The Three Snow Bears

by Jan Brett

Aloo-ki glances up from fishing and sees her sled dogs floating off on an ice floe. She races after them and comes upon an igloo. Being a curious girl, she goes inside only to find no one home. That's because the polar bear family who lives there is out walking while their breakfast cools off. Aloo-ki eats some soup, tries on their boots, and finally crawls into the smallest bed for a nap. Meanwhile, Papa, Mama, and Baby Bear see her dogs adrift, swim out to rescue them and return home to find Aloo-ki fast asleep in Baby Bear's bed.Jan traveled to the far North to meet the Inuit people and see the amazing land where they live. Dramatic illustrations capture the shimmering ice, snow and deep blue seas of the Arctic, and when Jan adds a raven-haired Inuit girl and her appealing huskies, an endearing family of polar bears, and playful Arctic animals in the borders, the result is one of her most beautiful picture books.

The decorative Inuit patterns and clothing Jan uses throughout are sure to attract adult fans and collectors while children will want to listen to and look at this exciting version of a well-loved story over and over again.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Fairy Tales, Christmas, Fiction, Fantasy

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 13, 2007

About the author

With over thirty three million books in print, Jan Brett is one of the nation's foremost author illustrators of children's books. Jan lives in a seacoast town in Massachusetts, close to where she grew up. During the summer her family moves to a home in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts.

As a child, Jan Brett decided to be an illustrator and spent many hours reading and drawing. She says, "I remember the special quiet of rainy days when I felt that I could enter the pages of my beautiful picture books. Now I try to recreate that feeling of believing that the imaginary place I'm drawing really exists. The detail in my work helps to convince me, and I hope others as well, that such places might be real."
As a student at the Boston Museum School, she spent hours in the Museum of Fine Arts. "It was overwhelming to see the room-size landscapes and towering stone sculptures, and then moments later to refocus on delicately embroidered kimonos and ancient porcelain," she says. "I'm delighted and surprised when fragments of these beautiful images come back to me in my painting."

Travel is also a constant inspiration. Together with her husband, Joe Hearne, who is a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Jan visits many different countries where she researches the architecture and costumes that appear in her work. "From cave paintings to Norwegian sleighs, to Japanese gardens, I study the traditions of the many countries I visit and use them as a starting point for my children's books."
--from www.janbrett.com

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goldilocks and the 3 bears told at the north pole. Aloo-ki is Goldilocks. She leaves her loving dogs on an ice flow. In looking for them she finds the home of the 3 bears who are out saving her dogs, not eating them. She eats their soup and steals little bears really fancy pair of boots and takes a nap. The 3 bears come home and instead of eating her, they let her go. She runs off with little bears boots and gets her dogs that were rescued and doesn't even say thank you. She takes off in terror.

Such a little brat.

Beautiful art work and the kids did enjoy this. I liked it too, but when you look at Aloo-ki's actions it's like wow.

[Spencer Orey]

I seriously don't know why people keep buying my kid these books

[Christian Schultheiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up reading Jan Brett books like this one as a kid, I have to truly say I never realized she was retelling classics like Goldilocks like with this one because of just the special art and soul she adds to her work that’s always made me curious and smile. I adore in every one of her books how we get wonderful side stories that I can still remember imagining happening as I read as a kid, and really that mixed with the wonderful fact that this brings more light to Native American culture and people is just all the better and bonus points for having my favorite animal present in the polar bear. 4.25/5

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is basically a revision of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" but with an Inuit girl and three polar bears. So, cute idea, yes. I really appreciated the Inuit focus as there is a dearth of these cultural influences in books!!! However, some of the pictures were just a bit...um, too oddly realistic-mixed-with-cutesy for me. Like the bears look like real polar bears, a bit scary even, but wear cute sweaters. Also, I'm not sure what the "moral" of the story is as our "Goldilocks" runs off, "thanks" the bears, who wave bye-bye... um, so it's fine to just sneak into someone's house and steal their food and mess up their beds??? Still, kids will probably enjoy this unique take on the Goldilocks tale and it opens a great window of opportunity to discuss another culture.

