Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-An old story with a Cajun flair-this version has the runaway protagonist made out of cornbread with a big dash of cayenne pepper. His sassy refrain is: "Run, cher, run, as fast as you can!/You can't catch me-I'm full of cayenne." After eluding an old Cajun woman, a rascally raccoon, and a fierce fox, he meets an artful alligator on the bayou's edge and accepts the fateful ride-with a twist. The Cornbread Boy is too spicy for the alligator, who spits him out. And to this day, you can still hear him sometimes in the bayou singing, "Run, cher, run.." A recipe for cornbread is appended as well as the obligatory glossary of Cajun terms. Bright watercolor and pen-and-ink artwork reveals the action competently. If more versions of "The Gingerbread Boy" are wanted, this one is a good alternative.-Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
This Cajun-themed retelling of "The Gingerbread Boy" is set in the bayou with a shifty alligator serving as foil. Though the protagonist is seasoned with cayenne pepper, the story itself is rather bland. The text is laced with words such as bonjour, chere, and grand-mere. Awkward green-tinged illustrations show the action. A spicy cornbread recipe and author's note are appended. Glos. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
De las Casas dresses up a classic story with some fun regional flair. In her Cajun variant of "The Gingerbread Boy," an old woman cooks up some spicy cornbread in a magic skillet and gives it chilies for eyes, a peppercorn nose and a link of Cajun sausage for a mouth. When the cornbread is finished cooking, Cajun Cornbread Boy hops out of the pan and runs away, singing a catchy refrain: "Run, ch're, run, as fast as you can! / You can't catch meI'm full of cayenne." He meets and outruns a raccoon and a fox before encountering a crafty gator who pretends to give Cajun Cornbread Boy a ride across the bayou only to try to eat him up. But it is the gator who gets the surprise in this talea mouthful of cornbread much too spicy to swallow. Cajun Cornbread Boy lives to sing another day. While Gentry's muted, earth-toned illustrations are serviceable, they add little to the tale; the butter pats perpetually melting on Cajun Cornbread Boy's cheeks are a particularly odd touch. A story best memorized and shared over some warm cornbreadrecipe included. (glossary, author's note) (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
