Goldilocks and the Three Bears

by James Marshall, Ian Thomson (Narrator)

"With the same delightfully irreverent spirit that he brought to his retellings of Little Red Riding Hood, Marshall enlivens another favorite. . . . The illustrations are fraught with delicious humor and detail. Like its predecessor, perfect for several uses, from picture book hour to beginning reading."--Kirkus Reviews. Caldecott Honor Medal.

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

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 1988

About the author

James Edward Marshall (October 10, 1942 – October 13, 1992), who also wrote as Edward Marshall, was a children's author and illustrator.

His father worked on the railroad, was a band member in the 1930s, and his mother sang in the local church choir. His family later moved to Beaumont, Texas. Marshall said: "Beaumont is deep south and swampy and I hated it. I knew I would die if I stayed there so I diligently studied the viola, and eventually won a scholarship to the New England Conservatory in Boston."[1] He entered the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, but injured his hand, ending his music career. He returned to Texas, where he attended San Antonio College, and later transferred to Southern Connecticut State University where he received degrees in French and history.

It is said that he discovered his vocation on a 1971 summer afternoon, lying on a hammock drawing. His mother was watching Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and the main characters, George and Martha, ultimately became characters in one of his children's books. Marshall continued as a children's author until his untimely death in 1992 of a brain tumor. In 1998, George and Martha became the basis of an eponymous animated children's television show.

In addition to George and Martha, the lovable hippopotami, James Marshall created dozens of other uniquely appealing characters. He is well-known for his Fox series (which he wrote as "Edward Marshall"), as well as the Miss Nelson books, the Stupids, the Cut-ups, and many more. James Marshall had the uncanny ability to elicit wild delight from readers with relatively little text and simple drawings. With only two minute dots for eyes, his illustrated characters are able to express a wide range of emotion, and produce howls of laughter from both children and adults.

Reviews

[Manny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once upon a time there was a little girl named Goldilocks, who was very interested in online reviewing. She was out in the woods one day, when, walking past a house picturesquely called Bear Cottage, she glanced through the window and happened to notice three books lying on the table. No one seemed to be around, so she opened the door and went in.

She looked at the first book, which was called Les 120 journées de Sodome ou l'école du libertinage, by the Marquis de Sade. Not only was it full of the most disgusting descriptions of sexual torture, it was in eighteenth century French! No, no, thought Goldilocks, this book is too hard.

She flicked through the next book, Princess Daisy, by Judith Krantz. Apart from a little rape, incest and lesbian action, there was hardly anything to interest a modern girl. No, no, thought Goldilocks, this book is too soft.

She picked up the third book, and found it was Fifty Shades of Grey, by E.L. James! Goldilocks had begged to be allowed to read mommyporn, but her mother, a rather strict woman, insisted that she would have to wait until she was ten. Evidently Mrs. Bear was more permissive. Goldilocks quickly posted negative reviews of the first two books on her iPad and settled down to enjoy her new acquisition. She was having such a good time that she didn't even hear the bears come home. Since they immediately went to their laptops, they didn't see her either. But after a moment, she heard an angry growl from Mr. Bear. "Someone's been off-topic on my book!" he said with a slight French accent.

Mrs. Bear was not far behind. Smarting from the irrelevant insults that Goldilocks had heaped on her favorite writer, she joined her voice to her husband's. "Someone's been off-topic on my book!" she complained bitterly.

Baby Bear looked around for her copy of Fifty Shades, eager to continue with the first bondage scene, but couldn't find it anywhere. Suddenly, looking behind the couch, she found Golilocks not only reading it but also posting flippant updates on Goodreads.

"Someone's been off-topic on my book," she yelped, "and she's doing it right now!"

"Alors," said Mr. Bear in his French way. "I think you'll just have to close down her account".

THE END


This work by Manny is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

[Calista · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is bad. It looks like one of those very cheap cartoons. It is a faithful retelling of the story, but done poorly. I don’t understand how this won the honor, honestly. It screams cheap. It’s a classic and there should be something about it to make it shine and there isn’t. This is another Caldecott Honor that I really don’t like and I don’t think it fits the list. It diminishes the list.

