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The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School (The Gingerbread Man Is Loose) Hardcover – Picture Book, July 7, 2011

by Laura Murray (Author), Mike Lowery (Illustrator)
4.8 out of 5 stars 597 ratings
Editors' pick Best Books Ages 3-5
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When a class leaves for recess, their just-baked Gingerbread Man is left behind. But he's a smart cookie and heads out to find them. He'll run, slide, skip, and (after a mishap with a soccer ball) limp as fast as he can because: "I can catch them! I'm their Gingerbread Man!"

With help from the gym teacher, the nurse, the art teacher and even the principal, a deliciously sweet ending is served up for both the Gingerbread Man and the children who made him.

 Teachers often use the Gingerbread Man story to introduce new students to the geography and staff of schools, and this fresh, funny twist on the original can be used all year long. Includes a poster with fun activities!
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  1. Reading age
    3 - 6 years, from customers
  2. Book 1 of 5
    The Gingerbread Man Is Loose
  3. Print length
    32 pages
  4. Language
    English
  5. Grade level
    Kindergarten - 3
  6. Lexile measure
    GN580L
  7. Dimensions
    8.94 x 0.34 x 11.31 inches
  8. Publisher
    G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
  9. Publication date
    July 7, 2011
  10. ISBN-10
    0399250522
  11. ISBN-13
    978-0399250521
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Editorial Reviews

Review

In Murray's children's debut, when a gingerbread man made by schoolchildren gets left behind at recess, he decides he has to find his class:"I'll run and I'll run, / As fast as I can. / I can catch them! I'm their / Gingerbread Man!" Teachers looking for a new way to start off the school year will eat this one up. - Kirkus Reviews

The Gingerbread Man heads to school in this delightful reshuffling of the traditional tale. Told in spot-on, deadpan rhyme and illustrated in large, comic-book-style panels, this title will leave kids giggling as they follow the G-man's efforts to be reunited with his class -- Booklist * Starred Review, Ilene Cooper

" - a spry, role-reversing story told through comic-book panels and buoyant verse, the gingerbread man is the pursuer, not the pursued. Cookie-related humor runs through both Murray's rhymes and Lowery's cartoons, as the gingerbread man--as dapper as he is determined--tracks a group of students through their school." - Publisher's Weekly

About the Author

Laura Murray, a former teacher, began each school year with a unit in which kids would follow candy and crumb trails to find their missing Gingerbread Man. She lives in McLean, Virgina. This is her first book. 
Mike Lowery lives in a tiny cottage surrounded by trees where he mostly just makes art. His work has been seen in galleries and publications internationally and he is Professor of Illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta. His daughter Allister loves it when he draws faces on their bananas.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers; 6.7.2011 edition (July 7, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0399250522
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0399250521
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 3 - 6 years, from customers
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ GN580L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Kindergarten - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.94 x 0.34 x 11.31 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 out of 5 stars 597 ratings

About the author

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Laura Murray

Laura Murray

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Laura Murray was a teacher before becoming an author and is a popular speaker at schools. She has had to deal with many an escaped Gingerbread Man in her time.

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, THE GINGERBREAD MAN LOOSE AT THE ZOO, and THE GINGERBREAD MAN & THE LEPRECHAUN LOOSE AT SCHOOL.

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 8 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 www.LauraMurrayBooks.com for loads of fun activities, printables, & CC/standards-linked teacher's guides, as well as information on school author presentations.

Author picture taken by one of Laura's favorite authors, Sonya Sones.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
597 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book a great read for kindergarten classes, with one noting how the repetition and rhymes make it perfect for preschoolers. The story offers a fun twist on the classic gingerbread man tale, and customers appreciate its well-written language, with one highlighting how every sentence ends with a rhyming word. Customers value the learning opportunities, with one mentioning the website with additional ideas and activities.

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42 customers mention "Readability"42 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, particularly as a read-aloud for kindergarten and preschool children, with one customer noting that the repetition and rhymes make it perfect for young readers.

"...The author's website also has a complete reading guide. I kinda wish that I'd had time to prepare the gingerbread hunt for the students...." Read more

"...Perfect book to help explain the school to new students." Read more

"...The children liked this one and it would be great for teachers who use the story to explore the school." Read more

"This is a great book! It helps teach sequencing skills and great vocabulary for pre-K through second grade. Fun book for around Christmas kids." Read more

37 customers mention "Fun story"37 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy this fun twist on the classic gingerbread man story, appreciating its rhyming elements and educational value.

"...The illustrations are really cute and compliment the story beautifully...." Read more

"...Laura Murray did an awesome job at creating a fun and exciting way to start the school year. My little ones could not wait for me to turn the page...." Read more

"This is a fun twist on the gingerbread man story. Definitely belongs in any gingerbread man literature study...." Read more

"...Fun book for around Christmas kids." Read more

9 customers mention "Language"9 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the language of the book, with its well-written text and rhyming structure, and one customer notes that every sentence ends with a rhyming word, while another mentions that the emphasized phrases help with reading out loud.

