Sullivan, Annie. Ghouldilocks and the Three Ghosts. Paula J. Becker, Illus. Random, 08/2025. [36]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-0-593-70960-3. GRADES Preschool–3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
A little monster girl with green skin and wild, multicolored hair comes across a haunted mansion in the woods and enters, trying out the chairs, beds, and ghoulash before falling asleep. This spoof of Goldilocks and the Three Bears uses lots of puns and wordplay, told in a sentence or two per page with some hand-lettered dialogue balloons. It is funny more than scary which allows it to appeal to a wide age range. The full-color, digital cartoon-style illustrations, dominated by purple, black, and orange use white backgrounds and convey much of the humor. The text sticks fairly close to the original tale, with repetition and action, replacing the bears with ghosts. A fun choice for Halloween readalouds and fractured fairy tale classroom units.
Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool