Boo Stew is probably not a dish you wish served cold, hot or at all! Curly Locks might have a good heart, and a passion for cooking, but her ingredients are a bit, unique, to say the least. The townsfolk of Toadsuck Swamp know that you do not even have a nibble of a creation by Curly Locks. Yet, one day one of her dishes go missing from her windowsill, and town is being bulled by Scares (who Curly Locks has never paid too much mind to). Are the two related? And can Curly Locks batwing brownies or toad eye toffees be the trick? Or is she going to have to be a bit more creative to scary away big, bad scary Scares that holler, “Gitchey Boo, Gitchey Bon! Gitchey Goo, Gitchey Gone!”?
This diverse take on the Goldilocks story is sweet and funny. There is a lot of action in Donna L. Washington’s picture book. The fairytale has been mixed up a tad, allowing for a modern take on a classic tale. Jeffrey Ebbeler’s illustrations are cuddy, spooky, cute (especially the baby Scare). They are colorful, nicely detailed, and creative. The story moves along with them as strong complimentary elements to the story itself. Watch the art of this book, there are a few hidden gems and things that will give you clues to what is to come.
And while all ages can enjoy the book, due to the Scares being “Shadowy Monsters” the sensitive child might not be the best audience. However, ages 5 and up will giggle and squeal and know just what to do when they find a Scare in their pancakes.