The Gingerbread Man: New Friend on the Loose: A Graphic Novel

by Laura Murray, Mike Lowery (illustrator)

Genres: Picture Books

48 pages, Paperback

Published June 24, 2025

About the author

Laura Murray was a teacher before becoming an author, is a popular speaker at schools, and has had to deal with many an escaped Gingerbread Man in her day. She is the author of THE GINGERBREAD MAN LOOSE IN THE SCHOOL, and the Gingerbread Man’s continuing school adventures - THE GINGERBREAD MAN LOOSE ON THE FIRE TRUCK, THE GINGERBREAD MAN LOOSE AT CHRISTMAS, and THE GINGERBREAD MAN LOOSE AT THE ZOO (2016). This humor-filled, rhyming series was inspired by a Gingerbread man that managed to escape her classroom every single school year. Her first book won the 2014 Virginia and Illinois Reader's Choice Award, and was nominated for 7 other state awards as well; is a Junior Library Guild Selection; a Florida Children's Choice Award Honor book; and received a starred ALA Booklist review.
Laura lives with her family in northern Virginia. Visit her online at www.LauraMurrayBooks.com for loads of fun activities and lessons, standards-linked teacher's guides, as well as information on school author presentations.

Reviews

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the Gingerbread Boy joins the rest of the class for a lesson on making things with shapes, he finds the tables turned when the shape dog he creates runs off on an adventure. The class will need to think creatively and work together to get the dog to come home. The rhyming text lends itself to being an engaging read aloud, but with its limited text and simple story with its nods to the traditional one will also appeal to new readers, who will be excited to see this favorite character in a graphic novel format.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

The class is assigned a new baking project. The Gingerbread Man decides to bake too. When his creation is done, it goes wild in the classroom like any puppy would. I like the ending where the rest of the class creates a special place for the dog near Gingerbread's home.
A fun read for lower elementary readers.