Goldilocks

Goldilocks, that blond invader of bears' houses, is not the only interloper here-in retelling the nursery classic, Russell appears to have taken an excursion through Jan Brett territory. The similarities show up in a number of ways: the borders with their folk-art-ish motifs plucked from the illustrations they surround; the whimsical storybook-like details (for example, the bear-patterned porridge bowls and spoons); the relentlessly sweet frontal compositions. Taken singly or combined in a different manner, these elements don't necessarily invoke Brett, but in this book the resemblance is unmistakable, and the effort suffers badly in the inevitable comparison. The production values disappoint, too. Russell's oil paintings look grainy and blurry, as if they have been unduly magnified. An easy pass. Ages 2-up. (Feb.)