Climate Literacy in Education

Goldilocks on Ice

Climate Literacy through The Three Snow Bears

Zahira Sánchez Madrero

Keywords: Goldilocks, Endangered ecosystem, marginalized communties, visual storytelling

Abstract

This essay examines Jan Brett’s The Three Snow Bears (2007) as a retelling of the Goldilocks tale set in the Arctic and enriched with Inuit cultural elements. Drawing on Brett’s visits to Iqaluit in the Canadian Arctic, the book uses detailed illustrations of polar landscapes, traditional clothing, and Inuit homes to immerse readers in a threatened ecosystem. The essay argues that Brett’s illustrations operate as visual texts that teach ecological interdependence, allowing the book to function as a tool for early climate literacy. By integrating cultural specificity, ecological awareness, and visual storytelling, Brett’s adaptation models how children’s literature can cultivate ecological empathy and foster interdisciplinary climate education.