[Janie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book with my grandson. A cute little retelling of Goldilocks and the three bears, which was always one of my favorite kid's stories.. We both really enjoyed the story a lot. It also had some really good illustrations. Not sure who illustrated the book since it was not mentioned. So maybe the author was also the illustrator. It was nice to revisit such a wonderful story in a different form.

Synopsis
Aloo-ki glances up from fishing and sees her sled dogs floating off on an ice floe. She races after them and comes upon an igloo. Being a curious girl, she goes inside only to find no one home. That's because the polar bear family who lives there is out walking while their breakfast cools off. Aloo-ki eats some soup, tries on their boots, and finally crawls into the smallest bed for a nap. Meanwhile, Papa, Mama, and Baby Bear see her dogs adrift, swim out to rescue them and return home to find Aloo-ki fast asleep in Baby Bear's bed.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jan Brett transplants the classic English fairy-tale about Goldilocks and the Three Bears to the arctic in this beautifully-illustrated picture-book, depicting an Inuit girl named Aloo-ki and her adventures exploring the igloo belonging to an absent snow bear family. As Aloo-ki tries the food, boots and beds belonging to the three ursine residents of the igloo, said bears are off swimming, and rescuing her stranded sled dogs...

Brett seems to have a real fascination with this story, having created a traditional picture-book retelling of it, as well as the recent under-sea Okinawan version, The Mermaid . Although I found the illustrations here gorgeous - as always with this artist's work, they were colorful and ornate, with beautiful side panels that revealed more of the story than could be found in text alone - I honestly can't say I found the tale itself all that appealing. Leaving aside the common objection - namely, that the heroine is a bit unprincipled in her behavior - I sometimes wonder with these fairy-tale transplants, why the cultural setting needs to be changed at all. Surely folklore is one field that is already culturally diverse? I think I would have preferred a retelling of an actual Inuit tale, rather than a transformed Inuit version of an English one. Of course, Inuit-owned publisher Inhabit Media (whose catalogue I can't recommend highly enough!) seems to be doing an excellent job in that direction. As for this, it is one I would recommend primarily to those who are fans of Jan Brett's artwork.

[Abby · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very fun take on the classic story "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." While I liked the story's change of setting, I wasn't keen on the story itself. I mean, if we're looking for a lesson here, we have to dig around to find it. Here's the gist of the story: The polar bears go on a walk while their soup cools down and while they're out they rescue some sled dogs that got trapped on an ice float. Meanwhile, Goldilocks breaks into the bears' house, eats their dinner, tries on their boots, and sleeps in their beds. When the bears return, having rescued Goldilocks' dogs, Goldilocks wakes up and runs away. She doesn't say thank you for anything the bears have done for her, she doesn't offer to make them more soup, and she steals Baby Bear's boots. I guess it could be a lesson about turning the other cheek, but that's a bit of a stretch. Plus, the overall design of the book is not as good as is typical of Jan Brett. This isn't one of her best.

[Dayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A polar bear version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. I liked this one better than Brett's traditional Goldilocks.

[Alyssa]

This is Jan Brett’s adaptation of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, set in winter in a northern region with a Native main character, possibly Inuit. This setting is apparent at the start of the book when Aloo-Ki is separated from her Huskies and sled when a patch of ice breaks free and sends them floating in the icy waters. As Aloo-Ki runs along the shore in an attempt to rescue her dogs she comes upon a large igloo, belonging to the three polar bears, Papa, Mama, and Baby bear who have just set out for a walk. As Aloo-ki proceeds to eat Baby’s porridge, try each pair of boots, and fall asleep on baby’s bed the bears see her dogs afloat on a patch of ice and swim out to rescue them. When the bears come home to find Aloo-Ki in their igloo, she startles awake and runs outside only to be greeted by her pups, instead of chased away by the bears.

