While visiting the Three Bears, Goldilocks’ golden locks are drenched in a generous blob of slime as soon as she opens the door. Who could be responsible? This begins a whodunit that crisscrosses the fairy-tale realm as Goldie and a gaggle of friends seek out the culprit. Was it Baby Bear? (“You’re still mad I broke your chair!” Goldie accuses him.) Was it Rapunzel? Was it the Three Little Pigs? Who knew that Goldilocks had beef with so many of her neighbors? As they search, the expanding party is repeatedly slimed in location after location. Maxwell’s humor is dry, and hip readers will giggle at the snapbacks and humorous dialogue sprinkled throughout. The story reads aloud well, although the length may limit the audience to older listeners. Cotterill’s artwork—ink on watercolor paper with digitally added color—is loose and lively, and rereaders (and savvy-eyed first timers) are given hints to the real slimer. Of the human cast, only Little Red Riding Hood appears to be a person of color; this was a missed opportunity in an otherwise funny retelling.

A smart choice for fans of the genre.