Goldilocks

Robyn Press

Caitlin Miller

Little Steps Publishing, 2015

pbk., 32pp., RRP $A16.95

9781925117257

The story of Goldilocks and the three bears is a familiar traditional tale passed down through generations, but it always ends with Goldilocks fleeing into the woods destination unknown.  In this rhyming version, the story is continued as Goldilocks is charged with break and enter, damaging goods, and terrorising bears.  She claims she has a defence – she was employed by Mrs Bear to renovate her home but it had to be done in secret because Mr Bear would not agree.

My bear-in-law is coming here

The house is in bad shape, We haven’t had the time, you see

We’ve had to hibernate.

It’s been a few long winters

The house is getting old

And you’re the one to make it new

Or so I have been told.

 And so Goldilocks goes on to explain just how the chair got broken, how the porridge got eaten and why she was found asleep in the bed.

Brightly illustrated, it is written by a Brisbane primary teacher who clearly knows how to engage young children and make them think beyond the page.  As well as being an appealing story it raises lots of questions for the children to discuss such as whether they believe Goldilocks or they could even hold a mock trial developing the arguments for the prosecution and defence and each student being a jury member coming to a verdict and explaining why they reached their conclusion.  

It also offers a way to demonstrate the concept of perspective and how this changes depending on the character’s role in the story, paving the way for the students to examine other stories from the perspectives of their different characters.

So, as well as an entertaining story, it has great potential as a teaching tool.