cover image The Gingerbread Man

The Gingerbread Man

Béatrice Rodriguez. North-South, $17.95 (32p) ISBN 978-0-7358-4086-7

It’s no secret that Rodriguez loves a good chase—look no further than The Chicken Thief and its sequels—so the story of the Gingerbread Man is an ideal choice for her. There’s nothing particularly notable about the retelling itself (“Once upon a time, a little old woman and a little old man lived in a cottage. One day the little old woman made a gingerbread man”). The story’s charms lie entirely in the artwork, which features all the drama, expressive characters, and mischievousness that Rodriguez’s fans have come to expect. Rodriguez seeds her spreads with humorous details: a cow that joins the chase is seen sunbathing when the Gingerbread Man runs past, swinging past on the cow’s tail; the “little old woman” never takes off her oven mitts and apron. The only happy ending belongs to the fox (another Rodriguez specialty), who offers to help the Gingerbread Man cross the river—the last readers see of the Gingerbread Man, he is headed straight for the fox’s gaping jaws, a look of alarm on his face. A gingerbread cookie recipe is included. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)