book review of goldilocks and the three bears

A Summary and Analysis of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

A blonde-haired juvenile delinquent breaks into an ursine family home and proceeds to indulge her penchant for fussy eating and fidgetiness around furniture. This is, in brief, a summary of what happens in the fairy tale of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’.

Such a story, if true, would be of more interest to the police and the psychiatrists than the literary critic; but instead, this famous fairy story is one of the best-loved pieces of children’s fiction in existence.

And yet, pretty much every detail of the above summary is a later addition to the original story, which was very different.

‘Goldilocks’, for instance, didn’t initially feature in the fairy tale at all when it was first published in 1837. Instead, the young girl was an old woman, with silver rather than golden hair.

If we go back to the story’s oral roots, before it was published, the female antagonist may not have been a person at all (it’s been suggested that she was a ‘vixen’ – i.e. a literal female fox – but that the author of the published version misinterpreted ‘vixen’ to refer to a cunning old woman, rather than a cunning old fox). And in that first published version, the bears weren’t a family, but three bachelor bears. The porridge and the furniture were already there, though.

The author of that original version of the Goldilocks fairy tale to be published was Robert Southey, who was UK Poet Laureate from 1813 until his death in 1843. Southey’s version of the tale, called ‘The Story of the Three Bears’, marked its debut in print, when it appeared in Southey’s book The Doctor . A few years later, another writer, George Nicol, took up the story and turned it into a children’s rhyme. It almost immediately became popular, and has remained so since.

Before we delve any deeper into the story’s curious origins, it might be worth providing a slightly fuller summary of the story as it is now known to readers. Goldilocks, a young golden-haired girl, is out walking in the forest when she comes upon a house. She knocks at the door but nobody answers. But instead of minding her own business and walking off, she decides to open the door and walk in. This is the first sign that Goldilocks is trouble. Is she incredibly nosy, or does she simply have no concept of personal property?

Anyway, on with the summary. In the kitchen, on the table, there are three bowls of porridge. As she’s hungry – all that poking about in other people’s homes is hard work – she tries the porridge in one of the bowls. It’s too hot, so she moves on and tries the next bowl. The porridge is too cold. So she then tries the third bowl, and this porridge is just the right temperature. So she polishes off the whole bowl.

(This aspect of the tale – this state of something being ‘just right’ – has inspired scientists to name the area in a star system in which planets are neither too hot nor too cold the ‘ Goldilocks zone ’. We, for instance, are in the Goldilocks zone of our own solar system: Venus or Mars either side of us would be too hot or too cold respectively to support complex life.)

Having eaten the bowl of porridge, Goldilocks walks through to the living room, where there are three chairs. She tries sitting in each of them. The first is too big, as is the second, but the third is just the right size. However, it’s a small chair and Goldilocks manages to break it by sitting in it. So we can add destruction of property to the list of growing charges.

Rather than fleeing the house before she can do any more damage, Goldilocks ventures upstairs into the bedroom, where there are three beds. She tries lying on the first, but it’s too hard. The second, by contrast, is too soft. But the third is just right. So she promptly falls asleep in it.

As she’s sleeping there in the bed, the three bears – Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear – come home. The mum and dad moan about someone having eaten their porridge, and their young offspring points out that his porridge hasn’t just been tasted, but whoever tasted it has eaten the whole lot.

They then find their chairs – the parents can tell that someone’s been sitting in their chairs, but it’s all too obvious from the broken chair that someone’s had a go in Baby Bear’s. Then they go up to the bedroom, where Mama and Papa Bear spot that someone’s been in their beds. And Baby Bear sees the same – but the guilty trespasser is still in his bed, fast asleep!

When Baby Bear shouts out in surprise, Goldilocks wakes up in a fright and runs downstairs and out of the house, and never returns to the bears’ house. And that, in summary, is the story of Goldilocks and the three bears.

She didn’t become ‘Goldilocks’ immediately. Even after she had morphed from an old woman into a young girl, her name – and her hair colour – showed all the signs of fidgetiness evinced by the character herself in the story. In one version, she was Silver-Locks. In another, Golden-Hair, and yet another, Little Golden-Hair. In George MacDonald’s ‘The Golden Key’ (1867), she appears as Silverhair.

Amazingly, given the vintage of the fairy tale, it wasn’t until 1904 that she became Goldilocks, when an English writer named Flora Annie Steel took the name from older (and very different) fairy tales and applied it to the youthful intruder in the Three Bears tale.

