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The Horribly Hungry Gingerbread Boy: A San Francisco Story
Common Sense says
- Elisa Kleven
- Picture Book
- 2016
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that The Horribly Hungry Gingerbread Boy is a brightly illustrated celebration of San Francisco and a fun update on the familiar folk tale. Instead of getting tricked and eaten by a fox, this gingerbread cookie finds forgiveness thanks to a true friend who helps him become a better person. He grows enormously large, stretching across the Golden Gate Bridge and threatening to devour the sun. The book, by San Francisco Bay Area author-illustrator Elisa Kleven (The Paper Princess), captures the eclectic charm and diverse people of the city, from Chinatown and Golden Gate Park to the coastal redwoods. The book includes a recipe for gingerbread people and a guide to the landmarks pictured throughout the story.
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What's the story?
THE HORRIBLY HUNGRY GINGERBREAD BOY starts out as a cookie Shirley bakes and packs in her lunch after nibbling his thumb. But when she opens her lunchbox, the gingerbread boy has eaten everything else she packed -- and he's still hungry! She implores him to stop, but he runs off, unhappy she hurt him by taking a bite out of him. The gingerbread boy romps through San Francisco, stealing and devouring sweets, steaks, crabs, and more. He grows huge, threatening to swallow the bay and even the sun. Shirley chides him, telling him it's rude to gobble everything. She assures him she'd like to be his friend, but he needs to be polite. The gingerbread boy, delighted, helps bake cookies to deliver to all the people he upset during his rampage.
Is it any good?
This charming take on the familiar Gingerbread Man folk tale is a candy-colored confection -- much like the city of San Francisco itself -- with a sweetened lesson about compassion and friendship. A sly fox encounters The Horribly Hungry Gingerbread Boy at Land's End, but he gets not a crumb: In Elisa Kleven's retelling, the self-centered cookie is redeemed thanks to the faith and generosity of his friend Shirley.
The rhyming text occasionally stumbles, but the gorgeous artwork makes up for it. Kleven's richly colored pages -- a blend of watercolor, ink, pencil, and collage -- overflow with detail, rewarding repeat readers. And the themes of forgiveness and kindness make it a terrific conversation-starter with young kids.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about the misunderstanding in The Horribly Hungry Gingerbread Boy. Have you ever had a misunderstanding get in the way of a friendship? How is Shirley a good friend to the Gingerbread Boy?
How is this version of the story different from others you've heard or read? What's fun about setting a classic folk tale set in present-day San Francisco?
What does it mean to make amends?
Book details
- Author: Elisa Kleven
- Illustrator: Elisa Kleven
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Book Characters, Friendship, Great Girl Role Models
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Heyday Books
- Publication date: September 1, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 4 - 8
- Number of pages: 40
- Available on: Hardback
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.