Reviews for Goldie and the Three Hares


Booklist Reviews 2011 January #1
Palatini, imagining what might have happened to Goldilocks following her bear adventure, suggests that she tripped into a rabbit hole, injuring her foot. The three Hares (Papa, Mama, and Baby, aka Bunny) try to be hospitable, but the obstreperous Goldie ensconces herself on their sofa, demanding pillows, blankets, food, and entertainment. (Bunny is instructed to stand, ears just so, for better television reception.) The Hares try to dislodge her (serving veggie snacks and summoning a skunk) to no avail until Bunny speed-dials the Bears. Davis' hilarious, cartoon-style art portrays Goldie at her obnoxious best--screaming, drooling, and sneezing on everyone--and the ending (a surprise visit from another blond, seeking a white rabbit) prompts Papa to action. A few jokes seem geared more to adults than kids ("Da Bears" and "Toss me some arugula!"), but any child who is familiar with the original will appreciate this send-up. Perfect for story hours or lap-sits, this can be shared with fans of Mary Jane Auch's poultry series (Peeping Beauty, 1993). Copyright 2011 Booklist Reviews.

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Horn Book Guide Reviews 2011 Fall
The story begins with Goldilocks, after being chased by three bears, falling down a rabbit hole. A hare family takes the golden-tressed diva into their home. Her not "too hard" nor "too soft" demands quickly escalate to cashmere blankets and arugula. Humorously exaggerated illustrations capture the lengths the kind bunnies go to first satisfy--then rid themselves of--the spoiled guest. Copyright 2011 Horn Book Guide Reviews.

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Publishers Weekly Reviews 2010 December #3

What happened to Goldilocks after she fled the three bears' house? According to this very funny fractured fairy tale, she fell down a rabbit hole and into The Man Who Came to Dinner, where she turned into a mop-top Sheridan Whiteside. Having injured her foot in her tumble, Goldilocks must shack up with the well-meaning Hare family until she's mobile again. But the Good Samaritans quickly sour in the face of Goldilocks's diva demands--nabbing prime real estate on the sofa and forcing Little Baby Hare to serve as a living TV antenna. What will it take to make this ungrateful guest say "Arrivederci"? Both Papa and Mama Hare's ideas only further entrench Goldilocks; clearly, it takes a kid rabbit to get to the heart of the matter. Palatini and Davis, who previously collaborated on Bedhead and Sweet Tooth, again prove that they share the same irreverent wavelength. The zingy prose begs for full-throttled performance ("Watch that tootsie! Don't muss the hair!" crows Goldilocks), and there are plenty of visual laughs in both the Hares' wide-eyed, innocent dismay and Goldilocks' overweening narcissism. Ages 4-7. (Feb.)

[Page ]. Copyright 2010 PWxyz LLC

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School Library Journal Reviews 2011 March

K-Gr 3--In this continuation of the familiar tale, Goldilocks falls down a rabbit hole after running away from the Bears' house and injures her foot. She's an unwanted guest at the Hares', as she's big and bossy and spoiled. Even something simple like asking for a blanket gets complicated. "Too scratchy. Too itchy. Too big. Too little. Too hot. Way too skimpy! Actually, I prefer cashmere." The Hares try their best to get rid of her, even inviting their friend Sherman Skunk to visit. But it takes something a little more intimidating to make her leave, which of course she eventually does. There's a nice little grace note at the end involving an English girl named Alice. The fast-paced plot, mild gross-out details (she drools while she naps on their couch), and funny language will keep readers entertained. The colorful cartoon pictures offer lots of visual humor and interest as well. Overall, a fun and lighthearted story.--Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL

[Page 130]. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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