About the Book:
Title: Goldibooks and the Wee Bear
Author: Troy Wilson
Illustrator: Edwardian Taylor
Pub. Date: January 12, 2021
Beagles and Books is excited to share a review and giveaway for the recently released Goldibooks and the Wee Bear. Special thanks to author Troy Wilson and Running Press Kids for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Review:
I fell in love with this book on the very first page because a little girl thought books were as good as gold. Me too! Why did Goldibooks love books so much? Her parents instilled the love of reading in her. And it gets better! Each member of the family has their own bookcase and own reading chair. Ahh! Pure paradise.
Goldi and her parents aren’t the only ones who have a penchant for books. Wee Bear is scouring the forest and the town for even the smallest piece of paper (not food). Why? Because he loves reading too! So when he stumbles upon a house and peeks inside, he spies those glorious bookshelves and cannot resist entering Goldi’s home. In true fairytale fashion, both Mom’s and Dad’s books are not a good fit, but Goldi’s are just right.
Of course, you can’t enjoy reading on the floor so Wee Bear tries out the family’s chairs with Goldi’s being the best fit until…it breaks. Oops. No worries. Nothing better than snuggling up with a book in bed except for the fact you might be so relaxed that you fall asleep. As the illustrator of the IT’S NOT A FAIRYTALE series, I am a big fan of Taylor’s bold and lively artwork. I especially love the illustrations of Wee Bear, for after he jumped into a bush to glance into Goldi’s house, he is covered in twigs and leaves.
As expected, when Goldi and her family arrive home, they are startled at the mess. Who could be responsible? When Goldi and Wee Bear finally meet, he begins to explain but his parents interrupt him and they are NOT happy.
It turns out that Goldi’s parents were scared of grown up bears and Wee Bear’s parents were scared of grown up humans. Thankfully, their mutual love for books changes both families’ mindsets and an important lesson was learned– If you can’t judge a book by its cover, you surely can’t judge an animal by their appearance.
As an elementary reading specialist, I can’t gush enough about Wilson’s clever retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. I love that reading is presented as a social activity first with Goldi and her parents, then Goldi’s family and Wee Bear’s family, and finally, the whole town creating a community book club. Wilson’s message is simple but powerful. Books bring people together and are meant to be shared.
About the Author:
Troy Wilson is a picture book author living in Victoria, BC, Canada. Goldibooks and the Wee Bear is his second book/reading-themed fairy tale with Running Press Kids, preceded by Little Red Reading Hood and the Misread Wolf, which was illustrated by Ilaria Campana. His ninth picture book is due out this October, illustrated by Eve Coy and published by Candlewick.
About the Illustrator:
Edwardian Taylor was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. His character designs, storyboards, and concept art can be seen in mobile games, TV, films, and commercials. He is the illustrator of multiple children’s books, including Race!, written by Sue Fliess; the Toy Academy chapter books, written by Brian Lynch; and the It’s Not a Fairytale books, written by Josh Funk. He lives in Texas with his partner and their four dogs.
Giveaway!
One lucky winner will receive signed copies of both Goldibooks and the Wee Bear and Little Red Reading Hood and the Misread Wolf courtesy of author Troy Wilson. This giveaway is open from Thursday, January 14, 2021 to Sunday, January 17, 2021 ending at 10:00 p.m. EST. Please note that book may take longer to ship so patience is appreciated. Enter below or head over to Twitter, follow Troy Wilson @TroyStoryToo, and retweet my Goldibooks and the Wee Bear post.
Like Jack, Gretel, and Hansel (#girlpower Gretel), Red does questions some of the narrator’s directions remarking “You’re sending a child carrying a giant basket, into the woods, ALL ALONE? After the narrator answers with a simple yes, Red agrees stating “You’re in charge!” But I wonder for how long?
Well, not long because on the very next page spread, Red is now wearing her little sister’s blue cape to Grandma’s. And on her way to Grandma’s, she meets up with the Big Bad Wolf…wait…I mean..Captain Hook. It turns out the the wolf is sick which does not make the narrator happy.
Still trusting, Red continues following the narrator’s directions as she journeys to Grandma’s but Captain Hook is not feeling it. “I did not agree to people–eatin,” he says. Pirates are all about stealing loot which is why he continually conflicts with the narrator. When Red finally gets to Grandma’s, you can imagine the antics that ensue especially when Pinocchio fills in for the woodsman to rescue her from the Big Bad Wolf…oops..Captain Hook. And it’s NOT a Funk & Taylor fairy tale unless a character opens a restaurant serving fairy tale creatures.
I am always smiling and laughing after reading Funk and Taylor’s hilarious parody of a classic fairy tale. One of the highlights was the lively exchanges between Red and the narrator because he always told the truth and while she questioned his directions, she was still willing to follow them. What I also loved about It’s Not Little Red Riding Hood is the decision to have other fairy tale characters stand in the original characters. Captain Hook acted like himself, not the Wolf which made the story more humorous and a more fun read aloud.
Last November, the second grade class I read to for #classroombookaday, had the immense pleasure of hosting Josh Funk for an author visit where we not only got a sneak peek at It’s Not Little Red Riding Hood, but also Josh, the classroom teacher, and me engaged in a reader’s theater of taking on the voices of the narrator, Red, and Captain Hook which was such fun. I mean, come on…who doesn’t want to talk like a pirate?
I am in awe of Funk’s witty and playful writing and Taylor’s bold and engaging illustrations literally leap off the page. And kids love searching for cameos of other fairy tale characters throughout the book. Kids always ask which fairy tale will be next in the series as do I. My fingers (and Bella’s paws) are crossed that there are more It’s Not a Fairytale adventures to come!
About the Author:
Like the characters in his books, Josh Funk doesn’t like being told how stories should go—so he writes his own. He is the author of many popular picture books, including the popular Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series, illustrated by Brendan Kearney, and the It’s Not a Fairytale books, illustrated by Edwardian Taylor. He lives in New England with his family. Learn more about him at 
It’s Not a Fairytale Series Giveaway!
Two Lions is offering all three books in the It’s Not a Fairytale series–It’s Not Jack and the Beanstalk, It’s Not Hansel and Gretel, and It’s Not Little Red Riding Hood to one lucky winner (U.S. addresses). Giveaway begins Friday, October 23, 2020 and ends at 10 p.m. Friday, October 30, 2020. You can enter below or retweet my Twitter post.
Beagles & Books 