The Gingerbread Man (Easy-to-Read Folktales)

I enjoyed this story for two reasons. First, I liked the illustrations that were used. They helped add to the story and helped me to visualize what the author intended, like when the Gingerbread Man was running down the street and the boy was chasing after him. I also liked the word choice made by the author. There were some repetitive aspects like when the Gingerbread Man would say, "run run as fast as you can, you can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man." This is something entertaining for the readers that sticks with them, even after the story is done. The big idea of the book is to listen to your elders, because if you do not, there could be negative consequences that follow.

The Gingerbread Man begins with a family of an old man, and old woman, and a boy. The old woman bakes the boy a gingerbread man and tells him to call on her when he can smell the gingerbread. He is also told not to open the oven. When the smell fills the air, the boy gets too anxious and opens the oven and the gingerbread man runs out. He is so fast that he outruns many people and animals. When he comes to the fox, the fox acts like he is hard of hearing and when the gingerbread man gets too close, he gets eaten.

This book is a classic folktale that every child should hear. It brought back memories to me from childhood when I first heard it and it is a quirky and fun tale to discuss. I always enjoy reading The Gingerbread Man.

This book show more addresses on listening to adults and being too confident. It could be introduced to help enforce the issue of authority. Since gingerbread is popular around holiday season, it could be introduced at that time as well. show less

I liked this book because of the illustrations and the repetition. The author uses the illustrations to help the reader really picture what is going on and establish a mood of the text. For example, on pages 18-19 the illustrations she the bear running and then sitting down because the gingerbread man ran faster. This helps the reader see the sequence of events in the story. I also like the repetition in the story. For example, the author repeats the phrase, "had to sit down and rest." This allows the book to be a great read aloud and interactive/predictable text for young readers. The purpose of this story is to entertain and teach a lesson that you can't always trust as easy as you want to.

This is one of my favorites because it has a repetition. It's always exciting to read out loud with smaller children.

An old woman bakes a gingerbread man for a little boy one day. While the gingerbread man is in the oven the old woman tells the little boy NOT to open the oven door but to call her once he can smell it. The little boy can not resist the smell of the gingerbread man and opens the door to see if he looks as good as he smells. At this moment the gingerbread man escapes, running from the house and down the path. He meets many along the way and teases each proclaiming, " Run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me I'm the Gingerbread Man." He manages to out run everyone until... he meets the fox.

The first time i heard this story was when I was about 5 or 6. I thought I could out run everyone in my class. My father bought this book and show more read it to me explaining that it is OK to feel proud about my abilities to run fast, but that I should be polite and respectful to others becuase I will never know who can run faster than me.

I would use this book to display the same message my father showed me. I would use this book to illustrate teasing when/if it is being done amongst students. Also incoporating decision making and following directions. show less

Summary: This book is about an old lady who bakes a gingerbread man and the cookie ends up running away. He runs away from everyone until he meets the fox and he isn't so lucky. The fox eat him.

Personal Reaction: This book is a great book for kids because of the repetition in it, but it is kind of sad. I feel sorry for the old lady because the cookie ran away from her. I also don't like how the cookie gets eaten by the fox.

Classroom Extension Ideas:
1. You could have the kids decorate their own gingerbread man.
2. You could also have the kids make up a story and adventure for their own gingerbread man.

This book was about a grandma, grandpa, and a little boy baking a gingerbread man. After the gingerbread man is cooked, the gingerbread man runs away and keeps running away throughout the story.

I think this is a fun story that children will enjoy. The repetition will allow the students to participate while reading the book.

A fun activity that can be used after reading this story is to discuss another way the gingerbread man could be caught and then act it out.