The evolution of the three bears from Southey’s all-male trio into a family unit was not without its bumps and false starts, either. Several versions of the fairy tale published in the mid-nineteenth century altered the three bears into a family trio, yet somewhat confusingly, in the accompanying illustrations, the bears are all male and all the same size.

How should we analyse this curious little tale? It’s obviously great fun in that it contains adventure, a woodland jaunt gone wrong, and talking animals – a formula for success, if ever there was one, when it comes to children’s fairy tales. But it’s hard to say what the moral is, exactly.

At best, it’s implicit in the story: don’t go about nicking other people’s food or using their stuff, because if you take your eye off the ball they may find you out – and they might be big and fearsome and present a real danger to you. But then in most versions of the tale, Goldilocks gets a quick fright and nothing more: she undergoes no punishment or real peril, and there’s no sign at the end of the tale that she’s learned her lesson.

The fact that in each case, it’s the hapless Baby Bear whose porridge is eaten, whose chair is broken, and whose bedsheets will have to go straight in the wash, aligns the child Goldilocks with the child of the ursine family unit. She’s a child and so, we are to infer, doesn’t really understand why her actions are wrong.

(By contrast, in an earlier version before the female intruder became Goldilocks, the old woman ends up impaled on a steeple in St. Paul’s churchyard, which would make sitting down in any chair, whether yours or someone else’s, difficult for a good while after.)

The Goldilocks story might nevertheless be viewed as a classic cautionary tale about the dangers of going off and exploring unknown places. But where does curiosity give way to downright rudeness?

Goldilocks is not a particularly pleasant child. She’s been allowed to wander off on her own (where are her parents, one wonders, and what happened to parental supervision?), and then when she finds a place that is very obviously and recognisably Someone Else’s House, she decides to walk right in and help herself to whatever she can find. (Mind you, the insurance company would doubtless throw out any claim made by the bears for their broken chair: after all, they left their property unlocked.)

She’s lucky she doesn’t come a-cropper when the bears get home; indeed, in some early versions, she only narrowly escapes being devoured by them – a high price to pay for a bowl of porridge.

One could take such an analysis further, and wonder why the bears have made porridge and then caused each of the servings somehow to manage to fall to different temperature levels; or why, after they’ve gone to the trouble of making and serving up the food, they then choose that precise moment to go out. (Call of nature, perhaps? They are proverbially renowned for it…)

But then fairy tales aren’t known for their realism, or necessarily even for their moral lessons. They are fun, they introduce children to the basic patterns inherent within all stories: the sense of peril or conflict; the restoring of the equilibrium at the end of the tale; the patterning of three seen so clearly in the story (the bears, the porridge, the chairs, the beds); and the need for heroes and villains to make a compelling narrative.

What’s so strange about the tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is that the true villain of the piece should not prove to be the fearsome bears, but the young golden-haired protagonist.

Discover more about classic fairy tales with our summary of the tale of Snow White , our analysis of the Sleeping Beauty tale , and our commentary on the story of Puss in Boots .

24 thoughts on “A Summary and Analysis of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’”

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I think you have been very harsh on Goldilocks, she was only doing what any other hungry, or tired, female would have done. On the other hand those three bears were totally incompetent, went for a walk while the porridge cooled down instead of blowing on it, left the house door unlocked, owned a completely unfit for purpose chair, well two which were uncomfortable and one, and I suspect Daddy Bear had made this one, which broke into pieces as soon as it was sat on and failed to catch Goldilocks, who was easily able to outwit them and make her escape. Did you say that originally we were told they were three males?

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I have always been interested in the origin of fairy tales ever since being given some fabulous complete works as a young girl. Some scare the *&%$ out of you. :) But if Goldilocks was written by and Englishman (I love the English people and believe I am one deep in my soul)…that the reason why she just walked in the house willy nilly is that…this is what the English do. Have you ever watched their beloved crime caper show Midsomer Murders? One of the favorite things for these detectives to do is walk into peoples homes whether they are there or not. I always wondered if all English people do that. :) Now…I know why! Blessings!

Haha, good point – and a common statement here in England is ‘when I was young you could leave your doors open and you didn’t worry about crime’. Unless there’s a Goldilocks in your area, of course!

