The Gingerbread Girl

by Lisa Campbell Ernst

The lonely old woman and the lonely old man decide to bake a girl this time, but when they open the oven, she runs off like her brother did. Never fear, this smart cookie has a plan to outfox the fox. Will it work? Let's just say that the ending is sweet for everyone. Ernst's familiar art, here placed against gingham-check backgrounds, utilizes the oversize format to best advantage, with large characters leaping out of their frames. On the cover, the candy-studded Gingerbread Girl with licorice-whip hair stares boldly out at readers. Kids won?t be able to resist following her inside. Booklist

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fairy Tales, Christmas, Fiction, Fantasy, Fractured Fairy Tales

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2009

About the author

Lisa Campbell Ernst was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma in 1957. She received a Bachelor's degree in art from the University of Oklahoma, and then won an internship as a guest editor for Mademoiselle Magazine in New York City. She has written and illustrated over twenty picture books including Stella Louella's Runaway Book, which won the Children's Choice Award in Kansas, and Sam Johnson and the Blue Ribbon Quilt.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A+. Girls are more clever than boys. Etc.

[Theresa Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely read this in class to my students so it counts!

[Donna Mork · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute retelling of the Gingerbread Man, but with a happier ending. The girl outsmarted the fox and brought home all the hungry people to her very lonely creators. With a houseful, they weren't lonely any more and the girl baked cookies for the others.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

K-4th Grade
Lisa Campbell Ernst illustrates this sequel to the beloved Gingerbread Man story with soft and inviting pastel colors. She uses one page to show what is happening in the text at that point of the book and the text page is illustrated with the characters that the Gingerbread Girl has already encountered and that are now chasing her. The story follows loosely follows the “The Gingerbread Man” but with a surprising twist at the end that readers will find surprising and entertaining. I also enjoy the fact that this fairytale has the lead female character turning the table on that fox that feasted on her brother. This book is appropriate for a large range of ages and girls should really enjoy the outcome of this story.
Art/Language Arts
Each student can create and design their own Gingerbread character and then create a story around the way that they designed their Gingerbread character.

[Amber Goebel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lisa Campbell Ernst gives the classic gingerbread boy story a girl-power twist in this version of the fairy tale. Having learned from her gingerbread boy brother's demise, the gingerbread girl outsmarts the fox in the end and even ends up bringing all of the animals and people of the story together in the end! I love the large illustrations, especially the gingerbread girl's hair made of licorice and her dress made of candies. As in the other tellings of this story, the gingerbread girl repeats a rhythmic stanza. And, her's is pretty catchy..."I'll run and I'll run with a leap and a twirl. You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread GIRL!"

[Jo ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a year since the Gingerbread Boy met his demise and the lonely old woman and the lonely old man decide to try baking again, only this time they bake a little girl, thinking she'll be too sweet to leave home. As soon as the oven door opens though, she leaps out and runs down the same path as her brother did before her. The whole town gets involved running after her until she reaches the river where the fox is waiting to "help" her across. Being much wiser then her brother, she manages to outsmart the fox.

Enjoyable illustrations and the Gingerbread Girl is kind of cute but towards the end, I was kind of hoping she would get eaten too because she was getting on my nerves. :P

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my daughters received this for her birthday, and she loves, loves, loves it. The other two kids also like it. I think it's ok, but won't be a favorite for me.

The good: a decent retelling of the Gingerbread Boy, but it continues what happen to his (smarter) younger sister; it has some fun points and a happy ending; it's a great read for younger siblings; the refrain is fun for kids to say aloud with you

The ok: some of the rhymes that the Gingerbread Girl calls out don't really make sense until the end of the story, and it's a little long for a before-bed or before-nap reading.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers a humorous twist on the classic story of The Gingerbread Man. The gingerbread girl seems to follow precisely in the same path as the gingerbread boy did, but she insists that she won't make the same mistake he did.