This story is portrayed more through illustrations than text with a main picture relating to the written text, and several other pictures framing it to indicate what other characters of the story are doing at the same point in time.

This book is a great addition to any multicultural lesson, with the illustrations of Aloo-ki and the animals dressed in traditional clothing. Furthermore this variation on a popular folk story can be used to start a discussion on how different cultures may use similar tales to portray a message or entertain.
Because of the border illustrations this book would work well for K-1 level readers to tell the story based on what they see in the pictures; as well as make predictions about upcoming events of the story.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate the effort at multiculturalism in Jan Brett's The Three Snow Bears- instead of a golden-locked heroine, it features an Eskimo girl- but as a picture book it falls short. The beginning is abrupt- throwing the reader directly into the world of Aloo-ki without introducing her or her surroundings. Usually Jan Brett is wonderfully graceful in this respect- creating a complete world for her characters before diving into the action, even if only in the borders. The Three Snow Bears, however, begins as follows: "Come back!" Aloo-ki shouted as her huskies floated out to sea. Who? What huskies? Why does she have huskies and what does she do with them? Why are they floating off to sea? Why are there even huskies in a story about the Three Bears? Very puzzling. Then there are the bears' reactions to Aloo-ki's presence in their house. They are understandably annoyed. However, when they see her, she escapes and turns around to find them waving goodbye at her. This is not consistent with their characters thus far. Are they grateful that Aloo-ki thanks them after fleeing? I generally find that people either flee or thank the people they have borrowed things from, not both. These inconsistencies shouldn't have made it past the editing process. This was a great idea, just half-baked in regard to execution.

[Uriah · Rating 2 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated adaptation of the three bears story. The illustrations are really well done, visually interesting and they show off screen scenes of the other parties in the story.

The reason I gave it only two stars is because I felt that the end of the story was very poorly done. While the bears appear to be angry entering into the final scene of the story, they suddenly are chummy with Aloo-ki (Goldilocks) and say "Bye-Bye" to her even though she ends up stealing baby bear's boots. Even my four year old daughter noticed that when we read the book for the first time. It felt like they were telling the classic story but suddenly decided it needed a happy ending.

[Ike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful re-taling of "Goldilocks" from the eyes of Aloo-ki. She gets separated from her team of huskies. The story enfolds along the "Goldilocks" themes, but using the beautiful Inuit girl and a family of friendly Polar Bears. It is well illustrated and a very pleasant to read along with young children.

[Bethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

a unique treatment of the Goldilocks tale, this time in the arctic circle, usual Brett quality detailed, to the point of busy illustrations, with part of the story taking place in the margins.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears with Polar Bears. Great winter story!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful Jan Brett adaptation of Goldilocks. I had fun with getting the kids to point out differences between original story and this Arctic based tale.

[Shelby Holloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this story a girl named, Aloo-ki, is fishing when suddenly her sled dogs begin to float away on drifting ice. She rushes along the bank trying to catch them. Meanwhile, a polar bear family is fixing to eat their breakfast, the smallest bears food is too hot to eat so they decide to take a walk while their breakfast cools off. Aloo-ki runs into the polar bears igloo and decides to take a look inside. No one is home. Immediately she notices the food on the table which she can’t help but taste. The big bowl of food is too hot, the medium too cold but the small bowl is perfect and she eats all of it! Next, Aloo-ki finds three pairs of boots. The first pair is too big, the second pair is too fancy but the third pair is perfect so she keeps them on her feet. She begins to get sleepy so she finds three beds. The first bed is much too large and hard, the medium sized bed is much too soft, but the third bed if perfectly cozy for her. Aloo-ki falls fast asleep.
While the bears are on their swim they find Aloo-ki’s sled dogs and rescue them, bringing them back to shore. They go inside their igloo and discover someone has eaten their breakfast and someone has tried on their boots. The little bear’s boots are even missing. When they go into their bedroom they discover Aloo-ki soundly sleeping in the little bear’s bed. They continue to look at her and she wakes up suddenly with three polar bears in her face. She jumps out of bed and rushes out of the igloo to her sled dogs. All at once the bears say “good-bye!”