It is interesting to note that the protagonist is not the hero, even though, in most cases, the words have come to mean the same thing. Could be an interesting lesson for a kid, I suppose.

Ah, perhaps that’s it – I hadn’t thought of that, but the idea that protagonists can be morally troubling anti-heroes could, as you say, be an interesting lesson for children. Her name makes her sound all sweetness and light, but…

Perhaps the Goldilocks Zone – a happy medium – could also refer to the Buddhist Middle Way?

Lovely analysis! Always thought Goldilocks was a hideous child, spoilt, selfish – verging on sociopathic – and was always disappointed that she doesn’t receive the fitting punishment casually meted out in so many fairy tales of being eaten. Morally a baffling tale.

Glad I’m not the only one to be troubled by the ‘moral’ of this one. It’s very different from Hansel and Gretel, where the children start munching on the witch’s house because they’re starving! What’s Goldie’s excuse, one wonders?

Odd that it’s been so popular over the years really – it’s not a great example to show young children!

This just became an AP Lit lesson on how to interpret a story. I shall credit, of course. Any other stories up your sleeve? Those house-munching siblings seem prime for (psycho)analysis.

Terrific! Thanks for crediting us too – I’d love to hear how the lesson goes. I had a go at tackling Hansel and Gretel (whom I found much more sympathetic characters) here: https://interestingliterature.com/2017/05/25/a-summary-and-analysis-of-hansel-and-gretel/

I’m putting together my fall AP lessons of introducing analysis: Fairy Tales and Lit Critique. I have Red Riding Hood, now Goldilocks, and I’ll take a look at H&G. Thanks!

Sounds like a fun course, especially as analysing these fairy tales is a great way to learn about plot, character, and narrative and the stories themselves are endlessly surprising in their various versions. Red Riding Hood is on the horizon to do – if you have any others to propose, I’ll see if I can put something together on them!

Rapunzel and Cinderella, definitely. Pinnochio for the guys. Thanks!

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Like most of the English fairy tales, it’s actually not very old when you compare it with the tales from continental Europe and China. I would almost view this story from a cultural perspective, rather than a psychological one as has been done so well with the brothers Grimm tales.

Also interesting as bears had long been extinct in England so were almost mythical beasts. Southey as a child saw one at Bristol fair shaven in a suit claimed to be an ethiopian savage & a shaven monkey presented as a fairy.

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Book Review- Goldilocks and the Three Bears

February 29, 2012 By Heather Leave a Comment

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Home / Book reviews / Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

By Mara Alperin, and and, Kate Daubney

171 reviews

When Goldilocks sneaks into the three bears’ cottage, no one seems to be home. But the bears soon return from their walk… Will they catch that naughty little girl?My First Fairy Tales are a magical introduction to the well-loved stories that are a key part of every childhood. With fresh and fun illustrations, these simple re-tellings of classic fairy tales make a perfect bedtime read for three to six year olds.  Make sure you collect The Three Billy Goats Gruff and Jack and the Beanstalk, too!

I liked Goldilocks the best I found it really good and she seemed to enjoy herself eating and sleeping in the bears house

Funny Naughty Goldilocks

I liked this story because Goldilocks messed up the 3 bears house. That was funny.

Wonderful read

My favourite character in this book is Goldilocks and it’s an amazing story. I will recommend to everyone.

Goldilocks and The Three Bears is an interesting and funny way to teach children that people come in all shapes and sizes. This can be used in PSHE sessions with pupils to teach them that everyone looks different and needs different sort of things however, it also teaches children about personal space and not taking or playing with things that aren’t theirs or which they don’t have permission to use as it can upset and worry others.

i like that she has yellow hair like me

It's a good book!

I like the story

I read this when I was very young but I liked it very much

I enjoyed this book. Baby bear was my favourite character. I liked it when Goldilocks ate their porridge

Nice pictured

My favourite bit was when Goldilocks had a nap

It is a good book. You might want to read it!

I liked the part when the bears came back home to see what had happened

I like Goldilocks best. I liked doing all the voices

Enjoyed reading this book. I found it fun and my favourite character was Godilocks

I liked this book very much. It was so easy to read. I liked the story. I learnt that we should never enter anyone home without their permission. It was fun the way Goldilocks ran away.

Yes definitely recommend.

My favourite character was baby bear because she was kind.

