Goldilocks & the 3 Bears

Written by James Marshall

Narrated by Joyce Ebert

Three bears come home from a bicycling trip through the woods to find a little girl "all nice and cozy and fast asleep" in Baby Bear's bed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Weston Woods
• Release date: Jan 1, 1994
• ISBN: 9780545416658

Reviews for Goldilocks & the 3 Bears

[miraclerussell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Summary: Goldilocks is a very hard headed little girl that doesn't listen to anyone and does what she wants. After being warned by her mother to go straight to the next village to buy blueberry muffins and no where else; Goldilocks took a short cut into the forest and went to the home of brown bears house while they were out for a bike ride. Goldilocks went into the house and made herself every comfortable and ate the baby bears porridge that was sitting on the kitchen table. She broke baby bears chair while rocking in it. She was so full after eating the porridge that she went upstairs and laid down to take a nap.. After falling asleep the 3 bears came back and went throughout their home and saw all the things that Goldilocks ate and broke. The bears went upstairs and found her still asleep in baby bears bed. When Goldilocks was awakened by Papa bears deep voice she was so afraid that she jumped out the window and ran home. Leaving the 3 bears confused on what had just happened in their home.Personal Reaction: I have always loved the story of the Goldilocks and the 3 little bears. Although there are many ways this story is written it is always pretty cool to read aloud to your kids at home and your students at school!Classroom Extension Details:1. Let the students take turns doing the scenes from the the story. 2. Talk with the students about listening and obeying authority and doing what's right at all times. Teach the students that you should always ask to use, touch or eat someone else things.It's called being courteous, polite and respectful!

[rachelsticka · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

 In some respects, this story teaches children about morality, respect, and manners. This book shows what happens if you don't ask. Goldilocks eats the bears' food and falls asleep in the littlest one's bed. This book is a way to teach a classic story to children, while instilling the importance of manners.

[johannaj_76 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is the standard story of Goldilocks, but the art is why I picked it. I love James Marshall.

[aflanig1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fairy tale about a little girl who goes into the bear's home without asking and eats all of their food.

[jessica24_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is about three bears. The papa bear liked his big chair and his bed hard, the momma bear liked her bed sopft and liked her chair, and the baby bear liked his small bed and small cair. As we continue to read, a little girl named Goldilocks sneaks into the cottage while the bears are letting their porridge cool. She tests out everything and liked the baby bears bed and chair the most. She fell asleep in baby bear's bed and when the bears came home, they found her and she woke up frigtened. The bears never saw her again. I enjoyed this book because it was always a favorite of mine since i was young. It is a great story that elementary students would like to listen to.In the classroom setting, I would have the student color pictures of this story and instead of chairs and beds i would allow them to incoporate their own ideas that Goldilocks liked when she walked into the cottage.

[silly_tine · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

James Marshall goes the other way, creating a naughty Goldilocks who pretty much deserves to be eaten by bears (but she does not get eaten). She ignores warnings and barges right into the bears' house. Love the illustrations -- especially the bears on a bicycle. Another excellent touch is all the books in the bears' house -- these bears are big readers!

[meghanosborne · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Summary:A girl named Goldilocks is sent by her mother to go buy muffins, and is directed to stay far away from the dangerous shortcut. Wanting to save time, Goldilocks takes the dangerous shortcut, and stumbles upon the home of a mother, father, and baby bear. Goldilocks notices porridge sitting out and tries the first bowl, but it is too hot, the second bowl, which is too cold, and the third bowl, which is just right. She then decides to take a seat. Like the porridge, the first chair is too hard, the second chair is too soft, but the third chair is just right-- until it breaks. Goldilocks decides it is time for a nap, and like everything else, the third bed is too high, the second is too low, and the third bed is just right. She falls asleep, then the bears come home and find that someone has used their things, and is still asleep in baby bear's bed. She jumps out the window, and never takes the shortcut again.My Personal Reaction:This folktale brings back some fond memories of when I was younger and enjoyed listening to it, so I naturally love this book! The pictures are fantastic and vibrant, a good spin on a folktale with the potential to be very worn out.Classroom Extension Ideas: 1. Have students write about a time when they got lost, and compare and contrast it with Goldilocks' adventure.2. Only read the story to the part where the three bears walk into their home. Pair studetns up and ask them to decide what they think will happen when the bears discover Goldilocks.

[chelsearose_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is pretty funny. I love James Marshall, his illustrations are sprinkled with humorous little details. I also like how Goldilocks is shown as a naughty little girl contrary to the angelic character she has been portrayed in previous renditions.

[kellybryan_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I love the classic Goldilocks tale but I especially love how Marshall brought humor and wit to this book, updating the classic. The pictures are goofy looking and help to add humor to the pages. All of he classics usually teach a lesson, but it is unclear in this version whether or not Goldilocks even learned her lesson.You can compare this classic tale with the updated version that Marshall gives us. Since the lesson isn't clearly given in the story, you should ask your students if they can figure out what the moral of the story is.