A. This book has not won any awards.
B. About the Book
In this story, a young girl, Aloo-ki, stumbles upon an igloo while chasing after her sledge dogs. She is very curious so she goes inside to discover no one is home. While inside the home, she looks to be satisfied through a munching on the bears food, sitting in their chairs, and laying in their beds. The bears come home to find everything Aloo-ki has done and finds her in the little bear’s bed. This book is a different version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
C. Theme
Curiosity. Although Aloo-ki doesn’t find anyone home, she continues to rummage through the empty house. She knows someone must live there but still persist to wander and use the things in their house.
Family. The nature of the three bears families is presents, for example going on a walk together.
D. Getting Ready
I would use this book for guided reading in a first grade class. Before reading I would ask the students if any of them had ever read or heard to story Goldilocks and the three bears. I would tell the students to try and make connections with that story if they had read it and I would also tell the students to make connections with their family activities.
E. Questions for Discussion
• I would ask the students if they thought it was a good idea for Aloo-ki to go into the empty house.
• I would ask the students what they thought Aloo-ki was thinking when she was going through someone else’s house. Why do you think she was so curious?
F. Questions for Written Response
• Can you relate anything that the three bear’s do, to something your family does?
• Write about something that you are curious about.
G. Extension Activities
• Have the students create a booklet of things they are curious about; this can be called “Curious Things”. The children can write a single word or simple sentence about what they are curious about then they can illustrate that curious thing. Older students could create booklets with in-depth responses while younger kids could use illustrations mainly.
• Create a chart of the feeling that students think Aloo-ki is having while in the igloo. Is she scared they will return, is she happy for the excitement. This chart will help students compare the different views they have over the book. Older students could create their own chart of feelings. Younger students would help in creating a chart with the class.

[Stacey Orlando · Rating 3 out of 5]

The three polar bears took off on an ice chip to go fishing. It was time for breakfast but it was too cold for baby bear. They heated up the soup and he tried it again but it burned his mouth. Mama bear and baby bear decided to let the soup cool down and they left the igloo. An Indian, Alokee, was trying to find her dog and passed by an igloo. She decided to crawl inside and she smelled delicious bowls of soup. The first was too hot, the second was too cold, but the last bowl of soup was just right. She drank all the soup. Alokee went to the next room and found three pairs of boots. The first boots were too big, the second were too fancy, but the last one fit just right. She took the boots and went into the next room to see three beds. The first bed was too hard, the second was too soft, but the third was just right. Alokee fell asleep in the bed. Soon returned the three polar bears to a messy house. The three bears saw the messy kitchen, the missing boots, and then found the girl laying in baby bears bed. The bears stood above Alokee and frightened her. She ran out of the house and found her dogs, and dashed away.

I felt the illustrations painted a really descriptive picture for young readers. They are extremely detailed and well thought out. I appreciate that the entire page was used each time. With a simple storyline I feel it is important to create pictures that are more complex. The bears and Alokee are all dressed in traditional Native American attire which I think is awesome because it adds culture to the book that small children may not yet be familiar with.

This book seemed to me to be a linear story as the original "Three Little Bears." The same chain of events take place; a stranger ventures into the house looking for something but finds soup instead. After trying the first two bowls, the third suffices, then the stranger falls asleep. I only voted this 3 stars because i really enjoy originality in a book or film and I just felt this was too linear. Perhaps if the animals were changed from bears to another creature I would have responded better. This could be used in a lesson with kids dealing with politeness and social norms. It is not normal to wander into another's home and eat their soup, or porridge for that matter!

