Goldilocks and the Three Bears

A Goldilocks with jump-rope rhythm who speaks in rhyme injects some freshness into the Buehners' spin on the favorite nursery tale, starring Papa Bear, Mama Bear and "Little Wee Bear." Though Caralyn Buehner doesn't stray far from the original set-up—three bowls of porridge, three chairs and three beds all figure into the mix—her bear family's humorous dynamic and contemporary-sounding exchanges will feel both fun and familiar to young readers. The bears' fair-haired visitor, who bursts on the scene singing, "Tra-la-la and tee-hee-hee,/ Won't you come and jump with me?" to an empty house, makes for an entertaining and fittingly irritating protagonist. Mark Buehner's lushly layered oil-and-acrylic paintings feature a pleasantly plump and nattily dressed ursine clan and a rustic, cozily appointed home. Images of the wild-eyed Goldilocks in her bright yellow frock and red cowboy boots, jump rope in hand, will likely not be soon forgotten. Ages 4-up. (Mar.)