Ghouldilocks and the Three Ghosts

by Annie Sullivan, Paula J. Becker (illustrator)

A classic fairy tale is turned on its head when a creepy ghoul and three not-so-scary ghosts replace familiar characters in this funny holiday story.

Ghouldilocks and the Three Ghosts is the Halloween version of a well-known fairy tale. This Ghouldilocks has the same golden curls as the original, but styled with bones and tangles to suit this scary holiday.  

 Ghouldilocks approaches a haunted mansion and steps inside. There she samples three bowls of ghoulosh, sits on a big chair, a medium chair, and a small chair. Next she tries out three beds--and falls asleep in the smallest one. The ghosts come home and instead of chasing Ghouldilocks away, they all become friends. The pages are sprinkled with speech balloons filled with silly Halloween jokes and puns. Colorful art includes sly details by a talented cartoonist will make readers laugh-out-loud.

This clever retelling of the classic Goldilocks and the Three Bears is perfect for Halloween.

Genres: Picture Books, Halloween, Holiday, Childrens, Fiction, Ghosts, Juvenile

40 pages, Hardcover

Published August 19, 2025

Reviews

[Julie Ditton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids will love this fractured fairytale Halloween retelling of the classic Goldilocks story. The descriptions are so much fun and the bright colorful illustrations are full of cute details like scream cheese, Booberries and a tiny bat that can be found on every page. The book uses the more modern one with everybody becoming friends and the intruder promising to change her ways. This makes a fun Halloween read aloud for for preschoolers and early elementary.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful and whimsical, this twist on the classic tale blends humor with spookiness. The illustrations are vibrant and full of personality, capturing the playful essence of the story.

[YSBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most librarians would agree that you can never have too many Halloween-themed picture books, so why not a not-very-scary retelling of an old favorite with just a bit of ick? In this version, Ghouldilocks has ghastly, rather than golden hair, and it’s littered with bones, bugs, and snarls; she’s also blessed with sickly greenish skin, red-rimmed eyes, and pointy ears. Hearing some eerie “Boooos” in the wind, she comes upon an abandoned mansion with the requisite 3 chairs: one so hard it’s like sitting on a tombstone, one so soft it’s like sinking into quicksand, with the final one being just right. Same with the “ghoulash”, with one “hotter than a werewolf’s breath on a summer day” and another “colder than a vampire’s skin on a winter morning”.  All of this is rendered in bright, anarchical digital artwork that looks like messy acrylic strokes accented by fine black lines. The cheerful color scheme offsets any spookiness as do Ghouldilocks’s big googly eyes and miniature fangs. In addition, the predictability of the well-known plot will help mollify timid readers. By the end, the ghosts find the girl asleep in bed and think she’s a scary mummy, before all having a good laugh over the mix-up. Kids will enjoy studying the kooky and chaotic drawings to spot the tiny bat who appears on every page and feel pleasantly ill at the sight of the worm- and eye-ball-laced goulash. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[A Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the chair is too hard, it is described as being "like sitting on a tombstone." When the ghoulash is too hot, it is described as "hotter than a werewolf's breath on a summer day" and, when the ghoulash is too cold, it is "colder than a vampire's skin on a winter morning." The biggest bed is "like sleeping in a tomb" and the second bed, which was also too big for Ghouldilocks, was "like sleeping in a coffin." When the ghosts find Ghouldilocks, they are worried she is "a mummy trying to steal [their] sheets for [her] wrapping." In the end the ghosts teach Ghouldilocks how to make "the best ghoulash this side of the Headless Horeseman's Bridge." Ghouldilocks promises to "be more careful" and "never again go into someone else's haunted house, sit in their chairs, eat their ghoulash, or wrap herself up like a scary mummy in their beds - unless she was invited to." I love a fun twist on a classic and my youngest likes this book a lot too, but the illustration style isn't my personal favorite.

