Thursday, October 14, 2010

A Cute Romp Through The Dewey Decimal System


The Library Gingerbread Man by Dotte Enderle is a perfect gift for the librarian in your life.  It’s a cute new take on a classic fairytale.  The Gingerbread Man lives at number 398.2." And so begins the Gingerbread Man’s Dewey decimal adventure.  When the naughty cookie escapes from the librarian, his pursuers include a thesaurus from 423.1 that cries, "Stop! Cease! Halt! Freeze! Stay!" and a robot from 629.892 that drones, "Stop. Stop. You. Are. Misplaced."  As he runs from each pursuer   he echoes the familiar refrain, "Run, run, as fast as you can./You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!" When he reaches the 920s, Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman, and Amelia Earhart all try in vain to catch him. "Even Jesse Owens, a record-breaking Olympic runner, couldn't keep up." Finally, an Arctic fox emerges from the 998s: "Looks like you're trapped…. I'm quick and light on my feet. Get up on my back." We all know what usually happens next, but the day is saved by the librarian (librarians can do anything, don’t you know?) and the cookie is safely re-shelved where he belongs.  This is an excellent book to use for introducing a lesson on the Dewey Decimal System. It’s a must have for libraries, librarians and gingerbread fans.

Recommended for ages:  Grades 1-4

Mrs. Archer’s Rating:  5 of 5

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