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Gingerbread Baby



Title: Gingerbread Baby
Genre: Traditional Literature
Author: Jan Brett
Major Awards: 2000 Bookseller's Choice-Picture Book
Age Group: Preschool-1st grade

Gingerbread Baby is a story about a young boy named Mattie who decides to make a "Gingerbread Boy" on a cold, winter day. On the Gingerbread Boy recipe, it is made clear to NOT peek at the Gingerbread Boy baking in the oven until the full eight minutes are up. Mattie just cannot help himself, though, and decides to take a small peek after it had been in for five minutes. This turned out to be a huge mistake. The Gingerbread Boy runs away from Mattie, and terrorizes animals and people in the town. Mattie assumes that the Gingerbread Boy is still in his home, and decides to make a Gingerbread House for him. After giving the whole town a panic by thinking he has been eaten, the Gingerbread Boy returns home and lives happily ever after in the Gingerbread House. 

 I would use this book in the classroom to have a discussion about the importance of following the rules. I would explain to my students that things can go awry and dangerous situations can occur if rules are not abided by. 

 I believe that this book would be appropriate for preschool students up to first graders. The book is very light-hearted and I think that preschoolers especially would get many laughs from it! Kindergarteners and first graders would also think the book was humorous, but would probably gain a deeper understanding of rules and why they should be followed. 

 In my classroom, I could have the students draw each character in the book. It would be interesting to see what these characters look like in their little minds! I could also have the students decorate a Gingerbread Boy and House as another fun way for the book to "come to life" for them. 




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