The one thing I will say that I enjoyed about this, is that each room in the bears house was piled with books. Books surrounded papa’s chair and they were around each bed and books were piled all over Little Bears bed. I could get behind that. That is the only thing keep me from giving this 1 star.

The niece didn’t really like this either. She asked what was wrong with Goldilocks. She gave this 1 star. The nephew liked the bears and he gave this 2 stars.

[Jasmine from How Useful It Is · Rating 4 out of 5]

My toddler and I listened to the audiobook for tonight's bedtime. It was good. Goldilocks presented in this version of the book as a naughty child doing what she wants instead of listening to her mom's warnings before leaving the house.

Borrowed this book from the library.

[Arghavan-紫荆 · Rating 4 out of 5]

اولین کتابی که وقتی خوندن یاد گرفتم خوندم، از کتابخونه‌ی مدرسه امانت گرفته بودم...
Good ole days 🥲

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't think this retelling was that bad. I've read a few that I couldn't finish and this one I'll keep in my library. For starters, I really didn't care for how she was illustrated in the book.
I also didn't like Goldilocks image. She was "one of those naughty little girls who do exactly as they please" and boy, was she doing that in this book. Seeing the porridge on the table, she dives into the biggest bowl, then cries "Patooie!" She has to spit out that porridge, try the second bowl and then, she gobbles up the last bowl full of porridge. She leaves a mess of bowls and porridge on the table. Her attitude of doing what she likes continues throughout the story, curiosity is out the window.


I thought the book had more humor than the classic book that I read as a child. Papa and Baby Bear drama at the kitchen table was entertaining, the illustrations were comical (watch the facial expressions), and I feel the author's use of language made parts of the books entertaining.

[Manybooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

James Marshall's Goldilocks and the Three Bears is most definitely deliciously fun on a textual and narrative level, and I especially appreciate that Goldilocks is both described and visually depicted as the rather nasty and disobedient, even malicious little girl she is (that the Three Bears are clearly shown by Marshall as the victims of her disobedient and really pretty destructive home invasion). But that all being said, and while the accompanying illustrations are indeed bright, expressive and full of humour (and clearly depict the often sly and calculating facial expressions of the main antagonist, of Goldilocks), they are also much much too flat, motionless and cartoon like for my personal tastes (I can and do appreciate them to a certain point, but I really do not like them all that much, and actually, in retrospect, I just do not enjoy these illustrations at all, I just find them aesthetically unpleasing, their Caldecott Honour for James Marshall quite notwithstanding).

And considering that Goldilocks and the Three Bears is usually considered to be and approached as primarily a literary fairy tale, as a so-called Kunstmärchen (first written and published in England by Robert Southey in 1837, although in his version, instead of a mischievous young girl, it is an ugly old crone-like woman who invades and trashes a bear's humble domicile), the lack of any type of author's note on genesis and development of the latter, of the Goldilocks tales, is truly a rather disappointing and frustrating omission (for at the very least, Robert Southey's name as the likely original progenitor should have been mentioned). Still somewhat recommended (as James Marshall's retelling and adaptation of the Goldilocks thematics is not only humorous and engaging, it can also be used with and for children as a cautionary warning with regard to proper manners and acceptable social behaviours).

[Ronyell · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Goldilocks and the Three Bears” is a Caldecott Honor Book from the creative mind of James Marshall and it is about how a naughty little girl named Goldilocks finds out the hard way about being disobedient to her mother. “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” is a truly hilarious retelling of the classic fairy tale the children will be engaged in for a long time.

James Marshall has done a magnificent job at both illustrating and writing this book. James Marshall’s illustrations are truly colorful and hilarious making it a true recipient of the prestigious Caldecott Honor Award. James Marshall, as usual, makes his characters have pudgy faces and small black dotted eyes, which make the characters, look cute and hilarious at the same time. Also, the images are extremely colorful and creative, especially of the images of Goldilocks going inside the three bears’ house and the audience can see their house is littered with books, which makes it a dream come true for avid readers everywhere! James Marshall remains faithful to the original fairy tale format, only this time; he adds some humor to the story such as the way that Goldilocks ate up the porridge by spilling it all over the floor and slurping up the porridge. Many children will love the bright tone of the book as the book is mainly cute for small children to enjoy while it is full of attitude that older children would enjoy.

