The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School (The Gingerbread Man Is Loose) Hardcover – Picture Book, July 7, 2011

Teacher here! I use this book in my kindergarten classroom at the beginning of the school year to introduce all the areas in the school. We read the book and then go on a scavenger hunt for that gingerbread man! Perfect book to help explain the school to new students.

Each year the kindergarten teachers at my school start the year off with a gingerbread man unit, where the students decorate their own gingerbread man (paper). When I first saw this book, I thought it would be perfect to share when the students came to the library for the first time. The kindergarten teachers give me a gingerbread man that they have decorated with each class, and we pretend that it 'ran' away, (it's really fun to pretend not to know where it came from, I hide it in the book). Well, it turns out the book worked very well. The teachers liked it and the students liked it. And I liked it because (SPOILER) the gingerbread man doesn't get eaten at the end. In addition the book comes with a fun poster, with a maze, coloring page, and lesson ideas on the back. The author's website also has a complete reading guide. I kinda wish that I'd had time to prepare the gingerbread hunt for the students. I think it would have been fun.Review wise the writing is clear and crisp and reads well out-loud (it does rhyme). The refrain changes slightly as the gingerbread man moves through the school (runs, skips, limps, etc.). The illustrations are really cute and compliment the story beautifully. The format is simplified comic with panels and speech bubbles and a fun font. The emphasized phrases help with reading out loud, the reader knows when to add emphasis. A winner in every way, I highly recommend it.

This is a fun twist on the gingerbread man story. Definitely belongs in any gingerbread man literature study. We had our classroom gingerbread man Visit lots of places around our school too.

Bought this for my classroom gingerbread unit. We compare different stories and I love that in this one the gingerbread man is chasing the kids instead of the kids chasing him. It is also nice that he doesn't get eaten. (oops, sorry, spoilers) :) I like to follow the story by holding up a box of gingerbread cookies and asking them if they want to build a house for their gingerbread men like the nice, kind, children in the story or eat them. Before they can respond, I side whisper "eat them".The children liked this one and it would be great for teachers who use the story to explore the school.

Teachers this is the best one yet! Laura Murray did an awesome job at creating a fun and exciting way to start the school year. My little ones could not wait for me to turn the page. Laura includes all the fun extras for you to use. The Links were very helpful with intergrating Math, Science, Social Studies etc..Literature comes to life in the classroom as you mix, bake, color, cut, follow the clues and finally find the "smart little cookie". What an adventure we had! We made and posted signs around the school. As we roamed the halls, the older children became enthusiastic as well! The next day all the students wanted to know where we finally found him! The children are still talking about it! The "Gingerbread Man Loose in the School" is now part of my classroom library for good!

I will read this book to my PreK class this week after reading and comparing a few traditional Gingerbread Man books. I think my class will love this story, because instead of running away, the Gingerbread Man in this story is running to find the "children who made me, but left me behind." I will write an update with my students' reactions.

Such a cute book. Read it to school age students and it was a big hit.

I bought this book for my nephew. My son got a copy when he was 1 and still loves to hear me read it today