The Gingerbread Boy, A Read Along With Me Book (reviews)

Debby Slier (author), Olivia Cale (Illustrator)
(reviewed by Aldana Pires and Nicolas Vincenti)

Didactic and enjoyable, “The Gingerbread Boy” retells the old fable about a gingerbread man who escapes from various pursuers, and his eventual death between the jaws of a fox. With Debby Slier's experienced writing and Olivia Cale's illustrations, the story can't help but being catchy for the youngest audience from beginning to end.

The gingerbread boy is born in the kitchen of an old woman’s house. She and his husband don’t have any children, but the sudden appearance of this little fairy shakes up their quiet lives.  The gingerbread boy manages to escape from the house and starts a journey in which he upsets various animals. He makes fun of whoever he can with his catchy tease “Run, run, as fast as you can, You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man!.” While looking for a way out, he finds a river which he can’t swim across, for he would die. A fox appears in the scene to help our little friend; but when he tells him to sit on his nose, the fox betrays the gingerbread boy. With just one bite, the animal enjoys the taste of the loaf.

From its very cover, the book is established as a read-along-with-me book. When it is opened, there’s a message to parents that offers suggestions about how to encourage children to read. This piece of advice is quite a helpful tool for parents who wish to give a hand to their children's reading skill. Furthermore, in order to stimulate and facilitate the first practices of the skill, the story is accompanied with some images* that replace words. These pictures are also found at** the margin of each page with its name beneath it for children to start learning the symbols that stand for words. Clearly, the didactic purpose of the book is mainly focused on the acquisition of reading skill, rather than on the message given by the fable.

In brief, the book serves as an excellent tool for parents to entertain their children and to help them on their first readings. It’s a must for every home bookshelf. Highly recommended for parents!