Goldilocks and the Three Martians
PreSchool-Grade 2–Using colorful computer graphics, Garland providesJetsons-like illustrations for an outer-space revision of the adventures of the persnickety blond. Escaping persistent parental persecution, indolent Goldilocks somehow musters the energy to build a rocket to canvas the solar system looking for the just-right planet, taking along her dog and cat for company. She ends up on Mars and thoughtlessly samples the wares of an absent family until her pillaging tires her out, and the returning green creatures slither home to find her asleep. The rhyming text keeps the action moving and the language reads aloud smoothly. The three stuffed teddy bears Goldilocks carries with her are a nice touch and the aliens' antics (the sluglike, tentacle-eyed Martians go into a frenzy over the potential aliens-for-dinner treat) should garner a few giggles from children. This silly tale serves as an accessible example of story transmogrification for young readers and may inspire them to try coming up with their own fresh versions of old favorites.–John Sigwald, Unger Memorial Library, Plainview, TXCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.