The narrative is fun to read aloud and we loved the illustrations. I thought the rhyming refrain was clever, and I loved how it changed to fit the character or situation. We really enjoyed reading this book together.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure that the 'sister' is "wiser" than the boy... maybe more clever. Available on openlibrary.org. I like that it manages to modern and timeless at the same time. And I love that the old couple is never lonely again... except when the girl and her new friend the fox are off on adventures.

Sequel also on open library.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is Grrrrrl power done gingerbread style; whereas the gingerbread boy was defeated by the fox the sassy gingerbread girl outfoxes everything before her. The rhymes work much better in this one than the follow-up The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers.

[Kelsey Ruggirello · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a gingerbread girl who learned from her brothers mistakes so she was smart.

[The Bougie Twins · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Jennifer Niles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Categories/Genres for this class fulfilled by this book: Traditional Literature

Copyright date: 2006

Estimate of age level of interest: 4-9

Estimate of reading level: 4th Grade

Brief description: The old man and woman try to bake a gingerbread person again, but this time it’s a girl. The girl runs off just like the Gingerbread Boy and tries to avoid being eaten by outsmarting the fox.

Identify at least 2 characteristics of this genre and subgenre and discuss how they appear in your book.
One type of Traditional Literature is cumulative tales. These are stories that follow a pattern and have repetition in the text that leads to a quick ending. The Gingerbread Girl is an example of this type of Traditional Literature. The Gingerbread Girl runs aways from the old man and old women and runs through the town, avoiding being caught by the townspeople. Each time she encounters someone, she sings the same song (“...with a leap and twirl. You can’t catch me. I’m the Gingerbread Girl!) and scoots away. This story also follows the structure of most traditional literature. The characters are introduced quickly; action takes place; and it ends with conclusion (typically a happy ending). In the Gingerbread Girl, we are introduced to her and the old man and woman. She then escapes and the action happens swiftly in the story, keeping it suspenseful. The ending is a positive one for the Gingerbread Girl, as she is able to escape the fox.

In what ways and how well does the book as a whole serve its intended audience?
Early elementary students will enjoy The Gingerbread Girl because it is an adaptation of the original. They will be intrigued by the adaptations that the other made and will love reciting the Gingerbread Girl’s song due to its rhythm and rhyme. It is a fantastic read aloud! Younger readers will also enjoy the large size of the book because it allows for large, colorful illustrations to go along with the text.

Awards: None Found

Citations for published reviews:
Booklist, September 2006
Horn Book Magazine, November 2006
School Library Journal, November 2006
Kirkus Reviews, September 2006

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodreaders, you'll definitely enjoy this picture book more if you're already familiar with something else in gingerbread fantasy lore. It's summarized on the first page, but you might want to be tipped off before deciding whether or not to read this book.

Ever hear the story of the original Gingerbread Boy? Baked to become their child by an elderly couple, what happens? Sadly, he runs away from home and is eaten by a fox.

This story aims for a happier ending. That elderly couple is at it again. (Maybe they're not too bright)? It's deja vu Gingerbread Child all over again.

Soon as they open the oven, out jumps their second Gingerbread Child. Immediately she begins running away:

I'll run and I'll run
With a leap and a twirl.
You can't catch me,
I'm the Gingerbread Girl

This time, prepare for a happy ending. Though no spoilers from me.

RATING THIS BOOK

Author and illustrator Lisa Campbell Ernst has created an engaging story, assuming that the central premise appeals to you. (Admittedly, to this Goodreader, this is such an old fashioned story idea. Yowza, could even seemed thrilling hundreds of years before kids developed digital literacy!)

But assuming that you and your child readers find this premise interesting, the story is told well. As for the illustrations, I wouldn't call them subtle. Yet the book is physically big, so that could seem exciting to a young reader.

I'm game to go for FIVE STARS.