Parents should know that Goldilocks was a bit rude in this version of the classic fairy tale as in one incident; she barges into a home without knocking first and made a mess of the three bears’ house without cleaning up after herself. As the book pointed out, Goldilocks was a naughty little girl who does as she pleases without knowing the consequences of her actions and many small children might be enticed to follow her examples. Parents should talk to their children about the importance of having good manners and that children should never wandered into a stranger’s home without either knocking first or being accompanied by a parent.

“Goldilocks and the Three Bears” is a brilliant retelling of the classic fairytale that many children, young and old, would love because of its offbeat humor and its cute plotline. I would recommend this book to children ages five and up since smaller children might imitate Goldilocks’ rudeness throughout this book.

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog

[Eddie Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some fairy tales seem to survive as a form of madness, or an infection with no known treatment. They have been repeated so often and so much that they become permanently lodged in our collective consciousness, repeated by children generation after generation with thorough enjoyment, while remaining free of any significance or meaning beyond their own internal repetitions and patterns. They are what we call nonsense.

Nonsense is delightful.

Nonsense is transcendent.

Nonsense is a three-winged bird.

And nonsense has more staying power than much of what we deem significant and meaningful.

Great nonsense is one of humanity’s greatest inventions and one of earth’s freest things; irreducible and full of life, eternally youthful.

Though Goldilocks and the Three Bears is not pure nonsense of the sublime Hey diddle diddle… variety, in reading it I was surprised all over again by how nearly pointless it is, how ingrained in my consciousness it is, and how anticlimactically it ends, with Goldilocks jumping out the window and running away never to be seen again, with no lesson learned or transmitted, as if a stable furry tripartite household were momentarily invaded by nothing more than an irritating blonde phantasm, though they do have a broken chair to replace.

Goldilocks is a pest. The bears have a comfy setup. Goldilocks messes it up. Goldilocks leaves.

Knowing myself as well (though still only partially) as I do I would think I’d side with Goldilocks’ anarchic spirit disrupting the bears’ orderliness, but I’m also very domestic, or have grown so, and anyway in James Marshall’s version the interior of the bears’ house is rendered so invitingly, with a wondrous disorder of books everywhere, that Goldilocks is little more than a flighty one-dimensional imp with nothing to recommend her. The bears encompass both chaos and order, and what can be better than that fine and precarious balance?

James Marshall by the way is one of the greats; his concision coupled with such verbal and visual wit is unparalleled. His best books wed density of detail with the lightest of airy touches and spontaneity, and what can be better than that?

From his masterpiece, the George and Martha series:

[Britney Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goldilocks and the three bears by James Marshall was a book that you pick up and you expect it to be good because this is a classic tale. So you open the book to the first page and what do you see other then a naughty version of Goldilocks. This girl is troubled people! She is also disturbed! Need i say more? There were so many clues that Goldilocks could have seen to know that bears lived in that litle house there were pictures, locks of hair, and self pportraits done by little bear. Where i come from if you.walk into a house without permision its called breaking in entering so you go to jail for a loooong time. Who has been raising this kid? Goldilocks was not a good girl and sheserved to be eaten by those bears...... No that did not happen! This book was great but most definatly not a favorite and not a reccomindation unless you are going to explain to your kids about why you should not break into another persons home and break all their childs things. I personally felt bad for baby bear.... Here this little girl is sleeping in HIS bed after she ate all HIS porriege and broke HIS rocking chair. I wsent back and examined the pictures in the story and frankly i was not impressed... I have seen some better artwork but I am not going to deduct any points because the pictures were not terrible. This book gets two stars for the story and two stars for the pictures... This book was funny and it may have made me laugh but not out loud. This book is perfect for children from the first grade to the fourth.

My Rateing
4/5

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was like a breath of fresh air. There are a lot of very serious books on the list for this challenge, but it’s not often that a funny book gets recognition. There are tons of subtle jokes in the illustrations. I loved the cats sleeping peacefully on the edge of the pool, about to be woken by Goldilocks as she jumps from the swing. Other highlights were the warning signs on the entrance to the short cut, the books all over the bears’ house, even in Baby Bear’s bed, and Papa Bear huge bunny slippers. This is a great preschool-friendly version of this story, where Goldilocks is a fun caricature and the bears are highly sympathetic characters.

