BOOK REVIEW Reviewed by Barbara Fanson for Readers' Favorite The beautiful, full-color illustrations will draw children into The Goldilocks Quartet and the story will keep them interested. Author Leia Barrett offers a different take on the classic story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. She takes readers on a musical journey through the house when the bears are not at home and tries their musical instruments. She introduces musical terms to broaden our horizons and reminds us of great classical composers like Mozart and Beethoven. She compares the size of 3 stringed instruments: Papa Bear’s cello was too big, Mama’s viola made a beautiful sound but still a bit too big, but Baby Bear’s violin was just right for Goldilocks. I especially love the ending “And they lived Musically Ever After.” Teachers and parents will enjoy reading this book with children and may even learn a new word or two. The Goldilocks Quartet offers a slightly different version of the well-known tale. Author Leia Barrett adds musical instruments, classic compositions, and terminology to encourage the importance—and love—of music. Illustrator Candace Neal provides us with colorful, full-page artwork to grace each page of this children’s picture book. She manages to capture the emotion of Goldilocks while playing classical music on the violin to the flushed embarrassment of an intruder who got caught. I love how some images fill the page and others do not. The author must be a talented musician whose love of classical music spills into the story. Wouldn’t you love to see the three bears performing string instruments in a concert alongside Goldilocks? A wonderful story + beautiful, soft illustrations = successful children’s book. Public libraries and school libraries will benefit from this new musical version of a classic story.

The Goldilocks Quartet by Leia Barrett ★★★★★ / BY NICKY FLOWERS / DECEMBER 20, 2021 Sure to pluck at the heartstrings of musically inclined young readers. An endearing, lyrical rendition of a classic children’s story, The Goldilocks Quartet is a beautiful book that is sure to pluck at the heartstrings of musically inclined young readers. Goldilocks can’t help but admire the entrancing music pouring from a house she often walks by. Shy by nature, the girl has always wondered what the inside of the bear home is like, but has been too nervous to introduce herself. Curiosity eventually gets the better of Goldilocks and she decides to knock on the door. Nobody is home but the door is open, so she lets herself in to have a look around. Inside, each bear has their own piece of furniture, bowl of porridge, pair of galoshes and music player. But most exciting are the instruments! Goldilocks tries them all out and finds that the violin is just right for her. She begins to play, getting so entranced with a Beethoven piece that she loses track of time. The bears arrive home and are so impressed with her musical sensibilities that they all decide to create music together. Appealing to young readers, The Goldilocks Quartet is neither complicated nor overindulgent. Artistically, it is a deliberate and appreciated choice to keep the color palette consistent, with blue, purple and orange representing each bear and pink for the little girl. Though the drawings are simple, the expressions are delightfully animated, clearly revealing a love for music. And I’ll be the first to admit that I probably get too wrapped up in fairy tales and that I am a classical music lover, but the beautiful line at the end, “And they lived Musically Ever After” made me so emotional that I shed a happy tear! A must have for parents hoping to cultivate musical awareness in their little ones, The Goldilocks Quartet by Dr. Leia Barrett will surely stoke an interest in classical music, beloved composers, and