"...The emphasized phrases help with reading out loud, the reader knows when to add emphasis. A winner in every way, I highly recommend it." Read more

"...The rhyming and illustrations are on point!" Read more

"...As a teacher, I appreciate its strong use of visual supports and rhyming to increase comprehension for young readers...." Read more

"...We've read it so much that he can recite the words from memory when we are reading or at random. We plan to purchase other Gingerbread Man books...." Read more

7 customers mention "Learning material"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the educational value of the book, with one mentioning it provides opportunities for learning, while another notes it includes lesson ideas on the back and links that help integrate math, and a third highlights its usefulness for studying geography.

"...book comes with a fun poster, with a maze, coloring page, and lesson ideas on the back. The author's website also has a complete reading guide...." Read more

"...The Links were very helpful with intergrating Math, Science, Social Studies etc..Literature comes to life in the classroom as you mix, bake, color,..." Read more

"...Very clever and fun to compare it to the traditional gingerbread man story." Read more

"...has extras - a removable map in the back of the book, and a website with even more ideas...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Heidi Grange
    5.0 out of 5 stars Run, Run, As fast as you can!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    Each year the kindergarten teachers at my school start the year off with a gingerbread man unit, where the students decorate their own gingerbread man (paper). When I first saw this book, I thought it would be perfect to share when the students came to the library for the first time. The kindergarten teachers give me a gingerbread man that they have decorated with each class, and we pretend that it 'ran' away, (it's really fun to pretend not to know where it came from, I hide it in the book). Well, it turns out the book worked very well. The teachers liked it and the students liked it. And I liked it because (SPOILER) the gingerbread man doesn't get eaten at the end. In addition the book comes with a fun poster, with a maze, coloring page, and lesson ideas on the back. The author's website also has a complete reading guide. I kinda wish that I'd had time to prepare the gingerbread hunt for the students. I think it would have been fun.

    Review wise the writing is clear and crisp and reads well out-loud (it does rhyme). The refrain changes slightly as the gingerbread man moves through the school (runs, skips, limps, etc.). The illustrations are really cute and compliment the story beautifully. The format is simplified comic with panels and speech bubbles and a fun font. The emphasized phrases help with reading out loud, the reader knows when to add emphasis. A winner in every way, I highly recommend it.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Jenn A
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for a new school year!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Teacher here! I use this book in my kindergarten classroom at the beginning of the school year to introduce all the areas in the school. We read the book and then go on a scavenger hunt for that gingerbread man! Perfect book to help explain the school to new students.
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  • T. Grossi
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fun book
    Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Bought this for my classroom gingerbread unit. We compare different stories and I love that in this one the gingerbread man is chasing the kids instead of the kids chasing him. It is also nice that he doesn't get eaten. (oops, sorry, spoilers) :) I like to follow the story by holding up a box of gingerbread cookies and asking them if they want to build a house for their gingerbread men like the nice, kind, children in the story or eat them. Before they can respond, I side whisper "eat them".
    The children liked this one and it would be great for teachers who use the story to explore the school.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Tina, Orlando FL
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Gingerbread Man Ever!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    Teachers this is the best one yet! Laura Murray did an awesome job at creating a fun and exciting way to start the school year. My little ones could not wait for me to turn the page. Laura includes all the fun extras for you to use. The Links were very helpful with intergrating Math, Science, Social Studies etc..Literature comes to life in the classroom as you mix, bake, color, cut, follow the clues and finally find the "smart little cookie". What an adventure we had! We made and posted signs around the school. As we roamed the halls, the older children became enthusiastic as well! The next day all the students wanted to know where we finally found him! The children are still talking about it! The "Gingerbread Man Loose in the School" is now part of my classroom library for good!
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  • Erica Keto
    5.0 out of 5 stars We love this book. Use it for a fun school project.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This is a fun twist on the gingerbread man story. Definitely belongs in any gingerbread man literature study. We had our classroom gingerbread man Visit lots of places around our school too.
    Helpful
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  • Holly
    5.0 out of 5 stars Christmas story book
    Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This is a great book! It helps teach sequencing skills and great vocabulary for pre-K through second grade. Fun book for around Christmas kids.
    Helpful
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  • Wendy E Moore
    4.0 out of 5 stars Cute Book
    Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Such a cute book. Read it to school age students and it was a big hit.
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  • JMajors
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful cute book!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I absolutely love this book and love reading it to my daughter. It's actually become one of our favorite books in the rotation. The rhyming and illustrations are on point!
    Helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Kim Howe
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is my GandaDaughter's Birthday
    Reviewed in Canada on January 30, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    For my Granddaughter
    Report
  • Babs
    4.0 out of 5 stars The book was great value for money & pupils could see recycling in action.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 20, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Although needing slight modification for my KS1 & EYFS SEND class as American, this was of infest to some pupils and we could use the version as a springboard for our own story with photo sharing & visual symbols, proving highly motivating for assistive IT recording & pupil writing.
    Report
  • Janine Rosalia Sprague Zolle
    4.0 out of 5 stars Something different
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 18, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This book was recommended to me by a school librarian, and so I purchased it without hesitation. The story is told in rhyming verses, which makes it easy to read and captured the attention of my kids.(ages 5 and 8)We appreciated the new twist on a classic tale and the humorous parts of the story. I teach young children and I'm sure will be using this in the classroom this year. I think it would make a great gift for any Preschool/Kindergaten/Elementary school teacher.
    Report