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Freddie & Gingersnap
Freddie is a little dinosaur that wants more than anything to know what clouds are like. Gingersnap is a little dragon that wishes more than anything to fly. When Gingersnap – in a failed first attempt at flight –falls right on top of Freddie, the two glare at each other. Then they growl and hiss at each other. But when their individual howls and stomps find a common rhythm, their attempts at aggression transform into a dance of friendship – and brings each of them that much closer to realizing his or her dream.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published December 10, 2013
19 people want to read
About the author
Vincent X. Kirsch
16 books21 followersVincent X. Kirsch is an award-winning author and illustrator working in California. He graduated from Syracuse University and studied Editorial Design, Filmmaking, and Scenic Design.
Vincent got his lucky break in picture books when a children’s book editor noticed his color illustration style in the pages of The New York Times Book Review and thought it was a perfect match for children’s books.
Vincent’s work is influenced by his fascination with theater, puppetry, poster art, classical painting techniques, and Hollywood films. His whimsical stories and characters range from the fantastically out-of-this-world to inspiringly down-to-earth. In the past, his fanciful work was done with paint, ink, graphite, paper, and glue, but lately, he has been creating spectacular digital images in ProCreate.
He also creates enchanting three-dimensional toy theaters and animations under the venture known as Paperbox Playhouses.
Before writing and illustrating books, Vincent wore many hats, such as designing graphics for Broadway shows and book jackets, editorial illustrator for major newspapers and magazines, and windows and interior installations at Bergdorf Goodman. He was also the Director of Visual Merchandising for all the Dean & Deluca shops worldwide.
He has been a popular guest lecturer in classrooms, colleges, museums, and podcasts, sharing what he has learned about writing, illustrating, life, and everything. He also writes chapter books, screenplays, television scripts, and stage plays and composes music.
Vincent brings a unique and compelling sensibility to books for the young and young-at-heart.
Vincent got his lucky break in picture books when a children’s book editor noticed his color illustration style in the pages of The New York Times Book Review and thought it was a perfect match for children’s books.
Vincent’s work is influenced by his fascination with theater, puppetry, poster art, classical painting techniques, and Hollywood films. His whimsical stories and characters range from the fantastically out-of-this-world to inspiringly down-to-earth. In the past, his fanciful work was done with paint, ink, graphite, paper, and glue, but lately, he has been creating spectacular digital images in ProCreate.
He also creates enchanting three-dimensional toy theaters and animations under the venture known as Paperbox Playhouses.
Before writing and illustrating books, Vincent wore many hats, such as designing graphics for Broadway shows and book jackets, editorial illustrator for major newspapers and magazines, and windows and interior installations at Bergdorf Goodman. He was also the Director of Visual Merchandising for all the Dean & Deluca shops worldwide.
He has been a popular guest lecturer in classrooms, colleges, museums, and podcasts, sharing what he has learned about writing, illustrating, life, and everything. He also writes chapter books, screenplays, television scripts, and stage plays and composes music.
Vincent brings a unique and compelling sensibility to books for the young and young-at-heart.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 31, 2017
Cute without a lot of substance, and really no good reason why tapping one's nose enables one to fly. All the same, I liked the art even if it was really busy, and think that the similarity of drawing between Freddie and Gingersnap is supposed to illustrate how much the same we really all are.
With unique differences of course.
I like that the two of them became friends. I like the fold out page which was a pleasant surprise. I think reading this book out loud would give a parent ample opportunity to make all kinds of great noises with their child which is always a win. I'm only dropping this down to three stars because the plot really isn't coherent, which is a shame.
Otherwise, it's a fun book to pass the time with if it's available. I just wouldn't waste a lot of energy tracking it down.
With unique differences of course.
I like that the two of them became friends. I like the fold out page which was a pleasant surprise. I think reading this book out loud would give a parent ample opportunity to make all kinds of great noises with their child which is always a win. I'm only dropping this down to three stars because the plot really isn't coherent, which is a shame.
Otherwise, it's a fun book to pass the time with if it's available. I just wouldn't waste a lot of energy tracking it down.
May 23, 2017
The story is fine, but the illustrations are so distracting it's hard to tell what's happening. There's no discernible difference besides color between the dragon and the dinosaur, it's just confusing for young kids. Not recommended, there are much better dinosaur books and dragon books out there!
April 5, 2018
"Freddie and Gingersnap" encourages children to have and maintain friendships. It discusses how everyone is different and that differences make us unique. The book has fun pictures for children to look at throughout the story and even has some fold out pages.
May 15, 2019
I am not sure I understand what happened. The secret to flying is tapping your nose? Is that...is that the story? I'm so confused.
March 1, 2020
The illustrations in this book are just simply adorable. So simple and sweet. Love this story of friendship and learning new things together.
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October 7, 2016really cute pictures! kind of a head-scratcher of a story, but not in a bad way
November 12, 2014
Originally published on my blog, Nine Pages.
I wanted to be so much happier with this picture book than I was, partially because its art is amazing and vaguely reminiscent of the art from DreamWorks’ How To Train Your Dragon, which predisposed me towards it, but also because coworkers of mine had been lauding it. Despite its pink protagonist (and why does the female protagonist have to be pink?), it is a boys’ book filled with growling and snapping of teeth and clacking of claws. Those bits would be a lot of fun to dramatize in a story time with one’s own kids. In a story hour, I worried that they might be a bit too scary for some kids and a bit too violent for some parents.
