Hello, friends! I’m Craig Tove, and today we’re going to have a fun story time together. We have a special book to read called “The Gingerbread Girl” by Lisa Campbell Ernst. Let’s get started!
Once upon a time, there was a lonely old woman and a lonely old man. They were sad because they had lost their Gingerbread Boy to a tricky fox. One day, the old man had an idea. “Let’s bake a Gingerbread Girl!” he said. “She will be sweet and won’t run away.”
So, they mixed the dough, rolled it out, and made a Gingerbread Girl. They decorated her with lots of candies and gave her licorice hair. “She looks so sweet!” said the old woman as she put her in the oven.
As the Gingerbread Girl baked, she listened to the old couple talk about her brother. “I won’t make the same mistakes,” she thought. When the oven door opened, out jumped the Gingerbread Girl! She ran out the door, singing, “I’ll run and I’ll run with a leap and a twirl, you can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Girl!”
The old woman and man chased after her, but she was too fast. She ran past some farmers who tried to catch her, but she laughed and sang, “Hey farmers, don’t bother! I’m fast and I’ve learned from my brother!”
Next, she met a pig who wanted a bite, but she leaped over him, singing, “I can leap past piggy! This story won’t end like my brother’s!”
The Gingerbread Girl met many characters who tried to catch her, but she was too clever. Finally, she reached the river where the sly fox was waiting. “Let me help you across,” said the fox. The Gingerbread Girl was smart and asked, “Do I have your promise for a safe ride?”
The fox promised, but as soon as she climbed on his tail, he tried to trick her. The Gingerbread Girl quickly used her licorice hair to tie the fox’s snout and rode him back to the old couple’s house.
Everyone followed them back to the house. The Gingerbread Girl and the fox became friends, and they baked more cookies together. The old couple was never lonely again.
And the fox? The Gingerbread Girl taught him good manners, and they often went on adventures together. You might even hear her singing, “I’ll run and I’ll run with a leap and a twirl, I outfoxed the fox!”
Wasn’t that a fun story? Thanks for joining me for story time. See you next time!
Gingerbread Character Creation: Gather some art supplies like colored paper, markers, and stickers. Ask the children to create their own gingerbread character. Encourage them to think about what makes their character special. Does it have a unique outfit or special powers? Once they finish, have them share their character’s story with the class. This activity helps children use their imagination and understand the concept of character traits.
Role-Playing Adventure: Organize a simple role-playing game where children can act out different parts of the story. Assign roles like the Gingerbread Girl, the old couple, the farmers, the pig, and the fox. Encourage them to think about how each character feels and what they might say. This helps children understand different perspectives and emotions.
Observation Walk: Take the children on a short walk around the school or playground. Ask them to look for things that remind them of the story, like something sweet (a flower), something fast (a bird), or something clever (a squirrel). When you return, discuss what they found and how it relates to the story. This activity encourages observation skills and connects the story to the real world.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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Hey Ryan, look at this! I’m Craig Tove, and welcome to Story Time with Bryan Lagarde. [Music] Remember, if you like what you see, follow us on Instagram or visit our website. You can watch all of our read-alongs there or send us a message. You can say anything!
I want to give a big shout-out to the Westfield Elementary kindergarten class in Richmond, Indiana. They sent us today’s book. Thanks for sending it, you guys are awesome, and we can’t wait to read it! Today’s book is “The Gingerbread Girl” by Lisa Campbell Ernst.
You may remember the sad story of the Gingerbread Boy. He ran away from the lonely old woman who baked him, as well as many other hungry characters. His dash through life ended in one greedy gulp by a sly fox pretending to help him cross a river. This is the story of his younger, wiser sister.
A full year had passed since the lonely old woman and the lonely old man had lost their Gingerbread Boy to the devious fox. They were even lonelier than before. “Let’s bake again,” suggested the old man one morning. “But what if the same thing happens?” cried the old woman. “I couldn’t bear the loss.” “Let’s make a girl this time and decorate her with candies. Certainly, a sweet little girl wouldn’t run away,” answered the man.
So they mixed up the dough, rolled it out, and cut it into shape. They dressed it with as many candies as they could fit, completing the cookie with an amazing hairdo made of licorice whips. “She is sweet!” gasped the woman as she slid the cookie sheet into the oven.
While the lonely old woman and the lonely old man stood watch by the oven, they talked, remembering their Gingerbread Boy’s short life. “He never should have run away. He never should have trusted that fox.” As the new cookie baked, her mind woke up, and she heard everything. “Sweet or not,” she thought, “things will be different this time.”
When it was time for the cookie to be done, the old woman carefully cracked open the oven door to peek. That’s right, great advice: be careful when you’re cracking the oven door; it’s hot in there! BAM! Out jumped the Gingerbread cookie, running toward the door. The little old woman screamed, “Stop, stop!” and the old man came running, but the cookie was already out the door and headed down the same path that her brother had traveled.
“Here we go!” whispered the Gingerbread Girl. The man and the woman chased after her, but she sang, “I’ll run and I’ll run with a leap and a twirl, you can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Girl!”
As the Gingerbread Girl dashed down the path, she came to a group of farmers working in the fields. The aroma of fresh-baked gingerbread caught their attention. “Would the hungry farmers shout?” and they began to run after the Gingerbread Girl. She laughed and called, “Hey farmers, don’t bother! Like my brother, I’m fast! Run all you want, but I’ve learned from his past. I’ll run and I’ll run with a leap and a twirl, you can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Girl!”
Farther down the road, a pig came into view. As the Gingerbread Girl grew closer, her candy sparkled in the sunlight. The pig squealed with joy and tried to take a bite, but the Gingerbread Girl was too fast. She leaped over him, singing, “I can leap past piggy! Like all the others, this story will not end like that of my brother. I’ll run and I’ll run with a leap and a twirl, you can’t catch me!”
The Gingerbread Girl continued on her journey, encountering various characters along the way, each trying to catch her. But she cleverly outsmarted them all, singing her catchy refrain.
Finally, the Gingerbread Girl came to the same river her brother had tried to cross. Who should be waiting for her but the same devious fox? “My pretty,” crooned the fox, “I was a friend of your brother. Let me help you across the river. Just jump onto my tail.” The Gingerbread Girl shivered but sang softly, “Do I have your promise for a safe ride?”
The fox chuckled, “I promise, my sweet little tidbit.” The Gingerbread Girl gingerly climbed onto the fox’s tail. But as soon as she did, the fox dove into the water, ready for a feast. The Gingerbread Girl quickly thought of a plan and used her licorice hair to tie the fox’s snout.
With a clever twist, she turned the fox back toward the crowd, riding him like a bucking bronco. The Gingerbread Girl whizzed past, singing, “I’ll run and I’ll run with a leap and a twirl, come follow me, I’m the Gingerbread Girl!”
The crowd followed all the way back to the lonely old woman and the lonely old man’s house. The Gingerbread Girl rode into the kitchen, secured the fox, and together they baked more cookies. From that moment on, they were never lonely again.
And what of the fox? The Gingerbread Girl was eventually able to teach him some manners using gingerbread crumbs for treats. Most days, you can see them riding across the countryside, her small voice drifting in the breeze, singing, “I’ll run and I’ll run with a leap and a twirl, I outfoxed the fox!” [Music]
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This version removes any informal language, unnecessary commentary, and maintains a focus on the story itself.
