GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS

Dozens of visions of Goldilocks, both rustic and refined, have skipped their way through children’s books, but none as elegantly as this one. Spirin has edited the story down to “bear bones” and has lavished it with his signature finely detailed watercolor-and–colored pencil artwork. The bears are dressed in exquisite Renaissance costumes while retaining their ursine features, including teeth and claws. Textures in the fabrics, furniture and fur are extremely realistic, heightened by the white backgrounds and handsome page compositions with calligraphic decorations. The illustrations imbue each bear with personality, and Goldilocks is blue-eyed, golden-tressed and utterly charming. The ending? Goldilocks wakes up, runs out of the house and each bear says, “Bye.” This gilding of a classic fairy tale is pure gold. An author’s note about the story’s origin provides a remarkably detailed history for all its just-right brevity (Picture book/folktale. 3-8)