Freddie wonders what it would be like to touch the clouds. Gingersnap tries to fly but falls with style right on top of Freddie. They chase one another—right off a cliff, but Gingersnap catches Freddie, and the two of them land gracefully enough. And as J. K. Rowling has said, “There are some things you can’t share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them” (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone). Another, I think, is falling off of cliff. Gingersnap helps Freddie to fly and feel the clouds as the other dinosaurs cannot. Interesting to note here that, though pink, Gingersnap is the one that enables Freddie’s dream rather than it being the other way about.
There’s nothing particularly thrilling about the story, but I do love dragons, and while I wish she weren’t pink, I like that Gingersnap is the one to help Freddie.
I wanted to be so much happier with this picture book than I was, partially because its art is amazing and vaguely reminiscent of the art from DreamWorks’ How To Train Your Dragon, which predisposed me towards it, but also because coworkers of mine had been lauding it. Despite its pink protagonist (and why does the female protagonist have to be pink?), it is a boys’ book filled with growling and snapping of teeth and clacking of claws. Those bits would be a lot of fun to dramatize in a story time with one’s own kids. In a story hour, I worried that they might be a bit too scary for some kids and a bit too violent for some parents.
Freddie wonders what it would be like to touch the clouds. Gingersnap tries to fly but falls with style right on top of Freddie. They chase one another—right off a cliff, but Gingersnap catches Freddie, and the two of them land gracefully enough. And as J. K. Rowling has said, “There are some things you can’t share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them” (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone). Another, I think, is falling off of cliff. Gingersnap helps Freddie to fly and feel the clouds as the other dinosaurs cannot. Interesting to note here that, though pink, Gingersnap is the one that enables Freddie’s dream rather than it being the other way about.
There’s nothing particularly thrilling about the story, but I do love dragons, and while I wish she weren’t pink, I like that Gingersnap is the one to help Freddie.
December 29, 2020
Not a bad story, but not a strong one either.
The two were kinda cute, but a lot of teeth and claws for my taste (definitely seen cuter dinos and dragons). They are pretty similar character designs, which might be confusing for younger readers, but there's also the nice big-picture message of how we're all pretty similar after all.
No idea why tapping one's nose enables one to fly, or how he learned that from her, especially after all the stomping and growling. Seemed kinda random.
Still, fairly cute story (though not exceptional), and a good message about becoming friends despite of preconceived differences. Could be a good "filler" book for a story time on either dragons or dinosaurs, but there are others I'd probably reach to first.
The two were kinda cute, but a lot of teeth and claws for my taste (definitely seen cuter dinos and dragons). They are pretty similar character designs, which might be confusing for younger readers, but there's also the nice big-picture message of how we're all pretty similar after all.
No idea why tapping one's nose enables one to fly, or how he learned that from her, especially after all the stomping and growling. Seemed kinda random.
Still, fairly cute story (though not exceptional), and a good message about becoming friends despite of preconceived differences. Could be a good "filler" book for a story time on either dragons or dinosaurs, but there are others I'd probably reach to first.
May 6, 2014
Hum... what to say about this book??
When I was a kid, I thought dragon and dinosaurs were the same thing (and were both extinct). So for awhile...I was on board with the dragons vs dinosaurs scenario. Then it got stupid and long and the only thing I did like about it was the page that folded out...that was fun..
Other than that the pictures are something I could draw (not much of an artist) and it just didn't leave me smiling, or happy..just blah!
When I was a kid, I thought dragon and dinosaurs were the same thing (and were both extinct). So for awhile...I was on board with the dragons vs dinosaurs scenario. Then it got stupid and long and the only thing I did like about it was the page that folded out...that was fun..
Other than that the pictures are something I could draw (not much of an artist) and it just didn't leave me smiling, or happy..just blah!
January 23, 2014
This is an interesting friendship story--I liked the interaction between the two characters, although the small font and the illustrations made it less accessible to children. Two unlikely friends join together and help each other...that's the premise of the story. The illustrations might be scary to some children, though. Best for ECE or early elementary ages.
May 4, 2014
Cute book about a burgeoning friendship between a dragon and dinosaur, who traditionally don't get along. I was confused at one point when the dinosaur told the dragon that she taught him how to fly. I'm not sure where that comes in, but maybe I missed it in the illustrations. That aside, I think kids will find this delightful.
May 16, 2014
Note to publishers: If you're going to have a book that's going to have a fold out page (EVEN IF IT"S ONLY ONE PAGE) PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE make the paper a better quality. This is going to rip so fast at my library, it probably won't even last three check outs.
Cute art, although I wish the dragons and the dinosaurs looked more different.
Cute art, although I wish the dragons and the dinosaurs looked more different.
June 17, 2015
This was a cute book where a girl dragon and a boy dinosaur who would normally never interact, end up helping each other and became best friends. The illustrations were adorable and showed a lot of emotion.
January 12, 2014
Loved the illustrations on this story about two unlikely friends.
January 28, 2014
Terrific art
February 8, 2014
A cute story but nothing overly special. The child-like illustrations will likely appeal to small children.
September 12, 2016
Great illustrations. Sweet little romance.
April 29, 2014
Nothing special. The artwork caught my eye on the cover - very "How to Train Your Dragon" but inside it just got messy. The story was blah.
May 14, 2014
Very cute story of an unlikely friendship. Bold illustrations. One foldout page. Sounds. Short text good for younger readers.
August 29, 2016
These two little creatures remind us that opposites can be friends.
March 5, 2015
4 stars because I loved the art
March 28, 2015
Love the artwork. I got confused and had to read it a second time.
April 21, 2016
Amazing illustrations but I didn't like the story so much
January 8, 2014
Stylish but weak story.
March 9, 2014
Super cute book about two unlikely friends who help each other out.
February 9, 2015
very cute. my 5 year old niece says she liked the part where they fly and walk together.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews