The Gingerbread Man Loose at Christmas

This jolly book, in addition to bringing us another entertaining Gingerbread Man escapade (The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School, rev. 9/11; The Gingerbread Man Loose on the Fire Truck, rev. 7/13), serves as a sort of pre-origin story for our hero. He may have been baked in the oven by schoolchildren, but where'd they get the recipe? Over the course of this book the students dash around town spreading cheer to community helpers. At the story's climax, the Gingerbread Man meets his maker (don't worry, it's just in the literal sense; though there is some actual cookie-peril along the way). Lowery's festive illustrations of cookie and co., done in "pencil, traditional screen printing, and digital color," are a treat, while Murray's rhymes are continually surprising and satisfying. She can make you work, but the payoff is there: "Next came a garbage man picking up trash, / so we dropped off some goodies to stash on his dash." Elissa Gershowitz

This jolly book, another entertaining Gingerbread Man escapade (The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School; The Gingerbread Man Loose on the Fire Truck), serves as a sort of pre-origin story for our hero. He may have been baked in the oven by schoolchildren, but where'd they get the recipe? Lowery's festive illustrations are a treat, while Murray's rhymes are continually surprising and satisfying.