"With the same delightfully irreverent spirit that he brought to his retellings of Little Red Riding Hood, Marshall enlivens another favorite. . . . The illustrations are fraught with delicious humor and detail. Like its predecessor, perfect for several uses, from picture book hour to beginning reading."--Kirkus Reviews. Caldecott Honor Medal. PreSchool-Grade 2 Another delightful romp through the fairy tale forest from the author of Red Riding Hood (Dial, 1987) and James Marshall's Mother Goose (Farrar, 1986) . This retelling is a Victorianesque version of a chubby, blond-hair strong-willed ``naughty little girl'' who takes a shortcut through the woods on her way to buy muffins in the next village, and invades the home of the three sophisticated bears. While the basic storyline may be recognizable to young listeners, sight gags and ironic wit are whimsically employed for those who already know the tale and/or Marshall's other works (for example, a white hen perches atop the bears' house). The tone is straightforward and droll. Marshall is careful to include basic motifs from the original tale: the bowls of porridge, the chairs, and the beds, but he takes liberties in his commentary: ``She walked right in without even bothering to knock'' and in the characters' exclamations, like ``Patooie!'' and ``Egads!'' His playful watercolor illustrations fill the pages in their comic portrayal of these well-known figures. Whether shared in a lap or with a group, this one's a winner. Marianne Pilla, formerly at Allard K. Lowenstein Lib . of Long Beach, N.Y. Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. James Marshall was one of the most prolific and successful author/illustrators of children's books. He was best known for his series on the mischievous exploits of Fox, a debonair, lazy showoff; the uproarious adventures of the two Cut-Ups, Spud and Joe; George and Martha; and the misadventures of the Stupidfamily. He divided his time between an apartment in the Chelsea district of New York and his home in Mansfield Hollow Connecticut.