The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett, Jan Brett (Illustrator)

From Barnes & Noble

Aloo-ki's quiet morning of fishing comes to an abrupt when she realizes that her loyal sled dogs have become stranded on an ice floe. Running for help, the young girl soon finds an igloo, but it is empty; its polar bear inhabitants off on a pre-breakfast stroll. Hungry herself, Aloo-ki decides to sample the goodies and then, sated, settles down for a comfy nap. When she awakes, she and the reader will make several sudden and happy discoveries. Gorgeous illustrations; perfect bedtime reading; a read-out-loud favorite returns.

From the Publisher

Aloo-ki glances up from fishing and sees her sled dogs floating off on an ice floe. She races after them and comes upon an igloo. Being a curious girl, she goes inside only to find no one home. That's because the polar bear family who lives there is out walking while their breakfast cools off. Aloo-ki eats some soup, tries on their boots, and finally crawls into the smallest bed for a nap. Meanwhile, Papa, Mama, and Baby Bear see her dogs adrift, swim out to rescue them and return home to find Aloo-ki fast asleep in Baby Bear's bed.

Jan traveled to the far North to meet the Inuit people and see the amazing land where they live. Dramatic illustrations capture the shimmering ice, snow and deep blue seas of the Arctic, and when Jan adds a raven-haired Inuit girl and her appealing huskies, an endearing family of polar bears, and playful Arctic animals in the borders, the result is one of her most beautiful picture books.

The decorative Inuit patterns and clothing Jan uses throughout are sure to attract adult fans and collectors while children will want to listen to and look at this exciting version of a well-loved story over and over again.

Publishers Weekly

The perennially popular Brett sets this wintry spin on the Goldilocks tale in the Arctic. A polar bear family leaves its igloo for a walk to let Baby Bear's soup cool just as Aloo-ki, an Inuit girl, runs past, searching for her team of huskies, which have drifted away on an ice floe. Distracted by the aroma of the soup, Aloo-ki wanders into the igloo, and the rest is (not quite) history. Set against a background rendered as chilly blocks of ice, Brett's trademark border panels unfold the simultaneous story of the bears, who rescue the stranded dog team even as Aloo-ki makes free with their breakfast and home comforts. Kids will enjoy the variations on a nursery room standard, although the main draw is, as usual, Brett's characteristically detailed art. She pays loving attention to folkways, attiring the bears and other animals in furry parkas with geometric Inuit designs and furnishing the igloo with implements crafted in a native style. But between the frigid tones of the icy borders and the minor key of the story, the volume is narrower in its appeal than Brett's (The Mitten) best. Ages 4-up. (Sept.)

Children's Literature

Brett travels to the Arctic to bring us her variation of the Goldilocks story. Aloo-ki is the young heroine here. Her dog team floats away from her at the same time that the bear family decides to take a walk while their hot soup cools. Aloo-ki arrives at their igloo, and the traditional tale unfolds. First, she tries the three bowls of soup and finishes the smallest. Then, she tries on three pairs of boots, finding the littlest to be "just right." Finally, feeling sleepy, she ends by taking a nap on the smallest place on the sleeping bench. Meanwhile, along the sides of the pages, the bears have been having visual adventures of their own. Back into the main story they now come, pushing Aloo-ki's dog sled back to their igloo for the traditional but happier ending. Brett's vigorously drawn illustrations tell the visual tale with imagination and humor. Endpapers depicting the activities of many anthropomorphic animals in attractive winter gear prepare us for the coming adventure. Brett's signature clever use of frames provides us with dual action plus vignettes of some other creatures at play. The naturalism of these watercolor and gouache pictures with their airbrushed backgrounds gives us considerable information about life at the Arctic Circle. Despite their size, the bear family doesn't frighten Aloo-ki—or us. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

Piper NymanCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information. - School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3
Filled with the gorgeously detailed watercolor and gouache illustrations that distinguish her work, this Arctic version of a classic tale is pure Brett. In the wintry white world of the far north, Aloo-ki, a young Inuit girl, steps into the role of Goldilocks. Separated from her team of huskies while fishing among ice floes, she stumbles upon the three snow bears' empty igloo. She proceeds to taste their soup, try on their boots, and, as expected, sample each of their beds before falling asleep in Baby Bear's pile of cozy furs. Meanwhile, the polar bears rescue Aloo-ki's dog team and bring them back to the igloo, where they discover evidence of the intruder and quickly locate the sleeping girl. Awakened to find herself face-to-face with three huge bears, Aloo-ki rushes outdoors, gathers her huskies, and waves a thank-you before hurrying away on her sled. The plot remains true to the progression of the traditional tale and the narrative moves swiftly. Side panels depict regional fauna and help convey the action. Aloo-ki and many of the animals wear clothing inspired by Inuit designs, adding splashes of color to the snowy backdrops. This book is sure to be appreciated by the author's fans and those seeking multicultural variations on the Goldilocks story.

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