It was astonishing I liked the part when Goldilocks woke up and the bears chased her

Liked Goldilocks best, she was cheeky like me

I liked it when mummy changed Goldilocks name to my name

I don't like this book because Goldilocks is so greedy .the bear found out that Goldilocks is doing bad things that had happened to their house.

The baby bear is the best

it was not for me

It was amazing

A girl eats and sleeps in the bears house and when they find her she runs away

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Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Once upon a time there were three Bears, who lived together in a house of their own, in a wood. One of them was a Little Wee Bear, and one was a Middle-sized Bear, and the other was a Great Big Bear. They had each a bowl for their porridge; a little bowl for the Little Wee Bear; and a middle-sized bowl for the Middle-sized Bear; and a great bowl for the Great Big Bear. And they had each a chair to sit in; a little chair for the Little Wee Bear; and a middle-sized chair for the Middle-sized Bear; and a great chair for the Great Big Bear. And they had each a bed to sleep in; a little bed for the Little Wee Bear; and a middle-sized bed for the Middle-sized Bear; and a great bed for the Great Big Bear.

One day, after they had made the porridge for their breakfast, and poured it into their porridge-bowls, they walked out into the wood while the porridge was cooling, that they might not burn their mouths by beginning too soon, for they were polite, well-brought-up Bears. And while they were away a little girl called Goldilocks, who lived at the other side of the wood and had been sent on an errand by her mother, passed by the house, and looked in at the window. And then she peeped in at the keyhole, for she was not at all a well-brought-up little girl. Then seeing nobody in the house she lifted the latch. The door was not fastened, because the Bears were good Bears, who did nobody any harm, and never suspected that anybody would harm them. So Goldilocks opened the door and went in; and well pleased was she when she saw the porridge on the table. If she had been a well-brought-up little girl she would have waited till the Bears came home, and then, perhaps, they would have asked her to breakfast; for they were good Bears—a little rough or so, as the manner of Bears is, but for all that very good-natured and hospitable. But she was an impudent, rude little girl, and so she set about helping herself.

First she tasted the porridge of the Great Big Bear, and that was too hot for her. Next she tasted the porridge of the Middle-sized Bear, but that was too cold for her. And then she went to the porridge of the Little Wee Bear, and tasted it, and that was neither too hot nor too cold, but just right, and she liked it so well that she ate it all up, every bit!

Then Goldilocks, who was tired, for she had been catching butterflies instead of running on her errand, sate down in the chair of the Great Big Bear, but that was too hard for her. And then she sate down in the chair of the Middle-sized Bear, and that was too soft for her. But when she sat down in the chair of the Little Wee Bear, that was neither too hard nor too soft, but just right. So she seated herself in it, and there she sate till the bottom of the chair came out, and down she came, plump upon the ground; and that made her very cross, for she was a bad-tempered little girl.

Now, being determined to rest, Goldilocks went upstairs into the bedchamber in which the Three Bears slept. And first she lay down upon the bed of the Great Big Bear, but that was too high at the head for her. And next she lay down upon the bed of the Middle-sized Bear, and that was too high at the foot for her. And then she lay down upon the bed of the Little Wee Bear, and that was neither too high at the head nor at the foot, but just right. So she covered herself up comfortably, and lay there till she fell fast asleep.

By this time the Three Bears thought their porridge would be cool enough for them to eat it properly; so they came home to breakfast. Now careless Goldilocks had left the spoon of the Great Big Bear standing in his porridge.

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT MY PORRIDGE!"

said the Great Big Bear in his great, rough, gruff voice.

Then the Middle-sized Bear looked at his porridge and saw the spoon was standing in it too.

said the Middle-sized Bear in his middle-sized voice.

Then the Little Wee Bear looked at his, and there was the spoon in the porridge-bowl, but the porridge was all gone!

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT MY PORRIDGE, AND HAS EATEN IT ALL UP!"

said the Little Wee Bear in his little wee voice.

Upon this the Three Bears, seeing that some one had entered their house, and eaten up the Little Wee Bear's breakfast, began to look about them. Now the careless Goldilocks had not put the hard cushion straight when she rose from the chair of the Great Big Bear.

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY CHAIR!"

And the careless Goldilocks had squatted down the soft cushion of the Middle-sized Bear.

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY CHAIR, AND HAS SATE THE BOTTOM THROUGH!"