[Kendall Henson · Rating 2 out of 5]

We all know the story of the Gingerbread Boy, but have you heard of his sister? She is much, much smarter, and she has a plan. When the lonely baker and his wife try, again, to bake a gingerbread child, this one runs, too! But the wily girl knows just what to do to outwit the fox who ate her brother, and to make sure the baker and his wife will never be lonely again.

I thought this book was fun, but so similar to the Gingerbread Boy story that there wasn't much of interest. The stories are so parallel that I couldn't get engaged, knowing, pretty well, what would happen.

I think kids would enjoy the action and pace of this book, but if they already know the gingerbread story, they may not be as engaged with the story.

[Clare Frederick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this series of books is very adorable. With repetitive characters that teach a variety of morals and lessons in a cute and fun format appropriate for younger elementary ages. I think that the variety of fonts and addition of various dialogue make this story interesting and captivating for younger audiences. In addition, this story teaches the importance of saying thank you and being grateful for those people that you have in your life because most likely all of them have done something for you at one point in your life. I think this is an important lesson for all children to learn, how to have gratitude and develop empathy. In fact, some adults struggle with this concept. It was refreshing to see a children's book that emphasizes manners and generally being a good human.

[Nichole Walter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am sure that my enthusiasm for this book, as the teacher reading it, has some effect on why my students love this book, too. This book is empowering for girls, engaging, and offers a positive, unique twist on the traditional story.
I have the children stand up as we chant, "I'll run and I'll run, with a LEAP (do a fake leap!) and a TWIRL (spin around on your toes, like a ballerina dancer), you can't catch ME (point to your chest), I'm the Gingerbread Girl!" The kids just giggle and giggle.

After several days of reading this story, I encourage the students to make up their own gingerbread people stories, and they are so creative. Enjoy this book—it's a really nice, bigger-sized hardcover book than most others, so it has to be stacked sideways on the shelf.

[Angelie S · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gingerbread Girl by Lisa Campbell Ernst is a clever twist on the original Gingerbread Man story. The Gingerbread Man’s sister, the Gingerbread Girl, runs out and has her own adventure. Similar to the original, the cookie outsmarts those who try to catch her. The book has rhyming and gives the character a big personality with quick wit. It is a cross between formula fiction x fractured fairytale; perfect for beginning readers.

Teaching idea:
For 1st or 2nd graders, challenge students to create an alternate version of the Gingerbread story. They can work in pairs or small groups to imagine a new character, like a Gingerbread Dog or Gingerbread Hero, who goes on a unique adventure. This would go well in a series of stories that have to do with gingerbread.

[Juliana Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A year after the little old woman and little old man lost their gingerbread boy, they decided to try again, this time they baked a gingerbread girl. With her own set of rhymes, she runs away from them just like her older brother before her. When she reaches the river the same sly old fox is waiting for her. He thinks he's tricked her, like he did her brother, but the joke's on him. The little gingerbread girl uses a strand of licorice hair to lasso the fox's mouth shut and rides him right back to the little old woman's kitchen and bakes cookies for everyone who was chasing her. As for the fox, she trained him with gingerbread crumbs and she still rides him across the countryside.

[Haylee Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gingerbread girl is the Gingerbread boy’s younger wise sister. The lonesome couple who initially made Gingerbread boy thought they would try making a gingerbread girl thinking she would be much sweeter and she would stay. The girl travels around getting many townsfolk to follow her until she stops at the devious fox who ate her brother. The girl uses her licorice hair to tie a rope around his mouth so he cannot eat her.

This book was not my favorite only because it wasn’t original but it does promote equality between men and women giving a girl a main character position in a classic Having both in the classroom could be quite fun because they could be read together.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading similar books to my kids because we can compare and contrast. Of course there are tons of gingerbread books out there to do it with. This was book that Cassie and I read together this summer. The illustrations in this book are bright and colorful. It brought the characters to life. Cassie really loved looking at the pictures and pointing out the different characters throughout this book. I loved how the story-line was similar to the gingerbread boy story but yet it had a different twist. Cassie had fun saying the repeated section on every page. The author wrote this did an amazing job. I highly recommend checking out this take on the Gingerbread story.

