The Cajun Cornbread Boy

by Dianne de Las Casas, Marita Gentry (Illustrator)

You can't catch me--I'm full of cayenne! Baked in a skillet with two chilies for the eyes, a peppercorn for the nose, a link of boudin sausage for the mouth, and a large dash of cayenne pepper for extra spice, the Cajun cornbread boy runs through the bayou, sprinting past hungry animals who would like to sample such a tasty treat. When an artful alligator tries to trick the boy into becoming dinner, he's in for one really spicy surprise. Told in the charming language of an experienced storyteller, this colorful romp through Cajun country is perfect for children of all ages looking for a flavorful twist to a familiar fable.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Storytime, Fairy Tales

32 pages, Hardcover

First published December 15, 2008

About the author

Dianne de Las Casas was an award-winning author, storyteller, and founder of Picture Book Month. Her performances, dubbed “revved-up storytelling” were full of energetic audience participation. The author of 24 books, Dianne was the International Reading Association LEADER 2014 Poet Laureate, and the 2014 recipient of the Ann Martin Book Mark award. Her children’s titles include The Cajun Cornbread Boy, There’s a Dragon in the Library, The Little “Read” Hen, The House That Santa Built, and Cinderellaphant. She was also the mom of Kid Chef Eliana, a 14-year-old award-winning chef, cookbook author, and radio show host. Visit her website at diannedelascasas.com. Visit Picture Book Month at PictureBookMonth.com. Twitter & Instagram: @AuthorDianneDLC Facebook: fanofdianne

Reviews

[Preet]

I was introduced to this phenomenon today and it blew my mind. It's both entertaining and little disturbing.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Cajun kick to the gingerbread boy story. Everything has a Louisiana bayou twist to it. I really enjoyed the fox being replaced with an alligator and also the resolution to that problem!

[Amber Goebel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dianne de Las Casas' spin on the gingerbread boy story is set in the Louisiana bayou. Instead of gingerbread, the runaway food is a skillet of spicy, cajun cornbread. His signature saying is, "Run, cher, run, as fast as you can! You can't catch me - I'm full of cayenne." The characters chasing after the bread in this version are swamp creatures like raccoons and the tricky animal in the end is an alligator! Of course, he couldn't eat the cornbread boy because he was just too spicy. I like that de Las Casas includes a glossary at the end of the book of the French words that are sprinkled throughout the story. I also enjoyed the watercolor illustrations, in particular, those of the alligator.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author Dianne de las Casas and illustrator Marita Gentry give that classic Euro-American folktale, The Gingerbread Man, the Cajun treatment in this picture book retelling. When a lonely old woman, longing for a child of her own, cooks up a cornbread boy full of cayenne, she doesn't expect the spicy pastry to take off running, but that's exactly what happens. Outrunning his creator, as well as a raccoon and fox, our hero next confronts an artful alligator, and is triumphant there as well...

Although stories of runaway pastries of various kinds abound in European lore—thinking here of the Slavic Kolobok, retold as The Little Round Bun in Irina Zheleznova's Ukrainian Folk Tales ; the Norwegian Pannekaken, found in Asbjørnsen and Moe's Norwegian Folktales ; or the Scots tale, The Wee Bannock, collected by Joseph Jacobs in More English Fairy Tales —the variant featuring an insouciant little gingerbread man is an American invention, and hails from New England. It's interesting therefore to see a Cajun variant, transplanted to Louisiana! This one reminded me of Mike Artell's Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood and Three Little Cajun Pigs , which also transplant tales to a Cajun setting. In any case, while I did enjoy the story here, and the conclusion, in which the cornbread boy's cayenne ends up saving him, I can't say I was as enthralled by the illustrations, which weren't really my cup of tea. Tastes vary, of course, so those seeking children's stories with a Cajun setting might still want to take a look at this one.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An old woman had had no children, so one day she baked a cornbread boy and made him special, adding cayenne. When he was done she opened the oven and out he hopped and ran away. She chased him, as did other characters who wanted to eat him.
The story is much like the traditional gingerbread boy story but with Cajun "flavour" and a surprise twist at the end.
Wonderful illustrations.

[Betty Silvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book was very amusing! A take-off on the gingerbread boy story, the Cornbread Boy had similar troubles in that various wildlife wanted to eat him. He has a secret ingredient though - cayenne pepper!

[Elvira · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute and shorter version of the Gingerbread man story, though the refrain is not as catchy for little ones.

[Tessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Changed setting and ending, cornbread boy gets away.

[Craig Schorling · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun spin on the original story. The ending was fun and different. It was very cool that the book included the recipe. The kids want to try cooking cajun cornbread now.

[Elaine Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was given to me by a friend who had been a school librarian. My grandson and I Love reading this together. He's 5 years old and has memorized most of it. It's a fun book!

