Can't Catch Me
PreSchool-Grade 2–In this offbeat retelling of The Gingerbread Man, an ice cube hops out of a freezer, saying Can't catch me,/…I'm off to the sea. Perhaps his dreams of bumping into boats arise from a little boy's crayon drawings of boats (one being hit by an iceberg) on the refrigerator. Although the day is hot, this perky little piece of ice stops for no one–not Boy, for whose lemonade it was intended, or Ant, who wants to get his ice skates, or the (literally) hot dog, or the goose that would like to get goose bumps. This fractured fairy tale is equal in its silliness and whimsical artwork to the Hassetts'The Three Silly Girls Grubb(Houghton, 2002). The warm colors of the illustrations, unusual perspectives, and smiling ice cube add to the visual appeal. The unusual protagonist's repeated refrain and the humorous wordplay make this tale especially suited for sharing aloud.–Robin L. Gibson, Granville Parent Cooperative Preschool, OHCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.