There are tons of fun “gingerbread stories” from around the world- each with their own cultural twist and food. Finding similarities and differences when reading fairy tales from around the world hones kids’ critical thinking skills, and helps them to focus on the details.
Even the Common Core Standards includes this in one of their “Reading Literature” standards:
Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by different authors or from different cultures (RL.2.9.).
There are many reasons to read fairy tales to children- especially because they’re whimsical, creative, and fun! Today we’re looking at Gingerbread stories.
In order to categorize and analyze fairy tales from around the world, Antti Aarne published the Aarne–Thompson tale type index (1910). One popular and recurring children’s folktale is based on the idea of the “Fleeing Pancake” (classified as AT-2025- also commonly known as gingerbread stories). This story was very popular around Europe during the 19th century, and the version of The Gingerbread Man was well-known in the US at the time.
Here are some reviews by well-known bloggers of different versions of the “gingerbread stories,” mixed into an extensive list of print (affiliate links), and then on-line versions. Choose a handful of stories, and ask your kids to compare and contrast the stories:
| #1 | #2 | #3 | |
| Beginning: Who makes the food that runs away? | |||
| Main Character: What is the food? | |||
| Characters: Who tries to catch it? | |||
| Climax of the story: Who finally does catch it? Or does it get away? | |||
| What cultural details are unique in the story? |
Gingerbread Stories from Around the World
Ahlberg, Allan. The Runaway Dinner (UK) reviewed by Mud Hut Mama. In this 
hilarious story, the entire dinner (peas, carrots, fries, fork, knife, spoon, plate, table and chairs) runs away! A very silly story that your kids will ask you to read again and again. Read how Jody even replicated the dinner in the book for her kids, who wondered if their dinner would get up and run away.
Aylesworth, Jim. The Gingerbread Man.
Baumgartner, Barbara. Nursery Classics: Gingerbread Man
Bochkov, Natasha. The Russian Runaway Gingerbread “Kolobok” (available in Chinese, Russian, Spanish, and English) reviewed by Creative World of Varya. Varya has even included a recipe for traditional Russian Kolobok (Колобок), an easy to make small round bun featured in the book. I love pairing activities with the books, and food is always fun for the kids.
Brett, Jan. Gingerbread Baby reviewed by Sprout’s Bookshelf
Brown, Marcia. The Bun, A Tale from Russia
Campbell Ernst, List. The Gingerbread Girl reviewed by Sprout’s Bookshelf
Capiuto, Natha. Roule Galette (in French) reviewed by the piri-piri lexicon. 
Cauley, Lorinda. The Pancake Boy: An Old Norwegian Folk Tale
Compestine, Ying Chang. The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale
Cook, Scott. The Gingerbread Boy (Dragonfly Edition)
De Las Casas, Dianne. The Cajun Cornbread Boy
Egielski, Richard. The Gingerbread Boy
Enderle, Dotti. The Library Gingerbread Man reviewed by Sprout’s Bookshelf
Esterl, Arnica. The Fine Round Cake
Galdone, Paul. The Gingerbread Boy
Howland, Naomi. The Matzah Man: A Passover Story
Jacobs, Joseph. “Johnny Cake” in Tomie dePaola’s Favorite Nursery Tales
Jarrell, Randall. The Gingerbread Rabbit
Jones, Carol. The Gingerbread Man
Kimmel, Eric. The Gingerbread Man
Kimmelman, Leslie. The Runaway Latkes
Levy, Janice. Runaway Radish is reviewed by All Done Monkey. I had no idea that in Oaxaca, Mexico, people carve radishes (like pumpkin carving in the US)! This radish tries to get away by running through a typical Mexican pueblito. Leanna piqued her son’s interest by conducting an experiment with real radishes, after reading the book.
Lithgow, John. Marsupial Sue Presents “The Runaway Pancake” (Australia)
Lobel, Anita, The Pancake
Luna, James. The Runaway Piggy / El cochinito fugitivo
Murray, Laura. The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School reviewed by Sprout’s Bookshelf
Rockwell, Anne. “The Gingerbread Man” in The three bears & 15 other stories
Rowe, John A. The Gingerbread Man: An Old English Folktale
Sawyer, Ruth. Journey Cake, Ho! (Picture Puffins)
Scieszcka, Jon. The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
Sierra, Judy. Nursery Tales Around the World
Squires, Janet. The Gingerbread Cowboy reviewed by Discovering the World through My Son’s Eyes ♫♫ “Giddyup, giddyup as fast as you can. You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man”♫♫ A western twist: I love Frances’ cowboy
gingerbread cookies she made with her son to go with the book- what a sweet treat!
Steel, Flora Annie. “The Wee Bannock” in English Fairy Tales
Stolz, Mary. Pangur Ban
Takayama, Sandi. The Musubi Man: Hawai’i’s Gingerbread Man
If you cannot get copies at your local library or bookstore, or prefer digital reading, here are 2 excellent sites I have found that include multiple versions of gingerbread stories that you can read on-line with your kids:
What a massive list you have compiled! Thank you so much for putting this together – I’m looking forward to reading the other reviews!
I had no idea there were so many different versions of this story! Earlier this year my daughter enjoyed learning about different versions of the Little Red Riding Hood story at school, and I thought it was a fantastic idea for a first grade reading unit!
I never knew there were Gingerbread stories from around the world. What a great collection of books. Thanks for celebrating Multicultural Children’s Book Day with us.
Great list! I love finding different takes on the same story
I hope my book, THE KING CAKE BABY, Pelican Publishing Co, February 2015, set in New Orleans makes the list! In this retelling the plastic baby that belongs in a king cake made throughout our Carnival season until Mardi Gras Day runs away until he is caught by a clever baker.
Oh cute! I will look for it- what a great twist!:)
Thank you for compiling this list! I love to show my students these comparisons! I am doing a puppet show with La Tortilla Corredora (The Runaway Tortilla).
That is awesome!!! I would love to see pictures if you have any 🙂 Put them on the Kid World Citizen facebook page 🙂