The Gingerbread Cowboy [Hardcover]

Janet Squires (Author), Holly Berry (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

"Giddyup, giddyup as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!"

The Gingerbread Cowboy can run from the rancher, he can dash past the javelinas, and he can giddyup right by the cattle grazing on the mesa. But what happens when he meets a coyote sleeping in the sun?

Janet Squires and Holly Berry retell this classic tale with a Wild Western flair, filled with rodeo-romping fun.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3–A delightful, infectiously cheerful, Southwestern rendition of a familiar story. Phrases used to describe biscuits, such as plump as pillows, soft as clouds, and tasty as a big Texas barbecue, just roll off the tongue. Bow-legged and dressed in a vest, boots, hat, and a big belt buckle, the Gingerbread Cowboy teases: Giddyup, giddyup as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man and includes an added refrain, and raced away as fast as his boots could carry him. The lively text demands to be read aloud. The illustrations are bold: while the rancher and his wife look a bit flat, and the expressions of the cattle are cookie-cutter perfect, the Cowboy contorts his body expressively, and the coyote is infinitely sly. The orangey-brown land and sparse green cacti convey a sense of desolation, but the colorful crowd of animals and cowboys stands out dramatically against the parched landscape. Berry plays with point of view as the various figures trade levels of prominence. The rancher's wife bakes, almost lassoes the clever coyote, and later instructs the creature on how to make his own Gingerbread Cowboy. A fresh version of an old favorite.–Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-K. In her first picture book, Squires gives the popular folktale a Wild West setting, where the rancher's wife, tired of baking her husband biscuits, makes a gingerbread cowboy complete with a vest and big hat. When the gingerbread boy leaps out of the oven and wriggles through the corral fence, he is chased by javelinas (boars), by long-horned cattle ("No more grass for us! We want gingerbread"), and by cowboys riding the range--until he meets a tricky coyote napping in the sun. Berry's double-page spreads, painted in lots of brown and green, make the chase a series of uproarious encounters across the wide desert. One of the best scenes is the close-up of the coyote drawn with lots of furry cross-hatching, stretched out on the sand, one sly eye open. Preschoolers will join in the chant ("Giddyup, giddyup as fast as you can. You can't catch me . . .") as they enjoy this universal trickster tale with a cowboy slant. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (August 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060778636
• ISBN-13: 978-0060778637
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #111,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I began my career writing articles for several regional and national magazines and am currently penning children's books. I'm a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and Women Writing the West (WWW).

I've co-chaired Young Authors Conferences, taught writing workshops for children, provided in-service training/seminars for teachers, directed a student-run newspaper, created a musical reader's theater performance of The Gingerbread Cowboy and lectured on children's books and the creative writing process for children and adults.

In addition to school and public library visits, I've presented at conferences such as the SCLLN (Southern California Library Literacy Network) Conference, the Arizona State Young Author's Conference.

The Gingerbread Cowboy, was selected by Dr. Peggy Sharp for her "What's New and Best in Children's Literature" list and is featured by Dr. Sharp in her presentations "What's New in Children's Literature and How to Use it in Your Program." The Gingerbread Cowboy was declared the Arizona Governor's 2007 First Grade Book and a special edition of 100,000 copies was printed for distribution to every first grade student in Arizona.

When I'm not putting pen to paper in search of her next story, I'm on horseback exploring the hills or working with cattle - a natural enough pursuit for a gal whose family pioneered their way West by covered wagon from Texas to Arizona.

Today, my husband, two daughters and I share our time with four dogs and count ourselves lucky to live where hawks still sail overhead by day and coyotes serenade at night.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great gingerbread book!, March 21, 2007

By 

Linda Zupan "Linda Z" (Pasadena, ca) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Gingerbread Cowboy (Hardcover)

As a Kindergarten teacher, I am always looking for a new twist on an old story. One of the best ways to help children to start crafting their own stories is to have them use a character they already know and change the setting or other characters in the story to make it their own. This book is a great example of doing this. My class enjoyed the book. When I lent the book to another teacher, her children loved it so they were running around the yard calling Giddy up! as they chased each other. She told me that they didn't have that reaction to the original story!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Imaginative retake on an old story! Fabulous illustrations!, December 2, 2006

By 

Betty L. Dravis "BETTY DRAVIS, author/reviewer" (Silicon Valley, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Gingerbread Cowboy (Hardcover)

This is a great book for the youngest readers! Your little ones will delight in the Gingerbread Cowboy's chase across the barren lands of the Old West as he runs to save his life. Many animals are after him but he manages to outwit them all, even the clever old coyote, with the help of the rancher's wife.

Kids will laugh when they hear the Gingerbread Cowboy chant, " ... You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man." They will certainly enjoy the colorful illustrations of the animals depicted against the contrasting, muted background of the Old West desert and mountains.

Hazel Rochman, BOOKLIST reviewer, describes this story best (see Editorial Reviews above): " ... universal trickster tale with a cowboy slant."

SIDENOTE: You may have noticed that Amazon has made some changes to its website. If it looks the same to you right now, look out for a new format that will be rolling out gradually in the weeks to come. If you can see the changes, especially the review format, I'd like to know what you think. Please leave me a comment with your opinion.

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My e-mail address is at top of this review. Thank you for your time."

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Gingerbread Cowboy, March 8, 2007

By 

D. Hardeman "children's book collector" (Jacksonville, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Gingerbread Cowboy (Hardcover)

Great twist on a classic tale. My class of first graders LOVED it!