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| Author and Illustrator: James Marshall, Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers, ISBN:0-8037-0542-5 |
“Goldilocks and the three bears” is not only a classic Fairy Tale story but it is also a Caldecott Honor Book in 1989. Over the Years, this Children book encountered various changes in the story line and characters. In 1837, the British poet Robert Southey wrote "The Story of The Three Bears", and inserted it into volume four of his collection The Doctor. This version did not feature the now familiar Goldilocks, but an old woman instead. In 1849 the British writer Joseph Cundall retold the story in his Treasury of Pleasure Books for Young Children. However, he changed the old women character to a young girl that he named “Silver Hair”. A decade later, in Aunt Mavor's Nursery Tales, she was renamed “Silver-Locks”. By the time the young intruder appeared in Aunt Friendly's Nursery Book in 1868, she had become “Golden Hair”. Finally, in Old Nursery Stories and Rhymes (1904), the young girl’s character became known as "Goldilocks." The name has been the one most frequently used and known ever since.
Goldilocks is a naughty little girl who does exactly as she pleases, even if that means sampling the three bears' porridge, breaking baby bear's chair, and sleeping in his bed. Goldilocks, and against her mother’s will, go into the woods and enter the Bears’ house without even knocking. She made her way through the house but eventually, the bears return and scare Goldilocks away.
What is amazing about this version is the detailed picture that burst into colors which is very appealing for children. I also love the ending of the book where Goldilocks escapes the bears' house from the window falling upside down. The children find that hilarious. Moreover, the ending of the story keep us wondering whether Goldilocks learned her lesson or not and this can be open for discussion with the children. It is also important for children to learn through Goldilocks's character respecting other entities' rights to privacy and about the importance of being truthful. This book can also be used in the classroom to teach other lessons such as sequencing and comparison.
I used this book with different age groups in the classroom and they all loved it and enjoyed every page of it. In the Kindergarten classroom where I was doing my student teaching, the children acted the story out. My Co-op. teacher set up the classroom such as in the Bears's house and the children wore Bear hats. Goldilocks was wearing a white dress with red bows on her head. The children played the story line step by step as mentioned in the book but the ending had to be altered. The student acting as Goldilocks was asked to run outside the classroom instead of falling from the window upside down! The students were very engaged, excited, and happy about acting out the story and they asked the teacher to do it over and over again.
Diala,
ReplyDeleteI thought is was really interesting how the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears has gone through so many transitions!I only knew it as Goldilocks, but were you able to find solid reason as to why so many of these changes were made to the Title?
To be honest, I am a huge fan of epics, legends, fairy tales and so on, but this story was never a favorite of mine. I am only familiar with it because it is such a well known childrens book. However, I am impressed that it is a Caldecott Honor Medal winner!
This just goes to show you that even though it may not be a favorite book of mine, everyone has their own preference and taste in what type of books a person likes to read, whether your a child or an adult.
I found it also interesting how the children in the classroom were so engaged by this story. I love how they were wearing bear hats and got physically involved in the story. I think some types of progressive learning through literature and reading is a great way to educate children on the elementary level and I fully support it.