[Sheri_burris]

Book Title: The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett

Book Description: A little Arctic girl named Alooki gets separated from her snow dogs, so she visits a home where there polar bears have left to take a walk. Just as in Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Alooki snoops around and makes a mess before falling asleep in Baby Bear’s bed. When they discover her, she becomes frightened and leaves as quickly as she can.

Focus for my minilessons:
• During the reading, we will identify characters and the setting of the story. We will also discuss the sequence of events in the story.
• While reading, we will discuss the characters and how they are similar to other stories. We will make text to text connections.
• After the reading, we will compare and contrast the traditional story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Brett modeled this story after this one.
• I will also lead my students to deciding which story they like best. I will also lead them in defending their opinion with a reason for why they liked the story the best.

Teach: 1st Grade CCSS Connection –
1.W.1 - Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.

• Using a double bubble map/Venn diagram, the students will compare and contrast The Three Snow Bears and Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
• The students will write an opinion piece about the book that each liked the best between the two. The student will give a reason with details from the chosen story and provide closure for the writing.

Learning Outcome:
The students will be able to compare and contrast two different stories. The students will be able to state an opinion of a story and to write about that.

[Britt Guild · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard not to love Jan Brett's work. She takes the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears into the lives of the Inuit people where they use sled dogs for travel, live in igloos, and where clothing of animal fur and skin. Even the polar bears are dressed in ornate traditional coats and boots. The story is beautiful to page through and is a fun version to read of a common tale. I liked reading a common story in a very different setting and culture.

Aloo-ki plays the Goldilocks character from the traditional version who we see look up from fishing to watch her sled dogs floating off on an ice floe. She races after them and comes upon an igloo. Being a curious girl, she goes inside only to find no one home. She then begins to snoop in the igloo to try some soup, try on boots, and finally crawls into the smallest bear bed for a nap. Of course the bear family comes home to find Aloo-ki sleeping and the story ends similar to the Three Bears. The detailed pictures of the Arctic, the Inuit costumes, and the shimmering snow and ice makes this a beautiful picture book.

I would read aloud this version of the story to discuss traditional tales as well as to discuss the impact of culture and varying perspectives on literature. Students at the lower elementary level will enjoy the vivid pictures and this version as they are enamored by the Arctic and and all things alive and mysterious in a part of the world they have never seen. This book can expand their global perspective of the world.

[McCall Donnelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Three Snow Bears is a spinoff of Goldilocks. In this book, a little Eskimo girl finds herself in a large igloo trying three different soups, three different pairs of boots and three different size beds. When the bears arrive home they find that all of their belongings seem to be touched. As they continue through the igloo they find Aloo-Ki, the little girl, sleeping in baby bear's bed. Before they can say anything Aloo-Ki dashes out the door to her huskies and rides off into the snow. The three snow bears wave goodbye to her and she thanks them.

The illustrations in this book are very detailed. There is a lot of texture between the fur of the animals, the walls of the igloo, and the clothes that they are all wearing. There is more detail in the clothes than anything. Not only is there texture but the detailed patterns of each pair of boots and the jackets is very intricate. The illustrator might have done this to show culture in the clothing and the style of Eskimos.

This book also has repetition. As the little girl tries everything she always seems to pick the smallest. This maybe makes me think that she might be the baby of her family. Baby bear's things are perfect for her and she is most comfortable with them so that is what it leads me to. This also can encourage inferring to children and readers, even though it may not be true it can make them think of all the possibilities.

