Me and You

PreS Browne subtly overlays the story of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" with a social message. The Goldilocks character, nameless throughout, is introduced in a dark palette against a bleak urban setting. Conversely, the Bear family is presented as a colorful and happy unit. Baby Bear is the narrator. While on a walk, the girl chases a balloon and gets lost. She is drawn to the bears' house with its warm, yellow facade. There, she is another person: her head no longer hangs low, and she is infused with color, especially her fiery, golden hair. She eats the porridge, checks out the chairs, and winds up in Baby Bear's bed. She is experiencing life in a world vastly different from her own. When the bears return and find the intruder, their perfect world is shaken up momentarily and, for the first time, they are depicted without color and clearly angry. The girl flees the house and runs back to her side of town. Baby Bear is left concerned and wondering about her. The girl finally runs into the arms of her mother, and the story concludes with their wordless, warm embrace. This book looks at what constitutes family and at our culture of the haves versus the have-nots. Browne's signature artwork and intentional use of color make the juxtaposition of "Goldilocks's" plight with the bears' way of life unmistakable. Younger children can enjoy this picture book, but, in the hands of the right adult, older children will get a lot out of it. Browne has added depth to a story that we thought we already knew.-"Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA" Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc.