Gold

by Jed Alexander

This wordless picture book plays with our assumptions about family.

What do we think we see as we turn the pages and how is the ending not at all what we expected? This fractured retelling of the Goldilocks fairy tale provides a perfect format for thinking about story-telling and how families can be different―and how they are the same.

Enjoy a cozy evening with the sweetest family you’ll find between the pages of a book.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Animals, Fairy Tales, Childrens, Adoption, Fractured Fairy Tales

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 4, 2022

About the author

Jed Alexander is an author and illustrator who has done work for a variety of publications, including Cricket Magazine and SpongeBob Comics. He's the author of three critically acclaimed wordless picture books, Red, and Gold and Olive. His recent release is the Middle Grade Novel, The Black Market. He lives in Davis California with his wife and best friend in the world, Regina.

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bear family goes out for a ride on their bicycles. While they are gone a little girl dressed all in gold gets off a gold bus, walks down the street to a gold house, and goes inside. She makes golden mac & cheese and then the bears come back home. In this wordless retelling of Goldilocks and the three bears, you will enjoy the surprise ending just as much as I did. Now I need to read Red by the same author. 🐻🐻🐻

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wordless picture book play on the old Goldilocks tale. I was initially taken aback because I had a different interpretation of the ending -- but as I read the description on the back, it came together and I think I understand it a little better. Cute, but not mind-blowing. Nevertheless, a thought-provoking twist on a familiar tale.

[Felicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok. A wordless book. It just didn't appeal to me.

[Yuko Shimizu · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a surprising and refreshing take on Goldilocks story! A beautifully illustrated wordless book that teaches children there are happy families whose members don't look alike.

Disclaimer: I know Jed for close to 20 years as an industry peer. He is a late bloomer who always focused on his growth as an artist and achieving his dream of becoming a kids book artist, through the ups and downs of the past two decades or so.
I know it was a bit of a struggle till this book finally found a publisher. I am so so happy for him and happy for the little readers who can finally meet this beautiful family.
The book just got a rave review in NY Times Book Review. Congratulations, Jed.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wordless picture book that gives an interesting twist to the traditional Three Bears and Goldilocks story. In this version, Goldilocks is a beloved member of the family. There are more questions and less answers in this story which makes this a good choice for discussions and writing exercises. Readers who enjoy updated interpretations of classic folktales will find this of interest.

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is the definition of family? This book challenges that and more. I was obsessed.

What appears to be Goldilocks and the three bears.....is anything but ;) Loved this wordless book.

[Susan Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just want to cuddle this sly retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears forever. First of all, the three bears are on bicycles. Secondly, Goldilocks the Homewrecker is Black, which is wonderful. Third, the book is wordless. Fourth, there are very sly sneaky illustrations like Goats driving a vacation bound car with a happy pig in the back seat. Fifth, the bears live in the city. Sixth, Goldilocks makes herself at home and actually cooks the porridge-- a considerably big pot of it. You can just tell from her wonderful expression when it hits the "just right" stage. She brings a bowl to the table just when--uh oh!--the bears are returning home on their bicycles. One parental bear picks up the shoes and coat that Goldilocks has dropped on the floor. They notice a mess in the sink and on the floor. They also follow a tantalizing aroma of porridge--the table is set with four steaming bowls. They find Goldilocks just waking up on the couch, where she has collapsed. When she rubs her eyes awake, Baby Bear hands her a golden bouquet! Okay...Then they all sit down to eat porridge together???? And they wash dishes together????? Then they all cuddle on the couch for a nap, Goldilocks lying on parental Bears' tummies???? Then you see the portraits hanging on the walls. A family portrait with Bears and Goldilocks...Goldilocks as a baby... Goldilocks with Baby Bear at Christmas... an entire gallery of family photographs. This is what makes this book spectacular. All expectations are exploded. This is a beautiful portrait of the best kind of blended family. It doesn't matter what we look like (or how much of a mess we make in the kitchen)... what matters is that we are family, and we love one another. What a perfect message for young readers... the best message.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set firmly in San Francisco (visuals include houses like the Painted Ladies, the Transamerica Pyramid), this joy-filled, wordless fractured fairy tale has an unusual twist at the end.

One afternoon, Mama, Papa, and Baby Bear head out to ride their bikes. A young girl gets off her school bus, walks up the hill and straight into the three bears' home, then promptly starts to cook dinner. When the bears return home, they find her asleep on the sofa, and... (I won't spoil the surprise ending - but it's a doozie!)

Alexander's detailed black line drawings on white background are incredible and use primarily for the outdoor scenes. House interior images include shades of gray wash with the black lines on white. Everything is set off by insets of school bus yellow here, there, and everywhere that just pops off the page.

Excellent to use in building vocabulary and beginning writing instruction, this is one to read anytime. It is sure to lift spirits with its bright color and happy ending.