[Megan Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Three Snow Bears is a collection of folklore intended for primary readers. In this book three snow bears venture off and a young girl names Aloo-Ki enters their igloo. She eats their food, wears their boots, and sleeps in their beds until she finds the ones that are just right. The bears come home and find that someone had been snooping in their igloo. With the bears watching her nap in their bed, Aloo-Ki woke up and ran out of the igloo as fast as she could.
The Three Bears is a different version of Goldy Locks and the Three Bears. I rated this book four stars because I enjoyed the spin that the author put on this version of the story. Goldy Locks was always one of my favorite stories. The illustrations are drawn with great detail and very vibrant colors. The illustrations also take up the whole page on each page in the book, so it is easy to find yourself in the story. I think that children would find this book appealing because most children already know the story of Goldy Locks and the Three Bears so they will enjoy reading a different version of the story. Children will also enjoy this book because children enjoy reading things that they are already familiar with. Children that live in the United States have most likely never been to a snowy place like in the book so they will enjoy reading a book that has a plot and setting that is new to them.

[Miranda Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book first captured my attention with the beautiful illustrations. Jan Brett's intricate, detailed illustrations depict a majestic Arctic wonderland. What I especially loved about the pages throughout the book is that the side margins display pictures of what is happening in other settings. For example, when the book is focused on the girl's discovery of the igloo, the three bears are rescuing the three huskies lost at sea. This use of asides provides the reader differing viewpoints because they are able to predict what is happening, when the character does not know it. It keeps the reader anticipating and wanting to turn the page. Another thing I liked about this book was how the author took the familiar, favorite story of Goldilocks and the three bears and twisted it to fit with the Artic setting. I thought that this was a creative, fun idea for a children’s book. However, there were parts in the book that didn’t make sense to me. For example, if I was the little girl and my three dogs were stranded on a block of ice in the middle of the ocean, I wouldn’t be so relaxed about it and go fall asleep in an igloo. I would be so worried about my dogs that I wouldn’t let them out of my site from the shore. In all, this is cute rendition of the story of Goldilocks and would make a great addition to my classroom library.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worldview - Universally Acceptable

Setting:
Location - Arctic

Review
This is an Arctic take on Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
Aloo-ki a young Inuit girl is worried when her dogs and sled drift away from her on an ice-pan. Luckily she finds a huge igloo where she makes herself at home, tasting the soup, trying on boots and laying down in the beds of pelts.
While she is exploring their home, the polar bear family to whom the igloo belongs have gone for a walk. They see the stranded dogs and rescue them.
When they arrive home they find someone has been there and of course there is Aloo-ki asleep in Baby Bear’s bed.
The highly detailed, large format illustrations are a lot of fun. On the side of each page there is a smaller illustration of what the other character is doing at that time.
The bears costumes are each dissimilar to the other in style and decoration. This leads me to believe the pictures are based simply upon the artist’s vision and that they are not specific to a certain Inuit group or region.

Teacher Application
This is by no means an astounding resource, but it is fun, and would interest very young children.
The small inset pictures would be great to use as prompts to help students narrate the story back, if this is a new skill for them.

Parental Warning
N/A

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Categories/Genre: Picture book, Traditional
Copyright date: 2007
Estimate Grade Level of Interest: K-3
Estimate Reading Grade Level: Grades 2-3

Brief Description: A version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, retold in the context of an Inuit girl and polar bears and sled dogs in the Arctic.

Picture books extend the story through illustrations. Jan Brett is famous for her illustrations with a secondary story told through the sidebars on each page. Traditional stories, told from a multicultural perspective, help demonstrate universal ideals or values. Readers will quickly recognize the story as a reinterpretation of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but will be intrigued with the Arctic context of sled dogs carrying a girl wearing a seal fur coat and polar bears swimming among the ice flows, showing a familiar story in another part of the world.

Jan Brett's books have a similar format: beautifully detailed illustrations in the middle of the page and additional illustrations telling another story at the same time in the side bars. The books are lovely and there is so much for students to look at and discover. The story is a traditional story, as many of Brett's books are, but reinterpreted to give it a fresh look.

Awards:

Reviews: Booklist, 9/07; Horn Book, 4/08; SLJ, 12/07

[Megan P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jan Brett wrote the picture book The Three Snow Bears as another version of Goldy locks. Aloo-Ki is the goldy locks character. Her huskies floated away in the icy lake at the time the three snow bears left there igloo and went for a stroll. Aloo-Ki found there igloo and went inside and tried all three bears food then she tried on all three bears boots after that she crawled In all there beds until she got to baby bears bed and it was perfect for her so she took a nap in it. At the time of Aloo-ki doing all this in the snow bears igloo the snow bears were pushing Aloo-Ki dog team to safety towards their igloo. After they got them to safety they went into their igloo and found all their food gone, their boots had been worn and they found Aloo-ki sleeping in baby bears bed. "someone found my soup and they ate it all up."



I would recommend this book to anyone that likes picture books and books that are like goldy locks because it’s a cute little book that’s fun to read.

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been hearing and reading reviews that are really good of Jan Brett’s The Three Snow Bears,
and other books of hers. So when I found a copy of The Three Snow Bears, I was excited.

This is a different take on Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The book takes place in the arctic and the main characters in this story is a little Inuit girl named Aloo-ki and three polar bears. While out on a walk, Aloo-ki’s huskies start floating out to sea on an ice floe. At the same time, the three polar bears head out on a walk while their soup cools back home in their igloo. As Aloo-ki chases her dogs, she comes across the igloo and makes her way inside. Aloo-ki tastes the three soups and tries on the different boots before falling asleep in the baby bear’s bed. When the bears return home, they are surprised to see evidence that someone had been inside. Baby Bear finds Aloo-ki sleeping in her bed! When Aloo-ki awakes and notices the bears, she runs out of the igloo and away with her huskies. I thought it especially nice when the snow bears help to rescue Aloo-ki's dogs while she explores their igloo.

The art in the book is really well done. Being in snow country, the colors are mostly white, blue and gray

What a delightful story. It's fun to revert back to my youth and read stories that would have appealed to me then as well as now. Brett does a great job of writing the story, most pleasant and fun. Great book. I don't have children, but it still is a delightful read.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Booklist (September 15, 2007 (Vol. 104, No. 2))

Grades 1-3. In her newest book Brett transplants The Three Bears to an Arctic setting and, inspired by garb and art encountered on a visit to Nunavut, incorporates beautifully patterned furs, beadwork, carvings, and borders into her typically eye-filling illustrations. Searching for her sled dogs, young Aloo-ki comes upon an oversize igloo from which a family of particularly feral-looking polar bears have just stepped. By the time the bears return (having rescued her dogs from an ice floe), she has drunk baby bear’s soup, traded her boots for baby bear’s nicer ones, and fallen asleep on a pile of furs. Finding no windows through which to leap when she is discovered, she makes her escape by diving between Papa Bear’s legs and sleds off, exchanging friendly waves with the bears—who evidently take the loss of the soup and the boots in good spirits. Dogs and arctic wildlife in Inuit dress frolic in flanking panels, adding even more visual energy to this cheerful icebound iteration of the familiar folktale.



Kirkus Reviews (August 1, 2007)

Brett sets the familiar story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears in the Arctic, replacing Goldilocks with Aloo-ki, an Inuit girl who stumbles upon the snow bears' igloo while hunting for her lost dog team. After Aloo-ki samples three bowls of soup, three pairs of boots and three sleeping places, she falls asleep in Baby Bear's cozy bed. When the igloo's occupants return, a surprised Aloo-ki scrambles out of bed and past the bears to discover that they have found and rescued her dogs. Brett presents the Goldilocks story in simple prose, altering it only slightly to accommodate the Arctic setting. The stunning watercolor-and-gouache illustrations, however, provide the sense of place that the words do not. Brett creates a strikingly beautiful blue-and-gray-toned world of ice populated with thickly furred creatures and accented with Inuit motifs. The intricately detailed, multi-paneled spreads depict the snow bears rescuing Aloo-ki's dogs while Aloo-ki explores their igloo. Children and adults alike will pore over each page, relishing the richness of Brett's artwork. (Picture book. 5-9)



