THE THREE BEARS’ HALLOWEEN

The three bears get a trick from Goldilocks in this Halloween treat. After dressing in their costumes, the three bears go trick-or-treating through the forest. The animals they encounter each contribute something from their winter food stores to Baby Bear’s bag—the squirrel some nuts, the bees some honey. But when they come to a spooky house, it seems like no one is home, as the door creaks open at their knock. Echoing the classic tale, the bears eat, break a chair and hide under the bed covers. Youngsters will know what is coming from the prolific clues in both the text and illustrations, but Goldilocks’s costume certainly comes as a great surprise to the frightened bear family. Observant readers will giggle over the hidden details in Meisel’s acrylics, which downplay the scary aspects of Halloween enough for the youngest of audiences to enjoy. Parents may use this as a springboard for discussions about Halloween safety. A good addition to fairy-tale and Halloween collections. (Picture book. 3-8)