Leola and the Honeybears by Melodye Benson Rosales (Cartwheel, 1999). Leola’s story was my favorite of all the Goldilocks retellings; I think it was one of my son’s too. Leola is about his age, and he says he liked her because “I just like her. Leola was cute.” He had a big smile when we finished this book. “I want the chocolate pine nuts!”
Subtitled “An African-American Retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” Leola depicts the young child wandering off from her grandma, and though she knows the rules about wandering in the woods and tries to remember her mother’s teachings from time to time, her young age, gives her an excuse: she really didn’t realize she was wandering off. This setup gives the story an innocent feel. The three bears are a family that lives at a small local inn, eating nuts (Lil’ Honey loving his chocolate pine nuts) by the evening fire. It’s truly a wonderful retelling, giving the flat characters from a fairy tale some distinct personalities that make the book a delightful read. I love it!
