The Three Billy Goats Gruff (My First Fairy Tales)

Part of the My First Fairy Tales line, this straightforward recounting keeps to the traditional narrative of three goat brothers outwitting a surly troll who's bent on eating them. Though Alperin describes the troll as having "a terribly warty face" and "horribly pointy ears," Parkhurst draws him as a smiley green cutie-pie in patchwork clothes--hardly a serious threat (the rounded knife and fork he wields don't look like they could cut through gelatin, much less goat). Nevertheless, children should still find their sense of schadenfreude satisfied as they watch Big Gruff headbutt the troll into the river. A not-at-all-scary account best suited to youngest readers. Simultaneously available: Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Ages 3-7. (Mar.)

PreS-K--In this picture book series, readers are presented with retellings of classic fairy tales. The Billy Goats Gruff sticks to the traditional story but uses speech bubbles for the characters' dialogue. Goldilocks differs a little in what the child finds fault with in the bears' accommodations, but the original premise holds. The books introduce some new vocabulary for little listeners, and the images are bright, cartoonlike, and accessible. Page layouts vary from spreads to half-pages to vignettes. VERDICT For libraries looking to add simple fairy-tale retellings for the nursery school set, these would be a decent addition.--Emily E. Lazio, The Smithtown Special Library District, NY