[Luann · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Marshall's illustrations have lots of fun details. I especially love that the bears have books scattered throughout their house.

[Shaimaa أحمد · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am one of those who love to constantly renew their childhood moments I like it 😄🐻👧
أنا واحدة من أولئك الذين يحبون تجديد لحظات طفولتهم بإستمرار
من القصص المفضلة

[Anna Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love James Marshall and his unique and wonderful illustrations. His entire series of fairy tale renditions is magic.

[Wilmarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this 1989 Caldecott Honor Medal Winner we see a re-telling of the famous children’s story of a girl named Goldilocks and her interference with the three bears’ home. We first see that Goldilocks gets sent on an errand, by her mother, who specifically tells her she cannot take the shortcut. Goldilocks is an impetuous child who likes to do what she wants, instead of what she is told. On her shortcut, she sees a house and wanders inside, without even knocking the door. She sees porridge on the table and begins saying first from the big bowl, which was too hot. Second from the medium bowl, which was too cold. Third from the small bowl, which was just right and she ate it all. The same happens with the chairs, finding just right the little rocking chair, which she rocke in it until it broke. After all this she gets tired, so without permission, she heads the the rooms where she finds three beds. She also tries each, starting with the biggest one, only to find the small one just right, where she falls asleep and does not hear the bears come home. The three bears look around their eaten plates, sat-on chairs, and used beds until the little bear spots Goldilocks still in his. As Papa Bear spoke, Goldilocks woke up startled. She got out of bed, jumped out the window, and ran far away. The three bears wondered who was the obnoxious girl who entered there home, and wished she would never be seen by then again. And they never did see her again.
This story is an excellent choice for reading to smaller children. This book even serves as a book of manners, since once you do the opposite of what Goldilocks did, you are using your manners. There is absolutely no violence in this book, unless you count the sacrilege Goldilocks does with little bear’s rocking chair; so it is recommended for all ages. It contains various lessons, and that I am pretty sure the child will acknowledge, even without ux pointing them out. I would read this to pre-schoolers up to first grade.
I remember reading this book, when I was a kid, and thinking how strange it was that the human girl acted like an animal, and the wild animals like humans. I was a bit rusty on the storyline, but that fact stayed with me throughout the many years that it has been since I last read the story. In my opinion, Goldilocks is like an anti-role model. She does what she is not told, she goes inside people’s houses without permission, she does not ask for things, and she even had the audacity to break something that is not hers. If she were my roommate in college, we would not have gotten along in the least.

[Nelson Ganeshwaran · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is a fairy tale first recorded in narrative form by British author and poet Robert Southey. This book is a book I will enjoy reading to children all the time. It is a classic which will be remembered forever. This is a story where children will grow up and be able to recall the story from start to finish.

Goldilocks walks into the home of three bears when they went out for a walk. The three bears consisted of a father, a mother and a child. When the bears returned home, they realised that someone has tried their porridge, sat on their chairs and slept in their beds. They then realised that there was a girl sleeping in one of their beds. Goldilocks woke up and ran out of the house scared. The moral reasoning in the story concentrates on self concern, and concern for law and order. The theme of the story is to think about how actions may harm others emotionally.

I recommend this book for the early years and KS1. It can be used in guided reading, literacy and drama. Activities in literacy could include, having the children write an apology letter from Goldilocks to the three bears and for drama they could act out the story focusing on facial expressions, body language and tone of voice. I highly recommend this book and even if this book is not used in literacy or drama, it should be read to the children as a class in circle time or reading time.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I included this as a variation on the classic story because the author portrays Goldilocks as a specifically naughty girl, rather than the thoughtless or overly curious girl that is more typical for the story. The first bit of text says, “Once there was a little girl called Goldilocks. ‘What a sweet child,’ said someone new in town. ‘That’s what you think,’ said a neighbor.” The accompanying illustration shows Goldilocks jumping off a swing and into a pool of water, beside which a group of cats are sleeping; her facial expression shows that she knows the cats are there, and she knows exactly what effect her splash-landing will have on them. Text on the next page has Goldilocks making a promise, and then the sentence “But to tell the truth Goldilocks was one of those naughty little girls who do exactly as they please. All this paints a very unpleasant picture of Goldilocks (which isn’t helped by the subsequent storyline) that is absent from the classic telling of the story.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't going to review any kids books on here since they are so short. But I have read this no less than a million times so that has to count for something.

