A Gingerbread House Review: First Line Friday

A Gingerbread House Review

Welcome to this week’s First Line Friday featuring my A Gingerbread House review. Because this is a picture book, we’re going to do things a little differently today. We’re going to ignore the first line part of the First Line Friday because there aren’t a lot of lines in picture books.

Why did I choose to read A Gingerbread House when I don’t have little ones at home? Simple. I love picture books. In fact, I always thought I’d be writing children’s books instead of adult books. I have a bookcase with nothing but picture books filling it. All the favorites from when my kids were little and maybe a few more in addition to those.

Besides I have grandkids. And while two of them are getting a little old for picture books, (Is that a thing, really? I think people should enjoy picture books from the time they’re born until the time they die. They are wonderful.) one of them is almost two. The perfect age for picture books.

As a GiGi to three wonderful grandkids, some of my favorite memories of times spent with the two oldest are times we spent baking together. I love to bake as much as I love a great picture book. Christmas baking has been my tradition since before I was in high school. Baking with grandkids isn’t always neat and tidy or perfect in the result, but it does create a lot of fun times to look back on.

A Gingerbread House taps into all the things I love.

Christmas. I’m there for almost anything that focuses on Christmas, its true meaning, or those things that make it such a special time of year.

Story. One that makes the ordinary experience of a Christmas tradition seem extraordinary and important. And rhyming adds a musical quality that makes the story flow.

Illustrations. Wonderful, simple illustrations to add a layer of visual enjoyment to the story. We can see the gingerbread house coming together as they complete each step.

Family. A grandfather sharing the tradition of baking and assembling a gingerbread house with his granddaughter. A granddaughter coming to realize a house is just a house without those we love turning it into a home.

In A Gingerbread House, the author gives us, and the littles in our lives, this beautiful, meaningful message in a beautifully simple, natural way. And it does it while celebrating a physical living out of the message in a fun way that will hopefully inspire each of us to spend our time making our houses homes through time spent with those we love.

I give this children’s book five stars and encourage you to share it with a little you love this Christmas.

Get your copy of A Gingerbread House.