[Read Ribbet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annie Sullivan has created a clever Halloween version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. This time a little ghoul named Ghouldilocks has ventured into what she thinks is an abandoned mansion. She tries out the chairs, the bowls of ghoulash, and the beds. While taking a nap in the best bed, three ghosts come back and discover some has been in the mansion messing with their chairs, bowls and beds. This time the group finds a way to have fun together. The illustrations by Paula Becker are bold and colorful and effectively capture all the action. Sullivan has sprinkled great puns along the way. Talking bubbles invite readers to share parts together. It is a great model for writing parodies and a fun book for Halloween.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

With colorful illustrations created with Corel Painter 2023 and clever word play, this picture book twists the classic Goldilocks fairy tale with a Halloween punch. This Ghouldilocks has "ghastly hair," tries out three different chairs, noshes on three different bowls of ghoulash, and falls asleep in a bed that's just right after venturing into the home of three ghosts. Once they arrive back home, she makes friends, and everything is just fine. Readers will want to look closely at the artwork, which features Scream Cheese and BOOBERRIES snacks. It's all so much fun that it's hard to feel scared at all.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A ghostly-ghoulish twist to the familiar Goldilocks and the Three Bears story. In this version, Goldilocks is a little ghoul and she visits a haunted house. There's a lot of silly wordplay and goofy humor that will make this a fun picture book to share especially if readers are looking for a humorous and not scary ghost story.

"'We thought you were a mummy trying to steal our sheets for your wrapping!'
'Mummies do that?'
'Yeah, they're pretty wrapped up in themselves!'"

[Audrey | WellReadandUndead(ish) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t realize how many horror reimaginings there were for the classic story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. This one is about just as good as the others I’ve read. There were some fun puns and incorporated several classic Halloween monsters. The art style is very vibrant and at times, so chaotic I can’t quite tell what’s going on.

[Danni Nemes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used this book for a Folk analysis for class, compared to a more traditional telling of Goldilocks and the three bears. Loved the familiar aspects of the book while still adding more themes of friendship and responsibility for young readers. I would love to use this for a lesson in my future classroom for the fall.

[Patti Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So clever! Goldilocks and the three ghosts is a very unique approach to a fairy tale. The author does an excellent job with the storyline and adapting to a ghoul and 3 ghosts.

[SABRINA · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cute Halloween adaption to a very classic tale.

[Emily Haage]

LOVE the color palette!!!

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this as an adult (so fun to read aloud!) and my kiddos loved it, too! we've already given it multiple reads, and I know as Halloween gets closer it will be in regular rotation!

[Ross Felton · Rating 3 out of 5]

some awesome drawings

[Penny Schneider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun Fall and Halloween time read aloud. The play on words is super cute. I especially loved the illustrations,so full of life and energy!

[Melissapalmer404 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute take on Goldilocks. Vibrant illustrations. Good Halloween read.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4

[Savannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought this was super cute!

[Holly Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute children's book with unique art, creative puns, and a fun twist on the classic fairytale!

[Carol Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute Halloween rendition of Goldilocks.

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect monster story for Halloween. The story is a little too long for storytime but would make a good read aloud for lower elementary children.

[DiAnne Warfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holt-Delhi PJ story time 10-22-2025

[Danny · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun retelling of the Goldilocks story but with a Halloween twist! My kids love it!

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Spooky twist on a classic fairy tale of breaking and entering as Ghouldilocks, a little ghoul with the most ghastly hair,makes herself at home in a haunted mansion that belongs to three ghosts.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great retelling of a classic. Sure to be in high rotation near Halloween! The artwork is quite fun as well—don’t miss all the details.

[Y.Poston]

a festive retelling, fun!

[Yvette Feekes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun book, my granddaughter makes me read it over and over.

[Danny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a creative Halloween twist on the classic Goldilocks story. My kids love it!

[TheRetiredSchoolLibrarian |Mrs. Ferraris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: In this retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, a little girl ghoul walks into a haunted house, discovering ghoulash, chairs, and beds.

Comments: There are traditional text and speech bubbles.

The moral of the story shifts from learning not to enter a stranger's house to this new retelling, which emphasizes making friends with the inhabitants.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