Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-In his second adventure, the irrepressible cookie joins the students who created him on a visit to the fire station, where his efforts to avoid a Dalmatian's snapping jaws result in a wild chase and a heart- and hose-pumping finale. Energetic cartoons, rhyming text, and hilarious antics make this a kid-pleasing read-aloud. (c) Copyright 2013. 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
The indefatigable star of The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School (rev. 9/11) here joins his class on a field trip to the fire station. While the kids are meeting the firefighters and testing out their gear, the Gingerbread Man is busy evading Spot the Dalmatian. After a chase through the station, the ambulatory cookie leaps onto a departing fire truck, off to battle a blaze: "I'll ride to the rescue, as fast as I can. / I want to help, too! I'm the Gingerbread Man!" And help he does, aiming the hose nozzle at a burning shed and holding on for dear life until the fire is out, his bravery earning the praise of Fire Chief Anne. Bouncy rhymes incorporate some fire-fighting terms: "dispatcher" rhyming with "hungry crumb-snatcher" (i.e., Spot), for example. The cookie's self-guided tour allows readers to see the ins and outs of a fire station, including the firefighters' bunks, their shiny sliding pole, and their kitchen, with "five-alarm chili" bubbling away on the stove. One useful page shows a firefighter in uniform with all the gear labeled -- boots, gloves, goggles, oxygen tank, etc. Lowery's cartoony illustrations, varying among panels, full pages, and double-page spreads, help set the story's pace and establish a not-scary tone: it's clear that no cookies were burnt in the making of this book. elissa gershowitz (c) Copyright 2013. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
When the class goes on a field trip to the fire station, the Gingerbread Man is carried along in a child's backpack. He falls, unexpectedly, onto the snout of the firehouse dog, Spot the Dalmatian. In emergency mode, the well-known cookie streaks athletically through the firehouse, with the hungry pup at his heels. "I'll run and I'll dodge, / As fast as I can. / I'm not a dog bone! I'm the / Gingerbread Man!" He runs past his classmates, who are trying on all the firefighting gear. The chase continues with an up-close view of the truck, the crew's tightly made beds, the five-alarm chili cooking in the kitchen and, of course, the fire pole. When a true alarm blares, the little man jumps onto the fire truck for more adventures. Murray's vigorous rhythms stay at full speed throughout, keeping up with Lowery's action-filled illustrations. This duo debuted with The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School (2011), and this sequel doesn't disappoint. With illustrations done in pencil, screen printing and digital color, the new makeover for the speedy gingerbread man succeeds despite a completely stereotypical fire station. Thankfully, female Fire Chief Anne rewards the little hero and his classmates with helmets from Company Four. This rapid-fire reboot of a traditional favorite will be a requested read-aloud for high-energy listeners. (Picture book. 4-7)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