[Victoria Nesselroad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is about a lady and her husband that was lonely so they decide to bake a ginerbread girl and decorate. Then they would keep it as their own, but then the gingerbread girl ran off and said I'll run and I'll run with a leap and a twirl you cant catch me I'm the gingerbread girl. So she ran and she ran and then ran into the fox and he tried to eat the cookie but she got away before it was able to eat her. So she lived happily ever after.

Then what I would us this for is just a fun book to read or during Christmas time and have the kids make their own gingerbread girls or boys.

[Carina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m in junior kindergarten and picked this book out at my school library. I really liked this book because I could catch on to the phrase, “I’ll run and I’ll run, with a leap and a twirl. You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Girl!” right away. My mom read this to me for several nights and I liked saying the Gingerbread Girl’s part. It’s almost like I could read! The fox was tricky, but the Gingerbread girl outfoxes him. The pictures are cute too. Did you notice that the girl is standing on the fox’s head on the cover?

[Larson Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book! It's a twist on the classic story of the Gingerbread Man. BUT instead of being eaten she returns back home! She out ran all of the people trying to chase her. She even outsmarted the fox that was responsible for eating her brother. This book teaches women empowerment and is a fun read-aloud for an elementary classroom. The illustrations are very detailed and take up the entire spread. I plan on reading this book in my classroom around the holidays and if (and when) I teach a lesson on folktales.

[Pat Salvatini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lonelier than before, the old woman and old man decide to bake another gingerbread child. A sweet little girl this time, one that surely wouldn’t run away. Decorated with candies and an amazing licorice whip hairdo, the Gingerbread Girl follows the path of her brother. She runs away with a leap and twirl rhyming and singing as she passes the farmers, a pig, an artist, a cow, a dog walker, school full of children. Will she be a smart enough cookie to out-fox the fox? The colorful illustrations fill both the story and the pages of the delightful new twist to a favorite fairy tale.

[T Crockett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story keeps the repetitive taunting style of the original gingerbread boy story, which makes it great for reading with groups or emerging readers. My 1st grade audience loved when I pointed to them and they read/recited her taunts.

The illustrations have a lot more detail than can be noticed at first glance. The end does a great job of building up suspense. It's a great place to pause and talk with kids about what they think is coming next. The whole thing is a lot of fun.

[Asho · Rating 3 out of 5]

My six-year-old son checked this out from the school library, a rare departure for him since he usually comes home from school with non-fiction books. I asked him what inspired him to choose this book and he said he just thought the gingerbread girl looked really delicious. Ha!
This is a nice spin on the original that shows the Gingerbread Girl making smarter choices than the original Gingerbread Boy (her brother). She's a smart cookie (literally).

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Children's literature illustrated book
K-3

I've heard of the Gingerbread Man but never the Gingerbread Girl. This is definitely a feminist sequel to the male version of the story. Of course, she doesn't get eaten by the fox, but tames him instead. Happy ending. Because this story has a repeated refrain, it could be used as an interactive read aloud. It could also be used as an example of writing a sequel to a famous story in a minilesson with older students.

[Kinsley Troutman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gingerbread Girl is a spinoff of The Gingerbread Boy. The Gingerbread Girl is a sister of the beloved Gingerbread Boy who has eaten by the fox. Once the oven door open The Gingerbread Girl was not going to be captured like her brother. She ran past everyone with a twist and twirl and jumped on the back of the fox and tied him up. This would be an excellent book to do compare and contrast and even character traits.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lonely old man and his lonely wife had lost their gingerbread boy to a hungry and tricky fox. After a year they baked a gingerbread girl, hoping she would not do the same thing. As soon as the oven was opened the gingerbread girl jumped out of the oven and ran away, too. As happened to her brother, the girl met people and animals wanting to eat the cookie. She had come up with a plan by the time she met the fox.
Very nice illustrations for this cute story.