The Gingerbread Girl
PreSchool-Grade 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, OHCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.