[aprilcm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such a cute children's book. Almost everyone is familiar with Goldilocks, so in order to read the story again, it must be a great version. This version is surely a catch. The illustrations are hysterical and contain tremendous detail. For example, the picture of Baby Bear's room looks exactly how would picture a little boy's room. He has school pennants, posters, toys, pictures, etc. The expressions of the characters are clearly identified by the illustrations. Enough about the pictures, now the words are just as important. It feels like the author is having a one on one conversation with you (because he puts extra information in parenthesis likes this). He also makes Goldilocks seem like a troublemaker, not a cute girl that got lost (there is a great illustration of her purposefully choosing to go the wrong way). All in all, a classic story that should be shared!

[linnaea44 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Very well done re-telling of the story. The pictures were nice with fun details. I like the change in vocabulary. Goldielocks was a little plumper than I remember and the three bears did not have as much emotion as I remember. The illustrations were very colorful but the facial expressions of Goldielocks left something to be desired. I thought it was neat how the illustrator placed a ton of books throughout the Bears home, especially in Baby Bear's room, it added a nice touch.

[lleighton05 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Critique: Genre: This folktale has been retold again and again. It shows a distinction between the bad character of goldilocks, and the innocent characters of the bears. In the end, however, Goldilocks gets away and doesn't have to pay for the damage she has done. Setting: The setting of the story takes place at anytime and it occurs mostly at the bears' house. This location is critical because it is where Goldilocks breaks into and decides to eat their porridge and sit on their furniture. The story would not be the same if it was in someone elses home or in a different location.Media: watercolor/pen

[venisa_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Genre: FolktaleReview: This is the classic story of Goldilocks when she visits the three bears in the forest. This story is a great example of a folktale for many reasons. One, it is retold by the author, James Marshall. It also teachers kids good lessons and good morals that can be relatable to real life (manners, following rules, listening to parents, etc.). Plot: The plot is all about how Goldilocks disobeys her parents and is told not to go through the forest because bears live there. But, she does it anyways, just to be naughty. The bears are out on a bike ride and she goes into their house, snoops around, and ends up falling asleep. The story climaxes when the bears come home to find that someone has eating from their porridge, sat in their chairs, and then find the girl in the little bear's bed! Media: ink and watercolor

[leshauck · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a good book for all ages. I would use it for all grades but to imply different things varying on the age level.

[farfromkansas · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

James Marshall’s retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is a quirky, clever twist on the traditional Goldilocks story. In Marshall’s version, Goldilocks is “one of those naughty little girls who do exactly as they please,” and who disobeys her mother by taking a shortcut through the woods when sent to buy muffins in the next village over. As we are introduced to the bears, they are fully clothed in sophisticated apparel, sitting in their “charming house;” when the three bears go out for a spin on their “rusty old bicycle,” Goldilocks breaks into the house and begins to wreak havoc. When the bears return, they are upset and prepare to give Goldilocks a stern lecture, but she disappears and is never seen by the bears again.Marshall’s book, in addition to shifting the perspective of the Goldilocks tale, cleverly plays with the reader’s expectations of the story. The bears are portrayed as very respectable, even-tempered characters, while Goldilocks (the traditional protagonist) is depicted as a mischievous brat. Marshall’s cartoonish illustrations are incredibly amusing, and it is no wonder that this book received a Caldecott Honor award.Citation:Marshall, James. Goldilocks and the Three Bears. New York: Dial for Young Readers, 1988. Print.

[gjchauvin504 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

After reading "Goldilocks and The Three Bears" by James Marshall many children may start listening to their mothers about taking shortcuts. Goldilocks is portrayed as a naughty neighbor when she takes a shortcut through the woods and rummages through a house eating porridge, breaking chairs, and falling asleep on a perfectly sized bed. What she did not realize was that three bears lived there. This would prove to be a rude awakening for her to possibly start listening to her mother. The brightly colored watercolor and ink illustrations are complimented by vivid lines, varied textures, and abstract shapes to portray the adventurous movement of the text. The balance of design shows a humorous side to a well known story through the text and variety of full page and bordered illustrations which received a Caldecott Honor in 1989. This book showcases the many emotions a child may have on an unsafe journey through the woods which Marshall paints vividly on both Goldilocks and the three bear's facial expressions. Marshall's modern tone throughout the book makes this version of the classic folktale seem socially relevant and up to date keeping the interest of the reader. This is a must have for every child and their classroom's book collection.

[spartyliblover · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A re-telling of the classic story of Goldilocks with Goldilocks going out looking for trouble and the bears going out for a bike ride on a rusty bike. Goldilocks and the bears are developed mostly through the pictures, but also within the story according to preferences. The plot is the classic plot with no significant changes. The setting is done through the pictures and the scene of Goldilocks taking the short cut is excellent. This is a great classic book that should be in a public library for young elementary readers.