Then the Three Bears thought they had better make further search in case it was a burglar, so they went upstairs into their bedchamber. Now Goldilocks had pulled the pillow of the Great Big Bear out of its place.

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING IN MY BED!"

And Goldilocks had pulled the bolster of the Middle-sized Bear out of its place.

But when the Little Wee Bear came to look at his bed, there was the bolster in its place! And the pillow was in its place upon the bolster!

And upon the pillow——?

There was Goldilocks's yellow head—which was not in its place, for she had no business there.

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING IN MY BED,—AND HERE SHE IS STILL!"

Now Goldilocks had heard in her sleep the great, rough, gruff voice of the Great Big Bear; but she was so fast asleep that it was no more to her than the roaring of wind, or the rumbling of thunder. And she had heard the middle-sized voice of the Middle-sized Bear, but it was only as if she had heard some one speaking in a dream. But when she heard the little wee voice of the Little Wee Bear, it was so sharp, and so shrill, that it awakened her at once. Up she started, and when she saw the Three Bears on one side of the bed, she tumbled herself out at the other, and ran to the window. Now the window was open, because the Bears, like good, tidy Bears, as they were, always opened their bedchamber window when they got up in the morning. So naughty, frightened little Goldilocks jumped; and whether she broke her neck in the fall, or ran into the wood and was lost there, or found her way out of the wood and got whipped for being a bad girl and playing truant, no one can say. But the Three Bears never saw anything more of her.

If you enjoyed this story, you might find something else you like in our collection of Children's Stories . Also featured in Pre-K Read-Aloud Stories

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"Goldilocks And The Three Bears" Characters Analysis

By Audrey Daly

childrens | Published in 1993

Lady Bird Favorite Fairy Tales are beautifully illustrated retellings that capture all the magic of the original stories. Children will enjoy reading them again and again.

Estimated read time: 5 min read

Table of Contents

List of characters, role identification.

• Goldilocks: The main character and protagonist of the story, who stumbles upon the home of the three bears.
• Papa Bear: One of the three bears who owns the house and is protective of it.
• Mama Bear: Another one of the three bears who is more understanding and compassionate.
• Baby Bear: The smallest bear who is innocent and naive.

Character Descriptions

Goldilocks is a young girl who ventures into the forest and stumbles upon the home of the three bears. She is described as having golden curls and a curious nature. With her innocent appearance, she unknowingly enters the bears' house, exploring and sampling their belongings.

Papa Bear is the largest and strongest of the three bears. He is portrayed as gruff and protective of his home. Papa Bear's size and deep voice emphasize his authoritative presence in the story. He is the most confrontational towards Goldilocks, feeling threatened by her intrusion.

Mama Bear is portrayed as the nurturing and caring figure among the three bears. She is more patient and understanding, contrasting Papa Bear's gruffness. Mama Bear's character provides a sense of balance and compassion in the story.

Baby Bear is the smallest of the three bears, and he represents innocence and vulnerability. He is the most affected by Goldilocks' actions as she disrupts his belongings. Baby Bear's character adds a touch of sympathy and innocence to the story.

Character Traits

• Curious: Goldilocks' curiosity leads her to explore the bears' house.
• Adventurous: She ventures into the forest alone, showing a sense of adventure.
• Careless: Goldilocks does not consider the consequences of her actions, leading to the disruption of the bears' home.
• Protective: Papa Bear is protective of his home and family.
• Authoritative: He asserts his dominance over Goldilocks and tries to scare her away.
• Gruff: Papa Bear's gruff nature adds tension to the story.
• Nurturing: Mama Bear takes a more nurturing approach towards Goldilocks.
• Understanding: She is more understanding of Goldilocks' actions and shows empathy.
• Calm: Mama Bear remains calm in contrast to Papa Bear's aggression.
• Innocent: Baby Bear represents innocence and vulnerability through his actions.
• Naive: He is easily swayed by Goldilocks' apologies and actions.
• Emotional: Baby Bear is more emotionally affected by Goldilocks' intrusion.

Character Background

The book "Goldilocks And The Three Bears" does not provide extensive background information on the characters. However, it is implied that Goldilocks is a young girl who stumbles upon the bears' house while exploring the forest. The bears are a family living in the woods, with Papa Bear being the head of the household.