Highly Recommended for PreSchool-grade 2.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reason this wordless picture book works so well is that it makes you think that this is a re-telling of "Goldilocks and the 3 Bears", set in an inner suburb of some city. The 3 bears leave on a bike ride, then a young girl gets off of her school bus and enters their row house. Dropping her outer clothing, she goes into the kitchen and makes some soup (and a mess), then falls asleep. When the bears come home, their shadows loom over her in the tense climax. It turns out that she is part of their family. Delicate ink drawings with gold/yellow accents invite close examination by young readers and their adults, making this inappropriate for storytime.

[Arminzerella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those familiar with the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears will find some surprising plot twists in this version. Instead of an intruder, the little girl is a part of a blended bear family, who arrives home from school while the bears are enjoying a bike ride, cooks everyone a meal of porridge, and very much loves and is loved by her ursine family. This wordless picture book gives this story a new message. Illustrations are in black and white with bright gold/yellow accents. Final pages show family photos of the bears and the little girl together. Very sweet.

[The Silvan Reverie | Sarah Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple but effective worldess picture book that's a playful take on the Goldilocks classic fairytale. What I appreciate is that no clear answers are given until then very end and that it's up to the child and their imagination to comprehend the relationship the little girl has with the three bears. We do come to understand that they are all one family, living together, full of love. I think kids will smile at this warmhearted story!

***Note: I was given a review copy of this book via Publisher's Spotlight. Opinions are my own.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wordless book filled with beautiful illustrations, retelling the story of Goldilocks and the three bears in a new way. At first, it seems as if a little girl has gone into a house to cook a meal leaving a trail of mess behind her. However, we come to learn that not only is she welcomed there, but the even bigger surprise we learn in the last two pages is that she's a member of the family!

I loved the pictures and how there are the two twists to the story. I can see young kids having their "Aha moment"when the get to the final twist!

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

This black and white wordless picture book has gold pops of color, and shows how a reader's assumptions may not match reality. If someone is looking for a point-by-point recreation of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, this isn't it, since parts of the story are very different, but the author used core conceps from that tale to surprise readers with the twist that Goldilocks is an adopted member of the bear family.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something so lovely about wordless stories, when so much is conveyed through the illustrations only. This nod to the story of 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears', takes on the idea that this little girl is actually part of the family and not an uninvited person. Not all families look the same, nor do the family members. That is the beautiful part of any family. Love, togetherness and caring is what is important.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think you know the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears? Jed Alexander takes the Goldilocks story and gives it a brand new twist in this wordless picture book.

This imagines what if Goldilocks were adopted by the bears and became part of the family? What would their after school routine be? I like how Alexander uses splashes of goldenrod color to emphasize parts of the story. His illustrations are fabulous and well able to tell the story without any words.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alexander presents a cute, wordless spoof of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The monotone pen and ink illustrations really pop with the addition of the title color.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young girl is adopted by a family of bears? If you like fractured fairy tales or wordless picture books, you'll enjoy this retelling of The Three Bears.

[Bethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wordless picture book variant on the traditional Goldilocks and the 3 Bears story is perfect for a compare and contrast activity. Lots of things to discuss with young readers: reasons behind the color scheme, found families, kitchen safety. Had to read it again to make sure I got all the details in the elaborate illustrations.

[Katy Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a play on the goldly locks and the three bears. I found this book really interesting because it has no words, and the only colors are gold/yellow, black, and white. I would use this book to talk about what makes book a book, and the "rules". It would create great conversation with students about if it can be a book without words.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a totally wordless play on Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Compared to the original, it does have a different little twist. It would be interesting have to a group read them back to back and see all of the differences. *I also loved how the gold color just jumped off the pages. Beautiful!

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gold by Jed Alexander is a twist on the beloved Goldilocks fairy tale, and it’s a beautiful look at assumptions. The ending of this wordless picture book will have your students, kids, or even staff members chatting about what family looks like.

One of my favorite stories of 2022.

[ashes ➷ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so cute... the art is beautiful and it's set in San Francisco among the Victorian homes and the message is WONDERFUL. Love to see more picture books about monsters and outsiders and little children raised by bears!

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really cute wordless, modern picture book retelling of Goldilocks. I loved the setting in a townhome and how Goldie and the bears apparently are all part of the same family by the end. Simple with really visually satisfying illustrations.

[KMitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

What seems like the story of Goldilocks has a twist that plays on our assumptions about family. This wordless picture book is beautifully illustrated in black & white with gold color drawing the readers attention.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This time, Goldilocks comes into the house and makes porridge for the bears, who are gone. And when they come, they all enjoy the meal together. And as the final page reveals, Gold is a member of the family.

Sweet.

[skcocnaH · Rating 2 out of 5]

It bothered me that the little girl came home to no one there, and then, she was meant to prepare dinner for everyone. Neglect much? It’s like she was being punished for being the only human in the family.

[Kirsten Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good fairy tale retelling and this wordless version of Goldilocks is a good one with a surprising twist! I love the intentional use of black and white illustrations with the only color being gold. Now I need to read this author’s other book, Red!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new take on the Goldilocks story examining how we assume families look. Cute illustrations with pops of gold add to the story.

[Macklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cutest!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jed Alexander’s book and illustrations are just lovely. Another great twist on a classic fairy tale. The last 2 pages are really well done. Really loved the gold against the black and white.