Believe Me, Goldilocks Rocks!

Believe Me, Goldilocks Rocks!: The Story of the Three Bears as Told by Baby Bear (The Other Side of the Story)is a much stronger entry in the Other Side of the Stories series than the previous book I reviewed from the series,Honestly, Red Riding Hood Was Rotten!: The Story of Little Red Riding Hood as Told by the Wolf (The Other Side of the Story) a few weeks ago. In fairness it does have a different author so that does provide thus a different style.

In this story, Baby Bear or Sam as he prefers to be called narrates the story. Instead of being angry at Goldilocks for breaking and entering, he actually admires her and wants to be friends. It turns out Goldilocks has been challenged to a truth or dare activity by Red Riding Hood. Goldilocks is using her cell phone to provide proof that she has completed the dares and Sam clearly indicates her remorse by telling the readers she realizes her allowance is gone when the chair breaks.

While the story does not find a way to justify Goldilocks’ actions, it does indicate while thoughtless she did intend no actual physical harm to the family. She intends to provide restitution for her financial harm. The author is a bit murky about the ethics of breaking into someone’s home to perform a prank. It actually is a good book to discuss how these pranks have the potential to create damage and have consequences never considered prior to taking them on. It is never a bad idea to get kids to think about cause and effect.

One of my favorite lines in the book is when she calls Red Riding Hood, "Little Miss Hoodie." I have always envisioned a world where the nursery rhyme and fairytale characters know and interact with each other outside their "book" life. I could see where Red and Goldilocks’ teenage selves could get into quite a bit of trouble together.

I've joined Canadian Home Learning's Book Sharing Monday.