The Gingerbread Girl by Lisa Campbell Ernst, Lisa Campbell Ernst (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

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

Children's Literature

Many versions of the story of the legendary gingerbread boy tell the tale in a multitude of settings, usually with an unhappy ending for the boy. So when the lonely old woman and the lonely old man in this version decide to try making a girl this time, who will be "too sweet to leave home," this gal decides she will outwit the fox instead. To their dismay, she pops out of the oven with her own repeated refrain: "I'll run and I'll run/ With a leap and a twirl. / You can't catch me,/ I'm the Gingerbread GIRL!" And away she dashes, followed first by the old man and woman, and then by angry farmers, a pig, an artist, a cow, a dog-walker, and school children. For each she has a jolly new rhyme along with the refrain. How she gets the best of the fox makes for a surprise happy ending. Large pages allow for stylized informative vignettes and full-page scenes, filled with the acrobatic actions of the tasty-looking animated cookie. Our heroine and the fox are particularly well depicted, with gestures clearly expressing their emotions. The gathering crowd of others is a sort of silent chorus as they race across the tops of the pages. Eventually all share in eating a fresh batch of gingerbread as the fox, jaws tied shut, watches dolefully.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-Not as substantial a story as that of the unfortunate gingerbread boy, Ernst's confectionary tale is, nevertheless, entertaining. Like her brother, this perky pastry, covered from head to toe in candies, bolts from the oven and outruns a farm family, a pig, an artist, a cow and her calf, a dog walker, and some children at recess-before jumping onto the same fox's back. However, by using a strand of her licorice-whip hair to lasso the hungry creature, the Gingerbread Girl proves that she is one sharp cookie who knows how to turn around a sticky situation. Large, pleasantly appealing cartoon illustrations are set upon pale backgrounds of blue, mauve, tan, and green gingham. Despite the forced rhyme of the protagonist's speech ("I can leap past piggy/Like all of the others./This story will not end/Like that of my brother's!") and a couple of unnecessary remarks made by the fox ( "Anyone could tell by looking at her that she was an airhead"), the story provides enough amusement to make it appealing-but not a first purchase.-Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

This cute and clever sequel is the story of the Gingerbread Boy's younger sister. Rationalizing that a sweet girl surely would not run away from them, the lonely old couple again attempts a gingerbread child. But she has other ideas: "I'll run and I'll run / With a leap and a twirl. / You can't catch me, / I'm the Gingerbread Girl!" As she runs through town, she captures the interest and appetite of many, but she just spouts witty poetry and sings her trademark refrain. At the river, she accepts a ride on the fox's tail, moves to his back as the water creeps higher and even climbs onto his head. But in one cunning move, she masters the fox and leads her entourage back to the old couple's house where they bake gingerbread for everyone and are never lonely again. Ernst's facial expressions are spot-on. Her illustrations reflect the country setting in both the muted colors and the gingham pattern of the borders and backgrounds. A wonderful addition to other happy-ending, empowered-girl, fairytale remakes. (Picture book. 4-8)

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