This is the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. My girls love this book. It takes the classic tale and embellishes it slightly. The pictures are great too. We love James Marshall books.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just an okay version of the classic tale.

[Felicia Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading the books off of Rory Gilmore's book challenge list. Read this book to baby Elizabeth. :D

[Dianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've always thought Goldilocks might be a bit of a brat, this is the version you need to read. It's subtle, but it's there. Love the way James Marshall drew her face!

[Samantha Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it very cute story

[Manal Khalid · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Marshall's "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" reinvents the classic story through its entertaining and original take on classic children's literature. Marshall's telling of the tale stays true to the original while adding his own unique comedy and flair, which sets it apart from other adaptations of the genre.

Marshall's adaptation is noteworthy for its endearing and quirky art style, which effectively breathes life into the characters. Young readers may find additional amusement in the characters' exaggerated and amusing portrayals. The book is appealing overall and appealing to both adults and children because of its lively and dynamic images.

Marshall's story deftly strikes a balance between his own imaginative embellishments and the comforting familiarity of the classic scenario. Readers are drawn in as they follow Goldilocks on her cunning journey around the bears' hut thanks to the well-executed pacing. With a dash of comedy added by the author's deft use of dialogue, the story is made both interesting and suitable for interactive reading experiences.

Although some would contend that Marshall's alterations to the original story should be viewed as a break from custom, they can also be valued as a novel interpretation of a well-known tale. The choice made by the author to include comedy and playfulness into the story adds levels of depth and increases the book's appeal to contemporary readers. This adaptability is evidence of the enduring quality of traditional literature.

Finally, James Marshall's "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" deftly strikes a balance in children's literature between tradition and innovation. This book is a fun addition to the genre because of its vivid pictures, captivating story, and deft reinterpretation. It introduces a new generation of readers to the delight of classic stories with a modern twist while also preserving the time-honored qualities of the original story.

[Megan Denney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goldilocks was a girl who lived in a little town and her mother wanted her to go to the next town over to get something for her; however she told her not to go through the woods. Goldilocks was different though and did her own thing and went straight through the woods until she found a house within the woods. Meanwhile the three bears went on a ride to wait while their porridge was cooling down. She went into their house and found porridge on their table. She tasted all three but the small bowl was just right temperature. Next, she went into the living room and tried all the chairs. The small chair was just right unlike the large and medium sized chair. She rocked so much in the small chair that she broke it. After, she got sleepy and tried all the sized beds. The small sized bed was just right and Goldilocks took her a nap, during the three bears came back. They noticed the mess and Papa Bear noticed that someone had been in his bed. The little bear found Goldilocks in his bed and she hopped out of the window. The bears hoped she would never come back.


I think that I will include this book into my classroom because it is a good story that keeps the children hooked as Goldilocks sneaks into their bears' house.

A teaching point for this book is that you can talk about similarities and differences through reading other version of Goldilocks. Have students analyze the similarities and differences of each.

[Karim Elmenshawy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't like it.....................................

[Khadeeja Idrissi Yahyaoui · Rating 3 out of 5]

Used this book at the start of a unit of work in English, where we were looking at newspaper reports and writing a newspaper report about a main event. The children really enjoyed the traditional fairytale and the illustrations, however it would have been better for the pictures to be more clear

[emyrose8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great retelling. There's a reason for the Caldecott sticker on the cover.

[Lauralee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needed to feel something (also wanted to confirm if she'd pick the bears or not).

[Marcie😙 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I gave it two stars because I read this book a million times so it’s kinda boring. But what happens is goldilocks went into this house that bears live in when she doesn’t know that and then there is three bowls of porridge 🥣 and she tastes all of them some are to hot and some are just right and then there is three beds and one she sinks in one feels so hard and one of them is just right.