[Brittany Manion · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my son’s favorites

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This spicy twist on the Gingerbread Boy is a lot of fun. Down on the Bayou, a little old woman makes a cornbread boy but when she opens the oven he runs away calling "Run, chere, run, as fast as you can! You can't catch me - I'm full of cayenne." The Cornbread Boy runs past a raccoon. Then past a fox who surprisingly does not catch him, until he comes to the water of the bayou. An alligator offers to carry the boy across. Can you guess what happens next? You may be surprised!

The writing here is filled with nice Louisiana touches that will have you doing your best Cajun accent. If you manage an accent, the book rollicks along with phrases dancing with the rhythm and beat. The illustrations are done with watercolor and ink. This lends them a more rustic and handmade feel that is right at home here.

Recommended as an alternative Gingerbread Boy that is perfect for hot summer days. This could be nicely paired with one of my other favorite Cajun read-alouds Petite Rouge: a Cajun Red Riding Hood by Mike Artell.

[Regina L · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all know the story of the Gingerbread Man, but have you heard about the Cajun Cornbread Boy who suffered a similar fate? In this adorably spicy tale, a sweet, old woman living on the bayou cooks herself up a hot and peppery cornbread, but the bread in the pan becomes a real boy and gets up and runs straight out the door, “Run, run as fast as you can, You can’t catch me, I’m full of Cheyenne!” The Cajun Cornbread boy manages to allude some terrifying swamp animals looking to eat him for supper but will he eventually become somebody’s dinner? This story is told in a Cajun voice that is lovable and fun and just as silly as it sounds. Read more at www.diapers-and-daydreams.com

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was our final Gingerbread Boy variation!!

I actually really liked this book, minus the shoddy illustrations. This was a Cajun version of the story and included some Cajun vocab, which was fun! Also some French!

The ending was surprising. All of the other Gingerbread stories, besides the original, ended happily. This one did, too - but just barely!!! The alligator almost ate the cornbread boy!!!! It was a close one and I think the kids were shocked!

I think maybe one person picked this one as their favorite?

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting take on the gingerbread boy story. I thought it did a good job of blending Cajun elements with the original tale into something different and amusing. The illustrations were fun, kids will probably enjoy them. I didn't expect the ending of the story though. I would recommend if you liked books about Cajun culture.

*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2011...

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and colorful illustrations in this book. The story is a version of the Gingerbread Man from Louisiana. Instead of a fox, the cornbread gets eaten by an alligator - almost - but he's too hot with cayenne pepper so the fox spits him out. Whew! His call is slightly different and there are lots of Cajun/French words throughout. Lots of fun for sure! Highly recommended for Gr. 3-4. It has a recipe for cornbread at the end of the book. MMM!

[Patrick Antenucci · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting twist on the old Gingerbread Man story with a happier ending. The illustrations are done well and have a muggy, swampy air to them. The writing is spiced up by some recognizable Cajun terms with a little glossary in the back to help explain them. The book also has a cajun cornbread recipe which could be used for a class snack.

[Natalie Harvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can I be a font snob and just say - Times New Roman, really?! The story and illustration were just fine - not that I enjoy the Gingerbread Boy story all that much, but it's beloved by many others - but the font made me want to throw the book away. I need to work on that.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spicy twist on the Gingerbread boy traditional tale. The illustrations are very cute, and I love how the old Cajun woman uses boudin for the mouth. The glossary section at the back is very helpful for people not familiar with the south and Cajun way of life too. Genre-traditional lit. C-2009

[Shuntia Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cajun Cornbread Boy is a book that is similar to The Gingerbread Man. In this story no one can eat the cornbread boy because he is too spicy. I would use this story when talking to my students about twist in stories. Instead of using a gingerbread man, you can use your favorite food.

[Christine Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A freshly baked cornbread boy escapes when he is taken out of the oven and eludes a number of hungry animals as well as having a spicy encounter with an alligator in this Cajun version of the Gingerbread boy. www.hcpl.net

A good choice for elementary students.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It certainly reminds me of the Gingerbread man. Its a fractured fairy-tale, a spin off. What fun, I know the students would love this. Its cute, its lively, the illustrations are great. Its told from another culture. LOVE!

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Run, run, as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm full of cayenne."

Super cute retelling. Though I wish they'd have gone with a different illustrator.

[Briana · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very silly little story. Not that great and the cornbread boy was creepy =/

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids will love the lyrics and bright pictures. Adults will love the ideas Dianne shares on her website. The cajun cornbread boy is just to spicy to stand still! Great twist on an old story.

[Melanie Schweiger · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute stoty...it needs to be read aloud by an authentic Cajun, cher!

[Jane Jergensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to pair with your Gingerbread unit. My students in grades K-3 loved it!!!

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the twist at the end!

[Brittany Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was very unique and entertaining to read!

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Run, chere, run, as fast as you can! You can't catch me--I'm full of cayenne."