Somebody and the three Blairs by Marilyn Tolhurst illustrated by Simone Abel

 Tuesday Treasure

I am smiling a huge smile just like Somebody, the little bear, you can see above. I adore this book and so after a couple of false starts I have finally tracked down a used copy and it arrived today! Yes, very sadly, this book is long out of print. It was first published in 1990.  Even though today is not Tuesday I just couldn't wait to share this treasure with you.

Begin with the title - Somebody - who is this somebody? Can you see a bear on the front cover? There are also three chairs and one is broken. Tap out a pattern of sounds - Gold-i-locks and the three bears versus Some-bod-y and the three Blairs.

Now open to the first page:

"One Sunday morning, in a small house on the edge of town, a family was sitting down to breakfast.
There was Mr Blair, Mrs Blair and Baby Blair."

The family decide to take a walk to the park and Baby Bear suggests they should "Feeda ducks."

"While they were gone, Somebody came to the door. Somebody knocked and, when no one answered, Somebody tiptoed in."

Notice all those capital letters - Somebody!  At this point your audience of young listeners will be laughing in anticipation. Clearly Somebody is going to taste the breakfast. It is not porridge in this modern house. Somebody finds a box and dips in his paw but it is too dry (cereal from the box), Somebody finds a bowl with milk but it is too noisy (rice bubbles). Of course one food is just right (a jar of honey). Now Somebody moves into  the lounge room to try out those chairs. One is hard, one is wobbly (a rocking chair) and one is just right - the baby high chair.

Somebody is keen to play a game so he heads into the kitchen. The tins of food are too noisy, the inside of the 'fridge is too cold but a game with flour, eggs and sugar is just right.

It is time to head upstairs to the bathroom. This rain is too hot (the showers), this pond is too small (see below for the illustration) but this stream (the sink) is just right.

Oh and notice the tap is still running. Somebody is tired so he heads into the bedroom to try out all the beds and of course falls fast asleep.

The Blairs arrive home.  You will love the voice of Baby Bear:
Honey jar "all gone".
His chair "bust".
Cake making in the kitchen "Naughty!"

"Somebody phone the police!' said Mr Blair.
'Somebody call the Fire Brigade!' said Mrs Blair.
'Somebody gone home,' said Baby Bear.
'Bye, bye. Come and play tomorrow."

Somebody and the Three Blairs works really well as a read aloud. I do hope you can track down a copy somewhere. I did find this video of the whole book. I think if I was using this I would turn off the sound and read the book myself with the images on a large screen. Read the Kirkus Star review.

The up-to-date details will provoke chuckles, as when Somebody holds a flexible shower nozzle over his head and realizes, ``This rain is too hot.'' This book, however, is just right. Publishers Weekly

You could compare Somebody and the Three Blairs with Goldilocks and just one Bear. Now take a look at this Pinterest with many other versions of this famous fairy tale. Reading a number of these versions of Goldilocks and the Three Bears would be a brilliant mini unit with a young class.

With an older group you might like to also look at Me and You by Anthony Browne which gives another perspective on this famous tale.