Suitable for children in Year 1 (age 5), The Gingerbread Man is from the Cambridge Reading genre strand Stories from a Range of Cultures. Children should be familiar with some of the stories in this set of nine books. The stories draw on myths, legends, folk tales and fairy stories, including Aesop's Fables, and originate from various countries including Nigeria and South America. The Gingerbread Man is one of six stories that have been written and illustrated by Gerald Rose. They are retold in contemporary language and illustrated with simplified characters and bold colours that will appeal to young children. Cambridge Reading at Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) offers fiction, non-fiction, poetry and plays to introduce children to a variety of text types, authors and illustrators and provide a firm base for wider reading.