[Julie Cardillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Author: James Marshall
Illustrator: James Marshall
Genre: Mother Goose/Nursery Rhyme
Theme(s): Lesson Learning, Personification, Listen to your parents
Opening line/sentence: “Once there was a little girl called, Goldilocks.”

Brief Book Summary: This is a retell of the popular nursery rhyme, where a cute little girl with blonde curls, named Goldilocks, does not listen to her mothers’ warning about taking the short cut. Like many children, Goldilocks promised she would not take the short cut, but of course does. When she does so, she approaches and enters a home, where she eats all of the porridge, sits in the chairs, and eventually falls asleep in the smallest bed. However, she soon learns that the owners of the home where three brown bears: Mama, Papa, and Baby Bear. All three bears noticed some on ate their porridge and sat in their seats, and eventually they found Goldilocks sleeping in Baby Bear’s bed. Papa bear scolds the girl, and a terrified Goldilocks jumped out the window and ran home. She never came back after that, since she appeared to have learned her lesson. The illustrations are very silly, filled with various color, and are quite detailed.

Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Mary Quattlebaum (Children's Literature)
A loopy, contemporary humor marks Marshall's work. His writing has the syntax and phrasing and his illustrations the telling details that create a modern context for even the most traditional fairy tales. Goldilocks and the Three Bears opens thus: 'Once there was a little girl called Goldilocks. "What a sweet child," said someone new in town. "That's what you think," said a neighbor.' The accompanying illustration shows a blonde, curly-hair, fiercely scowling little girl about to splash water over three sweetly sleeping cats. My favorite illustration is of Goldilocks in Baby Bear's bed in the quintessential child's room chaos of heaped and scattered bats, toys, books, and clothes. 1998 (orig. 1988), Dial, $14.99, $13.89, $5.99. Ages 2 to 5.
(PUBLISHER: Dial Books for Young Readers (New York:), PUBLISHED: c1988.)


Professional Recommendation/Review #2:

Publishers Weekly (Publishers Weekly)
Once there was a little girl named Goldilocks. `What a sweet child,' said someone new in town. `That's what you think,' said a neighbor.'' From the very first sentence this book takes off in typical Marshall style. Goldilocks is a self-satisfied girl used to doing exactly as she pleases. So when signs around the entrance to the shortcut read ``DANGER,'' ``TURN BACK,'' ``VERY RISKY'' and even ``GO THE OTHER WAY,'' the undaunted lass tromps headlong into adventure. Once inside the house of the three bears, Goldilocks notices a lot of coarse brown fur and thinks, ``They must have kitties.'' She thrashes her way through the bears' domain. Eventually, they return and scare the girl off, but whether or not she has learned her lesson is left to the imagination. Marshall's wonderfully unique characters are as offbeat and self-propelled as ever; the book boasts many jolly details and the pictures burst with color. Ages 4-8. (September)
(PUBLISHER: Dial Books for Young Readers (New York:), PUBLISHED: c1988.)


Response to Two Professional Reviews: Both reviewers agree that the author did a very nice job retelling this story. They admire how the illustrations really ad humor and a sense of uniqueness. The first reviewer talks about how this author added sort of a modern twist to this classic tale. I agree with both reviewers that the illustrations complete this humorous, cheery story.

Evaluation of Literary Elements: This story is geared for young readers, and it teaches a lesson in a joyful, humorous fashion. The plot is a typical child, who does not listen to his or her parents, and ends up learning a lesson that they always should listen. However, the silly, upbeat illustrations, especially of the characters’ faces, make learning this lesson more pleasant. This story also uses personification, since the bears have human-like characteristics (i.e. owning a home, sitting at the dinner table, wearing clothes).

Consideration of Instructional Application:
In my classroom, I would have my students write a “What do you think is next?” I would prompt them to ask questions such as, “Did Goldilocks learn her lesson? Or did she continue to get into other trouble?” Another application I was thinking of, is with the use of clay, have my students mold the characters and retell the story in their own way.

[Annie]

Thankfully this is a story my students were familiar with, but as I told them, a good story is one you can read over and over.