The Three Snow Bears

by Jan Brett, Jan Brett (Illustrator)

Overview

Jan Brett's #1 New York Times bestseller is the snowiest retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears you could ask for!

Jan Brett's board book audience will love this brief version of a favorite tale in which Aloo-ki, an Inuit girl, meets a polar bear family.

When Aloo-ki's sled dogs float away on an ice floe, she goes looking for them. She comes upon an igloo with no one home and goes inside. In the meantime, Mama, Papa and Baby Bear swim out and rescue Aloo-ki's dogs. They all go home for breakfast to find a surprise visitor curled up in Baby Bear's bed for a nap.

Snuggle up with Jan Brett's other snowy treasures: The Mitten, The Hat, The Snowy Nap, Cozy, and The Trouble With Trolls.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399247927
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	09/13/2007
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	128,312
Product dimensions:	11.69(w) x 9.56(h) x 0.38(d)
Lexile:	AD530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jan Brett is the bestselling author-illustrator of numerous books for children. She lives in Norwell, Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

Aloo-ki's quiet morning of fishing comes to an abrupt when she realizes that her loyal sled dogs have become stranded on an ice floe. Running for help, the young girl soon finds an igloo, but it is empty; its polar bear inhabitants off on a pre-breakfast stroll. Hungry herself, Aloo-ki decides to sample the goodies and then, sated, settles down for a comfy nap. When she awakes, she and the reader will make several sudden and happy discoveries. Gorgeous illustrations; perfect bedtime reading; a read-out-loud favorite returns.

The perennially popular Brett sets this wintry spin on the Goldilocks tale in the Arctic. A polar bear family leaves its igloo for a walk to let Baby Bear's soup cool just as Aloo-ki, an Inuit girl, runs past, searching for her team of huskies, which have drifted away on an ice floe. Distracted by the aroma of the soup, Aloo-ki wanders into the igloo, and the rest is (not quite) history. Set against a background rendered as chilly blocks of ice, Brett's trademark border panels unfold the simultaneous story of the bears, who rescue the stranded dog team even as Aloo-ki makes free with their breakfast and home comforts. Kids will enjoy the variations on a nursery room standard, although the main draw is, as usual, Brett's characteristically detailed art. She pays loving attention to folkways, attiring the bears and other animals in furry parkas with geometric Inuit designs and furnishing the igloo with implements crafted in a native style. But between the frigid tones of the icy borders and the minor key of the story, the volume is narrower in its appeal than Brett's (The Mitten) best. Ages 4-up. (Sept.)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

Publishers Weekly

PreS-Gr 3
Filled with the gorgeously detailed watercolor and gouache illustrations that distinguish her work, this Arctic version of a classic tale is pure Brett. In the wintry white world of the far north, Aloo-ki, a young Inuit girl, steps into the role of Goldilocks. Separated from her team of huskies while fishing among ice floes, she stumbles upon the three snow bears' empty igloo. She proceeds to taste their soup, try on their boots, and, as expected, sample each of their beds before falling asleep in Baby Bear's pile of cozy furs. Meanwhile, the polar bears rescue Aloo-ki's dog team and bring them back to the igloo, where they discover evidence of the intruder and quickly locate the sleeping girl. Awakened to find herself face-to-face with three huge bears, Aloo-ki rushes outdoors, gathers her huskies, and waves a thank-you before hurrying away on her sled. The plot remains true to the progression of the traditional tale and the narrative moves swiftly. Side panels depict regional fauna and help convey the action. Aloo-ki and many of the animals wear clothing inspired by Inuit designs, adding splashes of color to the snowy backdrops. This book is sure to be appreciated by the author's fans and those seeking multicultural variations on the Goldilocks story.
—Piper NymanCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

"Brett presents the Goldilocks story in simple prose, altering it only slightly to accommodate the Arctic setting. The stunning watercolor-and-gouache illustrations, however, provide the sense of place that the words do not. Brett creates a strikingly beautiful blue-and-gray–toned world of ice populated with thickly furred creatures and accented with Inuit motifs. The intricately detailed, multi-paneled spreads depict the snow bears rescuing Aloo-ki’s dogs while Aloo-ki explores their igloo. Children and adults alike will pore over each page, relishing the richness of Brett’s artwork." —Kirkus Reviews

"Set against a background rendered as chilly blocks of ice, Brett’s trademark border panels unfold the simultaneous story of the bears, who rescue the stranded dog team even as Aloo-ki makes free with their breakfast and home comforts. Kids will enjoy the variations on a nursery room standard, although the main draw is, as usual, Brett’s characteristically detailed art. She pays loving attention to folkways, attiring the bears and other animals in furry parkas with geometric Inuit designs and furnishing the igloo with implements crafted in a native style." —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher