Book Review: Dusty Locks and the Three Bears

I've come across so many delightful children's books at our local library, and thought I should start sharing some of my favorites with you.  My favorites often end up being our kids favorites too, so this works out nicely.

This week's favorite: Dusty Locks and the Three Bears, by Susan Lowell.  The hilarious illustrations are by Randy Cecil.

This delightful Western rendition of the traditional Goldilocks story starts out:

"One upon a time, way out West, there were three grizzly bears who lived together in a neat and tidy cabin in the woods.  One was a little bitty bear cub, just knee-high to a bumblebee.  One was a mild-mannered middle-size mama.  And one was a great big humpbacked gray-haired grizzly, nine feet tall and cross as two sticks."

We meet Dusty Locks, who "hadn't had a bath for a month of Sundays".  As she progresses through the traditional story, we are greeted with more fun western phrases like "'Beans!' cried Dusty Lock.  'Ya-hoo! I'm so hungry I could eat a saddle blanket!'"

Dusty Locks is portrayed as a girl with no manners, so it's been a good opportunity for us to talk about manners, and the importance of bathing :)  It's also really fun to read this one out loud, since it flows better when you read with your best cowboy accent.


But you don't have to take my word for it...