Review by Booklist Review
Knock, knock." As readers announce themselves at a small home in the woods, a young girl answers the door in a shrieking panic. She's quite cool and confident, however, as she draws the reader close and explains her terror: there's a bear outside! As she details her certainty of a lurking beast, interstitial spreads ("Don't scream! Get ahold of yourself!") maintain the comic tension, keeping the audience fully engaged and entertained. Much like with her previous Spider in the Well (2024), Hannigan's paint and paper-collage illustrations invite readers in with a recognizably bold style of heavy color fills and large, blocky shapes and lettering. When the bear does finally appear (after some supportive sleuthing by the reader), the girl flees (crashing out the window), and a hilarious turn reveals that she had been Goldilocks-ing the bear all along. This is, in fact, the bear's house, and it--clearly a sophisticated creature--is highly offended. Kids will be drawn in by the friendly, colorful imagery and hooked by the cleverly played rising tension and the sly progression of the unreliable narrator and her tale. Hannigan proves again to be a delightful new voice in the picture-book space with this must of a storytime selection.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In her sophomore outing, Hannigan (Spider in the Well) combines snappy dialogue, an intriguing narrator, and bold acrylic and paper-collage images that build to a wild fairy tale twist. The reader immediately becomes enmeshed in the story, knocking at the door of a forest cottage--an action that is greeted by a horrified wail ("AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"). The cry is emitted from inside the dwelling by a pale-skinned, red-haired child sporting a green jumper. "Oh, sorry about that, I thought you were someone else," the child says matter-of-factly, beginning an irresistible sales pitch: "You look very smart and reasonable, much like myself." Making the reader "promise not to scream," the child reveals what they are hiding from: "I know for a fact that there is a BEAR out there." Sounds are heard outside, and the noisemaker is divulged, leading to further revelations about the scenario. It's an enjoyable surprise of an antihero tale that delivers snark, readerly snorts, and the delicious reassurance of learning that however persuasive the child's patter is, something that initially seems frightening turns out not to be scary at all. Ages 4--8. Agent: Hannah Mann, Writers House. (Apr.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1--4--The story of Goldilocks has many variations and has been written from many different characters' points of view. Hannigan has added to this canon using a child's voice, or perhaps paranoia, about things they do not understand and are afraid of. The story opens with a young girl frightened by a knock on her home's door. She invites readers into her home and expresses her concerns about bears, to the point in which she draws a picture of one. The reader learns that Goldilocks is, in fact, in the bears' house and not her own. As Goldilocks makes her explosive and destructive exit of the bears' house, a bear explains to readers that strangers are often in her house without her family's permission. The bear does not like it but has learned to deal with the continuous interruptions these strangers cause her family. Read it as a retold tale or as a metaphor for humans stomping through the environment; this delightful book will help children identify, lovingly address, and overcome any fears they may have and are struggling with. The illustrations beautifully support and extend the text. VERDICT A beloved classic fairy tale with a new twist, this is frightfully fun and novel.--Laura Ellis
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Part "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," partThe Monster at the End of This Book, all fun. The red-headed, light-skinned narrator immediately breaks the fourth wall, screaming bloody murder under the premise that readers have knocked on the door. Why the alarm? Perched on an overstuffed chair, a flashlight illuminating the child's face, the narrator warns of the titular "BEAR out there." On the ensuing pages, the protagonist shows readers dubious "proof" of the bear's presence in the woods to hilarious effect, with the bold collage and acrylic illustrations working double time with changes in perspective, expressive color, and energetic linework to enhance the child's outrageous claims and dramatic emotions. Lo and behold, it turns out thereis a bear out there, and when the animal arrives at the house, the narrator crashes through a window to escape. Now it's the bear's turn to tell the story, and the animal makes it clear just whose house it really is. "Believe it or not, break-ins happen all the time," the furry creature says on a page showing a close-up of a book entitledGoldilocks: Friend or Fiend? The bear proceeds to offer tea--this is a kindly bear and a good host indeed. A final twist shows the original narrator monetizing the ursine encounter with a new book,I Survived a Real Bear: A Memoir. Feisty fractured fairy-tale fun.(Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