Library Media Connection (November/December 2007)

Jan Brett's newest book is a retelling of the Goldilocks story with a different twist. Aloo-ki is an Inuit living in the Arctic. Her dog team of Huskies is lost when they are out on a fishing trip. As she is searching for them, she discovers an igloo, which is the home of three snow bears. The bears have gone on a walk while their food is cooling and Aloo-ki enters to explore their home. The story continues until the bears return home discovering Aloo-ki and returning her dog team. This story is a unique version of the traditional tale that children will enjoy. The illustrations are intricate and beautifully designed to accentuate the story in true Jan Brett style. The setting makes this retelling a refreshing change with new possibilities in teaching units on folktales, the Arctic, winter, or Indians. Children will enjoy reading and watching each page anticipating the next event. This is a beautifully illustrated story from a well-loved author/illustrator. Recommended. Cindy Walker, Librarian, Moore Elementary School, Houston, Texas



Publishers Weekly (July 30, 2007)

The perennially popular Brett sets this wintry spin on the Goldilocks tale in the Arctic. A polar bear family leaves its igloo for a walk to let Baby Bear's soup cool just as Aloo-ki, an Inuit girl, runs past, searching for her team of huskies, which have drifted away on an ice floe. Distracted by the aroma of the soup, Aloo-ki wanders into the igloo, and the rest is (not quite) history. Set against a background rendered as chilly blocks of ice, Brett's trademark border panels unfold the simultaneous story of the bears, who rescue the stranded dog team even as Aloo-ki makes free with their breakfast and home comforts. Kids will enjoy the variations on a nursery room standard, although the main draw is, as usual, Brett's characteristically detailed art. She pays loving attention to folkways, attiring the bears and other animals in furry parkas with geometric Inuit designs and furnishing the igloo with implements crafted in a native style. But between the frigid tones of the icy borders and the minor key of the story, the volume is narrower in its appeal than Brett's (The Mitten) best. Ages 4-up. (Sept.) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.



School Library Journal (December 1, 2007)

PreS-Gr 3-Filled with the gorgeously detailed watercolor and gouache illustrations that distinguish her work, this Arctic version of a classic tale is pure Brett. In the wintry white world of the far north, Aloo-ki, a young Inuit girl, steps into the role of Goldilocks. Separated from her team of huskies while fishing among ice floes, she stumbles upon the three snow bears' empty igloo. She proceeds to taste their soup, try on their boots, and, as expected, sample each of their beds before falling asleep in Baby Bear's pile of cozy furs. Meanwhile, the polar bears rescue Aloo-ki's dog team and bring them back to the igloo, where they discover evidence of the intruder and quickly locate the sleeping girl. Awakened to find herself face-to-face with three huge bears, Aloo-ki rushes outdoors, gathers her huskies, and waves a thank-you before hurrying away on her sled. The plot remains true to the progression of the traditional tale and the narrative moves swiftly. Side panels depict regional fauna and help convey the action. Aloo-ki and many of the animals wear clothing inspired by Inuit designs, adding splashes of color to the snowy backdrops. This book is sure to be appreciated by the author's fans and those seeking multicultural variations on the Goldilocks story.-Piper Nyman, Brookmeade Elementary School, Nashville, TN Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

[Kia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful Indigenous retelling of the classic “Goldilocks & the Three Bears.” I loved how Brett introduces the reader to different aspects of Inuit culture, through both her storytelling and illustrations.

[Sierra Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

POLAR BEARZ IN LOVELY WINTER OUTFITS. FIVE STARZ.

[Lauren · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why did I hate this so much?? I don’t know why the “Goldilocks” character bugged me so much when it’s an arctic situation and food is less abundant. 😆