Goldilocks and the Three Bears: A Tale Moderne by Steven Guarnaccia (Abrams, 2010). Although the story follows the traditional story for the most part, Mr Guarnaccia’s retelling relies on the illustrations, which feature modernist art and style, to give it a different feel. There are a few things in the story’s text itself that also make it stand out. (“Once upon a time, a family of bears lived in a split-level house deep in the forest.”) Although I’m personally not a fan of the modern style of decoration in my own home at least, it was fun to see the familiar story retold with those illustrations. The front and end papers list some of the moderne artists that inspired the illustrations: for a unit on the style of art, it is genius! I’m curious to see the other books in the series.
