Run, run, as fast as you can to the library to grab these super fun read-alouds of the Gingerbread Man books for kids. Read different tellings of the original story and then try some of the fun variations. They are perfect for comparing and contrasting.
Gingerbread Man Books (Traditional Picks)
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Enjoy reading the traditional tale by different illustrators with slight differences to setting or characters in these stories.
The Gingerbread Boy by Paul Galdone will give you that old-fashioned feel to the tale. Galdone is a detailed and beloved illustrator and if you want the classic feel, this is the version for you.
For a more modern feel to the illustrations, try The Gingerbread Man by Gail Yerrill.
The Gingerbread Man by Karen Schmidt is the Scholastic version that you will find in lots of classrooms. If you need an inexpensive version of the story, this one is the ticket.
For your youngest listeners, The Gingerbread Man by Catherine McCafferty is a perfect pick.
Another good pick for young ears is The Gingerbread Man: A Favorite Story in Rhythm and Rhyme by Susan Sandvig Walker. It includes a sing-along cd.
Bilingual Fairy Tales Gingerbread Man: El Hombre de Pan de Jengibre(English and Spanish Edition) is perfect for bilingual audiences.
Reading all these tales will inspire you to try our gingerbread man letter cookies too.
Gingerbread Man, Boy, Girl, Baby and More Variations
The Gingerbread Boy by Richard Egielski if one of my favorites. This version takes place in NYC and the gingerbread boy passes construction workers and even hits the subway. The illustrations are beautiful.
Jan Brett has so many wonderful gingerbread books that are perfect for the winter season. The Gingerbread Baby is one of my favorites out of them. In this twist of the classic, The Gingerbread Man, a little gingerbread baby escapes from the oven and leads the family on a chase through the town. Little Matti stays at home during the chase and constructs a gingerbread house. Readers will discover under the lift the flap on the last page that the baby makes it’s way back to the house. Also, check out Gingerbread Friends and Gingerbread Christmas by Brett.
I like that The Gingerbread Girl and The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers by Lisa Campbell Ernst feature a female lead. The story is a bit long so this one is better for your first and second graders.
Children will have to solve the riddles in Catch That Cookie! by Hallie Durand to find the missing gingerbread man. Get ready to go all through the school. This is a fun one to set up your own runaway gingerbread cookie adventure.
The Ninjabread Man by C.J. Leigh takes you on a ninja adventure in this lively tale. Children will enjoy practicing ninja moves while listening to the story making this a good one for a little gross motor practice.
Imagine the librarians chasing you through the stacks. You’ll find that and more in The Library Gingerbread Man by Dottie Enderle.
The Gingerbread Man Loose at… series by Laura Murray is so fun. Try The Gingerbread Loose at School, The Gingerbread Man Loose at Christmas, The Gingerbread Man Loose on the Fire Truck, and The Gingerbread Loose at Zoo, and The Gingerbread Man and Leprechaun Loose at School. You’ll want to make this super cute gingerbread man ornament after reading.
Run through the desert in The Runaway Tortilla by Eric A. Kimmel. Check out Kimmel’s other book variations for tales too. We love his Three Little Tamales. Along the same lines of the Runaway Tortilla, try Senorita Gorditaby Helen Ketteman.
Another one with a western flair is The Gingerbread Cowboy by Janet Squires. Can the Gingerbread Cowboy outsmart the ranchers?
A young boy is sent to the market for food but comes home with a wok in The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale by Ying Chang Compestine. But, this is a special wok that rolls out the door and collects quite the bounty for the family. Also set during the Chinese New Year is The Runaway Rice Cake by the dame author.
Gingerbread Man Books Printable Book List
Grab a printable copy of this list to take to the library or stick in your lesson plan binder for December.
Cookies and Kindness Preschool Literacy Unit
Keep the cookie theme going with our Cookies and Kindness Preschool Literacy Unit. It’s full of book recommendations and literacy activities to keep the kids learning for three weeks.—>Cookies and Kindness Preschool Literacy Unit
May the season be filled with lost of gingerbread stories!
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