by Donna L Washington (Author) Jeffrey Ebbeler (Illustrator)
Award-winning storyteller Donna L. Washington has cooked up a delightfully spooky fractured fairy tale with a diverse cast of characters and an imaginative twist on the classic "Goldilocks."
Curly Locks is a good-hearted girl, but she's an awful cook. All the townspeople of Toadsuck Swamp know to steer clear of her culinary concoctions--like the batwing brownies and toad eye toffees. So when one of her dishes goes missin' from her windowsill, word spreads like a kerosene fire about how the Scares have been terrorizin' the town at mealtime. They shriek "Gitchey Boo, Gitchey Bon! Gitchey Goo, Gitchey Gone!" and send folk runnin' from their dinner plates. With everyone else tremblin' and squawkin' about the Scares, Curly Locks gets an inklin'. Can she use her smarts and unique talents to help corral those Scares for good?
Internationally known, award-winning storyteller Donna L. Washington uses her tremendous skill to breathe new life into the classic Goldilocks tale. Her clever, can-do protagonist and joyful language paired with Jeffrey Ebbeler's charming, imaginative illustrations will tempt readers into a ghostly, yet enchanting landscape that they won't want to leave!
WorldCat is the world's largest library catalog, helping you find library materials online.
Curly Locks loves to cook, but none of the townsfolk like her dishes of batwing brownies or cat hair cupcakes. Though she's a little dejected, she continues to concoct her dishes. Meanwhile, the mayor is trying to enjoy his breakfast when a Scare, an inky creature from Toadsuck Swamp, appears and frightens him away from his home. The mayor seeks help from the Blacksmith, who tries to frighten away the Scare. But a bigger Scare comes along and terrifies the Blacksmith. Then, the chicken rancher tries to spook the Scares away, only to encounter an enormous third creature. Maybe Curly Locks's dishes are just what the mayor needs to get rid of the creatures. This is a fun story about pursuing one's passions even when other people might not understand. Luckily, Curly Locks has the support of her mother, and her love of cooking saves the day. The story features a diverse cast, and character have a range of skin tones and body types. The characters' exaggerated body proportions add the right amount of humor, while the inky and spooky Scares are the stuff of nightmares. These character styles complement each other well and make for an enjoyable read. VERDICT A girl's unique cooking style saves the day in this fun Halloween read sure to entertain in any season.—Myiesha Speight, formerly at Towson Univ., Baltimore
Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.