Character Arcs

Goldilocks' character arc revolves around her journey from curiosity to realization and understanding. Initially, she enters the bears' house out of curiosity without considering the consequences of her actions. As she explores the house, she disrupts the bears' belongings. However, when confronted by the bears, Goldilocks realizes her mistake, apologizes, and learns the importance of respecting others' property.

Papa Bear's character arc focuses on his initial aggression towards Goldilocks and his eventual realization that she means no harm. Initially, Papa Bear is confrontational, trying to scare Goldilocks away. However, as the story progresses, he softens his approach and accepts Goldilocks' apology.

Mama Bear's character arc is centered around her nurturing nature. She remains calm throughout the story and shows understanding towards Goldilocks. Mama Bear's character arc highlights her ability to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Baby Bear's character arc highlights his vulnerability and emotional journey. Initially, he is upset by Goldilocks' actions, but when she apologizes and helps fix the damage, he forgives her. Baby Bear's character arc emphasizes forgiveness and the ability to see the good in others.

Relationships

Goldilocks and papa bear.

The relationship between Goldilocks and Papa Bear is one of conflict and tension. Papa Bear sees Goldilocks as an intruder and tries to scare her away. However, as the story progresses, their relationship evolves into a more peaceful resolution as Goldilocks apologizes and Papa Bear accepts it.

Goldilocks and Mama Bear

The relationship between Goldilocks and Mama Bear is one of understanding and empathy. Mama Bear shows compassion towards Goldilocks and tries to diffuse the tension caused by Papa Bear's aggression. Mama Bear's character provides a bridge between Goldilocks and the bears, leading to a resolution.

Goldilocks and Baby Bear

The relationship between Goldilocks and Baby Bear is that of innocence and forgiveness. Although initially upset by Goldilocks' actions, Baby Bear forgives her when she apologizes and helps fix the damage. Baby Bear's character represents the capacity for forgiveness and understanding.

In conclusion, "Goldilocks And The Three Bears" by Audrey Daly portrays a cast of characters with distinct traits and roles. Goldilocks, Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear each contribute to the story's development, showcasing character arcs and relationships that emphasize curiosity, conflict, forgiveness, and understanding. The characters' interactions and personal growth make the story engaging and teach important lessons about respect and empathy.

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GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS

by Emma Chichester Clark & illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 2010

Three pretty maids all in a row—well, make one of them spunky, as Chichester Clark adds her rendition of the classic character to those by Sanderson ( Goldilocks , 2009) and Spirin ( Goldilocks and the Three Bears , 2009). Hers is no coy and sweet lass; she’s more naughty than nice. The illustrator’s signature style with delicately drawn, bug-eyed characters matches her jaunty retelling: “Bulls-eye!” Goldilocks cries, “Now that’s my kind of bed!” Daddy Bear later growls, “That someone is a hooligan and a thief .” As Goldilocks makes her escape, Mommy Bear says, “I’ll never know how a little girl like that could be so naughty!” The large format provides ample space for the watercolor-and–colored pencil illustrations to fill the scenes with details in china and fabric patterns and wry touches: Goldilocks reads Little Red Riding Hood while lolling in Baby Bear’s bed. The bears’ house is quite lush—no cabin in the woods here. Saucy and more playful than the other two, this version proves good things DO come in threes. Buy them all. (Picture book/folktale. 4-7)

Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2010

ISBN: 978-0-7636-4680-6

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Candlewick

Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2010

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BECAUSE YOUR DADDY LOVES YOU

by Andrew Clements & illustrated by R.W. Alley ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 23, 2005

Give this child’s-eye view of a day at the beach with an attentive father high marks for coziness: “When your ball blows across the sand and into the ocean and starts to drift away, your daddy could say, Didn’t I tell you not to play too close to the waves? But he doesn’t. He wades out into the cold water. And he brings your ball back to the beach and plays roll and catch with you.” Alley depicts a moppet and her relaxed-looking dad (to all appearances a single parent) in informally drawn beach and domestic settings: playing together, snuggling up on the sofa and finally hugging each other goodnight. The third-person voice is a bit distancing, but it makes the togetherness less treacly, and Dad’s mix of love and competence is less insulting, to parents and children both, than Douglas Wood’s What Dads Can’t Do (2000), illus by Doug Cushman. (Picture book. 5-7)

Pub Date: May 23, 2005

ISBN: 0-618-00361-4

Publisher: Clarion Books

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2005

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

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by Andrew Clements

by Andrew Clements & illustrated by Mark Elliott

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