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Goatilocks and the Three Bears

Illustrated by Arthur Howard

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About The Book

Goatilocks gobbles more than porridge in this fractured fairy tale that puts a hilarious twist on a favorite story.

Once upon a time, there was a kid named Goatilocks.
She lived down the road from a family of bears...

Goatilocks can’t resist sampling first Papa Bear’s porridge, then Mama Bear’s porridge, then Baby Bear’s porridge—and his bowl and spoon, too. And it turns out Goatilocks has a taste for chairs and beds as well. Has Goatilocks devoured her way to disaster? What will happen when the Bear family returns home from their walk?

This playful adaptation of a favorite fairy tale is full of tummy-rumbling fun.

About The Author

Photograph by Evy Mages

Erica S. Perl is a full-time writer and part-time chicken. She is the author of Chicken Butt!Ninety-Three in My Family (Reuben Award, Book Sense Pick, Slate Best Book), which School Library Journal called a “comic masterpiece”; and Chicken Bedtime Is Really Early, which received a starred review from Booklist. She lives with her family in Washington, DC.

About The Illustrator

Arthur Howard is the illustrator of the Mr. Putter & Tabby series, Gooseberry Park series, and Motor Mouse series by Cynthia Rylant; Goatilocks and the Three Bears by Erica S. Perl; Noodle & Lou by Liz Garton Scanlon; and his own picture books including My Creepy Valentine, My Dream Dog, and When I Was Five. He lives in New York City.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Beach Lane Books (June 3, 2014)
  • Length: 40 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781442401686
  • Grades: P - 3
  • Ages: 4 - 8
  • Lexile ® AD470L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

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Raves and Reviews

"Goldilocks as a goat? It’s unlikely casting, but Perl (Chicken Butt!) and Howard (Mr. Putter and Tabby) pull it off with abundant good humor.... The story’s colloquial tone (“Hey, where’s my chair?” complains Baby Bear) and Howard’s...freewheeling watercolors create a rollicking atmosphere."

– Publishers Weekly, April 2014

"Events in Perl's humorous and fresh retelling of the traditional tale unfold at a quick pace. Howard's cheery and detailed watercolors infuse extra doses of charm into the story. . . . Howard adds humorous tidbits that will even evoke chuckles from adults. . . . Perl and Howard's work provides an entertaining alternative to more traditional versions of the story. Teachers can successfully use it in compare-and-contrast lessons with other versions of the tale. Families, too, should find this picture book to be a bedtime read-aloud treat."

– School Library Journal, June 2014

"[T]his fractured nursery tale...makes good use of page turns for dramatic and comic effect. Brightened with watercolor washes, Howard's cartoonlike line drawings add expressive characterizations and witty visual touches. The precisely worded text retains the satisfying structure of the original tale while adding some amusing twists and a couple of enjoyable puns. Fun for reading aloud to groups of children, this Goldilocks spoof offers a good narrative, plenty of laughs, and a happy ending."

– Booklist, June 2014

Awards and Honors

  • MSTA Reading Circle List

Resources and Downloads

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More books from this author: Erica S. Perl

More books from this illustrator: Arthur Howard