From School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2—"I'll think of a present. I know that I can! I want to give, too. I'm the GINGERBREAD MAN!" It's Christmas, and the spunky Gingerbread Man is back. Last seen in The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School (2011) and The Gingerbread Man Loose on the Fire Truck (2013, both Putnam), this time Gingerbread Man and his class are preparing for the holiday season by creating cards and gifts of appreciation. What follows is a class trip through the town to pass these thank yous to the local community helpers, including a police lady, a garbage man, and a librarian. Gingerbread Man wants to deliver his gift to the community helper he appreciates most: the baker who helped the class bake him. But when the speedster's cookie feet meet the wet city sidewalks, disaster almost occurs. VERDICT With its fun, bouncy text and comic book panel-style illustrations, the smart cookies who appreciated the character's previous adventures will eat this one up.—Brooke Sheets, Los Angeles Public Library
Review
From School Library Journal -
It's Christmas, and this spunky Gingerbread man and his class are preparing for the holiday season by creating gifts of appreciation. What follows is a class trip through the town to pass these thank yous to the local community helpers. Gingerbread Man wants to deliver his gift to the community helper he appreciates most, but when the speedster's cookie feet meet the wet city sidewalks, disaster almost occurs. With its fun, bouncy text and comic book panel-style illustrations, smart cookies ... will eat this one up. Brooke Sheets, PreS-Gr 2
From Kirkus Reviews - A jolly treat with a sweet acknowledgement of the gifts teachers give their students all year long.
From Publisher's Weekly -
In the Gingerbread Man's third picture book, he and his human classmates are busy delivering gifts around town, from homemade cards and treats, to songs "with jingle-bell beats." The GB Man is eager to participate, but... slushy streets and legs made of dough are a less-than-ideal combination.
Lowery's use of comics-style panels and the rhythms of Murray's verse keep the story moving as quickly as its confectionary hero. The emphasis on generosity and humble, heartfelt gifts makes for sweet holiday reading!
From Booklist -
The goggle-eyed Gingerbread Man, star of Murray and Lowery's eponymous series, has a heartwarming holiday message to share. Lowery's childlike figures playfully fill the panels with friendly faces, while the bouncy rhythm, particularly the recurring refrain that riffs on the classic "You can't catch me. I'm the Gingerbread Man!" will make read-alouds a treat. Though the holiday focus is solidly on Christmas, it sticks to themes of gift giving, good cheer, and showing appreciation for neighbors and teachers. - Sarah Hunter
About the Author
Laura Murray was a teacher before becoming an author, is a popular speaker at schools, and has had to deal with many an escaped Gingerbread Man in her day. She is the author of THE GINGERBREAD MAN LOOSE IN THE SCHOOL, and the Gingerbread Man's continuing school adventures - THE GINGERBREAD MAN LOOSE ON THE FIRE TRUCK, THE GINGERBREAD MAN LOOSE AT CHRISTMAS, and THE GINGERBREAD MAN LOOSE AT THE ZOO (2016). This humor-filled, rhyming series was inspired by a Gingerbread man that managed to escape her classroom every single school year. Her first book won the 2014 Virginia and Illinois Reader's Choice Award, and was nominated for 7 other state awards as well; is a Junior Library Guild Selection; a Florida Children's Choice Award Honor book; and received a starred ALA Booklist review.
Laura lives with her family in northern Virginia. Visit her online at LauraMurrayBooks.com for loads of fun activities and lessons, standards-linked teacher's guides, as well as information on school author presentations.